Art Can be a Part of Community Support

Inspiration, innovation, design, practical and aesthetically pleasing is the combination of ingredients used at Castle Designer Glass when transforming glass into art. From the commencing of a project to the very end we value most the support we provide our clients and friends through our artists and staff. Come to us with an idea and we will transform it into a reality, come to us without an idea and we will help you choose what you need for your commercial, residential, retail, business or community environment. Sherbrooke Community Center not only supports quality of life and growth of each individual their support reaches the community as a whole. Their effort to strive providing each resident with companionship, opportunities to give and receive care is endless and continuous throughout their years of their existence. Changes have taken place at Sherbrooke Community Center since 1960; in their third stage of construction they have included a living environment for 103 residents plus a chapel, auditorium, community day program space, a gift shop and coffee kiosk, a child day care, and therapy areas. Castle Designer Glass is proud to be in support of Sherbrooke Community Center by contributing materials, resources and time to one of their splendid projects. The Community Center with talented artists (who have taken art to a new level) will be using materials for the creation of a mosaic that will hang in its chapel.

One of a Kind Custom Made Furniture/Product or Art Piece Just the Way You Like It

Having a hard time finding the perfect furniture/product piece or art piece for your home, office, school, or business? Well forget about shopping and have your furniture or art piece custom made. There are many benefits of having a custom made anything….. For example a custom made suit can fit perfectly to shape your body. Similarly, custom made furniture/product or a custom made art piece can fit perfectly within your home, office, school or business decor. Furthermore, when made correctly custom made pieces can cost the same or even less than shopping retail. Secondly, buying custom made rather than retail can be more satisfying, assuming it is made correctly because the final product is exactly what you wanted regardless if the piece is used for aesthetic or functional purposes. Moreover, having a piece custom made provides you with plenty of options and plenty of choices while lending room for creativity and imagination. Lastly, the overall feeling of getting something tailored; specifically to your needs or/and wants, being a part of the process or having a unique item, has made many turn from shopping retail to shopping custom-made. On the other hand, many designers would suggest that if you decide to go in the direction of having items custom made it is better to do some homework to make sure that what you want is what you will receive as a final product. Castle Designer Glass understands the notion that every customer is unique and therefore items are custom and uniquely made to fit the necessary needs and wants of each individual. Don’t have the time or experience to do your homework or find ways of making it fit in size, color or taste – Don’t fret; our artists work hand in hand with you and your staff to meet the specific demands of your project, no matter how large or small. We arrange a meeting to discuss how we can help you create a one-of-a-kind space, help you with colors, textures and size throughout the project. Once the project is completed even installation is provided by us. As for choice we offer textures, depths, patterns, shapes, and designs that are endless and most importantly each piece is unique and one-of-a-kind.

The Hidden Benefits of Art in Your Environment

I bet that the room you are presently standing in has everything from functional to practical; perhaps something is missing? Is there any art in the room that is pleasing or catches your eye? If you don’t already know… a piece of art in your home, chalet, business office, restaurant or school can provide some hidden benefits. It is stated that pieces of art displayed around your environment gives you a sense of culture, relaxation, improves cognitive functions, and even improves one's self-esteem. In an office environment a piece of art provides a cozy welcome to customers and clients; it can help also communicate your company’s brand values; but most importantly it can provide life to dead spaces and energize colleagues and employees. If you are a mom, “Introducing your child to art can play a pivotal role in your child's development. Art can help develop a child's creativity, imagination, cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, fine motor skills, and much more.” Furthermore, it can help your child with their boredom and your stress levels. For example, your little one can channel their energy by painting a picture instead of bouncing up and down and all around. If you are new to the world of art, don’t stress art comes in many forms from paintings to sculptures and even figurines. Choose a piece of art that can blend nicely with the colors, the textures and the decor already in place; this is always a great way to start. If you wish to try using art that is unique, why not use glass and art at the same time. Castle Designer Glass provides unique freestanding glass art that can be a great piece for any room at home, business, etc. Glass art is only limited by the size of the kiln, allowing for large free-standing pieces (often displayed with custom made stands to hold them upright). Any variety of texture, paint, and frosting is applied to create the desired effects, and large pieces such as these serve well as room dividers and conversation pieces. They are best seen in person for their sheer scale and impressiveness. Visit our examples of freestanding glass art already made at http://www.castledesignerglass.com/category/22-glass-art-freestanding-other.html

