Stained glass provides mesmerizing hobby for Canadian "snowbird"

MADELINEDEJOURNETTadvancensc@sbcglobal.net Rita Zylowski, an accomplished glass crafter from Georgia, adds the finishing touches to a decorative piece of stained glass designed by her friend Lillian Lalande.

Newcomers to the southwest Florida "snowbird" community of Woodsmoke Camping Resort in Ft. Myers, Florida will notice that many of the 600 or so campers and park models have artistic stepping stones decorating their sites.

Lillian Lalande, a native of Niagra on the Lake, Ontario, is one of the many Canadian "snow birds" who spend the winter in the mild, sunny climate of southwest Florida.

For several years, she and her husband have migrated from the icy north to Ft. Myers, where they own a "park model" at Woodsmoke, a 45-year-old campground which caters to all manner of mobile and stationary homes.

MADELINEDEJOURNETTadvancensc@sbcglobal.net Lillian Lalande's vacation home at the Woodsmoke camping resort in Ft. Myers, Florida is surrounded by the products of her creativity and energy. Her artwork graces the front yards of most of the long-time Woodsmoke "snowbirds," who spend half the year in the warmth of southwest Florida. Lillian and her husband are from Niagra on the Lake, Ontario.

There, in the mild temperatures on her back porch, Lalande combines colorful stained glass and concrete to make stepping stones, which her customers prop up on metal stands to display in their flower gardens and yards. Her favorite subjects are the birds, butterflies, and flowers she sees around her. One stone even features a pebbly-skinned alligator.

"Some of the glass is very difficult to work with," Lalande says. "I save every scrap. The pieces can always be used in another project."

Several residences have customized stones. The faces of pet dogs and cats look out from some of the concrete pieces.

MADELINEDEJOURNETTadvancensc@sbcglobal.net On a rare cool day in January, the glass-crafting ladies of the Woodsmoke camping resort gather at the Tiki Hut to work on their stained glass projects. The setting also provides an occasional glimpse of the wildlife which frequents the lake.

Lalande recently sold a concrete bench decorated with hummingbirds. She is now working on another.

Recently, Lalande branched out into stained glass.

"My first piece had some problems with the lead soldering, so I was glad that a friend of mine was coming in from Georgia this month," said Lalande. "She's been an instructor for several years; in fact, she conducted a class here at the campground last year. I wasn't sure what to do about some holes in the piece I was working on, and she showed me how to fill them."

MADELINEDEJOURNETTadvancensc@sbcglobal.net Georgia stained glass instructor Rita Zylowski gives Lillian Lalande pointers on how to correct some soldering problems with her stained glass piece. The women spend several months each year at the Woodsmoke camping resort in Ft. Myers, Florida, where they work with other glass crafters from around the country.

Rita Zylowski, Lillian's friend, is from Georgia and has been working with stained glass for a number of years. While she was at the campground in January, 2014, she advised several of the crafting ladies, who met at a popular gathering place called the Tiki Hut, where they worked at picnic tables. In the background, herons gathered on the nearby lake to look for small fish.

Rita and Lillian explain some of the intricacies of stained glass crafting to this reporter.

First, it is an expensive craft. As the ladies gather with their materials, it is easy to see that the glass and the soldering medium are not cheap. A grinder is also necessary. Lalande keeps one at both her Florida home and her home in Canada.

Second, they explain that lead will not attach to glass, so they must use a strip of foil in between the two.

Third, the soldering requires a steady hand to direct the heating rod over the solder, creating a "bead" that can be drawn along a line.

Fourth, since lead will oxidize, a patina must be applied over it.

Somewhere in the process, a product called "flux" is used, though this reporter lost track of which step is involved.

The creativity and beauty of the glass craft is an appealing one, and it is easy to see why so many of the Woodsmoke ladies are mesmerized by the mystery of the stained glass.

This reporter left Florida with a beautiful, handcrafted stepping stone, featuring her black cat Tybalt. It will be a fitting souvenir for a wonderful visit with the lovely glass-crafting ladies of Woodsmoke.