Give the Best Gift Ever! Fusography!

Does finding the perfect gift drive you a little crazy?

How many times have you wandered a store, physically or virtually, looking for the perfect gift for someone special? Doesn't it bum you out when you can't seem to find that "one special thing" that is not only unique, but that you know they will love, and is within your gift-giving budget. I pretty sure we've all been there. Nobody wants to feel crappy because they can't find the perfect gift. Not everyone is gifted, pardon the pun, in their ability to find that "one special thing". But there is good news for you, I have the solution and it will kick the butt of all the other gift givers!

Problem / Solved

Several years ago I was trying to figure out a way to incorporate my fused glass art with my photography so I could offer my ALM Photo clients unique ways to display and gift the images I had taken. For months, I searched the Interwebz looking for a company that offered custom made, fusible decals of my photos and about the time I was ready to give up, I found one. Some of you may already be familiar with the story of how Fusography came about, but for those of you just finding out about Sassy Glass Studio and the awesomeness of Fusography it was one of the happiest days of my life. I am pretty sure I did a little dance! Now, not only could I create one-of-a-kind fused glass art as I had been for several years, but I could add a photo or other graphic (illustrations and any other artwork that can be turned into a digital format) to make pieces that were one-of-a-kind on a whole new level.

Being able to create these unique pieces got me thinking about all the possibilities! Need an awesome gift for that hard to shop for relative- I've got you covered; want to wow the newlyweds with a piece that perfectly matches their style- I've got you covered; want to give matching gifts to bridesmaids, girlfriends, sorority sisters, family members- I've got you covered. The possibilities are truly endless!

So, if you are looking to give a gift or create a piece of art that will share a special moment, match a decor or tell a story, I'd love to talk with you and work to create some one-of-a-kind Fusography fused glass goodness. I can create items from jewelry to wall hangings and trays, so there is pretty much something for everyone.

My Etsy shop has a Fusography section which mostly showcases pendants, rings and coasters as those are very popular pieces that appeal to my customers but, as I mentioned above there are lots of differents designs I can create. Any image that you have copyright permission to print can be turned into a Fusography piece of art.

Click these links to find out more about:

The process of creating Fusography

The Etsy shop Fusography section

Fusography plates (6 inches square) created for a customer

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Want to learn how to create your own fused glass goodness?

Take a Beginner Fused Glass Class!

Market Square Farmers' Market

Sassy Glass Studio will be back at the Market Square Farmers' Market on Saturday, July 11th from 9am to 2pm.

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Learn Something New! Take a Fused Glass Class

I love learning new things! Do you?

I also love teaching others new things, like how to create fused glass art!

For over seven years, I have been teaching my Beginner Fused Glass Class to students from across the country in my Knoxville, TN studio. The first half of the super fun, four-hour class is spent in the classroom learning about the different types of glass used for fusing, materials that can be used as inclusions, designing your project, selecting and cutting glass and so much more. 

During the second half of the class, students will spend some time honing their glass cutting skills before selecting the glass for their project and getting to work creating their one-of-a-kind work of art. Students may choose one of two projects, a set of four 4-inch square coasters or an 8-inch square suncatcher or trivet.

The Beginner Fused Glass Class is perfect for folks who love learning how to create art using a new medium and for those interested in developing or expanding their glass fusing skills. Many students sign up for the Intermediate Fused Glass Class soon after completing the Beginner Fused Glass Class because they have fallen in love with fusing. Don't say I didn't warn you!

There are several dates and times available for classes as shown below, but I am always open to working with your schedule to find a mutually convenient time for a class. Class size is limited to four students, so don't wait to book your day and time. Class fee includes instruction, information packet with class notes, usage of tools and all materials.

Contact me via email or at 865-406-3870 to schedule or for more information. A 50% deposit is due when booking to hold your date and time. Book your class with two or more people and you each save $20!

Sassy Glass Studio will be back at the Market Square Farmers' Market on Saturday, June 27th from 9am to 2pm.

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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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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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