Transparent Dreams Stained Glass & Beveled Glass

One-of-a-kind Stained Glass Gifts to Fit Every Occasion and Every Budget!

Welcome to the Gifts Page.  The purpose of this page is to:

So, the time has come, as it does for us all, when the special people in your life deserve a truly special gift! You are, indeed, fortunate to have found my web site. I specialize in creating artworks that reflect the interests and tastes of the receiver(s) as well as the thought and care of the giver(s).

The following is a short FAQ specific to stained glass gifts from Transparent Dreams:

  1. Are your artworks suitable as gifts for all occasions? Yes! Since every stained glass gift that I make is a one-of-a-kind artwork, part of the process is getting your input, then creating just the artwork that satisfies all of your needs and desires. Although my Gallery has many images of artworks that are for sale right now, you are also free to order a totally unique, let's-start-from-scratch gift. I am available to make suggestions based on the decades of experience that I have with this artistic medium, but I will always begin by listening to your ideas and asking you questions that will help you and I to become clear on what you think the perfect gift would be.

  2. Can I afford your artworks? I think so. Whatever the occasion, your desire for giving a truly unique and personalized gift has brought you to this page. I think of it as my job to help you explore every possibility for making an affordable (but incredible!) stained glass gift a reality.

    My suggestion is that you decide upon the ideal sum you would like to spend on this special gift. Then contact me with information that includes [1] the occasion, [2] any ideas you have concerning the gift, and [3] the amount of money you wish to not go above. This will make it easy for me to respond in one of two ways. I will either contact you with ideas about how we can make that gift a reality or I will contact you say that I cannot help you for the amount you want to spend. Usually, I do find a satisfactory way to accomodate those who approach me in this manner. I'll be happy to do the same for you!

  3. Still, what determines the actual price of a gift you might make for me? The biggest factor contributing to the price is the intricacy of the design, which determines the amount of time I will spend designing and creating your gift. More intricate designs take longer to create, so they cost more; less intricate designs cost less.

    Intricacy of design is determined by two factors. The first  factor is the number of separate pieces of glass per square foot. Designs with small pieces of glass (more pieces per square foot) take more time, thus are more expensive. Designs with larger pieces take less time, thus are less expensive. The second contributing factor is the shape of those pieces. Shapes composed of straight lines are the fastest to produce. Shapes composed of soft curves take a bit longer. Shapes composed of wavy lines and/or sharp curves take the longest to produce.

    There are also two lesser factors contributing to the price of an artwork: [1] the size of the artwork and [2] optional material costs. Larger artworks cost more than smaller ones. However, if the same design were doubled in size (say, from one square foot to two square feet), the cost would go up but would not double because the number of pieces per square foot would go down. "Optional material costs" refers to inclusions such as beveled glass pieces, faceted glass "jewels", sandblasted glass, expensive imported glasses, or other fantastic additions. I rarely charge a mark-up on such optional items... I merely add on the wholesale cost that I pay for these options.

    Visit my Gallery to get a better idea of what costs what (the artworks that are for sale list their sizes and prices). You can also go to my Commission Process page, which is designed for people who are commissioning stained glass or beveled glass for their own home or business setting and has more detailed information on pricing as well.

  4. How long does it take to make a one-of-a-kind gift in stained glass? My artworks take a bit longer to make because there is design-time in every one-of-a-kind commission, whereas a production-line gift was designed long ago and has been made many times since. On the other hand, I am the fastest stained glass artists I know! This is probably because I have over three decades of experience and I have developed techniques that allow me to produce flawless craftsmanship quickly and consistently. All of this combines to give you the dependability of getting the perfect gift in the very shortest time possible. To get an estimate of how long it will take to have your gift ready for shipping, figure on about two days for every $100 of the value of the artwork.

  5. Do I have to know exactly what I want in a stained glass gift? Heck no! You don't even have to have a vague idea of what you want! All your really have to know is that you want to commission a great stained or beveled glass artwork, what the occasion is, and approximately how much you want to spend.

    One of the big advantages you get from working with me is that I will guide you through the whole process! It may go a bit quicker if you do have some idea of what you want, but we'll get it done in time either way! (Unless you need it tonight... in which case I can only suggest that I fax or email a Transparent Dreams Gift Certificate to the lucky recipient!) In fact, most people who think they have no idea of what to get actually discover (with my help) that they really do have a lot of good ideas. My task is to ask you just the right questions in order to bring out your knowledge of the recipient(s), the occasion, the setting where the artwork will reside, etc.  And hey!... I'm very good at that!

  6. Once the gift is made, can it be shipped safely? Yes, it can! Although stained glass is fragile, safe shipping requires only the proper attention to packaging or crating and the proper choice of a shipper. With every purchase of my stained glass you will always get proper packing or crating, the best shipper for the size and special requirements of the artwork, and insurance to cover the unexpected.

    Other options are also available for an additional cost, such as personal delivery and installation by me. While this is often advisable for very large or very expensive artworks, almost any artwork can be safely shipped if packaged or crated properly and entrusted to a reliable shipper. The shipper I use most often is a bit more expensive than your typical big-name shippers, but they have a 100% success record with getting my artowrks to my clients in pristine form. They are sufficiently confident in what they do that they insure all of my artworks for full value when some other shippers will not.

  7. But why should I have you make this gift instead of someone else? I'm glad you brought that up... it tells me you care about comparison shopping for the best quality, price, etc. Here's a recap of what you'll get with every purchase from Transparent Dreams Glass Studio:

Say I'm ready... what do I do next? The magenta-dotted links below will provide you with the relevant options. Select one of them to move the process forward. Note: Selecting the first option will take you to a form that will allow you to quickly communicate to me the current state of your gift-giving needs, thoughts, and desires, and to ask more questions at the same time.

"I had seen Mark Stine's stained glass about a year before at an art show. Mark's stained glass is the best I have ever seen! I remembered to contact him when our congregation had occasion to get our Rabbi a special gift. Mark helped us to come up with a wonderful idea for a hanging stained glass that would show the Flatirons [definitive mountains just outside of Boulder CO] with the Hebrew word "Chai" [meaning "life"] written on the clouds. Mark's drawing was excellent, and I believe he helped us to see that some changes we suggested would not only be ineffective, but would raise the cost above our budget. Mark helped us to select wonderful glass for this gift. He was well ahead of schedule in making the stained glass. I thought it was truly magnificent, and our Rabbi was very moved by our caring enough to go to the trouble of having this gift made, which, thanks to Mark, was really no trouble at all! She hangs it in her home, and has commented to me many times about how much she adores it. A stained glass from Mark Stine's studio was really the perfect gift."

Harriet B., Boulder CO

 I'm ready to place an order or get a price quote on a fantastic stained glass gift!

 I want to visit the Gallery for some gift ideas and to see artworks that are ready and waiting!

 I have general questions that might be answered at your FAQ Page.

 I've scoured your site, but still have a specific question for which I have found no answer.

 I'd like to return to the Main Menu on your Home Page.

 I'd like to read what other gift buyers have to say about your gifts.

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