5 Essential Tools For Stained Glass Beginners!

17/10/2025 18/07/2026

5 Essential Tools for Stained Glass Beginners!

There’s something truly magical about creating your first stained glass piece — that moment when light pours through your design and brings your colours to life. Whether you’re just starting a new hobby or revisiting a long-held creative dream, the right tools make all the difference.

Here are five essential tools every stained glass beginner needs, plus a few handy tips from our team here at Creative Glass Guild to help you get started with confidence.

1. Glass Cutter

Every great stained glass project begins with a good glass cutter. A quality cutter gives you clean, accurate scores that make breaking glass smooth and satisfying.

We stock a variety of cutters here at Creative Glass Guild - All different shapes and sizes so you'll find the one that’s perfect for you! 

Tip: firm, even pressure is all you need; let the cutter do the work & always make sure you score from one end of the glass to another end.

2. Grozing Pliers

Once your glass is scored, you’ll need grozing pliers to snap along the line and tidy your edges. They’re essential for shaping, nibbling, and refining your cuts so everything fits perfectly.

Tip: Use the flat side of your pliers on top of the score line for a clean break, and the serrated edge to remove small chips or uneven edges.

3. Soldering Iron & Solder

A soldering iron is the heart of traditional stained glass work. After cutting and assembling your glass with lead came or copper foil, solder joins everything together and brings your project to life.

Look for a 80–100W iron with temperature control — it’ll melt solder evenly and make neat, professional-looking seams.

Tip: Always tin your soldering iron tip (keep it shiny with a touch of solder), and clean it often on a damp sponge. A tidy tip equals smooth solder lines!

4. Safety Glasses

Safety might not be the most glamorous part of glasswork, but it’s one of the most important. Safety glasses protect your eyes from tiny glass shards when cutting, grozing, or soldering.

Tip: If you wear regular glasses, go for an over-spec style that fits comfortably on top — you’ll barely notice them, but your eyes will thank you.

5. Stained Glass Sheets

And, of course — you can’t start without glass itself! Choosing your first sheets is half the fun. Beginners often love working with Cathedral glass for its smooth texture and transparent colour, or Opalescent glass for softer, more diffused light.

Tip: Start with medium-thickness glass (around 3mm) — it’s easier to cut and perfect for smaller projects while you learn.

✨ Ready to Begin Your Stained Glass Journey?

If you’re feeling inspired to start, our Starter Kits make it easy. They include all the essential tools mentioned above — and a few extras to help you build confidence and skill from your very first cut.

•  Stained Glass Starter Kit
•  Deluxe Stained Glass Starter Kit

With the right tools, a touch of patience, and a bit of practice, you’ll soon be creating beautiful glass art that’s uniquely yours.

Happy crafting from all of us at Creative Glass Guild!

What’s on in the glass world?

06/01/2020 18/07/2026

Struggling to get back into gear after the Christmas break? If you need to remind yourself why you love glass, here are some fantastic exhibitions coming up across the UK.

We love glass and want to make sure we're always bringing you the best products. So let us know if you attend any of these events and what's inspiring you this year so we can make sure we're on track with the trends and offering you exciting courses!

Recollection: Memories in Glass, Espacio Gallery, London

21^st January – 2^nd February 2020

This show focuses on memory and recollection in all its diverse forms — everything from personal reminiscences to nostalgia, from the science of memory to the commemoration of moments in history. Each piece in the show has been inspired by memories and created in glass — expect to see a stunning range of glass art, including decorative and functional pieces, sculptural glass and wall-hung artwork, using a wide variety of glass-making methods.  The show will feature work from internationally renowned glass-makers as well as from emerging artists. Featured artists include Oceanside 96 users Brett Manley and Cathryn Shilling.

'Where the Buffalo Roam': Stained Glass from the American Frontier, The Stained Glass Museum, Cambridgeshire

Running until 20^th February 2020

An exhibition of photos by award-winning photo-journalist M. J. Alexander, reflects the tumultuous history of the North American Plains, as memorialised in the windows of its chapels and churches. The exhibition includes images of windows from European and American master glassmakers, offering a variety of artistic styles and vantage points.

Collect 2020, Somerset House, London

27^th February 2020 – 1^st March 2020

Now in its 16th year, Collect has been instrumental in defining and growing the market for contemporary craft. Collect is well-positioned at the start of the international cultural calendar with over 40 galleries from the UK and around the world selling work made in the last five years by the leading craft artists working today. Collect shows the exceptional skill and intellectual rigour behind modern craft – from works in ceramics, glass, metal, wood and textiles to makers working in non-traditional materials with experimental techniques.  

The Art of Scottish Glass: 40 Years of the Scottish Glass Society, Long Gallery, Glasgow

Running until 9^th February 2020

The society was founded in 1979 and ever since it has promoted the appreciation, understanding and development of glassmaking in Scotland. The exhibition charts the history of the society and glassmaking in Scotland as well as glass education and the society’s support of emerging artists. With a wealth of images of some of the finest examples of contemporary glassmaking, the exhibition also showcases key artists, artworks and glass techniques.

Through the Looking Glass, National Glass Centre, Sunderland

Running until 8^th March 2020

Although we rarely stop to acknowledge their presence, windows are part of our day to day life and for the majority of us, they are our most regular connection to glass as a material. In this exhibition Caroline and Maisie Broadhead present a body of work that considers how we perceive what we see when we look into, or out of a window. Both mother and daughter are highly established contemporary artists. Caroline Broadhead has a background in jewellery and sculpture and Maisie in photography.

Re-light your glass spark in 2020

16/12/2019 18/07/2026

Christmas is hopefully a very busy time for us glass artists. With markets, commissions and the inevitable making of gifts for family and friends, the season is fulfilling and good for business. But it can leave us feeling burnt out, often making lots of Christmas decorations repeatedly or falling into a pattern of making just our best sellers. Sometimes the joy of designing and making gets a little left behind. In this blog I’ve suggested some ways you can nurture that creative part of your brain and invigorate your enthusiasm for glass.

Dedicate time to experiment….

… with no end object in sight. Set aside time to create sample pieces to broaden your knowledge without thinking ahead to what it will become or whether it will be saleable. Play time is essential for creativity. Try to set aside about three hours a week in the quiet months. You’ll thank yourself later as new ideas start to develop. You could try things like;

Experimenting with textures - Have you tried mixing powdered frit with different mediums to get variable textures perhaps? Try water or gum arabic to start.

Experimenting with kiln programs – You may have mastered a full fuse and slump, but how well do you really know your kiln? Is there an idea in your head that you have no idea how to fire? Maybe it has varying thicknesses or is an organic shape? Take what you know about what happens to glass at different temperatures and make informed guesses on how it should be fired. We’re always happy to offer advice on this sort of thing too!

Experimenting with colours – Do you find you have a specific colour palette you’re always drawn to? Do you always use transparents or just opaques? Pushing yourself out of your comfort zone means you can get to know your material better. Choose some unusual colours and try playing with layering and designing with a limited colour palette. Why not try this blue and this amber and see how many new shades you can create by layering them? Then let us know!

Try a course you wouldn’t usually choose.

Perhaps there’s a course you’ve been considering but haven’t yet booked because it seems a stretch from how you currently work with glass. And that may well be, but learning new skills isn’t just about the projects on the course. Your own knowledge is unique, garnered from your own experience. The real benefit of going on a course is about the sparks that start to fly around your head when you suddenly learn something that reveals opportunities and new ideas that inform the way you already work, elevating you to becoming a better and more confident maker with more skills in your arsenal.

If you don’t have a course in mind and are seeking one out, I’d recommend our Introduction to UGC Enamels and MUD course. You don’t need to be a painter, but you will learn lots of fun new skills to create intricate embellishments on the surface of glass.

Dig out, or buy, that ‘inspiration’ piece of glass.

Every glass artist needs this piece, the piece of sheet glass that you don’t know what you’re going to do with but that you absolutely love. Have it on display somewhere that you can see it as you work. You don’t need to put pressure on yourself to make something out of it (I myself have one or two of these pieces I’ve had for six or seven years! My favorite is this piece of stained glass) but being able to see it gives you a pang of ‘that’s magic!’ to remind you of the ethereal quality of glass and how beautiful it is to you.

Seek out artists in other mediums who are inspired by the same things you are.

Take time to figure out how you fit in the context of other artists. Perhaps you are inspired by the movement and vastness of your local coastline and it features a lot in your work. Is there somebody else working in ceramics, painting on canvas or working in any other medium who has the same inspiration? What do you notice about how they interpret it? How is it different to what you do? Do you achieve the same tone or make the same impact? Identifying this can help you hone your craft and give clarity to your artistic direction.

Get back to the drawing board.

Literally. Whether you’re somebody who designs as they go with the glass leading the way or someone who meticulously measures and draws out a precise design, letting go and ‘free’ drawing is a useful way to alleviate the confines of your process and open yourself up to new ways of designing. Don’t worry, you don’t need drawing skills, this about the process, not the finished drawing. All you need to do is put pencil to paper and draw without thinking to blow away the creative cobwebs. Then next time you go to design for glass you’ll have a clear mind, and who knows you might want to derive a design from your free drawing!

A Merry Christmas to you from all of us here at Creative Glass Guild. Thank you so much for being a customer and for inspiring us all the time with all the wonderful artworks you create with our products. Let us know if you have any other ideas to nurture your creativity in the early months of next year. We look forward to seeing your experiments and new ideas.

Wishing you a happy and glassy 2020.

