“Play is the highest form of research” ~ Albert Einstein

I just realized that in my recent monthly wrap up post I didn’t tell you about a very fun afternoon I had last month. I went with some friends to Ghost Pepper Glass, a glassblowing studio, for a workshop! I’ve been to a glassblowing demo before at a studio in Wimberley, Texas and it was amazing. If you’ve never seen something like this but are curious, you can read a bit more about it here.

I admit I was a bit hesitant and not sure what to expect but we had a wonderful teacher who guided us through the process. The studio was in a covered space with huge open doors and they had fans going but May is already warm in Texas and with the furnace going it was hot. Let’s just say I’m so glad I had a hair clip with me so I could pull up my hair off my neck because I was already sweating and not even working on my creation yet!

When my time came, first I decided I wanted to make a vase and next I choose the color of glass and I opted for pink, blue and purple. Then it was time to place a long pipe, with a gob of molten glass on the end into the furnace and start the process. You had to keep twirling the glass so it would elongate but keep consistent with your movements so the glass wouldn’t drip or melt off. After some of that, then it was time to add the color so we’d take out the long pipe and move over to a table to “pick up” the color glass bits onto the hot glass and back again into the furnace. Twirling, more glass beads, more twirling, until it was time to use some tweezers to manipulate the glass.

If you follow me on instagram, you will have seen some of my pictures from the studio.

This was so much fun and after I was finished I was in desperate need for a cold drink but so happy. You know I love playing with paper and making journals and other crafts, and what I love about trying new creative pursuits is how you get into the creative zone. You forget about worries or other things for a while and you are able to be in the moment and be joyful as you see new patterns or things emerge.

I may not be doing any glassblowing again but I’m glad I had this experience. During my week off from work I promised myself to spend time on creative pursuits. As you know I closed my handmade journal shop this year so I haven’t been doing a lot of crafting and I missed that a lot. So I took a collage class via Jeanne Oliver online workshops. I highly recommend these and if you sign up for the newsletter you can find out about specials throughout the year. It’s a great way to do a bit of creative play from the comfort of your own home.

I’d love to hear if you are trying any new arts/crafts this summer and/or going back to some things you’ve loved. What’s inspiring you at this moment?

I have some exciting new releases to tell you about. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers, here are the copies I’ve received:

The Bookshop by the Bay by Pamela M. Kelley. Two friends, the beach and a bookshop that needs saving. Sounds like a fun summer read. On sale 6/6/23.

Lucky Dogs by Helen Schulman. The paths of two women on opposite ends of a high-profile sexual abuse scandal set them on a devastating collision course. On sale 6/6/23.

The Antiquity Affair by Lee Kelly and Jennifer Thorne. It’s 1907 and an esteemed archaeologist and his two remarkable daughters will be on the hunt for a legendary artifact. On sale 6/6/23.

Run Baby Run by Melissa Lenhardt. A mother-daughter roadtrip to mend relationships and reconnect. On sale 6/13/23.

Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith. On a hilltop in Umbria sits Valetto. Once a thriving village but home to many secrets and one where only 10 residents remain. On sale 6/13/23.

Flatlands by Sue Hubbard. A moving tale of unlikely friendship and the beauty of nature, set in the wild wetland landscape of the English Fens during World War II. On sale 6/13/23.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Let me know if you’ve got any of these on your radar or which one you would pick.