Shop Handmade This Holiday Season! Here is where you will find Sassy Glass Studio! Handmade @ Southern Market On-going, permanent shop Sassy Glass Studio is one of over 50 Etsy shops participating in this wonderful shop located within Southern Market at 5400 Homberg Drive, Knoxville. For more information and shop hours please visit Southern Market's website. Market Square Holiday Market December 12 & 19 This annual outdoor shopping event is a Knoxville favorite! Taking place on the Saturdays before Christmas from 12 PM until 6 PM, the Holiday Market offers something for everyone. Sassy Glass Studio will have lots of gifts and ornaments available. Refer to the interactive map for Sassy Glass Studio's specific location or come and wander until you find me. HOLIDAY MARKET SPECIALS {available at Market Square Holiday Market (all days) and Ijams Holiday Market only} Purchase 5 snowflake ornaments for only $35! (save $5) Purchase 5 Christmas tree ornaments and get 1 free! (save $20) These ornaments are very popular and available in a variety of colors! They are perfect for gift-giving or adding as an embellishment for that special gift. Christmas trees can be personalized on the back at no additional cost! DEADLINES & OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION Last day for custom orders with Knoxville area delivery or pick-up: December 18th Last day for orders to ship from the Etsy shop via USPS Priority Mail for delivery before Christmas: December 18th Last day to order Fusography pieces for Christmas delivery via USPS Priority Mail:December 6th

It's Market Time in Knoxville!

Can you believe it's already time for the first Market Square Farmers' Market of the 2015 season?! I can't and I have been waiting for it since the last Holiday Market in December 2014. Time flies when you are having fun doing what you love to do all day, every day!

Good News // Bad News

First, the bad news...

This season I will only be at the Saturday Market Square Farmers' Market seven dates out of the whole season. On the right, you will find the calendar with a listing of the dates I will be there.

And now the good news...

I am doing this so I will have more Saturday's available to teach fused glass classes! For the last few years, I have been coordinating schedules with my students to find mutually convenient times for us to meet for classes, and it's been really difficult. Lots of folks have not been able to take a class because they work during the day and can't take the class in the evening. It seems weekends, Saturday in particular, are a good day for most people to take a four-hour class. So, I modified my Farmers' Market schedule accordingly. I will be posting some dates that will be left open exclusively for glass classes, but the classes must be booked a minimum of two weeks out. If the dates aren't booked, I will offer them to my photography clients, etc.

So, if you want to see the Sassy Glass Studio fused glass goodness in person, I will be at the Market Square Farmers' Market on May 2nd and 9th from 9am to 2pm, in my usual spot in front of Krutch Park. I have lots of new items available and would love to see you!

Here is some of the fresh fused glass goodness you will find at the Market on Saturday!

Yes, there are lots of Fusography pieces, but that's not all! I recently photographed all of the fused glass goodness and I'm working on getting it edited and listed in the Etsy shop. It's been slow going. ALM Photo has been keeping me hopping and so has Pink Spark Creative. I love doing all the things I love, but there are only so many hours in the day. I guess that's another reason why I'm at the Market less often this year... I need some downtime. Doesn't everyone!

I hope to see you at the Market Square Farmers' Market this week or next and if you're interested in a fused glass class, call me or send me an email and we'll get you on the schedule! Also, if you aren't already following me on your favorite social media platforms, check out the links below and get to following!

Get Crafty With the Knoxville Creative Hands Street Team
As many of you know I am one of the founders and Team Captain of KCHST, the local Etsy team and we're excited to be hosting the Etsy Craft Party again this year. The Craft Party will take place on June 5, 2015 from 6pm to 8pm at the ALM Photo studio. More details will be posted on the KCHST Facebook page as they become available. We're currently seeking food and beverage sponsors for the event, so if you or someone you know if interested, please let me know.

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Behind-the-Scenes at Sassy Glass Studio : Dogwood Art DeTour - April 11-12, 2015

Spring has sprung at Sassy Glass Studio!

Read on to find out what's happening in April and May...