10 tips for setting up your new glass kiln - guide to troubleshooting

08/01/2018 18/07/2026

1. Anything requiring alteration to electrical installations will need to be done by a qualified electrician, for your safety and to meet building regulations.  We can help advise your electrician along with the manufacturer of your kiln if they have any questions.
2. Read the manual.  All of it.  Cover to cover. Ask if there is anything you are unsure of.  Remember US made kiln manuals will have information pertaining to the USA, so if you arent sure, please ask.  Check if you are looking at Farenheit or Celcius on the controller and in your firing program.
3. Pre fire your kiln, this will burn off any adhesives and settle the kiln after transit.  Up to 650c usually does the trick.
4. Check it is level, with a spirit level, to make sure your glass doesn't run off down hill!
5. Site the kiln somewhere dry, as with any electrical equipment, damp does no favours.  If it is left for a long time you may need to run an empty firing to dry out.
6. Bricks may develop cracks, in transit and in use, these should not pose any threat and are naturally formed in the heating and cooling phases.  If you have a brick lid, occasional light brushing (e.g. with a soft dustpan brush) will dislodge small fragments that could fall onto your glass.  If you have a fibre lid this will not be required.  Higher temperatures will cause more cracking than lower temperatures. If an element (in bare element kilns only) gets loose, use an element pin to hold it in place.
7. Fuses tripping may be caused by incorrect fuse breaker selection, consult an electrician to discuss - the higher wattage used by a kiln may cause sensitive breakers to trip.  If it persists, stop using the kiln and contact the manufacturer or reseller in the unlikely case that there may be a wiring issue to resolve.
8. If you have a bolt-together stand, put the bolts in loosley until they are all in place, then tighten up.  It will work far more easily!
9. Test the kiln with small pieces of glass, before you commit to your first piece of art work.  Get used to how the kiln fires and take notes / record your findings in a notebook. 
10. Keep a log of projects along with the glass used (with codes) and firing programs so that you can re-create the good ones and adjust the bad ones. 
     

Looking to buy your fisrt glass kiln? Our range of Fusing Kilns can be found by clicking here

we recommend taking a course in glass fusing, as you will learn the key technical information and get more from your fusing, findout more or enrol on one of our Glass Fusing Courses by clicking here

Winter Fair 2017 - Agenda

28/09/2017 18/07/2026

Here's what will be going on at our big event on Wednesday 4th October!

Panel Area

10:30am – 11:15am  Making a Living in Glass

    with Stuart Low, Nigel Wight and Juliet Forrest

1:00pm – 2:00pm  OGT Presentation: The Transformation and Rebirth

    with Sean Gildea (President) and Vince Moiso (VP of   Business Development) from Oceanside Glass and Tile

3:30pm – 4:15pm  Can You Teach Creativity? Glass Tutors on getting the best from students

    with Margot Clark, Caroline Lambert and Simon Alderson

Demo Area

11:45am – 12:15pm  Glass Painting

    Ernie Birds with Juliet Forrest  

2:15pm – 2:30pm  PG3 Grinder Demo – Grind a straight edge

2:30pm – 2:45pm  Taurus 3 Ringsaw Demo

3:30pm – 4:00pm  Kilncare Kilns: Your Questions Answered

    with Kilncare director Lee Sherwin

UGC Demo Area

Margot Clark

10:00am – 11:30am  Controlling Artisans

    A closer look at these fascinating enamels which allow you to   create controlled, colourful bubbles in your fused glass artwork.

11:45am – 1:15pm  Pouring Enamels

    How to create a unique pieces with marbled areas of colour using   UGC enamels.

1:45pm – 3:15pm  Layering Mix Painting

    A wonderful substance that allows you to create a textured, oil-  painting-like finish on your fused glass.

4:15pm – 5:00pm  MUD Creations

    MUD is a glass-based texture medium which allows you to   paint on glass and other materials using easy methods to   create beautiful painted details.

Dr SJ

09:15am – 10:45am  Enamels and Frit

    How can use UGC and frit together to create stunning   embellishments in your fused glass?

10:55am – 12:25pm  Creating with Artisans

    Explore ways of using these special bubble enamels.

12:30pm – 2:00pm  Controlled Pouring

    Create unique, organic designs by pouring enamels in controlled   ways.

2:25pm – 3:55pm  Using UGC Details and Accents

    Discover how to create fine details and metallic accents with   these beautiful enamel ranges.

4:00pm – 5:00pm  Watercolour Effects with Enamels

    See how it can be done!

Marquee

Throughout the day  Refreshments and seating

12:00pm – 12:45pm  Free Pret a Manger lunch served for all

2:30pm – 3:15pm  The Big Glass Quiz sponsored by OGT

Visit to Oceanside Glasstile

30/01/2017 18/07/2026

The first sight of Spectrum's new home was laid out on OGT's design tables - the enormity of the Spectrum range in sample form, side by side, plus the newly added Uroboros product line.  A spectacular sight which brought home the importance to the glass community of the two companies' huge offering and legacies which will live on thanks to OGT.

Thankfully all the codes are staying the same so we glass artists won't get confused! Also favourites like Waterglass and other essential glasses are to live on!

I also had a tour of their tile studio, which was really interesting - getting to see their product (including the ones they make from Spectrum and Uroboros Glasses) laid out stylishly - made me want to re-tile my kitchen! OGT hand cast a beautiful range of tiles, alongside speciality hand cut ranges in hundres of colours.  Their business really is a good fit with the production of art glass.

You can see the OGT tiles here: http://www.glasstile.com

The next day, CEO Sean Gildea picked me up and we drove south and across the border into Mexico, the weather was even better! Driving across the border was very easy, and after a 40 minute drive we arrived at the Oceanside Glasstile factory.  Blue skies and the feel of being in another country and a huge 100,000 square foot facility.  OGT have been in business for 25 years, and one of the Original Founders was Boyce Lundstrom (Sean's uncle) who was famous for his early books on glass fusing technique but also for being a founder of Bullseye Glass.

It was great to see the OGT business in action, photos were not really appropriate in case it leaks a trade secret or two!

I was shown the staff welfare systems in place by the HR manager, the processes and manufacturing by the Operations Director, and also the warehousing and shipping systems by the head of warehouse and shipping.  All of whom were extremely helpful and generous with their time. There was Spectrum Factory equipment arriving and being assembled, the entire shipping department is moving to a new 50,000 sq ft warehouse to make way for the sheet glass making facility which will all be under this one, enormous roof.

I was impressed by the space outside, which was being cleared and levelled to house the original Baghouses from Spectrum Glass Co, plus a brand new extra one, just commissioned.  These are what set Spectrum apart for years, as they filter the air coming out of the glass making plant, ensuring that it is cleaned and suitable to release back into the air.

Huge machines were waiting for the ground to dry out as it had recently rained (this is very odd for Mexico!)

The factory is sited on top of a hill - there are many other larger factories dotted around it on this business park.  Including many well known, international brands. TJ is a busy business and production town. 

A short drive took us to the newly acquired warehouse of an extra 50,000 sq ft, which will house the distribution centre and storage of stock of glass tiles and sheets. There will be sheet glass from the Spectrum and Uroboros range, plus the Stringer, Frit and Confetti to complete all the accessories needed for the full pallette of products.  Further down the line, there R&D team will no doubt bring us exciting new things to play with!

OGT estimate that the new production will create 100 jobs here in TJ and in their California base, while helping secure the jobs of all who rely on these glasses for their income, in the USA and around the world.  Since the original site in Seattle was not being sold with the company, we are pleased that a future has been secured.

A quick stop for some authentic Mexican street food - tacos was an amazing experience, watching the chefs producing each one to order at high speed with delicious results was a great way to round off my first trip to Mexico. 

So what next?

• February - Definition of sheet glass colors moving forward.
• March - Better defined timeline of product to market.
• April - News of first product coming off the production line.
• Summer - First round of products start to hit the market.

We will have more details soon, keep an eye here and on our Facebook Page for the latest updates.  We look forward to the first shipments arriving here in Bristol, ready for you to get Creative!

Oceanside Glasstile and the future of System 96 and Spectrum Glass

05/01/2017 18/07/2026

2017 promises to be an exciting year for us and our customers as Oceanside Glasstile (OGT) confirms that they will be taking over production of Uroboros glass, as well as Spectrum Glass. These are the two companies that produce all of the COE96 fusing glass we stock - fantastic ranges that allow us, our students and customers to be limitless in imagination and design.

The provision of System 96 glass is very important to us. It is our favourite fusing glass to teach with due to it being a soft, flat glass that is easy for beginners to cut. It remains a favourite with more intermediate and professional-level artists due to its vibrancy and fantastic range of colours and patterns.

Our company director, James Paget, said: “It’s a huge relief and very exciting news that we can still offer System 96 fusing glass, Uroboros and the Spectrum range to our customers and students.  I look forward to working closely with Oceanside this year and beyond.  I am sure there will be exciting developments for glass art ahead!”

Spectrum Glass and Uroboros Glass were scheduled for closure last year for various reasons (links at the bottom if you’d like to find out more) meaning the future of these world-renowned ranges was in real danger, and we acquired as much stock as possible before production ended. We are thrilled that OGT are already in production of Spectrum Glass and will be in production of Uroboros Glass and Frit in the next few months, meaning that we hope to be getting the new glass into stock within a few months! We currently have lots of System 96 (COE 96) and Spectrum in stock and expect that the transition will be smooth.

