Stained Glass Wind Chime For Abuela

I am making a wind chime to take with me on my "Mission" to Spain.   The wind chime is for my 90 year old Abuela.  The reason I said "Mission" is because I am going to be doing more research for my Abuelas's memoir.  I will be scanning letters, recipes, and old photos.  I will also be asking a million questions in a video interview. 

But for now this is the wind chime work in progress:

 I have three pieces left to foil then I can begin soldering it together and adding the chimes.

Stained glass attempt is coming along

I had my second stained glass class and I completed the butterfly.  I started on my second piece which is a flower.  I chose my glass, cut the pattern, glued the pattern and began cutting out the glass.  I did not finish cutting out my pieces because I broke two of them and had to start over.  I will try to get this done at home before my next class. 

My finished butterfly

The pieces of my flower

Hidden Treasures- Photo tour

 These are the hidden treasures in my back yard

Trying my hand at stained glass

I have a stained glass kit with glass, tool, grinder, etc. I have had it well over a year. I watched the instructional DVD but just was not ready to attempt it. I found a GROUPON,(coupons you can buy buy for cool activities by city) for a stained glass class is my area.  I signed up for the four classes.  They are 2 1/2 hours each.

Yesterday was my first class.  We learned how to cut glass and use the proper tools.  We started our first little project, a butterfly.  We used a pattern, cut the glass pieces, grinded the pieces, and copper foiled the pieces.

Next week I will complete te butterfly by soldering it together.  I will then begin a slightly more complicated project.

This was fun and best of all, I CAN DO IT!  Glad I took the time for this.

I am back among the CREATIVE

Wow have I been gone a really long time.  My quality of life was slowly slipping away.  I was hurting all over and feeling weak and fatigued.  Even though I was going to the gym to work out twice a week I just never felt good.  In June 2010 I ended up with torn cartilage in my knee and had surgery.  I spent about 4 months in physical therapy to get my knee to straighten and bend completely.  It never happened.  I finally went back to a rheumatologist and for the second time was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.  That is a diagnosis I just never "believed in."  I was at the end of my rope so I went ahead and took the medication he prescribed.  On the fourth day on the medication I felt like a person again.  My leg was better, my random aches were gone, and I had energy.   Now I am back in the game and starting to live.  I am signed up for a series of stained glass classes, I have sewing projects to work on, a new garden that is dying for some TLC, and lots of reading and learning to do about writing.   I also plan on keeping up with my blogs.