Will you still love me?, Will you still need me?, when I`m sixty four!

You could be forgiven for thinking, "At last a photo of the undisguised Michael twins!"
But you would be mistaken! This image is of only just one of them, Michael the Engineer. When you put two photos of him side by side the resemblance is uncanny!
Michael is wearing a rather fetching one piece outfit with contrasting dark safety boots. His outfit was created for him by top international designers to colour co-ordinate with our studio floor cover.



All glass has been selected, all glass is cut, and next week Michael starts leading up his panel!

Where have all the flowers gone

Robette exhausted from another forray in the south manages to forge ahead with her Freida Kahlo window. I know! I know! It dosn`t look like a lot of forging, but just wait and see.



This is where all the flowers are going, into Gillian`s rather delightful window, which she will have finished for Christmas!

Don`t you come home! Speedy Gonzalez

At 26 miles per hour, Michael"the veggie" is the studio Roadrunner




At first sight this panel looks very easy to build. But looks are decieving, its difficult enough for a lot of studios to get all of the lead lines to line up correctly without the whole window looking out of kilter. Don`t just believe me have a look at some of the glass that has been installed in recent years and be shocked. "Where is this bad practice being taught?", I hear you ask. Well not here!

Bill defying the Laws of Physics

Knowledge and wisdom come, with age, so they say!
And I believe it. How else do you explain the fact that Bill has apparently not moved from this spot for the past several weeks. Why does his overall have the same creases in the same places week after week? I think I have even caught him standing there, out of the corner of my eye, during the day!



In his own reality, and Einstein`s, Bill is steadily ploughing his way through the cutting of his fairly complex blue poppy panel, can`t wait to see it being leaded!

Tempus Fugit

Yet again Tess made the precarious journey to the studio unscathed!



"I need some light", she proclaimed, "That Bloody North Sea`s a dangerous place, I nearly hit the Stena Sealink on the way over tonight. You lot pay bloody taxes, you should complain and get it lit up before theres a disaster. Mark my words!"



This is Tess`s panel up on the easel glass to get an idea of how the glass will work prior to leading.

A sinister twist of events, its Tuesday again

I think that Bill turned up early tonight! I spotted this cleverly disguised Boeing Avenger Air Defence System parked near the studio. what is going on?

Supplication is required

Stephen adopting the correct submissive pose when confronted by Glass Master Joe



Glass Master Joe acknowledges Stephens correctness and permits him to proceed to the next level. Cutting templates.

Meanwhile over in the pretty corner

Its that little bundle of fun! With her little bundle of fun



Renee busily cutting a small forest for her Humming bird to eventually reside in



And not a Machette in sight!

The Axe Man Came

So what does your average semi-retired fire raiser want to do at a stained glass course? Burn it down?




Ian dreaming about flames again!



This is the sort of design one would expect from a fire raiser. A pheonix rising out of the flames and ashes!!!

The Axe Man Cometh! Just another Thursday!

First past the post tonight its Zen Master John Campbell, I suppose I could have kept him out in the cold until 7.00 PM. But I`m known for my kind heart!!!
Who will be next, is enthusiasm running high tonight. As I write the door bell goes again and its Stephen!

Is that a Selenium red your holding, or are you just pleased to see me

Mission accomplished, "I`ve got your sheep, everyone of them"

Tess apparently made it here tonight unscathed. What happened at Bells bridge, both Gilian and Tess worked quite happily together all evening, with Bill working merrily across from them. And the pony tail thing?, a sign of new alliances?
Are Michael (the engineer) and Glass Master Joe the only people out of the loop?

Cuttin` up Freida

Ruths design finalised, templates ready, glass being cut, building and leading starts next week.



The ghostly figure of Glass Master Joe looks on as Ruth "Robette" relives a moment from her recent foray down in Sailsbury

Meanwhile, over in the blue corner

Bill, resplendant as usual, has been busy hacking out pale blue poppies for his delicate poppy window



Ruth "Robette" breaking off a piece of grey glass for her Frieda Kahlo window.



In the background Bill shares a rather crude joke with Glass Master Joe, who listens on a bit to enthusiastically!