We’re also comforted to know that OGT are taking their environmental responsibilities and commitment to the quality of the glass ranges very seriously. The company’s production facilities are in Mexico, but they have confirmed that they will use the same production techniques and bag-house emission control practices that Spectrum has used for over 20 years – meeting American safety legislation. They have also taken on key staff from Spectrum and Uroboros including engineers and chemists to ensure that the company legacies and passion live on and top quality glass continues to be produced.

One of our course tutors, Catherine Dunstan, said: “I’m thrilled that we will all still have access to this glass. I, like many glass artists, have felt my creativity stifled by the prospect of losing the System 96 glass range and now that I know we will all have access to the colours we need a huge weight has been lifted.”

Our resident fusing expert, Simon Alderson, said: “I’m excited to see how OGT will develop Spectrum’s educational programme and what new materials and projects we could introduce on our courses and masterclasses.”

We will continue to keep you updated with news from OGT! You can also keep up via the links below and our Facebook Community Page.

Oceanside Glasstile is a global glass tile production comany based in California that has been developing and growing for 25 years.

*COE = Co-efficiency of Expansion (a measure of how glass moves in the kiln) To learn more about the science of glass fusing and how to utilise its properties in your designs try one of our intermediate glass fusing courses!

Spectrum Glass

Uroboros Glass

Oceanside Glasstile

News from Spectrum Glass Company

02/06/2016 18/07/2026

Two weeks ago Spectrum Glass Company announced that they will be closing, you can read their statement here.

While this is very sad news for us and glass artists all over the world, there is no cause to panic at this stage. We have just received a huge delivery from Spectrum and have much more glass on order. We expect that even with the heightened rate and size of orders, we will have enough Spectrum Glass until at least the end of this year.

In the meantime, as so much glass is being bought, we are unable to cut the sheets down to hobby and double hobby sizes as quickly as they are disapearing off the shelves - hence it appears on the website that many items are out of stock. For most of these items we have a good sheet stock and they are being cut and made available on the website as quickly as possible.

Looking forward, we are excited to expand our stained glass range into new areas with Wissmach, Kokomo, Tatra and new glass suppliers. Uroboros Glass have announced that they will be starting to produce Spectrum's System 96 colours and we hope this transition will be a smooth one.

At this time, we ask that you purchase the glass you need but advise that there really is no need to panic buy. We will catch up on cutting as soon as we can and update you with progress on the situation in due course.

Statement from Spectrum

24/02/2016 18/07/2026

Some of you may have seen the recent press regarding an environmental issue surrounding the art glass industry in the USA. We want to reassure our customers by sharing this statement from Spectrum, who are our main glass supplier:

"Recently, the subject of air quality around the Bullseye Glass factory, in Portland, Oregon, received a lot of press, specifically as it related to arsenic and cadmium. So we thought we would share some facts about the manufacturing process employed here at Spectrum Glass Company, including all the steps we take to minimize any impact our production might have on our surrounding community in Woodinville.

CGG Awards 2015 Winners Announced!

07/07/2015 18/07/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Spectrum Glass and Uroboros have announced the winners of the CGG Awards 2015.

We received almost 200 entries across the categories and were overwhelmed by the fantastic standard of work. Six entries were shortlisted from each category and winners chosen by the two companies that sponsored the awards and donated the prizes - which were fantastic selections of glass and glass accessories.

Runners up were also chosen and will be upgraded to our 20% shop discount scheme.

Award for a Stained Glass Project - SIOBHAN ALLEN , runner up - JAMES STEVENSON

Award for a Copper Foiled Project - JULIET FORREST , runner up - DAPHNE JOHNSON

Award for a Flameworked Object -  GOSHKA BIALEK , runner up - ZOE GARNER

Award for a Functional Fused Glass Object - CATHERINE WILCOXSON , runner up - DIANNE JAMES

Award for a Decorative Fused Glass Object - MARIA FAGAN , runner up - JO HAVENHAND

Best in Show - SIOBHAN ALLEN

Summer Fair 2015

30/06/2015 18/07/2026

On Sunday 5th July 2015 we will be hosting our second annual Summer Fair!

Visitors will benefit from a one-day only 25% shop discount, free taster courses, demos and Q+As, live music from local swing band Ish Kabbible. We will also be serving Afternoon Tea and holding a raffle to raise funds for Brandon Trust.

You are welcome to take part in one of each taster course. The first sessions will begin at 10:30am, and the last will begin at 4:00pm. When you arrive, there will be a stand at the front of the shop where you can sign up for individual sessions - you are not able to book in advance.

These are the times at which the taster sessions are scheduled to run (subject to change):

Stained Glass Taster Sessions - Make a Suncatcher (Sailing Boat or Hot Air Balloon) (1.5hrs)

10:30am, 12:30pm, 3:30pm

Sandblasting Taster Sessions - Sandblast a Mirror  (1hr)

11:30am, 12:30pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm

Lampwork Bead-Making Sessions - Make a Glass Bead (must be collected after firing) (1hr)

10:30am, 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm

Space is limited and we expect these tasters to fill up quickly, so please arrive early to avoid disapointment.

We will be collecting donations for our favourite charity Brandon Trust, who support people with learning disabilities in the UK. You can find out more about them here.

We're really excited to see you all here! If you have any questions, please email Catherine.

Disclaimer:

Participants must be 16 or over. Children are allowed to attend the event but must not be left unattended while their guardians participate in taster sessions or at any other time, and they will only be allowed in a limited section of the shop. Creative Glass Guild accept no responsibilty for the care of children.

Please note that discounts do not apply to sale items, kilns, power tools or books. Available for instore customers only.

Upcoming Event - In Conversation with Tamsin Abbott

06/03/2015 18/07/2026

On the 4th June we will be welcoming the wonderful Tamsin Abbott to Creative Glass Guild to deliver a lecture about her creative process, transforming her inspiration into designs and how glass as a medium has become her focus as an artist.

Tamsin creates magical stained glass works combining a variety of surface-working techniques, and will bring in some pieces from her collection to show and discuss.

This lecture will start at 2pm on Thursday 4th June and will be followed by a Q and A session.

You can book to attend the lecture here. This lecture is free - The £10.00 deposit is refundable upon attendance.

CGG Awards - Call for Entries!

06/03/2015 18/07/2026

Creative Glass Guild Awards 2015

We are really excited to launch The Creative Glass Guild Awards in association with Spectrum Glass Co. and Uroboros Glass who are kindly donating prizes and judging the shortlisted entries. Top prize worth £1000!

We are now taking entries for our five categories:

Award for a Functional Fused Glass Object

Award for a Decorative Fused Glass Object

Award for a Flameworked Glass Object

Award for a Stained Glass Project

Award for a Copper Foiled Project

Additionally, there will be an Award for Best in Show.

Entrants may submit one piece per category by sending a good quality image of the piece along with a completed Entry Form to catherine@creativeglassguild.co.uk

Click here to view the full terms and conditions and details of the prizes for each category.

Click here to view the submissions as they come in.

The deadline for entries is 25^th May 2015. Good luck everyone!

Image by Simon Alderson

Defending UK Craft

04/12/2014 18/07/2026

This November, Sky News ran a feature on UK craft, with a particular focus on classes in schools and the issues that are arising as more and more of these classes get cut. This came just days after the education secretary Nicky Morgan told teenagers that they should steer away from arts and humanities subjects – as they limit career choices.

In saying this, Nicky Morgan greatly undermined the importance of art subjects for teenagers while also completely disregarding thousands of people in the UK who are successful in these areas. For instance, UK craft alone contributes £3 million a year to the economy.

Here at Creative Glass Guild, we were pleased to have the opportunity to defend British Craft, especially as we are proof that it is a thriving industry. The company has grown 6-fold in the last 10 years, by supplying glass artists and tradespeople with their supplies and running an ever-growing range of glass courses in stained glass, glass fusing, lampwork bead-making, glass engraving and many more.

Chris Ainslie, a stained glass teacher here, has been working with glass for the past 50 years and was outraged to hear that such classes are being cut in favour of more academic study. He says that children need a balanced diet of education – and that while academic study is obviously important, the opportunity to do art is also very important as it allows children to express themselves and often helps children who may not be so good with numbers and language to grow in confidence and find their strengths.

The students who attend our courses are of all ages, and we know that the opportunity for artistic expression is invaluable. We hope that there will be more action taken to keep art classes running in schools, before cuts in the curriculum prevent children meeting their potential as artists, inventors, and happy grown-ups.

CGG Winter Fair 19/10/2014

16/10/2014 18/07/2026

After the success of our Summer Fair, we're excited to announce that we will be having a Winter Fair on Sunday 19th October. The main event will be a 25% shop discount*, and there will also be an Artisan Market under a big marquee in our carpark and free taster courses in copper foiling, sandblasting and lampwork bead-making - which can be signed up for on arrival.

The shop and market will open at 10am and run until 5pm, with live music from jazz band Rare Indigo in the afternoon.

The event is being held in aid of Brandon Trust, who do great work helping people with learning disabilities live their lives how they choose. We will raise funds through our barbeque and raffle.

*25% discount excludes kilns, power tools, books and sale items. Course discount applies to taster day and weekend courses only.

Glass Meets World - Study 2

10/07/2014 18/07/2026

Glass Meets World – Study 2

with Catherine Dunstan

From a hobby to a small business, how some of our customers took their love of glass and turned it into a trade.

