SIMPLE JOYS. Lynn Peloquin, pictured, never thought she'd become an entrepreneur, let alone the owner of an arts-based business. After opening Glaze N' Glass Creations in 2015, the quaint local spot has become quite the small-town gem.

It may be an after-effect from COVID-19 shutdowns or the result of social media fatigue; whatever the reason, crafting is back in a big way for folks of all ages. However, for Chippewa Falls native Lynn Peloquin, neither of those reasons are behind her introduction to ceramics and glass fusing.

“I have a degree in accounting but I quit my job to take care of my parents. Eventually they had both passed away, and I thought, ‘I’d like to try something a little different,’ ” Lynn recalled during a recent interview.

On the edge of one chapter, poised to enter another, Lynn decided to visit her niece, who had just opened up a shop north of Minnesota’s Twin Cities. The business, a paint-your-own pottery shop, was brand new to Lynn, who hadn’t picked up a paintbrush since she was high school aged.

“I liked the setup, and when I sat down to paint, I thought ‘yep, this is what I would like to do,’ ” Lynn said.

For her, a life pivot to ‘something a little different’ wasn’t simply dabbling in a new hobby – it was entrepreneurship.

Lynn stayed with her niece for about four months, learning the ins and outs; how to operate a kiln and effectively fire ceramics and glass art. Returning to the Chippewa Valley with a newfound passion and an itch to start anew, she opened Glaze N’ Glass Creations in Eau Claire’s Eastridge Center in 2015.

After about a year, Lynn decided to return to Chippewa Falls. Thankfully, she brought Glaze N’ Glass with her; the business has grown where it was planted, not terribly far from where she grew up near the town’s East Hill neighborhood.

Today, Glaze N’ Glass is tucked away off of Bridge St., nestled within what appears to be a residential home. In a way, it is; Lynn both lives in and runs her business out of the house, a nontraditional commercial space which had lived previous lives as an attorney’s office and real estate office.

Kids (and adults!) can work with "safety glass" – the round, smooth-edged glass pieces – and other pieces to create mosaics, ornaments, sun catchers and more.

 The intimate space comfortable seats about a dozen people – technically, 16 seats are available, Lynn noted – and during the holiday season Lynn is reminded of how cozy the one-floor business can get. After October, Glaze N’ Glass’s hectic season begins (and kicks up again around Mother’s Day, Lynn said).

Customers can simply walk into the business during its open hours and choose their own adventure: paint-your-own pottery or glass fusing projects. For the latter, options span from ornaments to sun catchers to plates and bowls (ornaments, for example, cost about $15-20 to create). For the pottery option, people simply choose one of the many bisque items available, grab their paints of choice, and can get to creating.

Lynn sets customers up with the tools and instructions necessary – naturally, more guidance and instruction is offered to those working on glass fusing projects – and carefully fires each creation once complete. Within about a week or two, folks will be notified and welcomed back to Glaze N’ Glass to pick up their creations.

While Lynn continues to enjoy painting and glasswork, the prized and unexpected joy of her entrepreneurial journey are the interactions with customers.

“I like working with the customers, just showing them the different things that they can do,” Lynn said. “Especially when things look so different (after being fired in the kiln), and to see their faces when they pick up their work – they’re like, ‘it’s so much better than I though it would be!’ That’s really rewarding, seeing people pleased with their work.”

Whether you’re looking for solo creative space or want to try your hand at a new activity with friends and family, keep Glaze N’ Glass Creations in the rotation. Chippewa Falls’ locally owned ceramics and glass space is one of the area’s true hidden gems.

The variety of bisque items available at Glaze N' Glass differs at any given time, offering a new crafting adventure at every visit.

Glaze N' Glass Creations (24 W Cedar St., Chippewa Falls) is open from 10am-5pm, Wednesday-Saturday • Learn more about the business online at www.glazenglass.com and Facebook • For groups, a reservation is recommended • The small business can be reached at (715) 861-7979 or glazenglassfun@gmail.com