All prices displayed in the shop now include 48-hour tracked postage
All prices displayed in the shop now include 48-hour tracked postage
I am back from my week off & feeling very refreshed & full of ideas. I can’t say it was a very restful week… I did manage to sit outside in the shade & read a book, but I also did quite a lot of gardening, a few jobs round the house, tried some new recipies & went into Reading to do some shopping on the hottest day. Am I mad… shopping on the hottest day during half term? Well, possibly. But my theory was that people wouldn’t fancy dragging half the family round the shops & would wait until it was cooler. Well, my theory proved correct & I enjoyed a fairly quiet & comfortable shopping trip. And if you ever venture to Reading on a hot day, I can definitely recommend the small cafe on the ground floor of John Lewis. The section past the counter & round the corner was like sitting in an ice box.
Sometime very soon there will be some of my glass & jewellery in a shop in Hartley Wintney. I can’t say more than that at the moment, but it will be up & running very soon.
The workshops are still proving popular, especially the lantern workshops. So, what happens when you come to a lantern workshop? Firstly, before the workshop, I remove the glass from pre-purchased lanterns (that glass is not compatible with the type of glass I use). I then cut 4 new glass panels for each lantern. This can be decorated in any style you wish. You will see your glass panels go safely into my kilns & I will fire your decorated panels sometime during the following week. The firing process takes around 12 hours, then a further 12 hours for the glass to cool at a regulated rate. This annealing process reduces internal stresses on the glass & in simple terms strengthens it. When the glass comes out of the kiln, it is washed & I assemble the lanterns using your decorated panels, ready for you to collect.
Some people are a little anxious about cutting glass, which is understandable. I mean, it’s sharp, isn’t it?! Well, yes, it is., but I will give you sensible advice, enabling you to work safely with the glass. And if the thought of cutting glass is just too daunting on the day, there are plenty of other ways to decorate the glass. I will be there with you every step of the way to advise & help. You can come with your own ideas or take inspiration from what’s on display in the studio.
I currently only advertise the Saturday dates as they are most popular, but there is often plenty of availability on weekdays. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have a date in mind.
The reviews speak for themselves. They are taken from my Facebook page as the workshops are not purchased via this website, so the reviews don’t end up on here.
“Such a fun day learning and creating, absolutely amazing.”
“Would thoroughly recommend this for a day out. Small groups so you are well supported.”
“Highly recommend booking with friends or going solo as I did & joining in with the others.”
Had a wonderful morning at Planeterf learning how to make fused glass,”
I recently experimented with anniversary & birthday hearts. They worked very well, so I will make some more & add them to the shop.
If you fancy receiving my monthly newsletter, why not pop over to the home page & sign up. I PROMISE you will not be spammed by me, nor will I sell or give your details to anyone else. And the monthly newsletter will be just that… monthly. I really don’t have the oomph to send one out more often than that! But you will occasionally receive discount codes in the newsletter to use in the online shop & it will tell you where I am taking the pop-up shop.
All my jewellery is now displayed in a cabinet in my studio, so if you’re local & see something you like in the online shop feel free to pop in & have a look. I take both cards & cash in my studio. Please check first that I will be here as I am sometimes out at an event.
I have updated my glass in Riseley Village Tea Room. The tea room is closed until 4th June while Debbie takes a well-deserved holiday. If you have never visited the tea room & you like cake, you are missing out. Please see their website for opening days/hours as it doesn’t open on some days of the week: Riseley Village Tea Room & don’t be put off by the municipal look of the building from the outside… it’s a beautifully laid out tea room with proper crockery & delicious cakes (see photo).
Ashes in glass memorial lightcatchers are something I make, so if anyone is interested in having a lightcatcher made to remember a beloved pet, please use the Contact form to get in touch.To make a memorial piece, I need less than a teaspoon of ashes & any unused ashes will be returned. I can make a pretty floral lightcatcher with your pet's ashes for about £22 & if you would like something more elaborate we can discuss it to see whether it is in your price range.I do prefer customers to email or use the Contact form to contact me as it’s the most reliable way. I can’t always answer the phone when I’m making glass or jewellery & Facebook likes to tell me I have messages but then refuses to show them to me for some reason. The Contact form automatically sends me an email. If I put my email on here, it only entices the spammers & mail bots to fill my inbox with rubbish.If you want something specific & can't find what you are looking for, please ask. I have previously made earrings to match someone's necklace or an outfit etc. I have also made jewellery for a bride & bridesmaids. I really don't mind enquiries. Things are often cheaper than you might imagine & an enquiry doesn't mean I will be forever chasing you. And if something is not in your price range or it's just not for you, there is no need for any embarrassment. I am not a hard-sell person & will accept your decision or might be able to offer advice if there is a less expensive alternative. And that is all from me for now. All that is left for me to do is to thank you for your continued support. 