By developing and nurturing a craft, an individual becomes valuable and can make a decision about whether they want to market their talents. For as long as people have developed an expertise they have sold and traded their services with others, in a game which requires a lot of skill in today’s world. The creative industry like many others has not escaped becoming saturated with some under-qualified makers claiming to be restorers and many hobbyists chasing dreams of selling their work. So how can you get ahead? Who are your potential buyers and how do you show them you’re the real deal? Simply being great at something is not enough to sell it anymore. I spoke to some of our customers who have built careers from hobbies in stained glass and fusing, about why they decided to take the plunge and to gain some insight into how they’ve made it work.

Shepton Mallet based John Yeo, started his stained glass company in the early 1990s following years spent travelling and teaching. He doesn’t advertise conventionally, and relies on happy clients returning or referring him to others, and as his good reputation builds, so does his client base,

“I set myself very high standards. Do the very best you can at all times. Having said that, be prepared to make mistakes and importantly – learn from them. ‘The person who never made a mistake never made anything’ as the adage goes. You live by reputation which takes years to evolve. I am always keen to learn and consciously never ‘rest on my laurels’. I guess I am something of a perfectionist and a driven one at that. I’m never entirely satisfied with what I do. I always feel I could have done better. One of my mantras has always been to say “yes” to commissions, even if I actually don’t have the skills or knowledge to undertake the work. If I don’t do it, someone else will and if I say “no, I can’t do that” how will I ever learn?

“You don’t grow and progress staying in the comfort zone. That’s what being self-taught is all about and what makes it all so exciting. There’s always so much to learn. At the end of the day you also have to put the commitment and hours in – and be focused. There’s no substitute for hard work. Ultimately, I just love what I do. I’m lucky enough to have the best job in the world.”

John has completed and installed commissions for the Catholic Diocese of Clifton, Downside Abbey, the Royal Navy and the United States Air Force, and has a passion for history for informs his work,

“I get genuinely excited working with ancient buildings and have an insatiable appetite for learning about the past from what remains today. When I am doing restoration, it’s always fascinating learning to copy techniques, be they brush strokes, matting, a particular type of cross-hatching, an unusual glass or type of leading, for example.

Having come from a home background and schooling that was Christian based, is also so useful regarding biblical knowledge when it comes to church work. I also learnt (and loved) Latin, at school, which is useful in lots of ways, especially when it comes to script.”

John’s business thrives on recommendations from clients, and it is of key importance to a small business to display itself to its target market. When an artist is recommended to you by a friend or colleague it can be very effective, as these aren’t just adverts but opinions from people you know and respect. Social media has to be a modern day twist on the ‘word-of-mouth’ method of sharing information, offering opportunities to share on a much bigger scale. It can be an incredibly useful tool in communicating with potential buyers if used well.

Justine Hadfield has more than 6000 Facebook followers on her business page, Justine Hadfield Glass, and she frequently shares images of her copper foiled creations that sell instantly when put up for sale. Mainly self-taught, Justine has been producing glass work for five years, and it became her main job in February,

“My Facebook page is my shop window. I was lucky that early on I made friends with some fab pages that were really successful, and those page owners have become real friends, and we get together even though we are scattered all over the country. They shared my work, which then had a ripple effect. I try and share fellow artists work, as well as my own, but I only share work that I really like myself, which keeps my page part of me.

“It’s an essential tool. I try to be as genuine as possible, not everyone wants to hear when you are having a bad day, but in the same breath people like to think they 'know' you and interact with you, if you are false, people will see that.”

For the moment, Justine is the only maker in her workshop,

“I’m not sure where this little business will go in the future. I don't know how big it can get with just one person, me, making, and I've not enough space for anyone else in the workshop! If I continue to make pieces people want to buy, and keep enjoying what I do, then for the time being that’s as far as I want to go.

I imagine this is a decision that many successful hobbyists encounter, expand or not? Will you change the face of your company by bringing in more makers? Or are you growing inspiration by pooling skills and resources with other makers to further a business? Of course, there are other ways to build rather than simply producing more work to sell. If you are able to teach and have the facilities you can run workshops, or you could look at branching out into a commercial property rather than working from a home studio, like most beginner makers.

Gill Silversides’ fused glass business has been going from strength to strength since she discovered glass and bought her first kiln a few years ago,

“After spending 10 years as a Marketing Director then 10 years teaching small business and enterprise development at the University of The West of England, you might be forgiven for thinking I have the business side all sewn up, but alas, I am just as bad as the next creative person at keeping on top of the paperwork. I have a Finance Fairy who magically turns all of my receipts and orders and backs of envelope jottings into a nice orderly spreadsheet, and I have Marketing Mark, who makes sure my photographs are professional, my website is up to date and my advertising space has something in it for the money!”  

Gill produces fused glass homeware and jewellery. After working from her Bath studio for a couple of years, Gill will be moving into a commercial property in July,

“There will be a kiln room, and the main shop area will be split between a gallery front and the inner sanctum, where people will be able to see me at work or drop in to make small items or book glass taster classes or my glass parties.

“In the gallery, apart from my work, we will be having a guest artist each month.  This will be a two hour master class in their particular style or technique, which leads into a private gallery show of their work, which will be displayed and available for purchase for the rest of the month. Instead of charging the artist a huge amount of commission, I am asking for a half day of their time/skill/personality for the class and show and then just a small amount of commission (about 10%) to cover the credit card transactions, insurance and packaging.  Any income I make on their masterclass will cover the cost of promoting them. It is an ideal way for established artists to meet face to face with fans new and old, and a bit of a change from all of that nonsense with small talk and warm white "whine" and dusty nibbles. It is also a cost effective way of getting new and interesting artists and their work out to my glassaholic followers at sensible prices with sensible returns for the artists.

“But most of all I love to hear the stories of where my own works of heart are going, who they are for, and what they celebrate, and so I really am looking forward to making, displaying and selling direct from my shop.”

Gill sets herself rules to ensure that her business continues to grow, and would advise anybody looking to start out to make sure you have a sensible amount of cash to invest in the first place, and to reinvest any profit in its growth (she won’t be drawing a penny from her business for the first five years). Growth costs money, and business owners should be prepared to keep investing until it grows to a size that it can return an income.

Tim Worrall approaches his business in an entirely different way. He decided to give stained glass a go at a night school in Kingswood and was completely taken with the medium. Over the years he has developed these skills as well as trying fusing and painting on glass and set up Edge of Glass. He doesn’t really think of it as a business, but as a vocation he is exploring following his career in construction which he retired from at 55,

“I was dealing with hard-nosed companies whose only interest was completion dates and costs. All that mattered was get the job finished, whereas with a glass work commission I explain to the customer that the work they are paying for will be on view every day and it has to be pleasing to them, therefore time and care is required in the design and making. I sometimes spend months on one work, but I never have complaints from an irate customer because of delays. In construction if you're one week late they want to drag you into court.

“I do not advertise except via my web-site. I would be unable to undertake too much work at one time and I refuse to rush a commission because of work overload-this would be unfair on the customer. I very much enjoy making glass panels and it is this love and enjoyment of glass art which enthrals me.”

The main insight I’ve taken from this research, is that all of the people I spoke to love what they do and have confidence in their brand. If you’re looking to start your own business, be sure to take the time to manage your expectations and consider the time and money that initial start-up will require. The world of glass is limitless and there is always room for a new artist with an original idea, good communication skills and of course, a great knowledge of glass.

As for my own advice, I would say always be prepared for the next season, I am getting things made for Christmas markets already!

This is the second in a series of features by our Creative Courses Coordinator - Catherine Dunstan

Useful links:

John Yeo Stained Glass - Website

Justine Hadfield Glass - Facebook

Silversides Glass - Website

The Edge of Glass - Website

Love In Pockets Design - Catherine's Facebook

Glass Meets World - Study 1

24/04/2014 18/07/2026

Glass Meets World with Catherine Dunstan

Study I – Where does creativity meet technical skill, and how does this affect an artist making a choice about whether they want to share their craft?

As Course Coordinator here, it’s interesting to monitor the various methods that our teachers use to impart particular techniques and observe where the understanding of a skill meets a student’s creativity. Stained glass for instance, is a traditional technique that requires beginners to get to grips with a number of tools, approach the daunting prospect of cutting glass and learn the steps to create a leaded panel. There is a lot to be learnt before creativity, though it might be itching to play a part, can get a look in – as the student has yet to know what it is they can achieve with light and lead lines. Whereas with fusing, arguably a much freer discipline, beginners are faced with having to consider a creative element almost immediately, and this tends to be the thing they find most daunting.

I wonder if the weight of a creative element within a skill or technique is what makes a craftsperson make a decision about whether or not they want to teach it. If you ask somebody who doesn’t want to teach why they choose not to, the answer is often that they are worried that potential students will plagiarise or target their potential customers. To an extent, I understand that if you have honed a particular skill and use it to do something very specific creatively you could be unwilling to share it – but at what point are you denying others the opportunity to discover that skill and use it in their own way? Why are some craftspeople so protective of their craft that they refuse to teach and allow it to die with them? And does it discredit the craft by doing this? I spoke to some of our teachers about why they share their skills, and a local glass artist who chooses not to.

Graham Dowding, CGG tutor and conservator of Gloucester Cathedral, believes that sharing his craft is very important,

“I suppose the issue for some younger craftsmen and women is a "protectionist" theory, i.e. the more students who are taught the rudiments, the more will be competitors for prospective work. However, there is a counter view, that good teaching raises the standards of all craftsmen and women, and there will be a realisation that there are no "quick fixes" or short-cuts to calling yourself a practitioner. I would hope that the students I teach would fall into this category!”