Every now and then I get a request from someone who wants to watch me work in my fused glass studio, see my kilns or view all of my fused glass goodness, and I often can't accommodate these requests because I don't actually work in my glass studio full-time. Most days of late, I am toiling away at my laptop in my office just outside of Downtown Knoxville, across the hall from the ALM Photo studio and offices. For the last few years, I have been spending more and more of my time working on Pink Spark Creative, my creative business mentoring and consulting business and as a photographer than a fused glass artist. And it seems that I tend to be in the glass studio more often teaching fused glass classes than creating fresh fused glass goodness. It finally hit me recently that I'm an educator at heart, so I have been spending much more time teaching and coaching than creating.

I share all of that with you now because this is the first year since I started Sassy Glass Studio that I will not be exhibiting at the Dogwood Arts Festival on Market Square (formerly the Market Square Art Fair), but I am participating in the Dogwood Art DeTour on Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12, 2015. So the good news is that you get to come visit my glass studio which will be open that Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 5pm and watch me work, ask questions and even purchase some of my fused glass goodness. It is your personal behind-the-scenes look at Sassy Glass Studio!

There are over 20 working artist studios open to the public for the Dogwood Art DeTour so you will have plenty of places to stop and visit on your way to or from Sassy Glass Studio in Fountain City. I look forward to meeting you and sharing my love of fused glass with you. I'll have plenty of chairs and some snacks too, so you can come hang out as long as you would like. Just don't judge me if my lawn is impeccably manicured and my gardens free from weeds! I'll be busy filling custom orders in the glass studio over the next week and a half until the Art DeTour.

Other exciting events coming up...

The first Market Square Farmers' Market of 2015 season is May 2, 2015 from 9am to 2pm and I'm listing the dates I will be participating below. My MSFM participation is very lean this season for the above-mentioned reason of affording myself more time to teach fused glass classes and focus on making time to enjoy life.

Mark your calendar to visit Sassy Glass Studio at the Market Square Farmers' Market
May 2
May 9
June 27
July 11
August 15
September 19
October 10
I also intend to participate in the Market Square Holiday Market each Saturday before Christmas in December.

Fused Glass Classes
Fused glass classes are scheduled when it's mutually convenient for the student and me which, as I mentioned above, is one of the reasons I am participating in the MSFM less often and freeing up more Saturday's. If you are interested in signing up for a class or would like more information, simply click here to email me or call me at 865-406-3870.

Get Crafty With the Knoxville Creative Hands Street Team
As many of you know I am one of the founders and Team Captain of KCHST, the local Etsy team and we're excited to be hosting the Etsy Craft Party again this year. The Craft Party will take place on June 5, 2015 from 6pm to 8pm at the ALM Photo studio. More details will be posted on the KCHST Facebook page as they become available. We're currently seeking food and beverage sponsors for the event, so if you or someone you know if interested, please let me know.

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Last-Minute Handmade Holiday Gift Ideas!

Still looking for a few unique gifts?
Haven't started your holiday shopping?
Decided you deserve something special too?

We've got you covered!

Some of you may still have some holiday shopping to do and we want you to know we can help you out! This is just a quick note to remind you of our shopping and shipping deadlines.
December 15 is the last date for Knoxville area custom orders (excluding Fusography) that will be picked up.
December 19 is the last date for shipping out orders via USPS Priority Mail so they may arrive by December 24.

We'll be at the Market Square Holiday Market on Saturday, December 13 and 20 from noon to 7pm along with lots of other artists and craftisans for your holiday shopping enjoyment. It is always fun to meet the folks who subscribe to the newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; so come by and say hello! And, there are far more items available if you shop in person than in our Etsy shop. As usual, this time of year is so busy we don't have time to add all the new pieces to the Etsy shop or feature them on the blog or Facebook, but you can give an Etsy gift card to shop Sassy Glass Studio after the holidays!

Thank you for being a part of the Sassy Glass Studio community and for your continued support of my creativity!

 

Psst...Instagram is where you will find the freshest fused glass goodness! And don't forget to check the blog for new posts! And be sure to visit Pinterest to see what is inspiring me.

One last thing...
Did you know I offer one-on-one and small group consulting and mentoring for creative business owners, artists and well, anyone else who is launching their own business? And did you also know I teach workshops on social media and how to turn your passion into a successful business?
Contact me for more information!

