A Hot Way to Turn 40 -- A Private Glassblowing Experience
Happy Wednesday. Add a little spice to your day with musings from Jai
This past weekend, I took the kids apple picking and, while on the hay ride down to the orchards, a woman asked my oldest daughter how old she was. She answered “I am 4-and-a-half, my sister is 1, and my mother is 40.” I tried to interject “25” but I was too late.
So yes, I turned 40 this year. I know, I know, 40 is the new 20. ... I’m not worried. … I did have a hard time trying to figure out what I wanted to do to celebrate, though. I did know I wanted to do something for myself; so decided I was going to take a bunch of classes and have a year (maybe more) of enrichment.
I thought I’d share my year of experiences with you.
I kicked it all off with a glass blowing class at the Diablo Glass Studio in the South End.
I had never heard about the Diablo Glass Studio until I saw a Daily Candy Deal for a 3 hour class for 2 people for under $300 which was a great deal. Apparently its been there since 2001..who knew?
I should start off that my husbands and I LOVE to watch glass blowers…so when I saw the Deal, I was beyond excited. We have stared at artists in Vermont, Hawaii, Costa Rica and Italy..we find it mesmerizing.
My husband and I had a private lesson with one of the instructors. We were taught the basics of glass blowing and made a paperweight. We learned skills such as gathering, centering, blocking, and marvering as well as basic color application using powders and frits. We learned about the ovens, how to roll the glass and add additional glass to what we were rolling out. We then rolled the hot glass in colored power and then used a variety of tools to pull on the glass..make air pockets in them –all to add the design of the paperweight.
The studio offers a wide variety of experiences – teambuilding, glass animal workshops, glass paperweights, glass flowers, two-day, three four and 12 session workshops. They also offer Flameworking classes in bead making, marbles, pendants, fused glass, seasonal classes (pumpkins, Easter eggs, ornaments), even stain glass classes.
It was hotter then hell in the studio but it was a really amazing experience. I think the paperweights came out great. We plan to go back again and take another class soon.
Check it out for yourself.
