An Explosion of Glass

Merry Christmas! I consider this Christmas hutch to be an explosion of glass.  

Christmas hutch arrangement with vintage glass

Many of the objects in this hutch arrangement are glass, and the sparkles and colors seem to explode with Christmas joy, hence the title.  

Detail with my two favorite birds

I collect red and green glassware throughout the years specifically for my Christmas hutch.

Detail of red bowl

This cut crystal bowl is one of my favorites. Red glass is flashed over a clear crystal bowl. When the bowl it then "cut" by the bowl maker, the clear crystal shines through.

Detail of pitcher and glass

White plates form a nice background to show off the colored glass. And then my white pitchers are in turn showcased against the colored plates.

Detail of Glass in my China hutch

The syrup pitcher above was created with a white coin dot process. The little glass trees were once avon perfume containers.

Wishing all the bloggers and browsers...

A very Merry Christmas!
May your holidays be blessed
with friends and family.

Click on the images to see them enlarged!

I blog for fun and my blog is ad free.  Comments encourage me, and I sometimes need encouragement. Please leave a comment if you have time!  Anonymous comments and comments months/years later are welcome!

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Hutch Treasure

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Flow Blue China

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My Collection of all China Posts!

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I am linking to these parties:
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (Entry 72?? of 85.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Youre the Star Mon 7a (Entry )
Dedicated house: Make pretty Mon 10a 279 (Entry 61 of 120.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 2-4p 247 (Entry 34 of 251.)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Mon 3p 481 (Entry 34 pf 216.)
Stone Gable: The Scoop Mon 5p 358 (Entry 8 of 393.)
    Also Cedarhill Ranch: The Scoop (Entry 8 of 393.)
How to Home: Project Inspired Mon 7pm 304 (Entry 2 of 19. or more.)  
Celebrate and decorate: Celebrate your story Mon 8p 159 (Entry 35 of 83.) 
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home Mon 5p? 288 (Entry 39 of 156.)
Skip to my Lou: Made by you Mon 139 (Entry 31 of 94.) 
Lets Add Sprinkles: Keep in Touch Tue 4p 49 (Entry 8 of 22.)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 154 (Entry 2 of 107.)
    Also My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town (Entry 2 of 107.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Tue 6p 401 (Entry 2 of 199.) *
Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Tue 7p 382 (Entry 25??)
Girlish Whims: Whims Tues 8:50p 386 (Entry 60 of 173.)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase Wed 6a 60 (Entry 63?? of 86.)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style 171 Wed 6p 188 (Entry 39 of 280.)
Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs Wed 5p 355 (Entry 51 of 231.)
Grandmas House: Wed link party 118 (Entry 48 of 61.)
My thrift Store addiction: Christmas Vintage Charm (Entry 34 of 45.)
Charm of home: Home Sweet Home 391 (Entry 7 of 119.)
French Country: Feather Nest th12-2p (Entry 53 of 201.)

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Halloween Pumpkin Pour

Molten iron pours from pumpkin to pumpkin

Halloween inspires many unique activities across the United States, and one of my current favorites is the Pumpkin Pour at the University of Wisconsin Platteville.

Pumpkin Pour - Molten Iron from 5 pumpkins cascade into 5 pumpkins below

The University has an Industrial Studies program and an AFS (American Foundry Society) club, which runs the event as a fund raiser.

Pumpkin Pour - Molten Iron cascades through 4 pumpkins

The AFS club fires up a metal melting "cupola" that melts iron at over 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit, and among other things, pours the molten metal into carved pumpkins for visual fireworks.

A 4 pumpkin cascade sparks like fireworks

Sparks fly as added water and other chemicals respond to the molten iron, effectively mixing pumpkins with fireworks.

Molten iron splashes as well!

I took these photos at Platteville's 5th annual pumpkin pour in October of 2017.

A Pumpkin drools molten iron

I hope to be at the pumpkin pour in 2018. 

Molten iron pours from pumpkin to pumpkin

After glow - and molten iron puddles

Glowing pumpkins seem to be the essence of contemporary American Halloween for me.  

Molten iron gives pumpkins an amazing glow

For the fundraising portion of the night, the club charges interested visitors $5 each for an iron pumpkin created while the visitors watch.  For $5 a visitor is given a sand cast pumpkin mold, which visitors then carve their unique designs into.

Molten iron pouring into pumpkin molds

AFS members then pour the molten iron into the pumpkin molds while the visitors wait.  Once the cast iron pumpkins cool down, the visitors collect their one-of-a-kind creation.

