Posted by Suzanne McMinn on October 19, 2007 @ 8:50 am
Daytripping, Giveaways
Hand-blown glass is like molasses, home-canned tomatoes, and cornbread-you can’t walk into a home in West Virginia and not spot some….or a LOT. West Virginia, with its abundant natural resources, has a long history of glassmaking, although only a handful of the over 500 glass houses that once existed here still survive. Blenko is one of them. It’s a short (or long, depending on your location) daytrip to the small town of Milton between Charleston and Huntington off I-64.
*If you visit on a weekend, you can also enjoy the gigantic flea markets for which Milton is well known.
Before you go, print out a coupon here for $5 off any purchase over $25 (good through Dec. 31, 2007) at the Blenko Glass Factory gift shop.
There’s a factory observation deck where you can watch glass creation in action. The teamwork involved in crafting glass is amazing. Each person has a specific duty and they perform like clockwork. They have quaint names for each of the six jobs-the blower, the finisher, the carry-in boy, the gatherer, the bit gatherer, and the stick-up boy. (The finisher sounds a little ominous, LOL. I think they have those in the mafia, too…..) Here, you see the blower at work.
For a full list of glass houses still in business in West Virginia, check here, and if you’re planning at trip to the Fenton Art Glass factory, go soon! They’re closing. I know I will. Clearance sales!!!
Where glass goes to die….
Outside the factory, there are piles and piles of colorful pieces of broken glass. I found a woman carting off a boxful of it. I think she said at first they were going to charge her ten bucks for the box, but then they gave it to her for free. She didn’t know what she was going to do with it, but she was very excited!
I almost got a boxful myself, but I couldn’t figure out what I’d do with it. As soon as I figure it out, I’m gonna go back and get a box! What would you do with a bright, sparkly boxful of Blenko bits? Let me know, and one randomly-selected commenter will win this Blenko clear glass star paperweight I picked up yesterday in the factory gift shop! How’s that for a very special Free Book Friday prize?
UPDATE: Contest entries now closed. See October 22nd post for winner.
9:01
am
Amazing, the beautiful works of art that can be created. It’s quite a talent!
Broken glass bits? Hmm, I suppose you could use them to create a mirror or photo frame-I’ve seen that done on designer decorating shows, using other things. Or make an in-laid table top. Can you do that with glass? Ceramic bits, yes. Why not glass?
Have a great weekend, everyone.
-Kim
9:06
am
Wow! Cool!
I think I have one of the pieces - top picture on the right - unless that’s a common design and color. It was a gift from my cousin.
What fun! All these posts and pictures of yours are making me want to move to West Virginia, Suzanne, and I don’t think my husband would go along with that. LOL.
9:07
am
They make beautiful pieces don’t they? I love to to to Milton’s Flea Market. My favorite place is called Treasure’s Galore, which is a huge book swap store, plus they have other things too. I love it. Linda the owner, plus the other girls that work there are super nice. It’s one of those places that even if your super shy like I am, you can go there and talk to the girls or other people looking for books and things and talk like you’ve been friends all your lives. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Leanne
(yea, it’s finally raining)
11:00
am
I’d give the bits and pieces to my mother, who uses wine bottles in the retaining walls in her garden.
11:13
am
I’d use them to make a back splash in my kitchen. Or to frame a mirror.
Looks like you had fun.
12:02
pm
What beautiful glass. I think it would be lovely to create a glass coffee table/end table top. Like a mosaic.
12:12
pm
If the pieces are small enough and you have a forge you could make eyes out of them on animal heads. That is if you know your heat. It’s tricky but I’ve seen it done. But I really don’t have a use for broken colored glass. Now the clear glass star paperweight is beautiful, I really like that.
12:13
pm
Gorgeous, Suzanne! Makes me wish I had one or two or several items.
1:04
pm
It looks beautiful. I would use it in a clear vase with a floral arrangement instead of those little marble like pieces of glass that covers up the oasis. I wonder if there’s a way to dull the edges to make it like sea glass.
1:21
pm
Oh wow, their hand-blown glass is just beautiful!
I would use the bits of glass for a mosaic of some sort or you could just take a vase or bottle and fill it with the glass. In a windowsill, that would be lovely with light filtering through.
1:22
pm
I would put pieces of different colored glass in a clear lamp base, which changes the lamp from an ordinary item to a lovely decorative object that highlights the room and the furniture.
2:06
pm
I love to get various glass jars and fill them with such things as colored rubber bands, even bread ties - you’d be amazed at how pretty it can look in the kitchen. I would do that with the glass pieces. And if there are any that are buffed and not sharp you could add some to a fish tank.
2:31
pm
What beautiful pieces. I would love to own a few pieces for my home. As for the broken glass, I have to agree with several others, put them into clear vases and place where the sun would turn it into a beautiful piece of art. How lucky that you live close to some place like that. The paperweight is really beautiful. Sorry to use the B word so much, but nothing else quite fits.
Have a great day and 
to all.
3:52
pm
I would create a soap dish for a guest room or a guest bathroom . Put various colored shapes of soaps in the pretty soap dish made from colorful glass pieces.
4:07
pm
I think I saw a program on tv once where they made a wind harp (I think that’s what it was called) from glass pieces.
4:13
pm
It would be wonderful to make a dream catcher as that would be striking in the sunlight especially in a kitchen window.
4:21
pm
This pieces are so pretty and a side table would be so original!!
4:36
pm
I would use the pieces of glass to make a mosaic in the bottom of my bird bath. Used with grout the pieces would be like tilework.
6:57
pm
Dangit! I get here late and every idea I could think of is used! *g* I second the idea for a filled vase or lamp base, and the idea of a mosaic table as well. The closest glass blowing near us (that I can remember) is Asheville, NC. But, I may have to work on the hubs to visit W.Virginia soon! *G*
Have a wonderful weekend!
7:25
pm
The glass creations are beautiful. Thank you for the information and photos.
Wishing everyone a happy and safe week-end
8:12
pm
Oh, I wish I could go to the FEnton factory with you, I love their glassware!
I think you should set up a glass display shelf and display the glass pieces on it, being on glass they can be viewed from many angles.
10:42
pm
No new original ideas but I know many years ago I might have considered putting ground-up glass in the ex’s food…..
slap my face.
12:59
am
The star is beautiful. I’d use the pieces for xmas ornaments
9:49
am
If they are colored pieces of glass bits, I would create some type of paperweight and have it displayed on a bookshelf, mantel or curio cabinet.
1:36
pm
I’m dumbfounded to learn Fenton Art Glass closing!
3:37
pm
Apparently Fenton is closing because WV is “Open for Business”. Just not for 120 year old world famous one-of-a-kind glass factories.
Very sad.
8:04
pm
I’d use it for a mosaic coffee table top. So pretty! And I’d probably put some pieces in a glass bowl by the window to catch the light.
Wow, I so want to go and see these glass places. Way cool.
10:49
pm
Love the colored vases, wow!!!
My first thoughts, before reading any responses, were to use the glass pieces around a mirror frame or picture frame. Also, you could use them on a small table top as long as you could grout to hide the sharp edges.
Now I will say I’d make a stepping stone or two or three from cement or plaster(you can buy the mix in a bag and just have to add water) and before it hardens place pieces of the glass and embed them in the cement so the edges are surrounded by cement. Leave them here and there in your flower/vegetable garden or have on the front step. Very pretty.
1:48
am
I found the pictures and instructions for a wind harp. If you decide to make it I can translate the instructions for you.
http://kirppis.yle.fi/node/259