Christmas 2011 Glass Projects

Last fall my mother-in-law, Fran, challenged me to make a glass panel that she could use for a Christmas card.  I know that she likes the window I made (Blue Crab at Home), so I chose to go with flowing lines.  I also scored inexpensive glass prism pieces at an antique store.  And I thought winter -> snow.  I call it Snow at Sunset.

Upholstery

Last fall I had an abrupt lifesyle change - Abigail went to college.  Stained glass was not going to fill that void!  So I also picked up an upholstery class at Upholstery on Broadway.  I first tackled a complete restoration of a Victorian ladies parlor chair. 
I bought/saved this chair from an antique store in town years ago.  It was labled as suitable for maybe holding a flower pot!  I love its lines and the grape carving at top.  I think it is made of black walnut for which I have a fondness.  I can't seem to find a before picture :( 

I learned how to strip off the old shellac, applied a finish of Tried &True Original Wood Finish, reinstalled the springs, tied them, replaced the horsehair (washed!) and tied it down, added cotton padding and covered it all in a silk fabric that I just love.  I won't let anyone sit on it yet.

Traveling Pieces

I meant to post this last summer.  My daughter Abigail had the opportunity to travel to Romania.  The trip included a stay with a local family and of course we needed to send gifts.  She asked me to make them a glass box.  I did not have a lot of time, so I chose to make the lid one piece of glass from the edge of a sheet.  The glass I chose was a favorite from the Youghiogheny glass factory which Abigail and I had visited during the summer of 2010.  Here is a picture of my daughter's new friends holding the box in Romania.  Those are Boston fruit slices and "baked bean" candies in the box.