Next workshop is Planning Your Way to Success on January 24th. Planning Your Way to Success is a three hour workshop focusing on four areas most creative/small business owners consider as barriers to their success- setting and achieving goals, time management, work/life balance and focusing on business building tasks. Email me for more info or to register.

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Sassy Glass Studio loves the Market Square Farmers' Market!

Find the dates Sassy Glass Studio will be at the Farmers' Market on the right >>

More videos coming soon!

ON A SIDE NOTE:

Now is the time to sign up for Fused Glass Classes! The weather is perfect to work in the studio and open the doors to the sounds of the birds. Click the links to find out more information on Beginner Fused Glass Class and Intermediate Fused Glass Class!

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Market Square Farmers' Market | Shop local, handmade, and fresh!

Spring has sprung!

The temperatures have been heating up, except for some reason today in Knoxville they have dipped down into the 50's, and the arrival of warmer weather means it is time for the Market Square Farmers' Market.

shop local | shop small | shop handmade

The Market Square Farmers' Market kicked off on the first Saturday of May with beautiful blue skies and a huge crowd. It couldn't have been a more perfect day! The Farmers' Market is an amazing source of fresh produce, meats, prepared foods, flowers, plants, art and hand-crafted goods.

This Saturday the International Biscuit Festival is also downtown so be sure to get to the Farmers' Market early! As always, you are welcome to bring me a biscuit! And be sure to keep your eyes open for the Biscuit Queen! In case you are shopping for a gift for graduation, a wedding or other special occasion, drop by Sassy Glass Studio this Saturday because I won't be back to the Farmers' Market until June 7th.

Take a tour of the Sassy Glass Studio booth at the Market Square Farmers' Market

ON A SIDE NOTE:
Now is the time to sign up for Fused Glass Classes! The weather is perfect to work in the studio and open the doors to the sounds of the birds. Click the links to find out more information on Beginner Fused Glass Class and Intermediate Fused Glass Class!

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Sticks. And Wind. And Rain. | Dogwood Arts Festival Market Square Art Fair | April 25 - 27, 2014

Sticks. And wind. And Rain.

The Dogwood Art DeTour this past weekend was a lot of fun and I met some new art lovers who had not been to the glass studio on previous Art DeTours. I worked on a couple of different projects during the Art DeTour so folks could see how I create the fused glass goodness and ask me questions. I love explaining my craft and showing people around the studio. Sometimes the Art DeTour takes place after the Dogwood Art Festival Market Square Art Fair, but this year it was before, so I hope a lot of those folks come by to see me there, and anyone who couldn't make it to the Art DeTour will come by as well.

Here is how I sum up the Dogwood Arts Festival Market Square Art Fair:

"This event has more art than you can shake a stick at and all the food on a stick you can eat."

You can quote me on that if you'd like. It's true though. But of course there is also the wind. And the rain. But you've already heard all about Mother Nature's annual Dogwood Arts Festival temper tantrum here.

Anyway, here is a list of all the artists who will be exhibiting at the Dogwood Arts Festival Market Square Art Fair on April 25th through 27th. Mark you calendar for this free, fun, family-friendly event! There is lots of entertainment as well as food demonstrations and wine tastings.

I'll be sharing some of the fresh fused glass goodness that will be available at the Art Fair over the next week, so be sure to pop over to the Sassy Glass Studio Facebook page and Twitter to see them. Also, if you aren't already subscribed to the newsletter, do that now too. You don't want to miss anything!

I look forward to seeing you at the Dogwood Arts Festival Market Square Art Fair! I'll be located across from Latitude 35, more or less, so I'll be easy to spot.

ON A SIDE NOTE:

Now is the time to sign up for Fused Glass Classes! The weather is perfect to work in the studio and open the doors to the sounds of the birds. Click the links to find out more information on Beginner Fused Glass Class and Intermediate Fused Glass Class!

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Dogwood Arts Festival | April is for art. And wind. And rain.

