Having a Blast!

Gee, I think it was sometime in March or so when I discovered the sandblaster in my stained glass class at Maine Art Glass in Lisbon, Maine. My instructor Jim Nutting was working on a recycling project using glass bottles and when I saw what he did with a wine bottle, well, I knew I was going to have to try it. Try it, or as is my style, totally get obsessed by it. I have a pile of my own "upcycled" bottles I'm stockpiling for gifts and for sale - they're so fun! Tune in for a future blog on them.

So here it is July. Needless to say, I'm off the deep end with it and now I'm in the market for some sandblasting equipment. I'm so intimidated by everything out there for sale, which is mostly marketed for blasting the rust off of old parts, not blasting away parts of rock or glass. Dave and I will figure something out, hopefully soon.

I am blessed to live in such a great state (remind me again in January because I forget). We have such wonderful things to find on the beaches of Maine. Sea glass is a favorite which as you saw in my previous blog, I was finally able to drill and add to a bracelet. But the stones sat in jars and bowls, which they are still fun to paw through and gaze at, but I have found a great way to make them a little special. I am sandblasting images onto them - both "innie" and "outie" styles. The ones pictured here are pendant sized, but I've done larger ones, which are at home on a desk as well as they are happy to sit in a garden.