Iron Pumpkin creations from the event

Above are some of the resulting cast iron pumpkins my family went home with.  See the pumpkin pie?

UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour

The above photo shows the "cupola" from Waupaca Foundries that melts the molten iron in the background, and iron being poured into pumpkin molds in the foreground.

Iron pools while a pumpkin glares after a "Pumpkin Pour".

The photographer in me loves the visuals from this event.

The UW Platteville Pumpkin Pour is supported by Waupaca, logo on pumpkin above

The American midwest is the kind of place you can find colleges and manufacturing companies that support odd events like the Pumpkin Pour.  Thanks to Waupaca Foundry, Neenah Foundry, and of course the University of Wisconsin, Platteville.  Learning complicated manufacturing processes can be fun!  Apparently there are multiple foundry events around the country at different times, let me know in the comment section if you have ever been to one and where it was.

Here is a 38 second video from the 2017 Platteville Pumpkin Pour where I took the photos for this post. It's worth the 38 seconds it takes to watch it!  And here is another video.


Click on the images to see them enlarged.

 

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Christmas Pins

I am linking up to these parties:

French Country: Feather Nest Thur 2p (Entry 90 of 192.)
FromGardners2Bergers: Handmade Hangout Fri 5p 230 (Entry 78 of 157.)
Kathleen: Bloggers Pit Stop 146 (Entry 40 of 125.)
Chic: Flaunt it Friday (Entry 1 of 97.)
Tumbleweed Contessa: Whatd you do 294 (Entry 85 of 101.)
Good Random Fun: Good-random-fun 42 (Entry 30 of 48.)
Dedicated house: Make pretty Mon 272 (Entry 23 of 105 list gone.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 508 (Entry ??)
Little Farmstead: Sun At Home Sat 7p (Entry 19 of 267.)
  Also Love of Home  (Entry 19 of  267.)
  Also My Soulful Home  (Entry 19 of 267.)
Silver pennies: Silver Pennies Sun 286 (Entry 43 of 133.)
Ms Toodygooshoes: Best of weekend Fri 7p (Entry 7 of 207.)
  Also Virginiasweetpea (Entry 7 of 207.) 
Life and Linda: Dishing it Digging it 223 Sun 5p (Entry 8 of 225.)
  Also Rustic-refined (Entry 8 of 225.)
Dwellings: Amaze Me Mon 286 (Entry 16 of 135.)
I Should be Mopping: Inspiration Mon Sun 5p (Entry ??)
Cedarhill Ranch: The Scoop 349 (Entry 56 of 375.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 238 (Entry 106 of  232.)
How to Home: Project Inspired 296 (Entry 3 of 155 link gone)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues 444 (Entry 79 of 179.)
Mersad photography: Through my Lens (Entry 23 of 25.)
Our World Tues: Our World (Entry 39 of 81.)
Celebrate and decorate: Celebrate your story 151 (Entry 77 list gone.)
Image-in-ing: Weekly link up (Entry 36 of 85.)
Lets Add Sprinkles: Keep in Touch 42 Tue 4p (Entry 1 of  21.)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 146 (Entry 1 of 74.)
    Also My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town (Entry 1 of 74.)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Tue 6p 393 (Entry 20 of 192.) *
Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Tue 7p (Entry ??)
Girlish Whims: Whims Tues 8:50p 378 (Entry 77 of 180.)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase Wed 6a 52 (Entry ??27 of x.)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style Wed 6p 180 (Entry 117 of  231.)
Delightsome Life: Home-Garden Wed 5p 348 (Entry 152 of list gone.) 
Yellow Brick Home: Hauntingly Beautiful 2 (Entry 37 of 51.)
Too Many Hobbies: Beautifully Made 34 (Entry 36 of 36.)
Fluster Buster: Great Ideas 303 (Entry ??)
Rchreviews: Party in your PJs 231 (Entry 161 of 189.)
Little bits of Home: Dream Create Inspire 172 (Entry 145 of 154.)
Salvage Sister: Waste not Wed 126 (Entry ??)
Mybijoulife: Traffic Jam Weekend 252 (Entry 26 of 105.) 

2020 Grammys Grid: All things Halloween (Entry x) 

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Art Journals, Part 2

Image 1: Emerson Quote page in my Art Journal

My original art journal project had issues. I have been enjoying the process of resolving them.  The issue I'll mention today is the handwriting problem - I disliked my hand writing, and felt it wrecked the work I put into creating my beautiful papers.