Glass Mistress Yvonne in a dinky little pony tail, suggesting some antique flesh tones to Tess in another dinky little pony tail.



Michael (the Veggie) in YET another dinky little pony tail builds his panel, whilst Michael (the Engineer) and Glass Master Joe wonder what in hell is going on with all of these pony tails.



Well, what they were really discussing was colour and texture for Michaels tree panel, which is starting to progress nicely!

Its Tuesday Night and its Building Night

All design work is now done, templates have been cut, glass is being chosen and panels are being built, all in the space of 7 short weeks!!!!!!



Gillian with a piece of amber glass that is destined to be part of a daffodil petal.



Hey presto! Daffodil petals



Everybody is busy concentrating on the task ahead, Tess is cutting, Michael is building and Gillian is pondering before she cuts!



Michael with all glass cut is progressing really well leading his panel!

For the benefit of Mr Kite

Glass Master Joe "aka Mr Ferranti" limbers up for another tuesday night of maddness and mayhem.

Tuesday is a workng day for some

Swooping low over the countryside, Tess blinks her left eye, a grab line darts out of the Chinooks cargo door and nabs another sheep. "God almighty!", she mutters," these U.S. Marine flight helmets are bloody fantastic, yeeve just got to blink and you`ve got your sheep....

Sailsbury Plain...... A Ministry of Defence spokesman announced the suspension of all British Army training operations in the area until furher notice. Rumours are flying through the mess halls of a naked blue woman rampaging and pillaging through the Sailsbury area. All troops have been confined to barracks for their own safety and until the crisis abates........

"There must be bloody good money in sheep these days if she can afford the running costs of a Cobra Attack Helicopter, time for a corporate take over" Bill surmises to himself, as he reads the instruction manuale that came with the recently arrived Boeing Avenger Air Defence System, "Ebay is right fantastic!".......

"Right children, don`t forget, keep out of sight until the Cobra lands. She always crosses Bells Bridge. Group one will trail her from the Glasgow Science Centre and Group two will catch her in the nets as she comes off the bridge on the northern side. Good luck with tonights mission Chaps!
The children stare with deep intent at the chalkboard plan of tonights mission.
It looks some what like the design for a flower garden stained glass window.

Up at the allotment the two Michael twins are busily putting the final touches to the rocketship, that Michael the veggie hopes will take him and his family to the safety of the Vegatarius Star System. "I don`t know what we would have done without your engineering skills he proclaims to Michael the engineer. Are you sure you wont come with us."
" No, I`m much older than you and someone has got to stay and stop this pillaging of the countryside." He knows that later on this evening he is meeting someone who has just acquired a Boeing Avenger Air Defence System, "it might just help he thinks to himself.".................

Will everyone arrive safely for tonights glass class, lets wait and see!

Living the Life

I know! I know! What`s a refugee from Glasgow Detail doing on this site. Well I didn`t open the door



Stewart The Goth turned up at the last moment, with his latest concept.
Flushed with the success of his crash helmet made from supernarket polly bags, he has decided to replace his head with a living flame fire!
Rather fetching!

Don`t Walk Away Renee

Another evening over and its home and free for another week!



How is it possible to be this good looking, without wearing a beret?

Ain`t it funny how time drifts away

Glass Mistress Yvonne, showing how an akward cut is achieved, notice how interested everybody is!



Well! It was well after the end of the evening, so you are all forgiven!

On approaching a workbench.

It does absolutely no harm to indulge in a little bit of relaxing meditation, prior to approaching a glass workbench.



John is now near the end of cutting the glass for his panel and will begin leading and building it next week.

Choosing colour is important

No this is not the file room of some fancy law practice!



Elaine has given herself the unenviable task of rummaging through our extensive glass cullet boxes to find those little bits of glass that will be just right for her window.
But then you havn`t seen her design yet! Have you?

No Blood on the Tracks

I know!, where`s all the blood? Well we showed everybody the plaster that we keep for emergencies, and told them when they were finished with it, to give it a wash in case anyone else dared need it. So far it has stayed in its dinkey little wrapper, where it has happily live for many years!



