Zooming in right quick....busy busy...but I have to let you know that The Book of Forgotten Crafts is now available, it is a stunning book about some amazing crafts in the UK, there is a 4 page section about me and my glass engraving pages 84-87 , for which I am ever grateful and very flattered indeed. I had spent a perfectly lovely day with Paul Felix and his trusty camera some time back, a real gent! I hope your lovely book flies off the shelf, it should !!
First of all I have to say that I am so shocked with the earthquakes and tsunami that I am finding it hard and almost wrong to carry on with normal work...this is just not fair to any man or any country. What suffering those people are now enduring and my little insignifincant thoughts but hopefully significant prayers go out to everyone affected.
Since my last post Cambridge Glass Fair came and went, it was busy and fun and hard work all wrapped into one. I have so many photos but will just put in a few, you can see more on this link I reckon it must have been a record attendance, so many people! Anyway I am always amazed at the glass blowing demos, imagine...a portable glory hole (or whatever it is called) !!!Such a pity I can never get away long enough to watch properly.
The hiring of a cabinet was a good move!!
I managed to run around taking a wee video. I still have the footage from Sept last year and never managed to edit it....oh for time....anyway this is the February 2011 fair. Mainly showing my stand and then a glimpse around the various halls.
Anyway lots of variety in my orders lately...as usual, I don't often get asked to engrave a teddy, great fun!! I do enjoy engraving fish and I hope that this dad was happy with his prezzie! There is always a great deal of thought put into the gifts by my customers, which makes engraved glass so special for the recipient, my job is often the easier part! I have been engraving this "Pond Life" theme for some years now, sporadically....and these two are number 10 and number 11. This time they are STUNNING large heavy lead crystal paperweights, hand made by Ian Bamforth, he has counter signed one of them. As I had engraved the large commemorative goblet for the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, I have started a limited edition of 100 crystal dome paperweights. Each is initialled and numbered /100 you can also purchase them from my eBay shop. where you will see other items for sale including the pond life paperweights at the moment.
"How about a Toucan on a square vase"....this was suggested a couple of years ago by a glass collector and so having finally gone for it....she bought it, I must admit, it really did look good on that vase, even if I say so myself and I would never have thought of engraving the subject ! Finally, for the moment, one of my oldest customers, from when I first plopped into this country 9 and a half years ago, came in a ordered this loving cup, rather large one I must add, and I was told the whole story about when and how they are used in an official banquet...fascinating! This is their family crest.
Oh I almost forgot......
After Facebook decided to change so much on the "Pages" I have had to split my engraving page in two. So the new page is a "CLUB" run by myself and will have the same idea as the other except it will not feature my work so much but the photos of OTHERS which I will comment on as usual along with the rest of the page "Likers". My main page still goes on as a quicker more general version of this blog, my work in progress etc etc.
Well I must just end with the thought of how important our lives are, lets make the best of every moment, surround yourselves with those worth being with, whose characters agree with yours, not with those who spoil and waste your time. Exercise every muscle and drink water, we are so lucky to have it.
