God Grant Me Serenity... I think we can all relate to this right now.

OK - I'm frustrated... so I am putting these pictures on here and describing them below. It might have a funny format... but at least the pictures are posted.

I often get requests for stained glass customized with the Serenity Prayer engraved on it.

This one also has the names of their family members who will be receiving this as a gift. This window was done using my Iris glass, glass bevels, and the end pieces exposed.

The next photos show both pieces full sized. One used the Iris glass, and the other used my Rose Garden glass.

These windows, although similar, have some variations.

The window on the left is completed framed in zinc with the rolled edge facing the center of the panel.

The window on the right has the rolled edge facing the outside of the panel, leaving 3 sides framed in zinc.

This is the engraving on the Rose Garden window.

It also has the Serenity Prayer and their family members name engraved.

These pieces make wonderful gifts for family, at times of joy, consolation, and for almost any occasion.

I truly hope this brings the recipients serenity during this Christmas season!

Pat Deere

Sunrise

This has to be one of my favorite little pieces I have done for a while. This started out as a demonstration piece for a show I was doing. I eventually made two and sold them as a set... more are on their way.

To make them I take the end pieces of glass that have beautiful, natural, wavy edges. The wavy edges leave air space in between the pieces of glass. They are cut to the same width and soldered to a beveled border.

The sun is made with a molded pieces of glass. This particular one has kind of a stony texture. As pretty as it looks here, you should see it in person with sunlight pouring through it.

I plan to have some of these ready to put onto my web site for immediate sale, take to my upcoming show in February at the Rock Financial Showplace, and can custom make them to any size to fit any window - almost. I am limited to the width of the pieces of glass I have.

Pat Deere

Under The Sea is on its way!

Probably one of the most special pieces of glass I have worked on in a long time is this one here. It was brought to me by a customer who had it finished for his daughter. His daughters mother started the piece before she died and it was brought to me with the drawing already done, some of the pieces cut, some of the glass supplied, and a lot of puzzling together.

The photos show it completed in its frame, and with me standing beside it so you can get an idea of the size of the panel.

Originally, the background glass was to be the more opaque teal glass. There was not enough of it so I incorporated two other glasses similar in color but different in texture. I think it really brings the background to life.

Although nothing will bring back her mom, this is a piece of glass she will always be able to treasure. She can remember her mom for starting the piece for her, and her dad for the hoops he had to go through to get it finished, transported, and installed into her bedroom.

Thank you Adrian for allowing me to be a part of this process. I truly hope your daughter is able to appreciate what you have gone through to make this happen. Merry Christmas to you!

Pat Deere

Note: This is one of the reasons I love working in glass. Over the years, I have created many family heirlooms that families can enjoy and pass on to other family members as time passes. I will be posting more of them in the future. If you would like to create a family heirloom for your family, give me a call.

Blessed Savior Lutheran Church - Vandals at it again!

Painting on glass is one of my favorite things to do. Unfortunately, for this church, this was not a repair they are excited about.

Blessed Savior Lutheran is a small country church in Blissfield, Michigan. There is a small, but very friendly, group of people who attend church there.

In 2004, I was asked to repair/restore most of the windows in their church. They purchased the building and it had been sitting empty for quite a while. Vandals had their way with a lot of the windows. Some of them were completely releaded, some were repainted, and some of them were ok the way they were. We got them removed, repaired and reinstalled and they looked wonderful for about five years.

Recently, vandals were at it again. To the left are 3 pieces that were cracked in the process. You can see where they belong in the full size picture towards the bottom of the window. I will be painting these in two separate firings before reinstalling them into the panels. Somebody deliberately broke through the plexiglass with a brick before going back and throwing a rock through the hole they created. As much as I enjoy working with glass, this is not the way I like to get new projects. My hope is that people will look out for suspicious characters and report them. This is a large cost for a small church to bear.

This is the painted glass after it has come out of the kiln for the first time. The heavy black outlines and the veins of the leaves were painted in with Tracing Black 401 from Reusche with a little zinc added to dull it down a little. This helps it match the existing glass paint which has lost some of it's shine. More photos to come after the next step comes out of the kiln.

Pat Deere

Links: Interested in glass restoration for your church? Click here.
or Glass Painting Classes? Click here.

Dancing On The Ceiling

My niece sent me a link to a pretty cool web site, I have listed it at the bottom. One of the amazing works of art was an exhibit she had seen, probably during the Cows On Parade Exhibit in Chicago in 1999.