Graham teaches advanced painting and restoration courses here, which are heavily technique based and focused on reproduction rather than reimagining. I wondered if Simon, our resident fusing expert and teacher had different reasons for wanting to share his expertise, with it being a freer, more creative medium,

“There's nothing more rewarding than teaching someone eager to learn about a subject you are passionate about, and then watching a student develop an understanding of the material and the potential within that material. It excites me to see their reactions and often inspires me to revisit a particular skill.

“I'm always learning from students. Quite often they come from different creative backgrounds, for example textiles, so they bring with them a set of skills which they try and adapt to work in glass. They will see things differently from me, and we can both learn from that. You can teach the basics of the skills you work with to plant the seed of creativity in others, and let them grow along their own route, whilst still retaining your personal style.”  

I think it’s important for tutors and potential tutors to be able to distinguish where technical skill meets creativity so that they can teach effectively. Simon shares simple designs with his beginner students, as they need something to copy from while they are unfamiliar with the limitations of the medium. He’s happy for them to do this, as they are able to interpret the designs as they choose. Although I can appreciate that for some artists, making such a distinction is no easy task.

Jane Reeves, a Somerset based glass artist who is famed for her wonderful frit powder paintings of seascapes, finds there is no distinction between the skill and creative input in her area of glass-working,

“The two are inseparable really. But more importantly I think there is a third fundamental element, bringing integrity to the work and that is the research, the years of 'looking' and developing ideas and techniques. There's a huge amount of glass work out there, some amazingly skilful but maybe lacking in beauty or the evidence of a love or passion that has evolved over time. Of course that's a very personal opinion. We all have different expectations. In a way that is why I have developed my own painting technique, to satisfy my own expectation of what is beautiful.”

With formal training in design and illustration, Jane completed a course in stained glass before taking a short introductory course to fusing 15 years ago, which gave her the opportunity to experiment with cutting, layering and using frits. She made her first seascape, and got hooked, as the process suited her approach to picture making,

“No one has told me how to use glass paint, it's been intuitive and experimental. I started to use frit to develop a sense of texture and depth. That then lead on to using powders in a more painterly way, going back to my roots really. I believe that for me, the most powerful way to learn has been through personal experimentation, and lots of trial and error. I realise that wouldn't suit everyone, but it’s worked for me. But it's also about how I have always painted. I naturally have wanted to use glass paint in the same way I would acrylics. I use the same old brushes that I use for acrylics, and pretty much the same technique although it takes longer. Getting used to painting on a hard, non-absorbent surface is the biggest challenge. In the end, it is my favourite part of painting in glass, it becomes the palette as well as the canvas and it actually gives me time to work and manoeuvre the paint. My understanding and interest in glass is all about how painterly it can be, and that has emerged over time because of my background in painting and illustration.”

Jane adds,

 “I have held many workshops in the past, introducing people to glass fusing. But I haven't ever taught painting in glass. Time at the moment is a huge issue too. But another, less explainable reason is to do with sharing the methods I feel are still evolving. I'm not sure about teaching a method that I feel is still quite unformed, still new to me. It is so linked to my painting past, it would feel strange to teach it to a class of people I didn't know. I am interested though, in encouraging other painters who are also glass artists, to consider transferring their painting skills to glass.”

The more glass artists I speak to, the more it becomes apparent that artists view their own processes very differently. Sue Webb, our lampworking tutor, believes like Jane that her particular discipline still has much scope to be explored, but this doesn’t deter her from sharing what she does know,

“If we don't share our skills it would be like having to re-invent the wheel each time a new person approached the subject. Lampwork is an ancient skill but when some of the ancient civilisations died their methods of making glass beads were lost only to be reinvented with future generations. Divulging the secrets of bead making on the Venetian Island of Murrano to outsiders was punishable by death 600 years ago. I think this would be a bit extreme now! Today, lampworkers are generally very generous in passing on information and skills with lots being shared online as well as in person.  As I see it, there are basic techniques that are required to build up the skills of lampwork and then its practise and experimentation and a development of your own style.”

Sue remembers going to the seaside when she was young, and seeing glass artists producing beautiful gifts before her very eyes and notes that these are now few and far between. She has approached a very talented and now elderly lampworker to enquire about tuition, but he wouldn’t consider it.

Sue Webb is of particular interest, as she not only teaches lampwork bead-making here, but she is also studying on our Glass Discovery course, which has enabled her to combine her advanced and experimental lampworking skills with her new fusing skills. We now offer a course on which you can learn how to combine these techniques – our Creative Lampworking Weekend.

Sue also creates step-by-step tutorials for the lampwork animals she has designed,

“I would hope that anyone making one would instil some of their own ideas and make it in their own style. I frequently will use other people’s tutorials I see and will have a go at copying the original but then will alter it.  In fact I have great difficulty in making it look like it’s meant to! I would be a bit miffed if they tried to sell in the same shop as me or presented them in the same packaging, but I have not lost any sleep over this issue so far!”

I guess this is the crux of the matter – to what extent are you willing for others to recreate something you’ve developed, whether the end game is for them to use the skills to create something of their own or not? I paint peg dolls, and taught workshops at a festival last year. I admit that I was scared at first, as I showed the children (and adults) which brush was best for delicate details, how best to hold the peg for a steadier hand etc, but the whole experience turned out to be quite liberating. Suddenly there was a peg lighthouse, peg animals and peg people – all completely different to mine. I discovered for the first time something I was worried I didn’t have, my style. I know I’m not the first person that’s ever painted a peg doll, but through teaching others the skill of doing it, I was able to appreciate that the way I do it is special.

I believe that an individual’s confidence in their own creative process is very important, and that as artists we need to respect the decisions of others when they choose whether or not they’d like to teach. At Creative Glass Guild, we love that we can offer glass courses to those who are excited to learn, and we are constantly updating what we offer to facilitate those who get ‘the bug’ and keep coming back! If you have any questions about our courses or wish to share an opinion, you can email me here.

Useful Links:

Stained Glass Courses

Glass Fusing Courses

Lampworking Courses

Painting Courses

Graham Dowding’s website

Simon Alderson’s website

Jane Reeves’ website

Catherine’s Peg People

Creative Glass Guild Summer Fair - June 3rd

23/04/2014 18/07/2026

Come and help James and Debbie celebrate 10 years at the helm of Creative Glass Guild in aid of Brandon Trust.

On Tuesday June 3rd we will be opening our studio doors and offering free taster sessions in Stained Glass, Glass Fusing, Sandblasting and Lampwork Bead-Making.

Visitors will benefit from a one-day only 30% shop discount, and there will be a barbeque and live music (to be confirmed).

Each taster session will be one hour long, and visitors are welcome to take part in one of each session. The first sessions will begin at 10:30am, and the last will begin at 4:00pm. When you arrive, there will be a stand at the front of the shop where you can sign up for individual sessions - you are not able to book in advance.

These are the times at which the taster sessions are scheduled to run (subject to change):

Stained Glass Taster Sessions - Make a Suncatcher (to take home!)

10:30am, 11:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm

Fusing Taster Sessions - Build Our Splashback (Make a fused glass tile, we will then use all of them to build a splashback for our fusing room)

11:00am, 12:00pm, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, 4:00pm

Sandblasting Taster Sessions - Sandblast a Tumbler (Create a design, sandblast it onto a glass and take it home!)

11:00am, 12:30pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm

Lampwork Bead-Making Sessions - Make a Glass Bead (must be collected after firing)

10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm

Space is limited and we expect these tasters to fill up quickly, so please arrive early to avoid disapointment.

We will be collecting donations for our favoured charity Brandon Trust, who support people with learning disabilities in the UK. You can find out more about them here.

We're really excited to see you all here! If you have any questions, please email Catherine.

Disclaimer:

Participants must be 16 or over. Children are allowed to attend the event but must not be left unattended while their guardians participate in taster sessions or at any other time, and they will only be allowed in a limited section of the shop. Creative Glass Guild accept no responsibilty for the care of children.

Please note that discounts do not apply to sale items, kilns, power tools or books. Available for instore customers only.

Commentary: Just the FAQs with Judith Schaechter

09/04/2014 18/07/2026

At the beginning of April, we welcomed stained glass artist and incurable doodler Judith Schaechter to Creative Glass Guild to deliver a talk about how she became an artist, her discovery of glass and her creative process.

Judith introduces herself by telling us how a doctor advised her not to fly just hours before she left Philadelphia after having a small procedure done on her ear, and we feel very lucky to have her here. The opening slide of her presentation is a collage of every stained glass window she has ever made. There are hundreds of windows in this image, and though they are small, those of us who know her work are able to pinpoint our favourite pieces among them. Judith made this slide as she thought it would be interesting to look at them all together, and she’s right. It’s clear that rich, vibrant colours have always been a big part of her designs and the way that light is captured within them. This is a massive body of work, and Judith’s background in fine art (she thought she was going to be an oil painter) is visible in the composition of the pieces and intricacies of her figures.

“One of the most influential things on me and on anybody is going to be one’s family.” Judith explains, giving us an insight into how she became an artist. She is from a mixed religious background, and feels that she’s never quite fit in anywhere. “I can’t ever say that I am anything, and I think that this was hugely influential on me being very comfortable working in a medium that wasn’t considered reputable in Art School.”

She was never quite a fine artist or a craftsman from the start, and when she would discover glass at the Rhode Island School of Art and Design (an experience she found extremely liberating), she would avoid finding out about the history of it and convince herself that there wasn’t one as to allow herself more freedom. Her mother kept and celebrated many of her childhood drawings. She was magnetically attracted to images that horrified her, and came to realise that art was the most powerful thing – the form of expression that moved her the most.

