a glass pumpkin patch without Rosie?

[duende]

http://www.greatglasspumpkinpatch.com/

I saw a card for this show in Palo Alto a couple of weekends ago, and was sure I'd see RT's name as a participant - unfortunately, it's limited to "bay area" artists... p'shawwwww! Some beautiful pieces on the website - but I'd still love to see your work in this company, Mark.

[rosetree]

http://www.greatglasspumpkinpatch.com/

I saw a card for this show in Palo Alto a couple of weekends ago, and was sure I'd see RT's name as a participant - unfortunately, it's limited to "bay area" artists... p'shawwwww! Some beautiful pieces on the website - but I'd still love to see your work in this company, Mark.

HOW DARE THEY!!!! ;)
It looks like it's all local artists, so I would not be included. I've heard of this. They have been doing it a long time. I am trying to set up a pumpkin patch here at the studio...maybe next year I can combine it with a charity and get some publicity!
...I'm sure that they don't have any that have a "legend" like the Mardi Gras Pumpkins!;) :D

[Zydekitten]

I grew up just about 4 blocks from the art center in Palo Alto where they're holidng this and I firmly agree that Rosie's Mardi Gras Pumpkins would be a tremendous addition to their patch!!! :D

[festivalgirl]

HOW DARE THEY!!!! ;)
It looks like it's all local artists, so I would not be included. I've heard of this. They have been doing it a long time. I am trying to set up a pumpkin patch here at the studio...maybe next year I can combine it with a charity and get some publicity!
...I'm sure that they don't have any that have a "legend" like the Mardi Gras Pumpkins!;) :D

Rosetree's Great Punkin Patch!

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b18/Crazyharp81602/linussally.gif

[Muffaletta Diver]

Who would have thought that glass pumpkins were so popular? Of all the natural items one could mimic through glass...why did "pumpkin" get such an enthusiastic nod?

I have one of Rosie's and thought it was fairly unique. Alas...just another glass pumpkin sheep am I.

[Michelino]

Who would have thought that glass pumpkins were so popular? Of all the natural items one could mimic through glass...why did "pumpkin" get such an enthusiastic nod?

Quite right, if it was, say, a glass Olive bar, I could understand the veneration and the obsession.

But, unless something strange is going on in the universe, I expect that Rosie's tribute to the sweetest of bitter fruits stands alone as an artistic achievment.

[rosetree]

Who would have thought that glass pumpkins were so popular? Of all the natural items one could mimic through glass...why did "pumpkin" get such an enthusiastic nod?

I have one of Rosie's and thought it was fairly unique. Alas...just another glass pumpkin sheep am I.

You are not a sheep Muff Man, you are an aficionado of fine hand crafted art!

I think that the pumpkin got the "nod" because the shape lends itself to the process. The popularity of the pumpkin is also a little baffling to me, but I'm willing to ride the crest as long as it lasts by making a quality piece that mimics a popular vegetable. :D

[glinda]

I prefer cucumbers.

[rosetree]

I prefer cucumbers.

Doable, but not many people decorate their homes in the Fall with cukes!;) :D

[Delta]

Maybe she wasn't talking about decorating with them.

[ibjamn]

Doable, but not many people decorate their homes in the Fall with cukes!;) :D

I LOVE my punkin collection! I have 6 or 7 Rosetree punkins that surround a tree of glass fruit & veggies I have collected. They decorate the sideboard in our dining room year round. :)

[festivalgirl]

Maybe she wasn't talking about decorating with them.

Very diplomatic of you. I couldn't think of a clean way to respond!! ;)

[glinda]

hee hee hee

[ibjamn]

Two RT punkins I like a lot!!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/ibjamn50/P6130308.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/ibjamn50/P6130307.jpg

My favorite is always my newest punkin, which would be the LARGE Mardi Gras punkin I got from Rosie last week! :)

[Delta]

Very diplomatic of you. I couldn't think of a clean way to respond!! ;)

It took me a few minutes to come up with something tactful. That's not usually my strong suit.

(And if mymecca is stalking me, does that mean I'm stalking you?)

[festivalgirl]

It took me a few minutes to come up with something tactful. That's not usually my strong suit.

(And if mymecca is stalking me, does that mean I'm stalking you?)

I know, that's why I like you!! :p

[glinda]

Two RT punkins I like a lot!!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/ibjamn50/P6130308.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p136/ibjamn50/P6130307.jpg

My favorite is always my newest punkin, which would be the LARGE Mardi Gras punkin I got from Rosie last week! :)
Those are some smashing pumkins! Really, they are gorgeous.

