Christmas Decorations in Murano and Venice

Dear Fellow Glass Peeps,
I'm subscribed to the newsletter from venetianbeadshop.com, and always enjoy their local photos of Venice and Murano.  After visiting and taking a class in Murano with Lucio Bubacco, the memories and wish to return are always present.

*flower shop in Venice, below   (I could get lost faster in Venice than any other city, I think!- but what a city!)

So I'm sharing just a few photos from the newsletter, but if you want to see more, please visit their website and learn a little bit about the local life through their eyes.

*restaurant in Murano, below  (Waking up and looking out to the boats and sunrise each morning on Murano was so touching to me.  It really grabbed my heart.  And being around so many other people who love glass too.)

All photos from VenetianBeadShop.com....

Animoto and Piazzo San Marco - Fun Combination

I just tried out a video making site, called Animoto. It was a blast. You can make 30 second videos for free and for a small price, you can go more complex. Being a non technical type, it was great to be able to upload the photos easily, add some of their music (legally) and add a little text. I was using the "free" option, but I think there are a lot more things you can do, if you join.

So for my example are just a few of the photos I took when I visited Piazza San Marco in Venice Italy last spring. The architecture, the history and the size were jaw dropping. I might just head back there soon and try some of my collection of other photos from my trip or even my glass art.

And now it's your turn to create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Back from Italy and....

I feel like I have a bit of a split personality...both happy and sad to have returned from my wonderful trip to Italy.

Knowing it was a chance in a lifetime, I enjoyed every minute there. Made new friends, saw lots of sights and took an amazing class with Lucio Bubacco.

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll post photos and share with you a little more of what I saw and experienced in my adventure.

For now, I'll leave you with this shot of one of the small Venetian canals. I could never get enough of these types of views...perhaps it's the old watercolor artist in me. But to my eye, the combination of the slightly crumbling textures along with the glassy water, makes a composition worth looking at twice.

Dona Family Tool Thread

I've been avidly reading Ofilia Cinta's Lampwork Etc. thread about Carlo Dona's tools.

I've heard they are some of the best and of course I want to know more.

It's filled with photos of the tools and items that have been made with the tools, like the murrini eyes in this fish by Ofilia. (uber-cool, isn't it?)

And the tool names make me smile too. Seeing the "guillotine"...well, that name says it all. It chops murrini just like its namesake.

The fin mold or raggiera, really peaks my interest. Ofilia uses it for her eye canes and I read it's used for flower petal cane as well. I'd really like to try that one out. And it's made in multiple sizes as well. Oh what fun I'd have with these and more. Whether it's his porte cane or rod warmer, or the bellflower presses, I'd love to test them all out and see what they're like.

So stop by the thread and enjoy the photos and comments. I love threads where you really learn something and this one is perfect with that goal in mind.

Ciao. See you tomorrow- Marcy.

Tool Lust

I'm in Tool Lust.

I saw this Carlo Dona tool called a "Spoons Crimp" and I fell in love. I know that somehow I need it, but not sure exactly for what.

The spoon itself is 1 1/16" which is too large for ears , but might make a dandy base for bowls and other roundish items. (where was it when I was making my cereal/noodle bowl in my previous post?)

I just don't have the extra $189.00 plus shipping for it.....yet.

I think I need to contemplate this tool and his other crimps a little more and find a way to justify it in my mind as to why I really, truly need it. And perhaps I don't. It could be a figment of my imagination, which could be a relief also.

If you want to look at more of the beautifully made tools by master tool maker Carlo Dona from Italy, visit www.spiralarts.com and feel free to drool along with me.

And if you have suggestions as to how I can use it, please feel free to post those too.

Murano Glass Christmas Tree

Here is an art installation which is claimed to be the world's biggest blown glass tree.  It's in the central Campo Santo Stefano square in Murano. (an island of the Venice lagoon)  It was made by Venetian artist glass master Simone Cenedese.

Its total height is 8.5 meters and weighs 3 tons, with 1000 glass tubes.

Here is a short youtube video that shows its location and more footage.

photo credit Andrea Pattaro/AFP/Getty Images