Childhood experiences also gave Judith subject matter to express in her artwork. She was terrified of throwing up (as a result of the aftermath of once eating the contents of her mother’s ashtray), and finds therapy in expressing these feelings in her artwork.

“They’re almost like talismans against what I’m upset by. I’m trying to work through the emotion, not delight in it.”

From an early age, Judith took interest in the various ways the human form is represented, and shows us early drawings of caricatures, super heroes and women in beauty contests. She has named some of the people in these drawings and it is obvious that some basic story elements played a factor as she created them, although she says that she doesn’t necessarily create a narrative for each piece she makes. She’s more interested in beauty, and never had much confidence in her appearance.

“If I didn’t have what it takes in terms of beauty, I could create beautiful things that would stand surrogate for me, and I could seduce people with beautiful objects.”

“I will make beautiful things according to my definition of beautiful.”

Judith shares some early self-portraits with us and notes that as she’s got older she is no longer concerned that they resemble her, but more that they are pictures of her if she could be anybody.

Her dissection of how she discovers ideas for her artwork is articulate and honest. She explains that the problem with the question “Where do you get your ideas?” presumes that art is made based on ideas.

“It presumes that in order to make art one must have in their head a template of what’s to be made. I do not have this template, I do not have ideas! I make first, then I have ideas.  Maybe.”

She also feels that sudden flashes of inspiration are rare and deceptive, and are usually the result of much 'subconscious brewing'. For concepts that are more difficult to come by she works through drawings and materials to try to come to some resolution, “but not limited to combinations of urges to explore materials and technique, urges to explore certain design elements, like color or line, and urges to explore certain drawings I have doodled.”

When she needs a remedy for a creative crisis, she sets herself low expectations:

“I disinhibit myself by giving myself permission to do garbage. If I go into a project with the intent to make something awful there can be one of two outcomes. It’ll be awful and I will have the satisfaction of being right, or it will accidentally not be awful and I will be delighted.”

As Judith doesn’t know what her finished piece will be from the offset, she finds it to be a false dichotomy to separate craft from inspiration and likes to complete the whole process herself. If she were to have somebody build it for her, she would deny herself the creative process. She explains that there needs to be an element of surprise, and for this reason she doesn't do colour drawings.

Most of Judith’s figures are developed from faces which she doodles. She confesses that she is an incurable doodler, and finds the best setting for drawing her faces is one in which she is completely distracted by something else, be it while watching a TV show or at a faculty meeting (she teaches at the University of Arts in Philadelphia). From here she will find a body for the face out of hundreds she has already drawn, or she will draw a new one.

Judith often makes panels a couple of times to discover what works. The bright designs are usually built in three layers of different coloured flash glass, namely red, blue and pink which she engraves and sandblasts while incorporating painting and silver staining. We are treated to some close-ups of the garden in Judith’s piece 'The Birth of Eve' and an explanation of the concept and creation of 'Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife', and the detail is just incredible. She also talks us through a project of 17 windows that she created for Eastern State Penetentiary, more details of which can be found here on her blog.

As soon as she discovered glass, she knew that she wanted to do it for the rest of her life, as there is nothing quite so powerful and expressive as light.

She holds the individual’s right to collect and create art in high prestige:

“I would say that once one has risen above subsistence level survival the next thing you do no matter how impoverished you may be is to ornament your living space. This is not a frivolous luxury, this is crucial to our identity as a species and as individuals.”

As a room of glass enthusiasts we were inclined to agree and were deeply inspired by the complexities of Judith’s creative processes. If you’d like to find out more about Judith and her stained glass you can follow these links:

Website: www.judithschaechter.com

Blog: http://judithschaechterglass.blogspot.co.uk

Image: 'Dream of the Fisherman's Wife' by Judith Schaechter

In Conversation with Judith Schaechter 03/04/2014

21/01/2014 18/07/2026

In Conversation with Judith Schaechter 03/04/2014

We will be welcoming American stained glass artist Judith Schaechter, fresh off the plane, to deliver a talk about her work titled "Just the FAQs".

Schaechter focuses on the facial expressions of her characters, images of the deceased or dying people and scenes of imprisonment, and her work is often dark and mystical.

"The human figure is central to Schaechter's creative endeavour, and her work lends itself easily to narrative interpretation. Her comfort with disturbing subject matter and frequent use of female figures tempt the viewer to identify the artist with the images she depicts. Schaechter, however, does not limit the discussion of meaning to the parameters of her own autobiography. Her windows function instead like Rorschach tests - revealing as much about the viewer as the artist. For Schaechter, meaning often arrives after the creative act, and she is more interested in the possibilities of interpretation than forcing her own. The push and pull between meaning and wonder is at the crux of the aesthetic experience that Schaechter offers us."

- Extract from Extra Virgin The Stained Glass of Judith Schaechter

Schaechter has won numerous awards for her stained glass work, and has displayed her work in solo and group exhibitions all over the world. She has been teaching stained glass in America since 1995 and currently teaches at New York Academy of Art.

The talk will be followed by a question and answer session.

This is a rare opportunity, and spaces are limited, so book quickly to avoid missing out.

Image - "The Birth of Eve" by Judith Schaechter

Say hello to the new glass fusing kilns from KilnCare

21/01/2014 18/07/2026

Say hello to the new kilns from KilnCare.

Hobbyfuser 3 - The Hobby Fuser 3 is designed for for glass fusing, slumping, casting, paint and stain. A practical piece of studio equipment with a new look in brushed stainless steel for 2014. Receive a £50 voucher to spend on System 96 products when you purchase this kiln.

Pro-Fuser (pictured) - Twice the size of the Hobbyfuser and with a flat base, this kiln is ideal for hobbyists looking to take that next step in their fusing journey. Receive a £100 voucher to spend on System 96 products when you purchase this kiln.

We offer free delivery to UK Mainland addresses.

Peter Layton and the Story of London Glassblowing

19/07/2013 18/07/2026

Putting fifty people in a hot room on a sunny day doesn’t sound like the best of ideas, but add one charismatic, world renowned glass blower to the mix and you’re on to a winner.

At least that was the case for us when Peter Layton came to talk about his life and work at Creative Glass Guild. Glass artists, students and collectors of his work came along to hear his inspiring story and the place was buzzing with excitement.

We heard about his background in ceramics, his introduction to glass in his early twenties and his love of it as a form. He went on to show us some examples of blown work by artists he admires and treated us to some insight on how they were made, the value of such work in today’s economic climate and the uncertain future of the glassblowing industry in the UK.

Peter founded London Glassblowing in 1976 and has been directing it from his current studio in Bermondsey since 2009. The studio is used by a small number of resident blowers from all over the world. Peter loves that they are able to guide and inspire each other and is proud of the nurturing atmosphere that they create as a collective.

We auctioned some incredible pieces of Peter’s work from the Tahiti, Lagoon, Giraffe and Ariel ranges and some lucky people took them home at great prices.

We’d like to thank everybody who came along to share the day with us, if you have any photos please send them in!

Creative Glass Guild Members' Club Launches!

11/07/2013 18/07/2026

Ever wish there was a clear route of progression through our creative courses, supported by a discount scheme that rewards your loyalty?

Introducing… The Creative Glass Guild Members’ Club!

By taking creative courses with us, you become a member of the Creative Glass Guild, which entitles you to benefits and discounts. Each course run here has now been assigned a ‘level’ to demonstrate a clear route of progression in your learning and through the membership ranks.

Understanding the levels…

Take a Level One course and receive:   

Bronze Guild Membership

 10% off sheet glass for a year*

                                                                 10% off a Level One or a Level Two course

Take a Level Two course and receive:    

                                                                 Silver Guild Membership

 10% shop discount  for a year**

                                                                  10% off a Level Two or a Level Three course

Take a Level Three course and receive:

                                                                   Gold Guild Membership

   15% shop discount for a year**

                                                                   10% off any course***

Take any four courses in a 12 month period and receive:           

                                                                     Platinum Guild Membership

                                                                     20% shop discount for a year**

                                                                     10% off any course***

*excludes sale items **excludes kilns, power tools, books and sale items

CGG CREATES THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF TROPHY

05/06/2013 18/07/2026

For the second year running, the BBC has commissioned our studio to create the trophy for The Great British Bake Off.  

Twelve home bakers will be judged by cookery writer Mary Berry and professional baker Paul Hollywood on their cooking skills, and the winner will receive the trophy, which is a glass cake stand with the show’s logo etched onto the surface.

Creative Glass Guild said: “We’re really chuffed that we’ve got the commission for this trophy again. It’s really exciting for the studio and we can’t wait to see the cake stand in Mary Berry’s hands!”

The third series of the show is currently being filmed just outside Bristol and will be aired in August.

Beadimals! Create your own Lampwork Animals

22/05/2013 18/07/2026

We are thrilled to introduce this new course with award-winning tutor Sue Webb. Come and try your hand at making all sorts of different animals that come out of the kiln with their own personalities! These pieces make great gifts as ornaments or keepsakes. Students will have some freedom over which creatures they would like to create, from fish and mice, to elephants, pigs and ladybirds!

This course is aimed at students who have already come in for a taster course and are looking to expand their skill-range within the lampworking discipline. We can also offer this course privately, for hen parties or as a team-building exercise.

Click here for more information or to book a spot!

Spectrum System 96 Fusing Glass now in stock!

