Many years ago I was given an old pottery kiln. Not a big one, a heavy old rusty thing, but it was great inside. I have no aptitude for ceramics at all, but I gave myself a challenge. I was going to try and make some money out of nothing. With no spare cash to invest, or to be generous with, I wanted to make some money to give away.
I had seen that you could melt bottles in a kiln. So I collected a few old wine bottles and melted them. They did look great with a few beads and bits to decorate them for cheese boards. I gift wrapped them and sold them with cheese at the local deli. They sold a treat and I progressed to olive dishes and clocks. This was 10 years ago but the clocks and olive dishes are still loved today. Now I had raised some funds to invest…and fulfilling my challenge, to give away to some of my fave charities.
Just at that time Ben & Jerry’s (of Ice Cream fame) were celebrating their 10th anniversary of having left their day job to become full time ice cream makers. As part of their birthday bash they were running a competition giving away a free course. Why? Because Ben & Jerry began their ice cream adventures they went on a day course to learn how to make ice cream! The thing is – I won the prize!!! (I never win anything.) I chose a fusing course at Creative Glass Guild in Bristol.
Now, several years on and Glass House Studio is here. I still try and use as much reclaimed or recycled glass as I can, majoring on float glass. And more importantly, my next challenge to myself is even though this is now a business, I still want to be able to give back somehow. I can’t pledge a percentage of profits at this point because I am only just starting trading, so its a little early, but I want to be able to be generous. Let’s see how I do. And I’d love it if you were part of the story too.