Playing with fire

Two weeks ago, I finally "opened" my Christmas present from mum: A working-with-glass workshop at Flo Glassblowing in Ottawa. I had already blown a Christmas ornament there in December, and wanted to learn and do more this time. So I signed up for the most basic course: Making your own paperweight. It was quite amazing, and a lot of fun. I will collect my finished product today, and will of course publish the pictures on here.

The hot glass is taken from the oven. The pipe on which it is amassed has to be turned continuously, which needs quite some getting used to.

The glass is rolled over coloured glass pieces.

Then it is twirled to get a nice spiral in the finished paperweight.

With a big piece of wood, the glass is formed into a ball shape.

This almost looks like a paperweight now. Soon after, the big ball of glass is separated from the pipe. It then has to cool for 24 hours in another oven. Afterwards it's polished a little, and then, voilà, it's ready.

All the tools needed for working with glass

Some of the finished pieces that are sold in the shop.

The finished paperweight - unfortunately, my camera made a mess of this picture.  Imagine a purple-green galaxy imprisoned in the glass...