Incorporating an Art Glass Logo in Your Retail or Commerce Business Today

The competitive market of standing out in today’s market is sometimes a difficult and always necessary task. In the retail and in the commerce business alike sometimes a logo is the critical breaking point of distinguishing your service and products from your competitors. What should your logo represent you may be asking? Well a logo is a graphic representation of your company so it is important that it illustrates or represents your company correctly; reducing the amount of confusion to customers when they see your company’s logo. In other words “A strong logo can do wonders for the image of your company, not to mention how your logo affects your brand recognition and marketing strategies.” Think about it…, your logo is sometimes the first contact a consumer has with your company. A logo has the power to create brand recognition before you have even a chance of interacting with a potential customer. Your logo should not only represent your company, it should be unforgettable. When choosing your logo pay attention to colors that you choose and the font you wish to incorporate. If you are not an expert at putting colors and icons together, get some advice and feedback. Ask relatives, how they feel when they hear and see your logo; do they get a sense of understanding of what your company does; and most importantly does your logo provide a feel of positivity. If family does not help find a professional they can surely help the process of finding a perfect logo for your needs. Castle Designer Glass provides glass signage and logos for your retail, commerce business and even your home. Glass signs and logos that you choose can be created with any logo and color scheme, incorporating textures, paint, or a variety of styles. They are easily wall-mounted with stylish clips, or directly mounted on a wall or in a wall cut-out. This is definitely a unique way to brand your company, or even put numbers on your house; allowing you to stand out from the crowd, and leaving an unforgettable first impression. Visit us at http://www.castledesignerglass.com/category/15-glass-signage-and-logos.html

Make a Difference in the World by Helping Dogs in Need

Have you ever had a dog that you weren’t able to take care of? Or your dog had to undergo an expensive medical treatment and you couldn’t afford to pay for it? The Konan Koalition, www.thekonankoalition.com, is a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan-based non-profit organization that was created by Doug Ramage, to help individuals and families financially when their dog requires expensive, emergency services and/or surgery. It serves Western Canadian communities and has helped families from Winnipeg, MB to Saltspring Island, BC. It was created because of Doug’s dog Konan was misdiagnosed with torn ACL's in two of his legs on Feb 14th, 2011. Although the surgery to have them repaired was expensive, the family’s love for Konan made them proceed with the operation. The Konan Koalition has two goals: 1) Mitigating unnecessary pain and suffering in animals that cannot access veterinary treatment because of financial constraints facing their owners 2) Assisting pet owners in making animal care decisions based upon the needs of the animal rather than financial limitations. Helping pet owners in this way will go a long way to reduce unnecessary euthanasia. Konan was one lucky dog, many others aren’t. For the most part the organization raises money for families facing expensive, emergency vet bills through the sales of Koalition clothing and accessories. You can visit the online store at http://the-konan-koalition.myshopify.com/collections/all But it isn’t always enough, and that’s why Castle Designer Glass is getting involved. In order to help the Konan Koalition raise funds to continue their amazing work, on Thursday, February 14, 2013 Castle Designer Glass will be holding a public fundraising event at its facilities where it will give 15% of its sales towards helping the organization with its operations costs. Please set aside this special day in your calendar to help us make a difference in the community it can make a world of difference for a Canadian family with a sick animal. For more information about how you can help the Konan Koalition, please visit http://thekonankoalition.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/KonanKoalition. Please feel free to contact us at CastleDesignerGlass@gmail.com or call us at (306) 477-0098 for more details.

Are You Thinking of Putting your Home for Sale in 2013?