When Detroit wanted to do a fundraiser between the Detroit YMCA and the Windsor Endowment for the Arts, I submitted a design. This design was sponsored by General Motors and purchased by a private buyer who donated it to the Detroit Opera Theatre. I haven't seen it there yet but was told it is displayed in their parking structure. These photos show two sides of the car while on display on the Detroit People Mover prior to the auction.

This side was a wonderfully in love couple with a very smooth dance move. The next photo was inspired by a photo of my husband at his senior prom - donning a John Travolta pose.

I estimated there were over 170,000 pieces of glass in this piece. There was a mirrored dancing ball on the top of the car. Iwill post other pictures of the back and drivers side at a later date.

I always wanted to mosaic a car. Actually, I wanted to mosaic a running vehicle so I could drive it in parades and attend Art Car functions. Once I did this, I lost that desire for a while but would probably do it again if I got the right vehicle.

Pat Deere

Classes: Mosaic classes can be taken at Pictures In Glass. Click on this link.

Link: Unusual Worlds Worst/Best/Craziest, etc.

Crosses of Distinction

I am shipping this cross out today... with a little hesitation. I was given boxes of glass a customer salvaged from a church that had burned. Evidence is still in the glass that couldn't be washed off. It gives the glass a smoky grey color in areas. The appropriate thing, it seemed, to use the glass for was to make crosses.

Last month I set up for a spiritual art show in Orchard Lake. Somebody snatched it up and I am mailing it off today. This was the only cross I was able to make with this glass because I only had one piece with the beautiful painted glass floral pattern.

I am sure it is going to good hands and they will enjoy it. That makes it much easier to part with.

Pat Deere

Links: Glass Painting Classes

A lamp in the making...

A sneak peak at a lamp in the making. This one is actually for my brother. He was shopping near what he calls home, in California, and in his words "walking through a bunch of lame lamp shops", when he decided to call me instead.

On his visit to Michigan, we looked at lamp designs, talked about lamp bases, referred to photos of his new living arrangements, and started pulling out sheets of glass. What we decided on was a revised version of this design which came from the book, Elegant Laps three by Walrus Publications. This was a revision of their Bamford (Two) design.

This will eventually be a 6 sided panel lamp. We are using a black on clear baroque from Spectrum for the main body of the lamp, the top and bottom borders use the same glass in an iridized version, there are solid black accents around the bevels and top border, and a series of beveled glass triangles at the bottom.

He will be using a lamp base found during his lamp search... or maybe go with a different base all together. The nice thing about this lamp is it will go with almost any decor. I'll post photos of the finished shade soon. If you have a lamp base you love, and it needs just the right shade... give us a call. If you like to do stained glass and want to make your own shade, click on the link below for classes.


Pat Deere


Links: Panel Lamp Making Classes

Words of wisdom from Maya Angelou - forwarded via email...

Subject: Maya Angelou, words of wisdom. Read to the end, you will laugh just picturing it happening.

(This was forwarded to me via email. Not confirmed by me as words from Maya Angelou, but as one of my favorite authors and people... it sounds like her to me. Besides, it is funny.)

I love the thoughts she lives by!!!

I didn't break the elastic... Don't break the elastic!

In April, Maya Angelou was interviewed by Oprah on her 70+ birthday... Oprah asked her what she thought of growing older.And, there on television, she said it was 'exciting...'Regardingbody changes, she said there were many, occurring every day.....likeher breasts. They seem to be in a race to see which will reach her waist, first.The audience laughed so hard they cried. She is such a simple and honest woman, with so much wisdom in her words!

Maya Angelou said this: 'I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.' 'I'velearned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/shehandles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangledChristmas tree lights.''

I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.''

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as 'making a life.''

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.''

I'velearned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt onboth hands; you need to be able to throw some things back....''

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.''I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one..''

I'velearned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. Peoplelove a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.''

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn..''

I'velearned that people will forget what you said, people will forget whatyou did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'

Please send this to five phenomenal women today... and back to me if you think i'm one also.If you do, something good will happen: You will boost another woman's self-esteem..If you don't...the elastic will break and your underpants will fall down around your ankles!Believe me, I didn't take any chances on MY elastic breaking.... I sent it to a lot of special women I care for.

Note... I don't usually forward emails, but I did forward this one. Hope it brings you a smile!

Pat Deere

Always aim for the moon. Even if you miss you will land amongst the stars