Stained glass

To take my woodworking to a higher level, I wanted to learn how to create stained glass panels I could incorporate into some of my woodworking projects. Like woodworking, stained glass is a very old craft that has recently become a popular hobby in the United States. On a recent visit to the Morse Museum in Orlando Florida, I was blown away by the beautiful creations of Louis Comfort Tiffany. I wanted to gain at least a very basic understanding of how stained glass objects were made, so I searched for a stained glass store that offered a beginners class. I took a four night introduction class at Art Glass by Sonya in Orlando that taught me the basics. After this introduction to the craft I went back to my shop in Illinois, bought some cheap glass to practice with, and learned enough to create some simple projects. I love teaching kids, so I invited my triplet granddaughters over for a three-day intensive stained glass workshop at the shop. Here is the results:

Fast and Easy???

I get really aggravated at woodworking publications or web sites that hype the notion that they can show you how do something in a way that is “fast” or “easy.” Seriously, if all I care about is “fast” or “easy”, why on earth would I have any interest in woodworking? Nothing about woodworking is fast, and if it were easy, what would be the point? Going to McDonald’s is “fast” and “easy,” but it is almost never satisfying. Modern life is full of fast and easy. We’re constantly inundated with fast and easy. it’s everywhere, ubiquitous, and seems to be some kind of Holy Grail we all seek.

When I descend into my woodworking world, like most woodworkers, I’ve chosen to reject the modern world’s obsession with fast and easy. I choose, I prefer, I crave - slow and difficult! I place achievement on a higher plane than convenience. I place contentment on a higher plane than gratification. I