This year marks my seventh year participating in the Dogwood Arts Festival Market Square Art Fair. The event runs over the weekend of April 25 through 27 and takes place in Downtown Knoxville. There is a wide variety of art as well great food, think funnels cakes and corndogs, as well as lots of entertainment. Preceding the Art Fair is the Dogwood Art DeTour which is a self-guided tour of Knoxville area artist studios open to the public on April 12 and 13. This is a great opportunity for you to come and watch me work. Or just chat. I usually do a lot more talking than working during the DeTour. Don't miss either event!

April is for art. And wind. And rain.
What's most interesting about this being my seventh year is that my first year was almost my last. The weather was crazy and my tent exploded in a downdraft. I refer to the explosion as the 'tent incident' and share the tale with other artists setting up for the Dogwood Arts Festival Art Fair for the first time. I don't do it to scare, just to educate on the dangers of wind. An article appropriately titled, 'Festival faces twists and turns', appeared in the Knoxville News Sentinel on Saturday, April 12 2008 in which I said "Yeah, the weather's bad, but we've been able to work with it." and as if in spite of this comment my tent incident occurred late Saturday afternoon. The tent incident prompted my husband, Allan, to go into research mode to find out what sort of tent would withstand the crazy weather in East Tennessee. This research resulted in us obtaining what I now refer to as the "mondo artist tent" shown below. We asked the guys picking up the trash if they would take the busted up tent away and they did! We did; however, keep the broom sticks we used to hold the busted tent together.

It's certainly a sturdy tent. And it is pretty too. And it is very good at keeping the rain out. Like in 2011 when it rained really hard and everyone left early, except for me and Allan. Because we were the only ones who stuck around, we got on the WATE news that night. You wouldn't believe how many friends saw the report and texted me that evening. And the next day people searched me out just to say they saw me on the news. The moral here is to never leave early. Unless there is a hurricane warning and then it is probably a good idea to vacate.

Back to the wind. There was another year when the wind was a problem for Sassy Glass Studio. Take a peek at this fantastic post from Moxley-Carmichael's 'The Blue Streak' back in 2010 about how the Dogwood Arts Festival has improved and has real art. {A side note: it really was bad for a few years. Shew!} Anyway, shortly after Cynthia Moxley photographed the gorgeous blue art panel in the photo above, it blew over onto the ground and broke. Crazy wind strikes again!

This is the last wind story I promise. The first few years I exhibited at the Dogwood Festival Art Fair people would ask why I didn't have anything with dogwoods. So after years of being asked, I finally made some fused glass vases, plates and pendants. I should have known there was trouble brewing when I created these pieces. First of all it was difficult to figure out how to make a realistic looking dogwood from glass and second, I wondered if they would actually sell. Well, they didn't sell. But only because they never had a chance. I had a great display right at the front of my booth so everyone would see the pieces. This was also the perfect place for the wind to catch the table, lift it off the ground and slam it down. Yes, the glass broke. I lost most of the dogwood pieces. And that was the end of creating fused glass dogwood art for me.

 

So, as you can see, April is a month filled with art and wind and rain. But don't let the weather keep you from coming out to the Dogwood Art Festival events this year and checking out all of the fabulous art. We artists are a hardy bunch and we'll be there rain or shine. Or wind.

ON A SIDE NOTE:
There are still a few more days to celebrate!
March is National Craft Month and there are three ways you can celebrate in Sassy Style! Find our more in this post. This is the only opportunity this year to save on fused glass classes!

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The end of another year. Oh... and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

There are less than 5 days until Christmas as I write this. How did that happen!?

The end of a year always kind of gets me down. Maybe it's because the end of the year brings with it the rush of holiday shopping. Maybe it's because it means that I didn't get to some of the things on my to-do list. Maybe it's because it means I have to start over and build the momentum for another awesome year. Maybe it's just because I am exhausted from long days, no time off and a hectic schedule both in and out of the studio that would make Santa Claus cringe.

Don't get me wrong. I love creating fused glass goodness and I love everything about being a small, creative business owner, but the end of the year always kind of gets me down. Even over at my photography business, ALM Photo. It's kind of like the crash you experience after a sugar rush. Everything is all go-go-go and then it just stops. For about two weeks. While everyone takes their holiday vacation. And then it gets rolling again. The end of the year means Christmas is upon us and that is awesome because it means most folks are in a really good mood and are having a great time shopping for loved ones. It also means I get to share my fused glass goodness with shoppers both in my Etsy shop on-line and in person. I really love the in-person interaction.