As the holiday season is now wrapped up, we are comfortably returning to our work schedule routine and look forward to a great start of a new year. In Saskatoon there is prediction that “commodity prices, base metals and energy prices will improve this year as the global economy picks up," says BMO Capital Markets senior economist Sal Guatieri. Sal continues speaking on BMO's Canadian Housing Outlook for 2013, and states that Saskatchewan is on solid economic ground, which in turn bodes well for the housing sector. Read more at http://www.thestarphoenix.com/business/Housing+market+stay+strong+2013/7793585/story.html. Moreover, despite absence of job growth we saw a healthy and strong market activity in the fourth quarter especially among single-family homes. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation highlights; “Moving forward, price gains from previous years will continue to encourage more homeowners to list their homes.” Therefore, MLS expects sales to continue to advance in 2013. If the possibility is running through your mind of maybe putting your house on the market there are some ideas that can help you add more value to your home allowing you to increase your asking price. For example, you can increase the amount of light that enters your home. Furthermore, you can remodel your basement or create a home office increasing space in your home. If you do not have an extra room the possibility of a glass divider can come into play. Castle Designer Glass offers glass dividers with patterns that can often span several panels, and when installed side by side can create a fantastic room divider, viewable from both sides. Thick paint and texture will create privacy, and varying amounts of light can be let through depending on the desired application. Lastly, products of glass such as: glass backsplashes, glass counters, decorative glass walls, glass door inserts, glass shower doors, and glass railings can be added to your kitchen, bathroom and surrounding areas of your home. This can help increase the value of your home and in turn allow you to increase your asking price when putting your home on the market. Please feel free to contact us at http://www.castledesignerglass.com/category/6-glass-dividers.html for any questions regarding adding glass elements to your home. Wishing you all the best in the New Year!!!

The Benefits of Art Glass as a New Hobby for the New Year!

Art glass is an artistic object that can have a purpose or can be used simply for decoration. There are many different techniques when it comes to art glass, for example, stained glass windows, glass blowing, sandblasted glass and copper foil work. “Art glass has grown in popularity over recent years with many artists becoming famous because of their work, and also as a result of colleges that offer courses in glass work. Many amateurs now undertake making art glass as a hobby.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_glass Making glass art has many positive attributes; it can be a rewarding hobby learning a new technique and using your glass art once finished is equally rewarding. Secondly, if you find yourself continuously bored or nervous making glass art can keep you busy and calm while bringing out a creative side you thought you never had. Thirdly, making glass art can also get you out of the house and provide social interaction - by meeting new people if you consider taking a group class learning all the techniques needed to create your glass art. Furthermore, you can make unique glass art items for family and friends which make great Christmas or Birthday presents. Also, if you see that you have a great talent in producing glass art you may even be able to sell your piece to earn a little extra income. Most important of all, making glass art as a hobby offers many pleasant hours of enjoyment and fun. As we end this year and enter 2013 maybe a new hobby for the New Year is exactly what you need to have a little fun while acquiring a new skill and who knows maybe meeting a new interesting friend! Castle Designer Glass works hand in hand with designers, architects, contractors, and corporations to produce unique and elegant glass installations. Commercial installations include hotel lobbies, casino wall murals, restaurant feature walls, and many other functional and artistic designs. Our artists work hand in hand with your staff to meet all your specific needs of your project, no matter how large or small. Please don’t hesitate to e-mail Castle Designer Glass today for any questions related to glass or glass art at http://www.castledesignerglass.com/contact.html

Interior Home Door Decor

What does every home have? If you answered a toaster think again. The answer I was looking for was interior doors. Regardless if we rent or buy a new home or existing home we tend to overlook interior home door décor. The reason may be that the home already came with those plain white or traditional rustic wood color doors and they are efficient enough that décor does not even cross our minds. On the other hand, changing interior doors can indeed alter the way the room looks. Unique materials and innovative design can make a door not just a privacy provider or room separator, but also an integral part of a room's décor, creating beautiful homes. “A beautiful door is one of those subtle necessities that can make a big difference in your home's style. Like trim or molding, most doors go fairly unnoticed, but they can have a dramatic effect on the look of the room. Since most of us purchase or rent homes with the doors already installed, we often look right past them.” Furthermore, interior doors are a vital part of a home, just like choosing the right palette for your walls, your choice of furnishings, decorative items, and lighting. Choosing an interior door you have a wide selection of styles, materials and diversity of colors and with a little thought a right choice of interior door can significantly improve the look of your dwelling! Castle Designer Glass over the years has replaced in homes regular mundane doors. We see doors with glass inserts all the time- but imagine your plain door with custom one-of-a-kind glass artwork installed, rather than plain clear or frosted glass! Possibilities are endless, as individual panels can be created to your specifications, and installed in your current doors. Both interior and exterior applications are possible, such as front doors, pantry doors, cupboards/cabinets, closets, bathrooms, bedrooms, and more.

