Category Archives: Uncategorized

Craftoberfest

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Craftoberfest2013

What do you get when you mix craft + vintage + beer? Well, you get Craftoberfest, St. Louis’ first lantern-lit outdoor night market featuring local beer, live music, and some of the best handmade & vintage finds our fair city has to offer.

Held at Urban Chestnut Brewery, just a few blocks east of the Fox Theatre, it’ll be an amazing night to shop and hang out amongst the lantern lit beer garden. Here are some of the goodness that can be found…

Parsimonia
The ReTrailer
Strange Donuts
Scarlett Garnet
Creature Type
Fable & Lore
Newberry Furniture
Sprouted Designs
August Abroad
Flowers and Weeds
The Heirloom Room
Riley Construction
Cristin Rae Knitwear & Accessories
A Tiny Moth
South City Studio
Just Liv
Strange Overtones vintage
cmyf
Beqi Clothing
Madi Sharp Design
Lovely Dovely Vintage
Sherwood’s Luminarium
Envisage Vintage Jewelry
The Iris and The Bee
Binx Ceramic
DottieQ
Villa Design <—- hey that’s me! 🙂
Zenbot Design

The Top 5 Rules when Torching

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There are a lot hazards when torching, and I had one of those experiences the other day. Sometimes, when you are melting glass, the rod will snap off because either it’s been warmed too quickly or there is an air bubble through the rod.

Well it snapped off… and landed on my hoodie. This prompted me to post on twitter and facebook about one of my rules of torching… WEAR cotton clothing (hot glass sticks to plastic, such as polyester). It sparked a conversation, and I’ve decided the share with you my top rules… things I’ve learned over the 10 years I’ve been working with glass. I also asked some of my glassy friends what their top rules are, and I’ve shared them below. Enjoy!

My Top 5 Rules When Torching

1. Never touch a hot mandrel. You’ll lose all feelings in your fingers and have scars.
2. Have an aloe vera plant handy for burns.
3. Roller chairs are your best friend.
4. Wear cotton clothing AND no low cut tops (hot glass down the shirt… not fun)
5. Have long hair? Pull it back in ponytail. You know… so it won’t catch on fire.

• NEVER pick up the piece that just flew off the punty!!!!
• Always wear your didys (eye protection).
• Never confuse your drinking glass with your dunking glass.
• Check and double check your bead release lid BEFORE you shake.
• Make sure your fire extinguisher is within arms reach. 🙂
• Ventilation.
• Always lay the used rods down with the “hot” end away from you!!!
• Fingernail polish truly is “Flammable”!!
• Make sure dunking glass is not plastic
• Silver leaf should be on something non flammable.

Personally, I find the drinking + dunking glass one hilarious.