Saturday, May 14, 2011

Glassy-Eyed

When I was a kid my dad took a course in stained glass, and then taught my mom and my brother and me. For a while we all really got into it: our kitchen was set up with the electric grinder, and the table was where we did all the cutting and foiling and soldering. We made lots of gifts for family, and even sold a few things at the local flea market that summer. The combination of creativity, power tools, and danger made it pretty darn cool for a middle-schooler like me.

Anyway, I just saw this on @thinkgeek's Twitter feed:

Made by MclanesMemories
Heck. Yeah.
And suddenly I'm feeling the itch again.


Plus, it reminded me of these other cool things I saw not too long ago:



"Stained Glass Sith" by Suzanne Rosema, found by Cara C.
(Sadly I couldn't find a website for Suzanne)


Also found by Cara C.; found on Free Stained Glass Patterns, where - you guessed it - you can download the pattern for free. Suh-weet!

As a kid I made flowers and butterflies and other rather boring whatnots, so realizing all the geeky possibilities is making me see the art in a whole new light. I mean, think about it: How perfect would a Mario-themed Tiffany lamp be? Or a Ghostbuster's sun-catcher?


Anyway, I'm still recovering from our two days of scavenger hunting at Disney World (can't....move...) and just thought I'd share. Assuming Blogger is working at the moment, of course. Heh. Stay tuned for a report on the hunt. (Again, assuming Blogger is working.)

Oh, and gimmie some more geeky ideas for stained glass, peeps: what symbols/characters would you want to see? Just, you know, for conversation's sake? ;)

87 comments:

  1. Of course, the disney princesses and roses...not super geeky, but it would make for one heck of a view in the bedroom of a 5-year-old millionaire's kid. :D

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  2. how about a stained-glass TARDIS lamp? Or suncatcher--whichever.

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  3. How 'bout a stained-glass Triforce? And I LOVE your Mario Tiffany lamp idea.

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  4. Some ideas from the Legend of Zelda:

    Link, Princess Zelda, Ganon, etc.
    Triforce/Royal family crest
    Shield
    Music notes

    Love you blog!
    Check out mine?

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  5. I don't know about anybody else, but I think that the little Epbot Robot would make a mighty adorable window!

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  6. OMG, the Doctor Who possibilities are endless! A stained glass TARDIS would be gorgeous, of course, and can you imagine a rendering of one of the red-headed Companions? For my money, though, the prize would go to whoever could produce an Ood.

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  7. Tardis please! If you could make it 3D and put a nightlight sized lamp inside, that would be geektacular!

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  8. Ummm... the stained glass panels from the opening scene of Beauty and the Beast? Yes? Gorgeous. For a little girl's room, maybe.

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  9. ummmm..... i think the answer is obvious...... wait for it.... wait for it......... and 3.... 2..... 1......

    yeah so i am definitely trying to just make this out to be like totally waaaaay more exciting than it really probably is....

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    you totally need to make dalek christmas ornaments out of stained glass cause... well.... stained glass christms ornaments are cool...

    like fezzes...

    or stetsons....

    or bowties.....

    i'm done........

    EXTERMINATE!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  10. What I wouldn't pay for a stained glass ghost busters emblem!

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  11. Well, when you say stained glass and geekiness, I immediately thought of Kingdom Hearts and those awesome stained glass images of snow white and such in the tutorial levels. What about a stained glass disney/ kingdom heart themed item? maybe lay it in a shadow box with a light behind it?

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  12. I'd love a stained glass TARDIS!

    Amy

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  13. I would love to use those thick black lines to incorporate hidden messages or emoticons... on my dragon-themed tiffany lamp. :)

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  14. How about the TARDIS? Or anything DW-related, really. I'm suddenly having visions of Dalek stained-glass windows... just a thought.

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  15. A stained glass version of the Van Gogh exploding TARDIS picture would be simply gorgeous.

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  16. TARDIS stained glass! Ooo! or a glowy sonic screwdriver! Or the new logo! or the old logo! or a fez! so many fun Doctor-y possibilities!

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  17. Oh, please please please do the Mario lamp! I can see it in my head and it rawks.

    Happy belated birthday!!

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  18. Hogwarts enshrined in stained glass would be amazing! So would the Dawn Treader, or dragons, or x-wings. I'm sure there a million and one awesome things you could come up with...looking forward to seeing the photos :)

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  19. what about a stained-glass epbot robot?

