Contestant's Case to Win

My name is Heidi Urbanski, and I make stained glass angels, jewelry, and art. My suncatchers have soul, and my jewelry can be as unique and interesting as you are. I specialize in making custom jewelry and suncatchers that are affordable, and in this economy, that is important.
I started working with stained glass about a 3 years ago. I had all of the supplies and tools, packed away in the basement, they were my Moms. She passed away 13 years ago, but that is another story.
The first thing I made was the most hideous flower you have ever seen. I started playing with the glass, saw an angel, and the rest, as they say, is history.
I use the copper foil technique. I take pieces of glass that I find, old glass that no one else wants (I like to think of it as recycling), wrap the glass in copper foil, brush the glass with flux, and begin to solder.
The flux is like the glue that holds the solder to the foil. I use a soldering iron to melt the solder along the pieces of glass, and to bring the pieces together.
I started making jewelry to expand my horizons and stretch my imagination. I love adding wire to a piece to give it an interesting touch. Sometimes if a piece of glass isn't quite right, I whack it with a hammer. Elegant, huh?
The entire process is a visual and tactile experience for me. It starts in my imagination, and ends with my finished, tangible piece of art.