When Lightning Creates Glass

If you haven’t already seen the movie “Sweet Home Alabama” you missed out on some beautiful glass sculptures. Sculptures are made naturally when lightning hits the sand making the sand hot enough; transforming glass in the natural shape of lightning forms. When lightning hits sand we will see a shape of fragile rock called fulgurite being created. The University of Florida’s Dr. Vladimir A. Rakov stated that, “there are two phenomena that are responsible for making natural glass on Earth: meteorites and lightning.” Glass that is made as a result of the collision of a meteorite with the Earth's surface is called meteoritic glass or tektite. Glass (a glassy object, to be exact) that is made as a result of a cloud-to-ground lightning discharge is called a fulgurite (from the Latin "fulgur" which means lightning). Fulgurites come in a great variety of forms and can be viewed as “nature's own works of art.” Although this is fascinating, I would not suggest you try it yourself using a rod, a bucket and pure composites such as silca, quarts and carbon, as it is very dangerous and not the easiest way to making glass or beautiful glass items for your home. The architectural glass used in your home comes in different shapes and sizes. If you are in need of a change maybe using glass for your stairs, balconies and decks could be the answer. Today, glass is the hottest trend to take hold of the industry. Glass is often used as railings on stairs, balconies, and decks for its tough components because it is easy-to-maintain and makes any space seem larger. At Castle Designer Glass, we can custom design and install any style of glass railing in your space. Combinations of texture, paint, and frosting can be used to create a design to match your unique application. If you’d like a custom quote; visit us at http://www.castledesignerglass.com/category/11-glass-railings.html

Redecorating or Remodeling Your Bathroom with Glass

Planning on redecorating or remodeling your bathroom? Maybe you wish to only add some color towels and hang a work of art to bring a little pop to detail. On the other hand, if remodeling is an option and getting a new shower or bath tub is in the future plans; did you ever think of incorporating glass into your design? Remodeling your bathroom has many benefits. For one if your bathroom is outdated with wall to ceiling pink tiles maybe a little revamping would not hurt. As we quickly approach to a new year, a new concept might be more appealing to your household. There are many benefits of remodeling your bathroom besides improving the appearance of your bathroom. Don’t get me wrong it is very important that your bathroom should reflect the ideal place to unwind and relax while you either take a shower or a bath and pleases whose ever eyes while entering-in. On the other hand, at the same time, you can increase your home in value and make better use of space. An increase in home value is one of the biggest benefits you'll enjoy when you remodel your bathroom. “When you remodel the bathroom, you end up with an even better home, and larger remodeling projects can really make a difference in the amount that your home is worth.” Another benefit is that you can make better use of space; choosing what goes where and what does not belong can be finally pushed aside allowing you to make the best out of the space you have. Remodeling is a great idea if you wish to create a pleasing and relaxing environment; increase the value to your home and make better use of space. Adding a touch of glass and art will only make it better. Glass is one of the easiest surfaces to keep clean, and as such, can be a fantastic artistic touch to any shower stall. Clear glass can be embellished with glass elements, frosting, or painting, and back-painted panels can serve as shower walls. Picture yourself showering while surrounded by a serene piece of art, such as a waterfall scene, a let me know how relaxing that would be! At Castle Designer Glass we provide glass shower doors and walls that can be incorporated in your bathroom redecorating or remodeling project. If you wish to remodel your bathroom and would like to add a modern, unique, and glass touches come take a look at our shower doors and walls we have to offer at: http://www.castledesignerglass.com/category/5-shower-doors-and-walls.html