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  20. Anything Doctor Who! The TARDIS would be awesome in stained glass and I would totally buy it!!

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  21. I want to see a Triforce :D

    Also a companion cube <3

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  22. A Disney Princess line of stained glass windows!!! EEEK! It'd be so cute!

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  23. Rebel symbol of course. Horde symbol from WoW. Tri-force. Serenity would be pretty, but I imagine difficult to do.

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  24. You're gone for two days and blogger was down for two days. Coincidence?

    Well, probably, but I had to type this in with one eyebrow raised.

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  25. First thought was a TARDIS, but upon further reflection, a Dalek lampshade would be AWESOME! Not too sure how you'd make the appendages, but a glowing eyestalk would be so cool!

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  26. I honestly think you can't go wrong with ANY of the suggestions! But, for me, I think the first should be a stainglass EPBOT - then let your imagination take over (you will never run out of ideas).

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  27. Now I need to take a class in stained galss. My husband will be so mad!

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  28. You should do a set of Japan-inspired Disney characters. You'd love them. Just make them small, but leave the bottom open so you can put them over little electric tealight candles.

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  29. Jen, your parents are SO cool! You lucky duck. I guess now I see where you get your mile-wide creative streak.

    I second the idea of a stained-glass TARDIS! Or a Dalek. How 'bout the Enterprise? Oooh, or Harry Potter!

    -runs to learn how to make stained glass-

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  30. My fiancee and I created a fantasy universe where instead of engagement rings, people gave each other tiny stained glass necklaces.

    And it would probably only be that geeky to me, but I would love to see a stained glass phoenix. The reds and yellows and oranges would be amazing.

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  31. I don't know about anyone else but I think a stained glass Eye of Sauron would be EPIC.

    Some more wonderful possibilities:
    Tardis
    Zelda (sooo many Zelda possibilities)
    Space Invaders
    Snow White with the poison apple
    Okami (ANYTHING from that game would be beautiful)
    Gir from Invader Zim
    Kirby
    Spiderman (but it would have to be huge so it looked like he was climbing up your wall)
    Some of the X-men characters
    Anything from the Mario characters like maybe Rosalina and the stars from Super Mario Galaxy

    The list could go on.

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  32. I would become deliriously happy if I ever saw a stained glass Cylon Centurion. Imagine if you could even make the eye slit glow red? I may have to learn to this stained glass stuff.

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  33. how about a stained glass portal companion cube lamp?

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  34. I'm definately loving all the 3D tardis ideas - perfect! But id also want a stained glass flying snitch sun catcher! Or a 3D K-9...or an image of ravenclaws diadem or a a box with the top having the hogwarts crest and then each side having one of the house crests......
    Now I really want to make all of these!! Post a tutorial someday?

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  35. I think something from LOST like a DHARMA logo or something with the numbers would be pretty cool. :)

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  36. Original Enterprise ... NCC 1701 all the way.
    Weeping Angels!! That would be awesome! Like one with the face covered, and one scary face.
    The One Ring, huge sized, so you could do the Elvish script.

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  37. I'm thinking of a triptych of some of my faves:

    The Tardis, next to a Snitch, next to...what? Maybe the symbol of the Rebellion. Although, I guess we could go obvious and do a light saber...

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  38. I'd love to see a heartless symbol window. Oooh, or one of the Nobody sigil using that glass that looks black, but has a ton of colors when the light hits it.

    My Kingdom Hearts geek is showing, isn't it.

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  39. Bwhaha! I took a stained glass course last year, but unfortunately, haven't convinced myself to do anything like this yet. What would be really awesome would be to combine it with the old painted glass style of cathedrals, art nuveau, and geek.

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  40. Oh, I was going to say the Serenity logo, until someone mentioned Harry Potter. Where is that Platform 9 3/4 stained glass sign? I need to buy it!

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  41. DragonNight is right...Zelda seems perfect for stained glass.
    To continue the stained glass in Star Wars that you started, the iconic crossed sabers of Luke and Darth Vadar under the stairs would be pretty cool!

