Dear Stained Glass Fans:

I have been busy planning something special for all of you!

We are having a stained glass competition at our shop! This is the first time we have done this and I can hardly wait to see all the projects that will be entered. Here are the details:

You must have your pieces registered between May 2-July 1st. There will be an artist's reception on July 7th. The size limit is no larger than 24"X 24". You may have one entry per person per category. The four categories are: foiled, leaded, fused and mosaic. The entry fee is $10 per piece. Your entries will be on display at The Glass Garden from July 10-28th.

The day of final judging will be July 28th, and winners will receive cash prizes! The 1st place prize in each category will be $200, 2nd place prize in each category will be $100. There will also be a People's Choice Prize of 25% off glass purchase.

Registration forms will be available soon on our website and at the store. Please email me at judy@eglassgarden.com to be notified once they are ready!

--Judy Shumway

Why Do We Say It?

Hooch - Where did we get the word "hooch" as a synonym for strong drink?

From Alaska. When America acquired Alaska in 1867, a small body of troops were sent into the territory. Since the soldiers were forbidden to bring any alcoholic beverages along with them, they set up their own stills and brewed a very powerful drink from sugar and flour. The Alaskan natives called this drink hoochinoo---the name by which it was known until the gold rush to the Klondike; then hoochinoowas changed to "hooch".

Half-Cocked. Where does the expression "go off half-cocked" come from?

From hunting. A gun at half cock is in the safety position: it cannot be fired. But a hunter may, in his excitement at sighting game, raise the gun to his shoulder and pull the trigger while still "half-cocked". Nothing happens. And so, "to go off half-cocked" means to attempt something in a hurry without proper preparation and to fail in achieving the end.

Be sure to complete this quarter’s WORD FIND and bring it into the store before June 1st, 2017, for a chance to win a Glass Quarterly magazine and a $10 Gift Certificate to The Glass Garden!

The downtown Janesville Wine Walk last fall was a success, so Janesville is having it again. On May 20th, 1-5pm come join us downtown Janesville for shopping and a little wine.