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Fused Glass Lantern Project

1/27/2019

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With glass, I still consider myself a beginner. There is so much to learn, so many techniques to master, interesting projects to try. I'm a member of several glass art groups online. They're a great place to find inspiration & helpful tips from those in the know. After admiring some incredibly beautiful lantern projects online, I was inspired to try a few myself. I have to say, I was thrilled with the outcome of our first lantern - a Christmas gift for Grandma Pillywiggin. 
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The Lantern
The Borrby Lantern from Ikea is perfect for this project. It's available in two sizes in your choice of black or white.
  • 6"x6"x11" for $9.99
  • 9.5"x9.5"x17 for $14.99
Assembly is required for the larger of the two. The small lantern is pre-assembled. Remove glass panels & measure carefully before cutting your new panels. The front door is smaller than the 3 side panels!
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Any lantern with removable glass panels would work for this project so keep an eye out for unique lanterns at yard sales & resale shops! Ooooooh, Upcycled, Recycled, Vintage...YES!
The Design
I wanted a different design for each panel but I didn't want the finished project to look like a hodgepodge of mishmash ideas. So, I chose a theme and used repeating complementary colors on each panel. A wintery theme was perfect because
  1. It fit the season  without being too Christmasy.
  2. It went well with Grandma Pillywiggin's decor, and
  3. I had just purchased a snowflake casting mold & was having fun with it. LOL
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To make the snowflakes, I prepped the casting mold with glass separator, a must or the glass will stick inside the mold. ​This mold makes 2 different snowflakes. I found out during this project that one is a slightly larger than the other. I filled the mold with medium glass frit in translucent aqua & 2 shades of translucent turquoise. Frit is crushed glass available in powder form & in various sizes ranging from fine, medium to coarse. I used medium frit to reduce bubbling. Bubbles can be cool but not for this project. Bubbles would make the snowflakes appear slightly cloudy. I wanted them as translucent as possible.
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While I worked on snowflakes Jason removed glass from the lantern, both of us pondering what to do with the glass we were removing? We came up with a few ideas. 
  • Paint them with glass paints for use in future projects.
  • Create No-Fire glass mosaic panels by attaching glass beads, sea glass & other recycled bits with silicone. 
  • ​Stay tuned for future blog posts!
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Creating The Panels
I used irridized clear glass for each panel. I cut the 3 side panels first before I discovered I didn't have enough glass left for the door. Oops... Time to design on the fly! I had a piece of rippled irridized clear that was similar but different enough to stand out. Luckily, it was the front door panel so my mismatched glass became a "cool design element" instead of the odd-man-out.

​I used a single layer of glass for each panel. Anything thicker would not have fit inside the frames. I also had to keep my designs away from the edges about 1/4" on all sides. Other than that, the panels can be decorated any way you'd like. I used scrap glass from other projects to decorate mine, trimming & playing with the pieces to create birch & pine trees. Then, I added details using black stringer and a mix of opaque, translucent & dichroic frit.
I managed to squeeze all four panels onto 2 shelves - one for each kiln. We programed the kilns for a contour fuse (about 1375F) to slightly round the edges while retaining the raised texture and kept our fingers crossed for the next 13 hours.

It worked! When I cracked open the kilns the next morning I broke into the happy dance. I was too nervous to watch Jason insert the panels into the lantern but he pulled it off without a hitch.
​Unlit
Lit
This was a fun project with endless possibilities.
My mind is awhirl with lantern designs.
More pictures & posts coming soon!
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Frost on the Pillywiggins

1/5/2019

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There's frost on the Pillywiggins!
But, we don't care.
Our garden still sparkles,
In the fresh northern air.
We still have hydrangea,
Blossoms & blooms.
And the weeds look lovely,
With frost on their plumes.
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A few stubborn fruits,
Cling tight to their bough.
Tucker will get them!
Some way or some how.
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There's frost on the Pillywiggins!
But, that's alright.
It was a beautiful day.
And a spectacular night!


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Our garden, our photos, our words...
Life is good when you're a Pillywiggin!
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  • Welcome
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