    Blogger was down when I tried to wish you a happy birthday, so here's a belated happy day to ya! You share the day with Edward Lear, Florence Nightengale, Katharine Hepburn, Bruce Boxleitner, and Tony Hawk. Good company.:-)

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  42. The one and only thing I have just realized I cannot live without is a Boo (from Mario) made of glass. I can't even buy a plushie or any merch of him because although he's MY favorite there's never any Boo merch when I go looking :(

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  43. I've always liked the idea of stained glass images of one's pets.

    I also like the idea of simple images that symbolize something. So here are my geeky ideas in that vein...

    Cheshire Cat smile and eyes
    Steampunk top hat with goggles
    T-Rex mouth with teeth (Like this: Click here)
    Dr. Who's tie
    ST:TNG communicator logo (I can see this with three split panes behind it, one yellow, one red, one blue)
    Lightsaber (one each of all colors, of course, including purple)
    Hedwig
    The Snitch
    Harry's glasses and scar
    Captain Jack's compass and ring

    WV: battorty. Dr. Ignatius Battorty has completed his world domination machine using Tesla coils and lightning rods.

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  44. I would love to see a TARDIS too, but once you're done with that, maybe a Smaug or anything else Hobbit-ey OOO or maybe just Spock live long and prosper?

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  45. I would most definitely go after a TARDIS suncatcher! Or maybe a Death Star globe lampshade :D! Actually, I would probably pay money for that.

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  46. A tardis...definitely a tardis...preferably a stained glass bedside lamp.

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  47. Flying Spaghetti Monster.

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  48. ooh ooh ooh!the watchers emblem from highlander!!

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  49. Stained glass looks like it would be a lot of fun to get into. :)
    How about a Muppet suncatcher? Kermit would look fabulous! Or the balloons from Up!

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  50. My first thought was a TARDIS, which everyone else thought, too... lol

    How 'bout the Federation symbol?

    Ooh ooh - a Death Star! Or a stormtrooper.

    The Sorting Hat... or the sword of Gryffindor...

    I, for one, would get a big kick out of Master Chief, too.

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  51. Mark Stine made some amazing Disney stained glass:

    Tinkerbell -- http://www.tdstainedglass.com/page10.htm

    Eeyore -- http://www.tdstainedglass.com/page18.htm

    His glass work is extraordinary.

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  52. Great A'Tuin!

    Oh and yes, the 3d TARDIS night light would be nice too!

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  53. How about these for geeky stained glass?

    http://en.dawanda.com/product/716046-Stained-Glass-d20-20-sided-die

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  54. My first thought was companion cube. Then, my second - and possibly cooler - thought was portal holes. It would just be fun and geeky to have them and be able to move them around. Put the entrance one on your front door, and the exit... where ever your guests deserve to be... lol.

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  55. I would want an R2D2 window, or an AT-AT, set in some beautiful light blue Hoth background. Drool!

    And that Boba Tiffany lamp... too awesome for words!

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  56. Does anyone remember the movie Young Sherlock Holmes? It was a Spielberg venture and I loved it. Also happened to contain one of the earliest CGI effects ever in a big film. It was a stained glass window of a knight in a church that came to life and (sadly) caused a priest to run into the street in front of a carriage. I would LOVE to have a reproduction of that window in my house. (It doesn't exist in real life because it was CGI, right?) I would definitely give bonus points to any friend of mine that would recognise it. And the creepy factor would be delicious.

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  57. The levels of debauchery I would sink to for that lamp... they know no bounds.

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  58. I work in stained glass and am finishing up christmas presents. My next project is for our nursery though. We are doing it subtly steam-punk.

    I am making 3-d hot air balloons and flying machines to hang from the ceiling. They can be wired with little 4 watt bulbs to act as night lights in the evenings.

    The mario lamp sounds like an amazing idea!

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  59. You could totally do the EPBOT bot! That would be so cute! And the Harry Potter ideas are endless!

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  60. How about some Pokemon?? Oh wait, then I'd HAVE to learn to make them because my kids would want to catch 'em all...

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  61. I would love to see a Labyrinth piece. Maybe something with the doorknockers and the worm? The worm guy gets no love.

    I'd also love to see something done with the following:
    Mario
    Legend of Zelda
    Ghostbusters
    Dr.Horrible
    Indiana Jones
    Portal
    Bioshock
    Anything Steampunk
    Anything Disney
    Star Wars
    Hobbit/Lord of the Rings

    And I'm now going to shut-up before the list gets really, really long.

