"In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." ~ Ansel Adams

Alright, it has been an exciting past few days... Let me fill you in:

The Princess came for a visit!

Kungligt besök i Orrefors

Lördagen den 2 april besöker Kronprinsessan Victoria och prins Daniel Orrefors för ett besök hos Glasrikets skatter och glasarkivet. Kronprinsessparet kommer till Orrefors klockan 12.30 där de guidas runt i utställningshallen av TV-profilen Knut Knutson och formgivaren Lena Bergström.

Besöket i Orrefors avslutas med en lunch i Gästvillan och paret fortsätter sedan till Kalmar där man besöker ett center mot våld och designern Jangir Maddadis företag Design Bureau.

It was very exciting, Orrefors got all prettied up and the streets were even cleaned!

EVERYTHING was blue and yellow! 

She arrived on Saturday around 12:30 where the street had been roped off, and by roped off I mean there were some blue and yellow ribbons hung to show where we "commoners" were not allowed to go and maybe 2 policemen.  Her limo pulled up very leisurely and was immediately joined by 4 Audis and BMWs which pulled up with much more speed and authority.  She calmly got out of the car, buttoned her jacked and while all the men in the Audis and BMWs lept out their cars and surrounded her... they seemed a lot more on top of things then was really necessary in little old Orrefors, but I guess they were just doing their jobs.

Then she walked around saying "hej hej" to everyone and smiling at all the little kids.

She got to me and said "hej" and I said "hello" and then she said "Oh, Hello!" and it was GREAT!

Ok, it lasted about 5 minutes in total but I was just a few feet away from the future Queen of Sweden!

She was taller then I imagined (she was wearing heels but still) and smelled very nice and was super friendly.  She shook hands with a few people and laughed when the little kids said "Hej Victoria" like she was their friend.  She went to have a tour or presentation or something and then some tea in this house which is all decorated with tons of glass and only used for special people.  They have been cleaning it all week and I really want to see the inside one day! 

Hopefully, one day I will be special enough to be invited in the house!! When I a famous glass blower! 

Speaking of burgeoning career in glass here is what I have been working on since I have been back:

Water pitchers with handles, or as they are called around here water mugs... or beer mugs if you don't put a spout on it! 

I did these on Thursday or Wednesday, they are first blown into a mold which gives it that striped look then I heat it, give it a spout and then try to put a handle on straight.  That is the tricky part... I can never get it directly across from the damn spout!  They are kind of ugly, so no close ups.

I made these two Friday morning, the one on the left is with the mold again and the one on the right is all free blown.  

They both have interesting handles... this one is big and fat at the bottom, kind of like a leaf I like to think. 

And this one is for aliens... or people with a big gap between their first and middle finger.  They were both mistakes of course... but interesting all the same.  Tricky those handles!

BUT!! The most exciting thing is that at the end of the day Vegard and I were tired and bored so we asked Micke and Marianne to show us something interesting, a pitcher with a foot... Then it turned into a pitcher with a blown foot AND a blown handle! Now, this is what the second years were working on December and the teachers seemed to be showing us just out niceness... I don't think anyone, Vegard or the teachers or my fellow classmates (who also watched the demo) thought we would be able to make one.  

WELL.... I MADE TWO! haha!!

My two first attempts were GLORIOUS!   

You first blow the top container part, then put a giant marble on the bottom then attach a blown bubble for the foot.  Heat the bubble on the tip, fold the lip under and then VOILA you have a blown foot! 

Next you marver a narrow cylinder of glass, blow a bubble into, let it stretch long and then plop it on as a handle!!  It is hard to see that it is hollow but maybe I can put something behind it and take another picture later so it is easier to see. 

And, you have a masterpiece! 

Vegard did one attempt, it didn't go so well, he didn't make it to the handle stage.  He surprised me by saying "just because you can do it doesn't mean I can do it!" I had always thought of us as equals and a little bit competitive (if you can do it, I can do it sort of way) but I guess not on Friday.  When I finished my second one Marianne walked over and was impressed and said "well, you're not going to have anything to learn next year!"which made me happy :)  I was so excited I could do it, I surprised myself a little bit too.  A very good way to end the week and start the weekend I would say.