The whole process was very interesting! It was more delicate in parts than I thought and required more muscle and brawn in other parts that I didn't expect. The pipes were heavier than I thought they would be. The molten glass was just different than I imagined. It was like gooey tree sap that would slowly ooze off your pipe if you didn't keep turning it. But just the slight bit of cooling would cause it to harden up and be too tough to be pliable or to add color.
We had several colors to choose from and every ball turned out quite unique and extraordinary.
You could see the steam from the heat coming from the molten glass at the end of the pipes.
Once we did the actual blowing of the ball (no pun intended) and shaping of the ball, it was way hotter than I expected. My arm was burning from the heat as I shaped my ornament. That's my glass ball above - isn't it purdy?!?! Oh and the actual act of blowing is an art form of itself. You can't blow too hard or too fast but you can't blow too delicate or wimpy before the glass cools. I wanted to do it again and again to get more practice and develop more skill. I felt very clumsy and unsure. None the less, it was an awesome experience!
I took this last picture from outside the shop in the alley. The guys said they are always there working on something. I very much want to bring the kids down just to stand outside and watch the process. Way cool!!
After we blew our glass, we headed up Front Street to find a place to sit and chat. We landed at a little dirty Mexican restaurant and I had a fabulous time. I thoroughly enjoyed my 36 ounce margarita on the rocks and eased the pain in my front temple lobe for a bit. I loved getting out and laughing. Replenishing my soul. It always raises my spirits.
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