mason jars...an interesting but completely useless fact

First of all...thank you for your sympathetic responses about my weekend of working. Believe me, it's not something I like to make a habit of. This is in lieu of a 'my creative space' post this week, because as we know, damn it, the aforementioned weekend of working meant I didn't do anything remotely creative. Not even glueing anything together. 
So, having complained twice in the one week I'm going to drop it now. Possibly. Instead I'm going to talk about mason jars. If you're anything like me, and are quite the fan of a bit of useless information...read on.

source

You see these jars all over bloggy world...there's no end to their uses... storage for one...

via pinterest (which I am still resisting!)

lighting...

via small acorns

they're even quite nice when being used for their original purpose...heaven forbid...

via simply recipes

...but did you know that John Landis Mason (who solved the preserving problem by patenting the threaded glass jar with a metal screw-on lid thereby making it possible to preserve all kinds of foods that would have spoiled without the benefit of said jar)...you can take a breath now...

via pink patent mary janes

...did you know that he sold the rights to his patent for a very modest amount of money so he could concentrate on inventing other things (a folding life raft, self draining soap dish, case for cigars) that he thought would make him rich but didn't. As all his other inventions failed he "withdrew into a semi demented poverty (and) died alone and forgotten in a New York City tenement house in 1902". Did you know that? No? Me either. In fact before I started blogging I don't think I'd even heard of a mason jar, let alone its inventor.
And how did I know this? By reading this book. Not that I've had time to finish it....too much work to do! I did say possibly :)

I'll catch you next week...after what I hope will be a really relaxing weekend. Enjoy yours and thank you for dropping in whenever you have the chance. I will try my best to do the same very soon :)

my creative space...using glass tiles

Hi everyone. I had a lovely day yesterday...experimenting...with these fabulously graphic kiln fired glass tiles. They were made by my gorgeous bloke. He let me rummage in a box of glass goodies he has tucked away and I found these...

and with the addition of these...

...and some adhesive...ta da! Groovy brooches.

That look good on white...and black (even better if I'd got rid of the fluff on that shirt!)

I'm still trying to get findings to make some into necklaces, but until then these will do...

And I'm going to order some glass and have a go myself with Richard's kiln...I'm sure he'll let me if I'm nice enough ;) 
In the meantime, there's a bit of dishcloth knitting going on...it looks much more expensive looking when you photograph it in shadow don't you think :)

And I also made another coffee sack tote...to a slightly different pattern this time that shows off more of the detail...

...so I really can't complain about my day.
You probably know the drill by now...off you go over to Kootoyoo.

the ranamok glass art prize in Canberra...

Canberra really is a great place. 

And it's an especially great place for glass art.

... with the world class Canberra Glassworks that has been built in the old Kingston powerhouse...

This is where practising glass artists and amateurs alike come to create. 

I've done a couple of courses here and I love it.

It's also where the Ranamok prize finalists' works are exhibited for several weeks each year. 

That's what you've been looking at.

My friend Susan and I went a few weekends ago and if you're in Canberra it's on until 23 September.

when you see pieces like these you understand why glass art is so expensive...

but so completely worth it...

as long as there aren't a bunch of kiddly-winks running around the house!

My photos don't do these beautiful art works justice, so here's the link to the Ranamok prize site...for Australian and New Zealand contemporary glass artists. Do yourself a favour as they say!!

all images by me, with permission of the Glassworks (they're good like that!)