[rosetree]

It took me a few minutes to come up with something tactful. That's not usually my strong suit.

(And if mymecca is stalking me, does that mean I'm stalking you?)

I decided to take the high road and respond in a gentlemanly manner. (although other thoughts crossed my mind ;))

[Delta]

I decided to take the high road and respond in a gentlemanly manner. (although other thoughts crossed my mind ;))

Oh yeah, that's us. The tactful two, wonder duo.

[rosetree]

Oh yeah, that's us. The tactful two, wonder duo.

Fighting for truth, justice, and the American way!;)

[Muffaletta Diver]

I think that the pumpkin got the "nod" because the shape lends itself to the process.

I suspected that might have been the case.

For another decorating holiday, how about some dazzling glass icicles to adorn one's fireplace mantle or holiday tree? With different colors and/or metallic flake in the glass you could do quite a few varieties and match any tree color scheme. Perhaps some delicate glass "snowflakes" while you are at it? I'm sure people spend more $ on Christmas decorating and tree ornaments than any other holiday...I know we do at our house.

[rosetree]

I suspected that might have been the case.

For another decorating holiday, how about some dazzling glass icicles to adorn one's fireplace mantle or holiday tree? With different colors and/or metallic flake in the glass you could do quite a few varieties and match any tree color scheme. Perhaps some delicate glass "snowflakes" while you are at it? I'm sure people spend more $ on Christmas decorating and tree ornaments than any other holiday...I know we do at our house.

The main problem that we are facing, like many other industries, is the intrusion of very cheap foreign (read Chinese) items that completely destroy the market. Case in point, ornaments, we sell maybe 10% of the ornaments that we sold maybe 6 or 7 years ago. If you see them at Michael's or Hobby Lobby or any other "crafts" store, the market is gone for us. We simply cannot compete with slave labor and $10 a week labor.
It takes a certain segment of the population to see and appreciate our artwork for what it is worth. That segment is shrinking rapidly. The stuff coming out of China is getting better and better. It will get to a point where the only reason to buy our work is to support American crafts.
What we have to do as artists is try to stay one step ahead and/or make something that is difficult to mass produce. This is not easy to maintain daily. Luckily, I have been able to market and sell my work in this market. It is not easy (but not much is). As a small businessman, I just hope that we can hold out until I am ready to retire.
OK rant over.....
To answer your question, icicles would be a good thing, but they have to be different. I see sets of them at very cheap prices. Do you think that the buying public would buy $15-20 icicles? Glass would be a great medium for that. I'll try some and post pix in a couple of weeks....;)

[Muffaletta Diver]

The main problem that we are facing, like many other industries, is the intrusion of very cheap foreign (read Chinese) items that completely destroy the market. Case in point, ornaments, we sell maybe 10% of the ornaments that we sold maybe 6 or 7 years ago. If you see them at Michael's or Hobby Lobby or any other "crafts" store, the market is gone for us. We simply cannot compete with slave labor and $10 a week labor.
It takes a certain segment of the population to see and appreciate our artwork for what it is worth. That segment is shrinking rapidly. The stuff coming out of China is getting better and better. It will get to a point where the only reason to buy our work is to support American crafts.
What we have to do as artists is try to stay one step ahead and/or make something that is difficult to mass produce. This is not easy to maintain daily. Luckily, I have been able to market and sell my work in this market. It is not easy (but not much is). As a small businessman, I just hope that we can hold out until I am ready to retire.
OK rant over.....
To answer your question, icicles would be a good thing, but they have to be different. I see sets of them at very cheap prices. Do you think that the buying public would buy $15-20 icicles? Glass would be a great medium for that. I'll try some and post pix in a couple of weeks....;)

I hear ya loud and clear, Mark. That very issue is causing more problems than just competition for American artisans.

Anyhoo...on the icicles...it's just like anything else. If they are more beautiful and unique (and I have complete confidence in your being able to create some) than the foreign cheapies then you have a customer base. There is still a segment of society that is willing to pay more for something unique, local and artistic. Not everyone is happy buying crap all the time. Where's the soul in that? Not everything should be a commodity. Sure, you CAN decorate your house entirely at Walmart...but who does that? I'd rather pay more to know that what I am buying is of high quality or that it is a one of a kind or because I have met the person who made it with his/her own hands.

