Glassblowing in Antrim NH

Wool Weekend, or Columbus Holiday weekend, is always a big deal here in New Hampshire.  I, with a few girlfriends, buy wool made from local sheep, alpaccas and bunnies to keep me busy all winter.

Many local crafters open up their studios during the weekend also.  I enjoyed visiting Old Hancock Glassworks in Antrim New Hampshire (my town!).  It was a lot of fun to watch a glass bottle being blown.

I stocked up on some wonderful locally made holiday gifts.  But the one thing I wanted for myself, was an amber vase.  Someone was buying the last one when I was in the gift shop area.  I asked the glass blower if there was any chance he could make me one of the amber vases.  I worried he might not have that color glass in.

He went over to a pile of old bottles, picked up a beer bottle and said “You mean this color?”  I had to smile, it was my favorite brand of beer.  No wonder I loved that amber glass color so much.  So my very fancy vase, was once a humble beer bottle.

I returned two days later to buy not just one, but two vases.

My favorite vase and MY favorite beer!

I have a plan for my step fathers next big gift.  He loves a certain brand of scotch.  I’m going to have my mom save the empties.  Then I plan to have a really beautiful vase blown from those scotch bottles.  I think he’ll like it!

(UPDATE….my husband was on a business trip when I  told that him I had bought a vase that was made from my favorite brand of beer bottles.  He was, less than enthused.  He came home and saw the vase and was “Well this is really nice!  Much better than that beer bottle vase you bought.”  I told him it WAS the beer bottle vase.  He had assumed that the beer bottle vase was simply a beer bottle with the top part cut off.  Now he’s much happier!)

Categories: Art

Tags: antrim, beer, beet bottle, glass, glass blowing, New Hampshire, Old Hancock glass works, present idea