Star-Telegram / Southlake Journal

Grapevine glassblowing studio heats up Valentine’s Day
By Marty Sabota
msabota@star-telegram.com

Glass artist Spencer Crouch helps Ashley Redford make a glass rose at Vetro. Juan Guajardo Star-Telegram GRAPEVINE

Adam Redford is a sweet, caring spouse who wanted to find a special experience to celebrate his wife’s 29th birthday and Valentine’s Day that followed three days later.

He heard some people talking at work about something really cool — or make that really hot.

On Feb. 11, Adam and Ashley Redford were making glass flowers at Vetro Glassblowing Studio & Gallery. Vetro is a full working studio in Downtown Historic Grapevine with a team of artisans that hold live glassblowing demonstrations daily.

The Forney couple’s experience was one of the Feb. 11-14 Flaming Cocktail Hot Date Night events Vetro owner David Gappa created for couples and families to make — with a little help, of course — hand-blown glass hearts or flowers.

“After all, nothing says love more than fuel, fire and hot molten glass,” said Gappa, who founded Vetro, which is Italian for glass, in 1999.

Each participant chose colors from four preselected mixes and applied the colors to the hot molten glass. The participant stayed by the glass artist while the colors were heated in the 2,000-degree furnace and then blown out.

Adam opted for a more hands-on approach but when his blue and white flower started “wilting,” professional Spencer Crouch helped out.

“It takes a little bit of skill,” master glass artist Gappa said with a smile.

When it comes to romance, Redford has been creative since Day One.

He planned a proposal at the Tyler Rose Garden in East Texaswith a picnic and a ring hidden in a hollowed out kiwi.
“Ashley picked up the kiwi and threw it to a squirrel,” said Adam, both laughing at the memory. “I ran and got it back and then proposed.”

Ashley, who homeschools their children, ages 4, 8 and 9, said their evening for two at Vetro was romantic and was a perfect choice for her request that Adam find “something different.”

It was really fun,” the mother of three said.
Marty Sabota, 817-390-7367

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