30/04/2013 18/07/2026

We are proud to introduce our fantastic new range of System 96 fusing glass. It feels like it’s been a long time coming, but now we can finally offer you this top quality glass at bargain prices.

With over 70 beautiful new colours in stock, there is heaps of inspiration for new ideas to be developed. We also have some crates of 12” x 12” sale pieces priced at £6.49 each. These include some experimental ‘Fuser’s Reserve’ pieces that Spectrum may decide not to add to their stock list, so you could find a one-of-a-kind piece!

Simon Alderson, who teaches the Fused Glass Jewellery courses and works here at Creative, said: “There are some wonderful new colours here. I can’t wait to try them out with my own work and on the courses!”

From fantastic Opal Art glass to weird and wonderful Spirit glass, there is so much to discover. We look forward to bringing in frits, stringers, millefiori and dichroic glass in the coming weeks. We will also be introducing a new range of small moulds.

Catherine Dunstan, our courses co-ordinator, said: “With this range we are able to offer all budding fusers the opportunity to nurture their hobby with affordable and beautiful glass. I can’t wait to see what creations our students will be producing on the courses!”

If you are new to fusing, you can take a Glass Fusing course with us and learn how to use this glass to its full potential. We also offer a Further Fusing course to those who would like to learn more about reactive glasses, glass dilution and frit migration.

Click here to see the new Spectrum 96 range!

“Glass is an architectural form” – Graham Dowding on design

18/04/2013 18/07/2026

To discover stained glass is not simply to learn the traditional technique, but to explore your inspirations and portray them properly with some training in design.

Colour. Lead lines. Paint work. These are just a few of the design elements that need to be considered when putting together a stained glass panel, and many underestimate the importance of thoughtful design.

Graham Dowding, who has been the conservator of stained glass for Gloucester Cathedral since 1983, believes that a glassmaker should be absorbed in their work from the moment of conception, dealing with all aspects of design, making and fixing.

He said, “If we define "stained glass" as an "art", then the skills and philosophy which apply to the study of all art must also apply. Maybe in some eyes stained glass is seen as a "craft" with decorative potential, but that is to demean it.

“Therefore , in order to achieve accomplished work in stained glass, it is essential to train and develop in all matters of design - this would include:-

Conceptualising and creative thinking.

Consideration of location, space, setting, light and any other "architectural" factors.

Drawing skills for presentation and development of final designs.

Colour theory as it relates to glass.

Glass-painting skills, which can add expressiveness and tonal qualities to a window or panel.”

Graham takes a lot of inspiration from the late Edward Payne, from whom he took the post at Gloucester Cathedral. This experience gave him some of his most valued experiences with stained glass, and he has since worked as a freelance architectural designer, restoring period properties and collaborating with artists and sculptors on individual commissions.

Prior to this, he studied Architecture at Bath University, which has been invaluable in informing his glass design decisions. He believes that it is vital that artists in stained glass take account of the architectural setting and how this will enhance their work.

He added: “Glass is an architectural form, and it is under-used in modern buildings, perhaps because public perceptions of it are "frozen" in past "figurative" or "iconic" designs - mainly religious in context. The medium is capable of endless variety and forms of expression.”

Creative Glass Guild will welcome Graham on Sunday 9^th June, when he will teach a Designing a Stained Glass Window course, which we recommend to anyone who has taken a stained glass course and would like to enhance their design techniques.

'Grand Old Man of Glass' to visit Creative Glass Guild

12/04/2013 18/07/2026

We are thrilled to announce that Peter Layton will be visiting our Bristol studio to deliver a lecture about his life and work on 18^th July 2013, which will be followed by an auction of some of his work.

Peter Layton is one of the world’s most widely respected glass artists and he has done more to promote glassmaking as an art form than anyone else in Europe. At the age of 75, Peter remains extremely active and is regarded as the ‘grand old man of glass’. As founder and runner of London Glass Blowing, he has encouraged and nurtured several of this country’s leading glassmakers and has inspired many more internationally.

This is a must-see event for any budding glass-art maker. More details and information about how to book will be available shortly.

Team Building Workshops and Courses

21/03/2013 18/07/2026

Whether you would like to learn to make stained glass windows, have a go at glass fusing or try your hand at melting glass in a flame to create glass beads for jewellery, we can help.  Our premises attracts people from Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and further afield for taster days and two day courses using our great range of equipment with training supervised by our experienced tutors and lunch from Pret a Manger too!

Your staff can benefit from a change from the norm, without stuffy activities or strenuous physical work in the cold! Great for men and women, we can even tailor a mixed activity course for you.

Your team will learn hands on skills in a relaxed and friendly environment, using their creativity to produce their own work of art.  We guarantee smiles on faces and stress relief!

Call our team on 0117 9588820 or email our courses co-ordinator to explore the possibilities.  You can also book online and see prices and available dates for Team Building Workshops we can offer dates to suit you subject to availability on week days and weekends, and even arrange local hotel accommodation if required.

Stained Glass Courses at Creative Glass Guild

11/03/2013 18/07/2026

Our team of excellent teachers run craft courses in the glass techniques that they are passionate about.  many of our staff teach our courses in fusing, bead making (flameworking) glass engraving, traditional painting, slumping and jewellery.  We have three training rooms which are used for longer courses during the week, taster days and weekends, lectures, hen parties and corporate training / team building days.  Our training covers many glass skills and we are striving to develop new and exciting workshops for you to enjoy.

In 2013 we started working with Pret who provide our light lunches on our full day and weekend courses.  We wanted to work with a company as passionate as we are, who we knew would provide consistent quality food and a brand that people would recognise.  No soggy sandwiches here!  Fresh, tasty and made on the day.  Delivered to us from their Bristol premises in Cabot Circus.

We offer one to one courses for specific techniques or projects and arrange private courses if you would like to bring a group of friends or team mates.  We can even help you realise a design for a window for home or office building with an expert to guide you.  Just give us a call for a chat to discuss your ideas.  If you want to go large - we have a kiln which is 3200mm x 1350mm inside - for painted glass and fused glass panels for production work and architectural uses.  The possibilities are endless in glass!

Watch out for free lectures too, we run them a couple of times a year, when we come across an inspiring teacher or artist with a lot to say about glass art or their craft. We are also keen to hear from people who love to talk and have a real passion for glass!

Check out our courses page to see all that we offer - we look forward to seeing you!

Lunch Room Exhibition Space

15/12/2012 18/07/2026

Kat Orton began working with glass when she did one of the Stained Glass Taster Day courses, here at Creative Glass Guild. She enjoyed the day (and Chris Ainslie's enthusiasm!) so much that she then enrolled on the 13 week Exploring Glass course. She has continued making beautiful glass art since, alongside working at Creative Glass Guild.

The work on show in our inaugural Lunch Room Exhibition combines glass painting, sand blasting and stained glass, and explores themes of the nautical and nature. Kat's pieces are charming and beautiful, with a touch of darkness. They evoke thoughts of sea shanties and fairy tales.

If you'd be interested in showing some of your work in our Lunch Room Exhibition space, then we'd really love to hear from you. We are interested in all sorts of art, so just get in touch to discuss the possibilities. katie@creativeglassguild.co.uk

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

04/12/2012 18/07/2026

Wednesday 5th December

15% off all books, while stocks last.
Use the discount code 12BOOK at the checkout online, or quote to staff in store or on the phone.

Thursday 6th December

A fantastic offer of Buy One Get One Half Price on Lampwork Beadmaking Courses at our studio in Bristol.
Use the discount code 12LAMPWORK to qualify for this offer.

Friday 7th December

An amazing 20% off Spectrum System 96 Fusing Glass. Great value, easy to cut glass with a fantastic colour pallete. (Offers exclude Cut-to-Size Glass).
Discount code for this one - 12SYSTEM96

Saturday 8th December

The perfect accompaniment to Fridays’ System 96 Glass, a 15% offer on slumping moulds to make bowls, jewellery, plates and more.
The discount code 12MOULDS will work on Saturday 8th December, in store, on the phone and of course, online!

Sunday 9th December

On Sunday 9^th December the fifth day of our special deals, you can get an extra 10% off the already discounted Starter Kits.
Use the discount code 12KIT at the checkout online, or quote to staff in store or on the phone.

Monday 10th December

Buy 3 and get the 4^th free, on the Spectrum Baroque range of glass.
Use the discount code 12BAROQUE to qualify for this offer.

Tuesday 11th December

No swans a-swimming, but an exciting Buy One Get One Half Price on Stained Glass courses.
Discount code for this one - 12SGCOURSE

Wednesday 12th December

A great one time only deal to get a Weller 100W Soldering Iron for only £85, that’s an extra £10 off!
The discount code 12IRON will work on Wednesday 12th December, in store, on the phone and of course, online.

Thursday 13th December

Thursday 13^th December brings you another great glass offer, with 3 for 2 on one of our most popular ranges, Spectrum Wispy Translucents.

Use discount code 12WISPY at the checkout for this one.

Friday 14th December

Ten Lords a Leaping for this fantastic course offer, get yourself booked onto glass fusing courses at our Bristol studios, to learn a new technique or improve your knowledge. 12FUSING

Saturday 15th December

As the festivities approach and we come towards the end of our twelve days of deals, we’re offering you a great deal on Toyo Super Cutters, our personal choice of glass cutter here in the shop and studio. At this fantastic price it’s the perfect present, maybe even for yourself!

Use the code 12TOYO to make the most of this bargain.