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  62. Isn't Pac Man the obvious answer?

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  63. @Christina H the CGI knight from young Sherlock Holmes would be fantastic! Did you ever watch the Amazing Stories tv series in the 80's? Spielburg was producer and/or director for the 2 seasons it aired. It also had that knight (or a monochrome prototype of it)in the opening sequence. If you haven't seen it, check Netflix.

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  64. I loooved working with glass in art class. We did mosaics and melting. It was great fun. I've wanted to start it up again for years. I would like to learn how to do stained-glass.

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  65. @DanaLynn - Must. Have. Pictures!! Please? When you're done?

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  66. Detailed blog on the scavenger hunt - WANT!!!
    Mijinjax

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  67. 2 words MONTY PYTHON

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  68. Ooohhhh yeeeaahhh, the Epbot 'Bot! Seems to be a very popular choice. :)

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  69. I vote for Kingdom Hearts and Hogwarts crest :P even just the 4 colours would be really cool :)

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  70. A Stay Puft suncatcher! I'm surprised someone hasn't suggested that yet.

    If you could make a lamp of the Stay Puft that would be... beyond epic.

    Maybe a Slimer suncatcher too and for that matter the Ghostbuster logo too.

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  71. I agree with the others and say the Epbot robot is screaming for some stained glass treatment. :) It's funny that you brought this up because I used to do stained glass, too, and recently I've been itching to do it again. Expensive hobby, though.

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  72. Please tell me you've seen this:

    http://blog.craftzine.com/archive/2011/01/stained_glass_tardis_clock.html

    It is immediately what I thought of when I saw this post.

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  73. The stained glass floors from the Kingdom Hearts intro levels!
    I actually looked up tutorials on stained glass a while back with the Kingdom Hearts pieces in mind. It looked a little too complicated to teach myself, so I gave up on it for the time being.
    Would LOVE some replicas, though.

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  74. The highlight of our Tokyo trip (aside from finding goodies for you) was the visit to the Studio Ghibli Museum. They have stained glass everywhere that captures images from the films. If you ever go, a trip to the museum is a MUST! Do not pass go, do not collect $200. Or Yen. Whatever.

    I purchased a book that has pictures of all of them, but wasn't able to take any pics of them because you can't have cameras in the museum. I did, however, find some websites that have some pics.

    Spirited Away window

    Kiki's Delivery Service window

    Totoro window

    Another Totoro window

    And those are just the beginning. Magical place.

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  75. For all of those posters who asked for a stained glass TARDIS...TARDIS how-to

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  76. Susanne Rosema is married to Scott Rosema, comic artist and fan, and if you type in scottrosema.com, you'll pull up some of his stuff. I'm sure you can contact her through him.

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  77. Any of these would fill my soul with joy !

    Labyrinth
    Disney ( Cinderella esp)
    Kingdom Hearts
    Zelda ( esp Wind Waker)

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  78. Personally, I would LOVE to see an 80s cartoon/video game themed project. Think HUGE and with all sorts of characters like Carebears, Popples, Rainbow Brite, TMNT, any Disney from that time (Little Mermaid, eh?), and of course, Mario and Zelda must make an appearance! It would be EPIC.

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  79. I'm actually just getting started in trying to make some of these! My stained glass tardis sold yesterday (http://www.etsy.com/transaction/50002640) and I've got a triforce in my etsy shop (http://www.etsy.com/listing/74370226/stained-glass-triforce-suncatcher). There are some great ideas in the comments here!

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  80. okay, so I actually TOOK a stained glass class with Jen once, and I remember the instructor told us that it was impossible to cut concave shapes out of glass. So I'm looking at Spock's nose and thinking: "how?!"

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  81. Late to the posting party, but stained-glass MUPPETS - especially with the new movie coming out in November - come to mind,

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  82. Ok, that's a completely amazing helmet.

    Add me to the list of people who think your Epbot robot would be super as stained glass.

    Other things that came to mind:

    auryn (Neverending Story)
    Atari logo
    IDIC
    a Lego brick
    Hitchhiker's "don't panic" logo

    Walked into work this morning with Star Trekkin' stuck in my head, and now it's Born Again Trek, so I thought I'd share. :p

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