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Glass Art History Lesson – Corning Museum of Glass

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a cuneiform tablet

I blog about glass related events and places to go but I haven’t written much about glass art history. I’d like to present a posting ocsasionally on an aspect of how we got to this place with glass. Who first discovered how to melt glass and why. Take out a little mystery…I’ve been to the Corning Museum of Glass and felt rather insignificant when looking at ancient glass work. We are so privileged to have the technology and equipment that we have at our disposal.

Our first trip down history lane is to Mesopotamia where it’s possible the first glass was made accidently while smelting copper about 40 centuries ago. But check out the article on the Musuem’s site as well as their other historical information. It’s fascinating.

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Designer Spotlight: Flossy Fox Shop

If you like your cross stitch designs full of color and with a bit of an 8-bit video game feel, you’ll want to check out Flossy Fox Shop. This Etsy seller based in Washington state specializes in fantasy creatures, cozy witch scenes, magic and myths, as well as other designs that are sure to delight. 

I know that shop category “cozy witch scenes” caught my attention, so let’s take a look. It’s mostly sampler style designs with lots of little elements, and some are specifically parts of the house like a cozy with kitchen or library. The one shown here is called Bats and Bells, Tea and Spells, and it includes a table in front of a window with plenty of fun creatures like a fox, crow, dragon and cat. 

On the wall there are swords and an axe, and maybe also some drying herbs and a teapot. The design is 82 by 77 stitches and uses 22 colors. On 14 count fabric it comes out to 5.9 by 5.5 inches, or almost 15 by 14 cm. 

The largest category is myths and magic, which includes cryptids, dragons, mermaids, kitsune and other fanciful creatures. Another large group is animals and nature, which is heavy on cats and corgis, as well as foxes.

There’s also a handful of cute bookmarks, some Christmas designs, and a few cute video game inspired designs. They also have a few stitchalongs if that’s something you enjoy. 

These projects are colorful, cute and whimsical, and look like they would be a lot of fun to stitch if you like this style. 

The shop also includes some cute needle minders and washi tape in a similar style if you want to coordinate your stitching. 

Check out all the cuteness at Flossy Fox Shop, and if you stitch up one of their patterns I’d love to hear about it!

[Photo: Flossy Fox Shop]