What Does The Fox Say?

[Ashtyn]

Beautiful piece, I could easily see people putting up similar angels in various color schemes as guardian angels.    When my brother, cousins and I were little, they used to tell us stories about guardian angels and we had some pictures and small figurines of them around the bed.

Thanks bigwulf!

This one was based on a pattern from a book that's all different angel patterns. This one is the angel of joy! I made this one in particular because it was the free pattern-of-the-month on a stained glass guild publication I subscribe to. 

But yes, as you suggest, there are various color schemes and different poses for all kinds of angels for all kinds of things. 

[Ashtyn]

One of my current WIPs, an Egyptian-themed Tiffany Style lampshade! After working out the surprisingly complicated mathematics for not only a round but also curved shape, I cut all the pieces out of favrile glass, and got as many carnelian-colored jewel-glass beads as the local stained glass supply shop had (can't use the ones sold by HobbyLobby or other 'craft' stores because they are flashed, not actual colored glass!)...

Then today I assembled all the pieces to make sure everything was right, and evened out with the stained glass grinder the edges of all 311 pieces, preparing them for foiling...

After lots and lots and lots of work all pieces were wrapped in the copper foil... Then put back together to make sure they all fit, and then, one by one, put on the lampshade form where it would then be soldered together...

...one by one...

...all 311. Then tack them with solder in place, and 15 hours of soldering, cleaning up, patina....

[Ashtyn]

...and it's done!

I'm reasonably pleased with it! Considering it's my first Tiffany-Style lampshade, I'll consider it a success, but was also a learning experience. I'm not entirely pleased with the colors, but above all, if I had to do it again I would absolutely not use those damned glass jewels! What a freaking pain in the ass those things were! They're a pain to foil, an unimaginable pain to solder, and a waste of solder too because you have to build up all around them! I'd much rather cut a couple hundred little red glass circles next time, than use those damned things! I will use them again only if I absolutely have to! 

(the lamp base is some lamp base we had lying around, no idea where it came from or what it was, but it has mahogany, so can't be all that bad!)

[Ashtyn]

I wrote to the Top Gear guys asking for autographs! ....and.... they disappointed me! 

They sent me a pre-printed autographed photo.

I know celebrities are busy and all that, but I actually think I would prefer no response at all, than a pre-printed autograph. Pre-prints totally defeat the purpose of the whole 'I want your autograph' thing.   

[Ashtyn]

My latest project, another Tiffany-Style lampshade, this one inspired by a ginkgo tree!

All pieces have been cut, ground, fitted, and now as of 01/16 I've foiled 2/3 of them and worked on it for 14 hours so far...

I'm excited about this one, I think it will come out beautiful!

And I finished the lamp base I'll be using for this one! The lamp base is forged copper and brass, and was quite a lot of work to make! The sockets are high-quality brass sockets I get from a supplier in China (yes, sometimes "high quality" and "China" can go together like that), because I'm terrified by the flimsiness and outright el-cheapo nature of sockets you buy in stores here in the US.  I will be shelling out the cash to buy pre-made bases in the future, unless I'm being paid pretty well to make one, but I'll probably re-wire and re-socket them! 

Since the lampshade will be ginkgo tree leaves, the base is meant to be a tree trunk, sorta!

And all pieces are copperfoiled and organized, ready to be put on the mold, where then soldering will begin!
(final count: 273 pieces, which is average for a lamp this size; the pattern repeats 3 times)

[Xela]

I want one!

[Ashtyn]

Yay, it's done!
I'm reasonably satisfied with it. But my next lamp will be a more 'traditional' design; my designs are too complicated! 

[Xela]

Its really pretty, I want one

[Ashtyn]

...our little cat was helping me with the pattern of the new lampshade I'm working on...

Work on this one is on hold, until I have the $$$ to buy the red and yellow glass I need! 

[Ashtyn]

I'm working on a dragonfly Tiffany-Style lamp now! ...because I'm pretty sure there's a law somewhere that says people who make this stuff have to at some point make one of the dragonfly lamps!

So far it's taken me one night to cut all the pieces, and 2 nights to neat them up on the diamond grinder. I predict one more night of grinding, and then I can test-assemble it, make any necessary adjustments, then foil all 340 pieces, then test-assemble again, on the mold this time, and if all is well, soldering can begin!

(the 14" lamp repeats the pattern 6 times all around)

And all the pieces are cut, ground, tested for fitting, and ready for foiling.... except that I don't like the color of the wings, so, I'm gonna be making new wings! I might be changing the color of the top and bottom borders too. 
(there was too much bright green)

April 4, 2015:

Much better! (changed the wings and the top and bottom borders)

April 8, 2015:

All pieces are foiled and tested for fit and ready to be assembled on the mold, and then soldered! 


April 10, 2015:

Work on the lamp continues! Last night I assembled it on the mold (pictured), did the outside solder, reinforcing wires, and tonight I did the inside soldering. Now all that's left is the decorative solder beading inside and out, and patina!

[Ashtyn]

Its really pretty, I want one

...thanks kitty! 

I can make you one if you have the $$ for it!   

[ShaRroos]

You are FAR more dedicated to the project than I ever could be. My hands would look like something out of a SAW Movie and the only color the glass would be is red at that point. I applaud you. Chain ain't got nothing on you. (And yes I belive the law is written under article 78 of crafts, just like all knitters must make a Jane's Hat)

[Ashtyn]

You are FAR more dedicated to the project than I ever could be. My hands would look like something out of a SAW Movie and the only color the glass would be is red at that point. I applaud you. Chain ain't got nothing on you. (And yes I belive the law is written under article 78 of crafts, just like all knitters must make a Jane's Hat)

Hehe, I say it over and over, because it's ironic: I handle the glass all day and haven't so far got a single cut! ...then spend 10 seconds playing with my cat and my hands look like I tried to untangle razorwire barehanded! 

[Xela]

You are FAR more dedicated to the project than I ever could be. My hands would look like something out of a SAW Movie and the only color the glass would be is red at that point. I applaud you. Chain ain't got nothing on you. (And yes I belive the law is written under article 78 of crafts, just like all knitters must make a Jane's Hat)

Hehe, I say it over and over, because it's ironic: I handle the glass all day and haven't so far got a single cut! ...then spend 10 seconds playing with my cat and my hands look like I tried to untangle razorwire barehanded! 

The issue is, the cat wanted to be petted for only 9.5 seconds!

[Ashtyn]

And here it is, my first Tyffany-Style Dragonfly lamp!

I'm gonna be frank (and shameless) here: I freaking love how it came out! I love everything about it! The solders, the glass, the colors, the filigree wings, damn I'm happy with this one!   

...just the base isn't the one meant for this shade yet, I haven't been able to finish the base for it because I'm only one foxy with an enormous to-do list! So I'm borrowing the base of the Ginkgo lamp for these pictures, but I'll post more pictures when it has its own base! 

This is a six-repeats pattern. Most Dragonflies Tiffany made had seven-repeats, but the rare small ones use 6.

And the technical data:

• 14" diameter
• Six-Repeats pattern
• First designed in the late 1890's or very early 1900's
• 62 hours of work to make it
• Uses Kokomo glass throughout
• 100' of copper foil
• 2lbs of 60-40 solder
• Not a single injury from making it! 

Here's an updated picture with the base made for it: