Glass Tips & Tricks 

Newsletters from our past converted to fresh articles about stained glass.

Helping Your Stained Glass Business (And Yourself) Survive With Style

You've all heard it, the radio ads that tell you how bad things are and the news reports that thrive on the doom and gloom of the global economy. With all the whining going on, it's a wonder that any one is still in business or still alive! 


We talked about how we were sick of this attitude of impending doom in the article about the "Hope Star". But I thought it might be a good idea to go over some ideas that we've had to avoid the gloom of so called, "bad times." These are just some of the ideas that we've had, I hope you'll look at them and see how you might incorporate these ideas in your life and your business. If you have comments and more suggestions, e-mail them to us and I'll add them to this article.

When I was a kid, my Mom would get up in the morning, singing happy songs. One went, "Count your blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done." This song was full of good advice, we really do need to count our blessings and focus on what's right in our lives. 


Later in life, I learned that my Mother wasn't happy in the morning. She was a real grouch, but she sang all those happy songs as a way to get into a happy mood. And it worked! By pretending you're happy, you have a change come over you that will make it a reality. It's hard to be sad with a big grin on your face.

Throw a Party To Celebrate

You don't need a big event to celebrate. Next time you get a glass order or complete a big project (or complete a little one) throw a party. Have a cookout, bake a cake, hang some balloons, invite your friends and clients and just have a great time. 


 If you have a celebration, you'll be too busy having fun to be worried about the future. 

You may find that while you have fun, you'll make new contacts and have new ideas spring to mind. You'll see solutions instead of problems because you've taken a step back and now you can see the forest and not just the trees!

Take A Break - "Free" Vacation

Have a garage sale, clean out some of that junk you haven't used in the last few years. Then, take the cash you made and spend it on your break. 


For your break, your mini-vacation, do something you haven't done for a while; visit the zoo, a museum, a friends stained glass studio, something that's very affordable. Try to spend as little money as possible.

Take the left over cash from your yard sale and buy chocolate for the next time you need a lift!

Taking a step back will let your mind clear and your hopes soar.

Create Something New

I read a book about running a retail business that said that 30% of your inventory, or the line of product you sell each year needs to be new. The book was written by Carol Schroeder who runs "Orange Tree Imports." 


(Carol contacted me and said that what she wrote about was that it is a goal to replace the value of your inventory three times a year, i.e. get three turns. So I read about replacing inventory someplace else. Still, I've found a lot of help in her book.)

You need to look at the things you sell and cull out the 30% of items that are duds. And to produce something new to replace them with.

They said that you need to plan on doing this every single year that you're in business. Well, before, you were likely just too busy to do that, but now that you've got time, create a new product. Who knows?

The law of the harvest is really at work here, Christmas is always coming and you need to build up an inventory, some of the tried and true items and some of those new and wonderful ones.

Then you'll be ready when the opportunity presents itself.

Take A Class

If business is slow, you have something you didn't have as readily before and that's time! Invest some of that freed up time by taking a class. 


You can learn to sand carve glass or do some lampworking or kiln fire some glass or even do some glass blowing. Each of these classes will teach you new skills and techniques that will add to your abilities as an artist.

But don't stop there, learn to do new projects in stained glass and learn to weld so you can make your own stands or how about taking a woodworking course so you can combine glass work with woodwork. How about learning that drawing program that will make you more productive?

These classes don't need to have a direct connection with you and money. But somehow, everything you learn will make you rich in skill, rich in enthusiasm, rich as a person. The students and teachers you meet will enrich your life.

(We've got project videos for an easy way to learn a new skill)

D & L Art Glass supply in Colorado offers many classes in glass painting, fusing and other areas of interest to glass artists.

Bullseye Glass has on-line training that is quite valuable.

Not Only is taking a class a good idea, you may want to look into taking a more active role in Stained Glass Organizations.  

The SGAA, Stained Glass Association Of America would be a good place to start. 

Or subscribe to a new magazine, when it comes, you'll be inspired to reach for new heights. 

Display Your Work Somewhere

Here were are at a show at the Terra Nova Gallery in Provo, Utah

Here are some of our panels displayed at the Cybergate Cafe

Look around, there are art shows and galleries that have been touched by the slow down. In fact, this may be the perfect time to strike up new relationships with gallery owners who would love to have a new artist to introduce. Your new art will be a blessing to them because they need your new, fresh art to gain momentum in their business. And while you're looking, don't forget the other businesses in the community, restaurant waiting areas and bank lobbies may exhibit your art just for the opportunity to have something new and fresh for their clients to enjoy.

Do Something For Someone Else

Provo has a great Community Action Website.

No matter how hard you look for happiness, it will escape you unless you learn to do something for someone else. Christ said, "He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it." I've always thought that meant that when you desperately look for happiness, it will escape you, but when you get out of yourself and  serve others, there it will appear.

So, go work a temp job and give the money you made to a charity you haven't helped before. Or you could sell plasma and then give a couple of bucks to the next panhandler you meet, whether you think they're deserving or not.

Or at the very least, go volunteer at the local food bank. You'll feel better for having done good and maybe, you'll get the impression that you're really not as poorly off as you thought.

So at the end of all these ideas, I go back to some of the principles that Wallace D. Wattles described in the "Science Of Getting Rich."  He says that in order to harness the energy of the universe to get what you want, you have to believe. Doubt can't exist in you if you want things to happen for you. 

I wonder, when I have a setback. I know I'm supposed to have the attitude that something bigger and better is coming. And even though I try hard to believe, there's a little nugget of fear or sadness deep down sometimes. But I still try to put on a happy face and believe that something is better coming to me, even though I have doubts and may not believe my own happy attitude.

I think it's okay to doubt, just not to give into it. I figure that if I fight against the fear and play like I'm happy, just like my Mother singing when she felt grouchy, eventually the feeling and the belief will follow.

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