Image 2: Goethe Quote Mixed Media page

A friend encouraged me to take a class she had taken - a brush lettering course taught by Emily Gail.  A single morning brush lettering class greatly improved my handwriting!  It went from a 2 out of 10 to a 4 out of 10.  That's a 100% improvement!

Image 3: Emerson Quote page in my Large Art Journal

The teacher's beautiful writing (none shown in this post) is way better than my shaky script, but I was happy with my writing and progress, for a whole bunch of reasons. 

Image 4: College Student Art Journal messages Set 1

I enjoyed practicing (a bit), so now I now think my writing is better than a 4.  I practiced so much I decided to create mini books for my college students to hopefully inspire them.  I get to create and play with more papers and create an heirloom for my children sharing wisdom I believe in.

Image 5: College Student Art Journal Messages set 2

If my kids aren't encouraged, I am.
Writing out
"Talent is rarely distinguishable, over the long run, 
from perseverance and lots of hard work"
over 10 times improves the handwriting, and I begin to believe what I am writing.

Image 6: Talent and Vision Art Journal Pages

The best way to practice lettering using the special "brush" marker is on vellum, which I can cut out and attach to the art journal pages.
I AM NO LONGER WRECKING ANY PAGES!!!

Image 7: Done is Better than Good Art Journal pages

As my lettering improves, I can and do replace the vellum with the improved version - I become very happy, because "Done is better than good!", and I am "done" with a lot more pages now.

Image 8: "Done is better than Good" Quote in my Journal

(By the way, my college kids get the black "comb" binding journals, and my small art journal is the one with the 2 silver rings.)


(The hand lettering class taught by Emily Gail at Village Paper and Ink in Greendale Wisconsin was an great addition to my journal!  Emily is an awesome teacher, and I recommend her classes if you are that lucky, or else there are youtube videos on brush lettering.)

(See my first Art Journal post here) 



Click on the images to see them enlarged.

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Mixed Media 1

Mixed Media 2

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I am linking up to these parties:

Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Wed 351 (Entry x)
Girlish Whims: Whims Wednesday 355 (Entry 165)
Jan Olson: Share your Cup of Tea Thur 290 (Entry 57)
Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs 325 (Entry 135)
My husband: Beautifully Made 11 (Entry 38b)
Grandmas House: Wed Party 87 (Entry 111b) 
Katherine: Thurs Favorite Things (Entry 36 of 216)
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home 299 9:30A Th (Entry 53 of 87)
French Country: Feather Nest Fri (Entry 62 of )
Mythriftstoreaddiction: Vintage Charm 133 (Entry 32)
Richfaithrising: Blog Party (Entry 17)
Designthusiasm: Style Showcase 29 (Entry x)
Chic: Flaunt it Friday 403 (Entry 64 of 85)
Ms Toodygooshoes: Best of the weekend 123 (Entry 16)
Little Farmstead: Sundays Home Sa 7p (Entry 79)
Same as above: Maison de Cinq: Sundays Home (Entry 79)
Darling Diaries: Good Morning Mon 169 (Entry 24)
Silver Pennies: Sundays Party 264 (Entry 65)
Rustic Refined: Dishing it and Diggin it 201 (Entry 37)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks 272 (Entry 163)
Marcela Cavaglieri: Frugal Find 215 (Entry 4 of 14)
Jembellish: A-Round-Tuit 415 (Entry 55)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Mon 333 (Entry 105)
Fromgardners: Handmade Hangout Th 5pm 207 (Entry 25)
Create with Joy: Inspire me Mon 329 (Entry 4)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 486 (Entry x)
Good Random Fun: Good Random Fun (Entry 30)
TumbleContessa: Whatd-do-Weekend 273 (Entry 97)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me Tues Mon 5p 424 (Entry 4)
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home Mon 258 (Entry 42)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 4p 217 (Entry 141)
Cedarhill Farmhouse: The Scoop Mon 5p 327 (Entry 1)
Skip to my Lou: Made by you Mon 109 (Entry 80)
Oh my hearts: Heartsie girls Wonderful Wed 108 (Entry 14)
How to Home: Project Inspired Mon 7p 274 (Entry 4)
Celebrate: Celebrate Story 129 (Entry 75 of 132)
Dedicated House: Make it Pretty Mon 8p 242 (Entry 13 of 81)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town Tu 6p 120 (Entry 11 of 111)
My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town 124 (Entry 11 of 111)
Savvy Style: Wow Us Wed 388 (Entry 241 of 286)
21Rosemarylane: Share Your Style 171 Wed 6p (Entry 5)
* Designthusiasm: Style Showcase 26 (Entry)

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