Sunday 16th December

Buy 5 or more pieces on glass of Sunday 16^th December and get a massive 20% discount! Get your studio stocked up or pick out your favourites, and all in time for Christmas.

The final code is 12GLASS

All offers are subject to Terms and Conditions, are available for the listed day only, and apply whilst stocks last. Glass offers exclude Cut-To-Size products, sale items and special orders. Orders must be paid and shipped on the day of the promotion and can not be carried forward or grouped together.

How to glue bails onto glass jewellery and succeed!

05/11/2012 18/07/2026

Bails are often the neates way to affix a necklace or earring finding to a piece of glass to make jewellery.  Glueing glass to glass to create applique mosaics is also effective, provided the correct glue and glueing method is used for a long lasting effect.

We are often asked which glue to use for glass jewellery and many other projects, there are so many on the market.  From our own trials and experience, we have found that the snappliy named 3M glue, DP804 has performed best.  It is very strong and most importantly does not yellow over time as some epoxy does.

Application is key.  This is true with all brands of glue, some key steps in the process must be followed to help ensure that the glue stays put and the bail or glass doesn't come off.

1. 1) Cleanliness is everything.  You must have a clean work space, clean paper on the table and no dust, pet fur or other contaminants.
2. 2) Clean your components first.  Wear gloves to avoid finger grease marking them.  Clean with isopropanol only.  Use clean cloths or wipes, first in circular mothions to scrub the surfaces, then, after folding the cloth to reveal a fresh clean part, in stripes from side to side to remove any residues.
3. 3) Wait for at least 30 seconds to allow the isoporopanol to evaporate off (if not it will dissolve the glue).
4. 4) Apply the glue from an EPX applicator, do not hand mix it.  There is a cost involved in buying the gun and the nozzles, but this is the only way to get the glue to work properly.
5. 5) Apply glue in stripes, not swirls.  This allows air bubbles to escape through channels and not get trapped in the glue. This is essential if you want your glue to stay clear and bubble free.
6. 6) Glue up a batch to make the best use of the nozzle as the glue will set inside it, it is then for the bin.  Don't go mad, and increase numbers with practise.
7. 7) Assemble quickly, press down to remove air bubbles by squeezing. With the DP804 you have 4 minutes of 'open' (working) time.
8. 8) Wait.  Leave the pieces until a skin is forming on the excess glue.  Check this with a scalpel. Do not begin cleanup until this has happened, try not to move the pieces.
9. 9) Clean up the bulk of the excess with a scalpel and an isopropanol wipe, you should be able to clean all excess off and leave a neat flush edge to the glue.  Thry to keep all as still as possible.
10. 10) When clean, leave somewhere at room temperature without moving, prodding or poking overnight (12 hours minimum).  This is the final curing stage and forms the strength, don't miss it out.
11.  

Which is the best Glass Fusing Kiln to buy?

22/10/2012 18/07/2026

The Hobbyfuser made by Kilncare in Stoke on Trent is british designed an built.  It has a 3 Year warranty and is backed up by support from the factory, and if purchased from Creative Glass Guild, our in house team of glass workers our Bristol store has an original one in operation, so you can see it and before buying.  It is a Gen 1 kiln and still going very strong! You can also bring your controller in after purchasing from us and have a lesson in programming your kiln.

The kiln runs on a 13A (domestic) plug, so there is no need for additional wiring, we have two of these kilns, they are both efficient (using around £1 of electricity for a full fuse firing).  It is extremely good value, well built and reliable.  We recommend this kiln as a result of our own experience with it, and after having sold so many over the years.

Hobbyfuser fusing kilns can also be used for paint and stain (use a fibre liner to protect the shelf in you are staining).  It fires quickly and is predictable and easy to use.  The size (internally approx  42cm x 42cm) is perfect for bowls, plates and tiles as well as being deep enough to undertake basic casting.  A controller with 9 programs, each able to store 9 segments is a bonus for rapidly setting up firing sequences.  It is easy to edit and adjust these as required.

We also highly recommend the Olympic range of glass kilns, our plug in options are affordable, easy to use and suitable for fusing, slumping and paint and stain work.  

Please feel free to call us if you have questions relating to kiln purchases, our team are happy to help and advice upon your purchase, to make choosing your glass kiln as straightforward as possible.

Bullseye Vs Spectrum System 96 - Which glass is best for fusing?

08/06/2012 18/07/2026

The first point to remember is that you can not mix System 96 and Bullseye fusing glass in one project.  This is due to the co-efficient of expansion difference (Bullseye is COE 90 and Spectrum / Uroborus System 96 is COE 96).  This means that they expand and contract by different amounts when heated. When fusing, this means that glass could crack as it cools.

Both ranges of glass have an excellent range of colours, textures and accessories like frit, stringer and confetti. They both have lovely colours and streaky glass too. So what are the differences?

Firstly, sheet size (excluding clear base glass) Bullseye has a usual sheet size of 89cm x 51cm, Spectrum sheets are 122cm x 61cm (for their respective 3mm / 1/8" thickness, others may vary).  There are however, certain glasses in the System 96 range, which are made to sizes simelar to Bullseye, these are usually produced by Uroboros Glass Co.

Bullseye is easily identified by it's rolled texture, which can be used to create bubbles in the glass. Spectrum 96 is smoother, and is far easier to cut as a result.  With a good glass cutter and having practised your technique of course. 

You will find that as COE increases, the amount of heat and time required in kiln forming is reduced.  This is also particularly notable when flameworking with glasses like Moretti, Effetre, Murano which are 104 COE glass. This is 'soft' and ideal for working quickly when making lampwork glass beads.   Using System 96 or Bullseye Glass in the kiln will require adjustments to the firing program.  It is good to get to know your kiln controller and to be able to explore the possibilities created by changing the pre-set firing schedules. System 96 (having a higher COE number is slightly softer than Bullseye).

Preference and price are the main reasons why artists may choose one or other of the glasses, preference is personal, the colour palletes for either range may suit your project so don't rule either glass out.  Just remember to keep your offcuts in separate boxes. Price varies, the System 96 Glass is significantly cheaper when looking at standard colours, however, there are exceptions on both sides. 

Here at Creative Glass Guild, we aim to give you a broad choice of glass, with as much or as little help and support as you need. If you have any questions, feel free to email, call or pop in to see us.

Which Stained Glass Soldering Iron?

08/06/2012 18/07/2026

Here is some useful information to help you decide which stained glass soldering iron you should buy.

After years of experience and testing, we are now converted to the Hakko FX601 soldering iron for lead work and copper foil.  Primarily for the reliability and repairability of the tool. It now far outperforms the Weller 100w which was the go to iron for many years.  Plus the Hakko FX601 has a handy dial to adjust the temperature while soldering. We use these on our stained glass and copper foiling courses at Creative Glass Guild and they are now in all of our stained glass and copper foiling starter kits.

The three Weller soldering iron models for stained glass and copper foil work very considerably in price and performance.  

The cheapest of the three is the 80W 'Hobby Kit'. A basic soldering iron which we have found is ideal for copper foil work.  We have struggled with this when making leaded stained glass windows as the lack of thermostat means that overheating can casue issues with melting your lead came, unless you are quick with your solder joints!

The mid-range Weller W101d is our reccommended choice, it is not as cumbersome as the bigger 200W, but comfortable to use over long periods and easy to control. It also benefits from a thermostatic control (non-adjustable) which enables easy soldering with far less risk of lead melting. In recent times it has had a poor reputation for developing faults.

Top of the pile is the Weller W201d, the professional choice as the increased power makes it reach temperature faster and hold it without losing heat.  It is bigger and heavier, than the rest.

With the 200w and the 100w, it is important to adjust the tip prior to use.  They usually come a little overtightened from the factory.  Loosen the tip nut first, tighten until finger tight, then release by a quarter turn.  This will allow a little bit of movement in the tip, enabling the electromagnetic thermostat to release and connect the tip as required.

There are cheap soldering irons avaiable across the internet in the UK and we have tested many of them.  Sadly they are not of sufficient quality, and buyer of these often end up disheartened with their buy and give up making.  In these cases you can blame the tool and not you.  we believe that these should not be sold as stained glass soldering irons, as they will inevitably dissapoint the user, and end up in them re-purchasing the right tool, or giving up on the craft. 

Happy Soldering!

Welcome to our Smashing New Website!

29/05/2012 18/07/2026

So whats new?

So much.  We hope you will like the easy navigation, improved way of ordering and changing sizes and quantities, trade and student / school discounts and of course the new look!

We have worked hard with our web designers to create an online experience which will help you shop more easily, get discounts for being a loyal customer and find useful information, tips and resources from our staff and customers! 

We have launched our expert advice section, to couple with our Youtube channel and printable guides for firing programs and such like.  These will be added by our staff who are glass workers, to give you hints and tips and important notes.  There will be useful snippets of information to help you solve problems and make your craft projects easier.  How to use tools, what to do with kilns etc.  We will be adding more and more of these as we go.  Let us know if you would like any specific user guides added! 

You can now get discounts online! Thats right, our trade customers, schools and students will be able to order online, by phone and in store and recieve their loyalty discounts.  These are based on annual spend, to reward our customers for shopping with us!

If you haven't already, join our Facebook page, if you Like us, you will get the latest special offer discount codes which will be released only on Facebook.  You can also follow my ramblings on Twitter!

We hope you enjoy shopping for your stained glass and fusing supplies at Creative Glass Guild, remember, we are here to help, call us on 0117 95 888 20 or pop in and say Hi. We are open 7 days a week.