Glass Blowing

Emma Jane and I had the opportunity to go to a glass blowing studio in the Brady Arts District in Tulsa and pull glass into flowers.  I bought the deal on living social and it was for two people to have a glass blowing experience.  We could choose from a paper weight, an ornament or a flower.  We both chose the flower.

Our instructor's name was Ethan.  He did a great job of explaining things to us.

Here Emma Jane is rolling hot glass through the first color which will be the stem; she chose green.

Then she rolls the glass on this table to help shape it and cool it.

 Then it goes back in the oven to heat up a little more.  You have to constantly turn it in the oven because it is so fluid on the end of the pipe.  Emma Jane was better at rotating the bar smoothly than I was.

Then you dip the glass into the glass chips you are going to use for the flower itself.  Emma Jane chose a mixture of orange and red glass chips.  Here she is picking up the colored chips for the flower on the end of the rod.

Then into the oven to heat it up again.  Then to the bench to start shaping and pulling.  The process was to pull some and then reheat, then pull some more then reheat.  The glass was emanating heat so your hands got really hot while pulling the glass into shape.

After shaping it, the flower was placed into an oven that cools slowly over time.  So we were not able to leave with our flowers that day.  But finally we were able to pick up our finished product.

Here is Emma Jane's glass flower.

Isn't it spectacular?

I chose multicolored glass chips for my flower and a yellow stem.

If you get the chance to go to Tulsa Glass Blowing Studio, you will love it!  I might not go in the summer but it was a great winter activity!  Emma Jane is hooked and wants to take a class.