The very first houses were built of glass, giving homeowners 20/20 views of birds and their neighbors’ catapults and meat piles. Go glassy on a smaller scale with today’s Groupon for a glassblowing session at Sonoran Glass Art Academy, one of the only full-service glassblowing schools in the Southwest. Get down to the nitty-gritty of furnace glassblowing as you create a roughly four-inch holiday ornament in less than half an hour. You’ll choose the color and style of your ornament, then assist your instructor in the process of creating it by blowing air into your piece and molding the glass. Pieces are available for pickup two days after the session, or Sonoran can mail them to you in a glass box. Classes are open to ages 5 and up, and can accommodate up to 25 people. While you’re at Sonoran, check out its gallery of creative glass sculptures made by instructors and students.

Reviews

The Sonoran Glass Art Academy has been featured twice in the Arizona Daily Star: once for its classes and once for its glassmithe, Karl Taylor.