Local business owner teaches customers how to make stained glass art
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Blackfoot woman shares her love of stained glass art with customers
BLACKFOOT – Collecting vintage items and making decorative objects out of stained glass is something Sara Schofield has enjoyed for many years and now she’s sharing that passion with others.
The Riverside woman launched Abodelight in October 2022 at 1241 Parkway Drive in Blackfoot. It’s a business where customers can make their own stained glass art and buy antique housewares.
“A lot of people like to make them for themselves or give them as gifts, but it’s a lot of fun,” Schofield says of the stained glass items. “It takes a couple hours. People come in groups or by themselves to learn a new skill and have some art therapy.”
EastIdahoNews.com watched customers make Valentine’s Day wall hangings Wednesday afternoon. See what it’s like in the video above.
Schofield says the word is out about her shop. Every month brings lots of new faces. People of all ages stop in and many of them become regulars, she says.
Schofield was introduced to stained glass art years ago. She took a continuing education class in Utah and eventually started doing it on her own, selling items on the side.
Opening her own shop has been a dream for a long time, and when she and her husband moved to the area several years ago, he suggested it was time to make it a reality.
“It was really neat to have family support and make my dream come true. I thought the vintage aspect would be bigger, but what’s really taken off are the classes,” says Schofield.
What she loves most is sharing art with people. She forms connections during this process because she spends several hours teaching them, and she’s made many friends along the way.
Jillian Bates knew Schofield before her shop opened. She came in the beginning to support her friend, but it’s since become a place she frequently visits.
“I have seven kids, so my life is loud, and when I come here, it’s quiet and peaceful, and I can do something that’s out of my comfort zone,” Bates says. “It’s fun to take something home that you made yourself.”
Bates highly recommends the experience and encourages people to come and give it a try.
Though customers love the coziness of the shop, Schofield says it’s “bursting at the seams” because of the number of people who attend classes. She’s planning to offer more advanced classes with bigger projects in the near future.
Abodelight is open Thursday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a 5 p.m. closing time Friday and Saturday, but classes are available all week long. The store is open to walk-ins even if a class is in session.
To sign up for a class or learn more, call Schofield at (208) 681-9834. You can also visit the Facebook and Instagram page.
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