Shardsandlight’s Weblog

  I have a bunch of Monarch butterflies at the moment that I am working on for an order.   They are Christmas gifts for a clients family, she has 6 brothers and sisters.  Another week or 2 all the monarchs should be completed.   
  Yesterday we went out to Dieter Stipes shop near Sheboygan Falls near the intersection of County Road M, and C.  (he has a sign out near the road)  He does decorative/ornamental metal work.  Items such as dragonflies, flowers, Halloween items, butterflies, and loads of other really unique things on steel rods to stick in your yard or garden.  When we went in his shop he was working on some tabletop wine bottle holders.  They were very nice and no 2 alike!  He made a spiral that holds the wine bottle, then some grape leaves, for decoration, and a weighted base all out of metal. 
  Dieter is opening a studio to display his pieces, and his Mom also makes beautiful wreaths, that are on display too.  He asked if I wanted to bring my stained glass pieces to his studio as well.  Dieter would like to have a variety of items for sale at the studio.  It’s filling up, so come on out and have a look!
  Christmas is just around the corner.  This would make ideal gifts for that person that has everything.

Large Heart

  This heart was for an order I just delivered, and measures 12 “x12 “.  The reds are gorgeous with sunlight coming thru them!  The smooth red has some streaks thru it, and is mostly clear.  The other red is just a deep red color with texture.  It’s so difficult to get good pictures that do justice to the beautiful colors of the glass.  This is always a problem that glass artists complain about.  So we do our best……
  Thru the long chilly Winter months I will be keeping you posted now on what I am currently working on in the workshop.
  Stop back often, and I will try to have fresh posts on here once or twice a week…..

  Now it’s time to get something done again.  I have an order to fill of 6 monarch butterflies, they are Christmas presents for someones family.  I also just finshed a large heart that a lady had ordered too, that will be delivered today. 
  The coming winter months will give me a chance to experiment, and play with new and fresh ideas.  And for all the things I ‘want’ to do, Winter won’t be long enough!  lol 
  This gives me a chance as well, to build up my stock for the 2009 season.  I could become a hermit for the Winter, if anyone really needs me they would know where to find me…hahaha  That would be my cup of tea!   However I don’t think they would be to understanding at my regular job, and then having the lights on, have heat for the winter, and eating certainly would be a nice thing too during the cold Winter months.  So unfortunately the latter is the harsh reality….  

  Well the season has come to a close at Elkhart Lake Artisans Market.  We will miss being there Saturday Mornings. 
  I want to send out a BIG thank you to everyone for making this a great season!  It was great to see all the shoppers, and the vendors were a very nice group of people, overall the atmosphere at the market and the quality is superb.
  Check back on my blog, I may be out there at some craft event before Christmas yet.  I will keep you updated.
  Over the chilly Winter months I will also keep posting on here of current events.
  Stay tuned!…………  Same place,…Same Blog
  Till later…….

  On our recent trip across Lake Michigan with the car ferry from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI I just ‘happened to have the directions along’ to get to Lansing, MI for Delphi Glass.  So the weather forecast wasn’t the greatest one day, and I managed to persuade hubby to take a “short” drive just 2 3/4 hours away one way to Delphi.       As soon as he said yeah we could do that, he found me waiting in the car ready to go!  lol.  (just about)….  Mapquest gave us some funky directions, but we found it!  As you can see from the photo.  Yeah that’s ME!  Cars were zooming past on the street next to the parking lot as I was posing for this picture, probably thought what a nutcase!  Oh well.  I was so excited to finally get to be there!  And of course I spent loads of time picking out glass, and found some unusual pieces, along with some hard-to-find pieces.  So the back seat was then dedicated for glass, for the rest of our trip.  Hubby is great, he even was getting into searching for glass along with me in there!  Better watch it, before I know it, he’ll be intruding on my side of the workshop.  hahaha 
  We visited some wineries on the peninsula straight north of Traverse City, MI and of course did some ‘tasting’.  We brought back several bottles too.  The views were great!  Some places you could see on both sides of the bay at the same time!  It was a 18 mile drive to the end of the peninsula, and there was a lighthouse at the end, that is not in operation anymore, built in 1870, is still kept up, good to see preserving history.  We went for a long walk out onto the sandy/mushy/marshy shore.  Alot of rocks and large stones embedded in the soil, looks like a glacial dumping ground.  And also you can tell,  the lake level probably was alot higher years ago.  MI also had some great little breweries we tried, had a meal at one of them as well and brought some of the brew back with us too.
  The Fall colors were beautiful along the upper part of Lake MI, soon to trickle down this way.  One of my favorite times of the year.  

  I will be at Elkhart Lake Artisan Market this Saturday October 11th, and it will be the last sale of the season. 
 
  Also one more time!  10% OFF Absolutely Everything for the season finale!

  Christmas is approaching so take advantage of the SALE!   

  I will not be going to the Artisans Market this weekend in Elkhart Lake.  We are going across Lake Michigan with the carferry from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI.  I will be ’shopping’ at the Farmers/Artisans Market Saturday in Ludington, for something different.  Then touring around the top of Lake Michigan taking our time to see the Fall colors, a few lighthouses, and stop along the way and investigate whatever looks to be interesting to us.  
  Also Delphi Glass is in Lansing, MI and I would certainly love to make a side trip there.  I’ll probably be like a ‘kid in a candy store’, when I am turned loose in there…lol
  Sooooo looking forward to getting away for a few days.  We were going to go to South Carolina, but with the recent gas shortages in those areas, we were closely watching the news, and decided at this time was probably not a good idea to be there.  My daughter and granddaughter were going to drive up and spend a few days with us in SC, so now we won’t be seeing them either.    Not sure when we will get to see either of them, and it’s been a year now.  At least we talk on the phone quite regular.
  There is one more week left out at Elkhart Lake Artisan Market.  Please check back later to see if I’ll be there.
  I will post about Wed./Thursday time on here if I am going.  Watch the weather forecast before deciding on what Saturdays will bring.  That will be the last market for the season though, October 11th.
  Stay tuned…….