If you make a batch...I have been down to NO over Christmas a few times. Many of the hotels have beautiful, ornate trees in the lobbies. See if you can get some of them prominantly displayed on the hotel trees (with a Rosetree Glass card attached by string of course) and then give the front a stack of pamphlets for those ask about them. Maybe you'll get some traffic. Hell, what do I know? Might as well send a batch to the White House and see if you can get them onto that tree too. It's always a big deal when that thing is unveiled...would be good for Rosetree Glass if the First Lady did a tree with your icicles as the main theme...:cool:

[rosetree]

I hear ya loud and clear, Mark. That very issue is causing more problems than just competition for American artisans.

Anyhoo...on the icicles...it's just like anything else. If they are more beautiful and unique (and I have complete confidence in your being able to create some) than the foreign cheapies then you have a customer base. There is still a segment of society that is willing to pay more for something unique, local and artistic. Not everyone is happy buying crap all the time. Where's the soul in that? Not everything should be a commodity. Sure, you CAN decorate your house entirely at Walmart...but who does that? I'd rather pay more to know that what I am buying is of high quality or that it is a one of a kind or because I have met the person who made it with his/her own hands.

If you make a batch...I have been down to NO over Christmas a few times. Many of the hotels have beautiful, ornate trees in the lobbies. See if you can get some of them prominantly displayed on the hotel trees (with a Rosetree Glass card attached by string of course) and then give the front a stack of pamphlets for those ask about them. Maybe you'll get some traffic. Hell, what do I know? Might as well send a batch to the White House and see if you can get them onto that tree too. It's always a big deal when that thing is unveiled...would be good for Rosetree Glass if the First Lady did a tree with your icicles as the main theme...:cool:

I hear ya Muff Man! I just wish that more people would have your attitude...
I'm working on the hotel angle as we speak.
So the First Lady that I would be contacting is???????? ;)

[Delta]

There are many people who give ornaments as gifts too. I spend more on fancy ornaments for presents than I do anything else at Christmas. The one thing I look for (other than the beauty of the ornament) is some sort of packaging. Either a box that makes it easy to wrap or a pretty bag that doesn't need wrapping. I have bought some beautiful ones in the past without packaging and made quilted (say it ain't so Joe!) bags for them but I usually look for ones that are ready for wrapping.

$15 or $20 isn't unreasonable for a Christmas gift at all.

[Muffaletta Diver]

So the First Lady that I would be contacting is???????? ;)

If I were a betting man, I'd say the next First Lady will not be blonde. However, the segment of society that DOES decorate their homes entirely from Walmart is allowed to vote, so nothing would surprise me.

[Delta]

Maybe you should put some sort of disclaimer on the icicles that it doesn't mean you're endorsing the candidate from the land of icicles too.

[i wanna be in NOLA]

There are many people who give ornaments as gifts too. I spend more on fancy ornaments for presents than I do anything else at Christmas. The one thing I look for (other than the beauty of the ornament) is some sort of packaging. Either a box that makes it easy to wrap or a pretty bag that doesn't need wrapping. I have bought some beautiful ones in the past without packaging and made quilted (say it ain't so Joe!) bags for them but I usually look for ones that are ready for wrapping.

$15 or $20 isn't unreasonable for a Christmas gift at all.

I agree. I love giving special ornaments as gifts. I also buy a couple each year for myself and after 20 years of Christmases the wannabes have a pretty interesting and eclectic collection of ornaments. SIL starts over from scratch each year and does a theme tree. Maybe I could twist her arm to do an Arctic theme.

As an aside... I grew up with tinsel on the tree. I've never used tinsel but I do use glass icicles. Just as when I was a kid and the last thing to go on the tree was the tinsel, the last things to go on my tree are my icicles. I look every year for new icicles. I currently have a couple dozen, but would certainly be interested in a few more.

[glinda]

I have some glass icicles for my tree but would love some new, unique ones!

[Orleansnj]

Yeah - and RT - one of the interesting things you didn't note is that your ornaments are likely to be free of toxic contaminants -=unlike those inexpensive, mass produced ones mentioned earlier.

We too have a whole collection of holiday ornaments from our travels etc. and would absolutely love some icicles or others. I do have some of those already fabulous ornaments that you make.

[mamaroux]

There is no real glass pumpkin patch unless Rosie's pumpkin is there. The rest are all wanna be's