This weekend is the last Market Square Holiday Market in Downtown Knoxville and I am really looking forward to seeing lots of my friends, helping shoppers choose the right gifts, doing my own shopping with my fellow vendors and just enjoying the hustle and bustle of this wonderful outdoor market. If you live in the Knoxville area and have never been to the Market Square Farmers' Market or Holiday Market, you need to put it on your list of things to do in 2014. It's amazing! And you are supporting local, small, handmade, handcrafted, homegrown and home-cooked businesses which is a fantastic and we love you for it!

So, back to the end of the year always kind of getting me down. I'm sitting here at my desk in my ALM Photo studio|office filling in my 2014 calendar with photo shoots and deadlines already looming for next year. It's looking like another crazy busy year, and I am totally fine with that. There's nothing like taking a few days off and getting right back into the swing of creating. And I mean right back into the swing. We're shooting the festivities for Gatlinburg, TN on New Year's Eve! Woo hoo!

So, if you're looking for something to do on Saturday, drop by the Holiday Market and say hello, but if you're already eyeball deep in the awesomeness of Christmas, I'm sending you a hug and invite you to join me on the amazing journey that will be 2014. I've got lots of cool stuff on tap, both personally and professionally and I'm going to do a better job of sharing all that here on the blog. Stay tuned!

If the end of the year is getting you down, just remember that the holidays will be over soon and you'l be right back to the hustle. {That didn't help, did it?} Well, just enjoy whatever life tosses your way. I know I will be!

Wishing you a very Sassy Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
XOXOXO
Lisa

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Sassy Shopping : handmade for holidays

Are you a procrastinator when it comes to holiday shopping?

It's not too late to place an order for a custom creation or Fusography for holiday gift giving, but you have to contact me soon! The last date to order Fusography pieces is December 9th. Images must be emailed to me by December 8th. The image below is an image file for a decal sheet. Some of the images are for custom orders and some are for new pieces that will be available at the Market Square Holiday Market. 

Read on to find out where you can shop with us during December and ideas for gifts for everyone on your shopping list.

There aren't many shopping days left before Christmas {visit this link for an up-to-the-second countdown}, but you can shop Sassy Glass Studio on Etsy or at the Market Square Holiday Market or the Ijams Holiday Marketplace and Fair. There are a lot of items that have not been added to the Etsy shop {yet!}, so you will want to take advantage of the Markets if you are in the area. Plus, you will be able to shop with my creative friends too! Be sure to pop over to our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter and Pinterest too!

{Gift ideas}

The Fashionista >> pendants, earrings, hairpins and cocktail rings {$2 to $25}
The Organizer >> business card holders and dry erase boards {$20 to $50}
The Dude >> beer coasters, flattened bottle trays and plates {$10 to $40}
The Cook >> plates, platters, bottle trays/spoon rests, vases/utensil holders {$15 to $100}
The Beachcomber >> beach theme coasters, plates and platters; hairpins and beachy colored jewelry {$10 to $100}
The Entertainer >> plates, platters, bottle trays, vases, votive holders, napkin holders and swizzle/stir sticks {$5 to $100}
The Teacher >> business card/eyeglass/sticky note holders, small bowls, coasters {$10 to $30}
The Tiny Dancer >> nightlights, suncatchers and jewelry/soap dishes {$10 to $20}
The Modern Hipster >> 'Woodland Hipster' coasters and pendants, recycled bottle trays and Knoxville or coffee themed coasters {$15 to $25}
The Coffee Lover >> coffee themed coasters, swizzle/stir sticks and snack plates {$5 to $40}
The Gardener >> garden stakes, suncatchers, bird baths and coasters with floral images {$10 to $60}
The Beer Lover >> beer themed coasters, beer bottle trays and beer bottle wind chimes {$15 to $30}

Don't forget to shop small, shop local and shop handmade for the holidays! 

I'll love you forever!

Visit this link to locate me at the Market Square Holiday Market! Oh, and if you want to save on your Etsy purchase, use code SHOPEARLY2013 and save 20%!