Sheila and Renee have now reached the stage of final template cutting and will be on to creating and building their panels over the coming weeks. As you can see from their concentration they are still having immense fun. On the back wall is the sketch for the panel that Sheila will be creating.

Aren`t Eureka moments all the same

At long last Stephen had finally wrenched an original, and rather good, design from the murky depths of his soul. This is the same guy who turned up here thinking we were the Glasgow branch of Zen Meditation Inc. and just stayed muttering " I can`t draw, I know nothing about art" So watch this space, it should be rather interesting!

What are we going to do with you?

Nanette still pondering about a design, takes time out for a photo call!



Its going to have to be thumb screws and an iron maiden next week I think!

And the Wind cries Mary

Thursday evening started much the same way as it always does, oddley!
One of our two secondary side building benches, which are 6 x 8 feet and very heavy, decided to do a Sufi whirl around the main workshop. None of us at the time noticed it happening. It was only when I unloaded the camera that this image appeared. But I am left wondering "Is this a regular occurance?"
Rather supernatural, I think you will all agree.

Thursday, Thursday

I`ve got Georgia on my mind, Hurricane Sheila is about to blow in from the east.
The Wendy House is still standing, watch out for the News Flash!
I`m starting to get all fired up about a phoenix, will it be a pell mell night with humming birds dashing here and there. No! Because JC will turn up and calm us all down.
Cryptic or what!!!!!!!

Evenings` End

Ruth and Tess discuss Battle Tatics and the merits of various hardware.
"You`ve not convinced me" said Ruth, " I`ll stick to my trusty old AK-47, it`s never let me down yet!"
"You`ve got to embrace new technology" said Tess, " The Cobra`s a great wee helicopter and its got a bloody great big gun in its nose!"

Lookin` Finger Likin` Good!

Michael`s, "the veggie", rather dramatic geometric panel cut and laid out on its building drawing prior to building.
This is going to be a pretty good piece of finished glass!

It`s not all Battle Theory and Line Dancing at Glasworks Studio

Glass Mistress Yvonne demonstrates the correct use of a Lathekin to open out the flanges on a lead came.
Looks of amazement ensued! "WOW!" they all muttered, "we didn`t know!"



Glass Mistress Yvonne demonstrates the correct way to hold and position a traditional lead knife on the lead came.
It was at this point that I heard Tess mutter, under her breath, " I know you`ve got sheep! And I`m going to get them!"
It struck me, immediately, that as well as an attack helicopter, she must also have a heavy lift Chinook somewhere nearby.



Glass Mistress Yvonne demonstrates the correct way to approach and execute a cut and trim through lead came with the lead knife.
Michael "the veggie" looks on intently as he is about to start building his leaded panel.

Deep Concentration

Glass Mistress Yvonne and Ruth discussing the final details of Ruth`s "Frida Kahlo" panel. In the foreground Gillian is choosing from an array of glass for her tulip and daffodil panel.
Please notice that Robette "Ruth" Macgregor is sucking the blue of her pen. She has apparently run out of "Woad". If anyone can help with fresh supplies of Battle Woad please get in touch, she has another Border Raid coming up soon.

Rummaging in the Cullet Boxes

Michael and Glass Master Joe looking for that vital piece of glass

Wee Eck

I am pleased to say that Wee Eck is now safely back under my beret where he has happily resided for many years.
Michael has now happily returned to choosing glass for his panel and assures me that he will leave Wee Eck alone in future.

Glasworks Glasgow would like to state that no Wee Eck`s were harmed in the making of this Glass Diary !

Wee Eck gets Traumatised by Michael

"But Michael! This is the best windae av ever made" Glass Master Joe exclaimed! "Ir ye sure ye want thon blue bit"
"Aye!" Hawk-eyed Michael retorted whilst making a grab for Wee Eck.

A Manicure Moment

Gillian and Bill discussing the finer points of nail trimming with a pair of template shears. When you are cutting small templates accurately with the shears a fair degree of concentration is neccessary as can be witnesed in this shot. Beautiful cutting Gillian!!!!!!