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| Not soldered yet, but look - it's finished! |
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| From the bottom of the panel, looking upwards! |
One night a couple of years ago, I opened the door to find a chap clutching a large photograph album. He was a descendant of our home's builder, Mr Hunter, and he'd heard that I was interested in the history of the house and the family.
And although we spent a happy evening with coffee and pancakes perusing the photos, none of them gave a clear view of what the front door stained glass looked like.
Tartarus and I decided to ask a stained glass expert to give us a quote for just making up a new panel. After I'd picked myself up off the floor and declined the quote, I decided to sign up for a stained glass course at Glasgow School of Art. How hard could it be?!
I spent five glorious - and blood-stained - days making a small panel of a red kite in a windy sky. I was happier than a dog with two dicks with my efforts..... One thing was for sure - it was not as easy as it looked - cutting wee bits of glass and whapping some lead around it.... But why it took another two YEARS for me to complete the stained glass for the front door, I'm not really sure.
Certainly part of it was I HAVE ONLY 5 DAYS EXPERIENCE OF THIS!!! Part of it was the fear of bloody fingers. Part of it was the fear of making a complete arse of things.
But look. I have done it. Two panels for our front door! I have even re-used some of the original glass to tie the old work and the new work together.... *stands back and waits for applause*
Am available for Bar Mitzvahs, Christenings and Funerals :-D
Hestia it's beautiful! Well done you. It's always a joy to see people taking such time and care on their houses.
ReplyDeleteOf course you'll tell me that you've ripped all the other windows out for fake wood uPvc now :)
oh no!!!! We're a listed building here, so even if we wanted to, we couldn't do much to the interior. It's all very late victorian, but tried to make it as comfortable for family life as we can. Well, I say 'we' but it's mainly down to Tartarus!
DeleteThose panels look absolutely gorgeous! Well done, I'd never have dared even try. Hope you'll post pics of the finished doors once the panes are leaded and in :)
ReplyDeleteCx
Thank you - yes, will upload pix of panel in place :-D
DeleteAbsolutely fantastic :)
ReplyDeleteNow, for the craft-drawer-of-doom :D
noooooooooooooooooooooo not the craft drawer of doom. Remember, I haz TWO craft drawers of doom to get through :-D
Deletewell done! looks fabulous. please post photos of finished product once it's been installed.
ReplyDeleteWill do!
Deletewell if a job's worth doing........fabulous work are you going to have a door party to clebrate, worth a Martini or two, no??!!x
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed. You did this after 5 days experience? Wow.
ReplyDelete