Stained Glass

(Pictures below)

I hated having curtains and drapes covering the beautiful oak craftsman-style window
frames and sills. But with having neighbors so close you need something on the
windows for privacy. Many old craftsman houses have stained-glass windows.
After checking into prices of used and new windows, I decided to make them myself.
I didn't have a clue on how to do it so I enrolled at The Glass Stop in Erie, PA.
My first project was a window hanging and it took me a little time to get the hang of
it but then I got brave. My second project was a somewhat Victorian design for
one of our windows in the living room. The next project was a craftsman-style
scenic window I did almost without a pattern. I had a rough idea of how I wanted it.
I then made stained-glass shutters for the bathroom and am in the process of making
shutters for all the bedrooms. You can keep them closed for privacy and still let the
light in or open them to see out. These two windows are all I have had time to do. As
soon as I finish the living room and porch I'll try and get some more done.

This was my first window. I found it very hard to keep the glass from breaking on some of these cuts. A great learning experience!	This is my 2nd window. Work in Progress. I just finished soldering the front side and was getting ready to turn it over to solder the second side. The trick is not to break it!
Finished except for touchups, cleaning and putting on the patina.	Finished product in window. It is beautiful when sunlight hits it. It changes with the seasons as the light comes from different directions that highlight different areas.
This close up shows how much detail there is in the reeds. Lots and lots of tiny pieces!