Glass is special; it reflects light and looks beautiful. It also appeals to both men and women so serves as a good recognition piece for everyone.
I do a lot of work with large associations that want things other than awards: card holders, goblets, wine bottles in different sizes, butter and cheese trays, etc. Etching on all of these is all food safe and they can go through the dishwasher. Crystal paperweights of any shape make great gifts. One cool thing you can do is smash thick pieces of glass then grind and polish them. You can make mosaics with the pieces or paperweights and use several different colors.
Not only is there a lot you can do with glass and crystal, you can price these items higher because they can be perceived as higher value. They last forever; glass and crystal are high-quality products. If you have a quality item, you have to price it to that perceived value.
-Lori Mitchell, Glastar
