Still can't get over how well this commission plate came out. I have been stressing about lemons and sunflowers for a few months, but it came out better than I could have hoped. Now the big thing will be shipping it to Arizona without it breaking!
I have a bunch of tests in here with the new Clayscapes glazes on a few different clay bodies. I made the decision to cut corners and not sieve. It wasn't a good decision, but it is what it is. It's hidden on the texture, but my ramen bowl is speckled in ways I did not plan. I'll need to go back and sieve them, but they are beautiful. They didn't quite come through on the Brown Bear. I think I might try another batch with 2 dips instead of one.
A good number of the crabs made it into this kiln and they look amazing as always.
This was my second time at Michael Harbridge's workshop and once again it was absolutely fantastic. Michael runs Learn Fired Arts and I have a lot of his products. This workshop is an opportunity to learn different ways to use them as well as get together with other like minded clay people. We did a ton of projects over 2.5 days and ate some amazing food all cooked by Michael's wife Jeannine.
This first project was on provided bisque and we added a gloss glaze before adding a raku glaze.
I absolutely love how it came out.
This pumpkin and witch hat will eventually come together into one piece.
This is my very first birdhouse. It was a little soft at the time so it's being held up so it wouldn't sag. It eventually firmed up and looks great.
How cute is this mushroom! I can't wait to make more and put them in my garden.
This year we also got to do some glass work. Here is the before of my bowl.
Here is the after - it almost looks like a butterfly. I wish I could say tat it was planned, but its just a happy accident. We also learned how to stamp the outside of the bowl with multiple colors using Colors for Earth. I will definitely be using more stamps in the future.
This the before of a glass test. We uses liquid glass and painted it on.
Michael added a piece of top glass and fired it. Now it's either a small coaster or a paperweight, but it is cool looking.
This dragonfly was also a piece of bisque that we used non-fired techniques on. Michael helped me with the eyes, but they weren't nearly as hard as I thought they'd be.
I love how shimmery it is in the sun.
This little piggy is a planter. The project was a turtle, but I made a pig. There were also sheep and a cat. I want to make a whole menagerie for my garden.
I am really hoping the pig tail survives the trip because it's so cute.
This last piece is one that Michael made. He made a bunch and raku fired them and then we played lets make a deal as we opened the can. I definitely got the best one!
I don't know where I got this yarn, but I had 2 skeins of it. It's Malabrigo 108 Chia that's a worsted weight yarn that has about 210 yards per skein.
The pattern is just half double crochet and then 2 chains back and forth until the yarn runs out. Nothing fancy in the stitches, but still looks really pretty.
My calla lily candle holders are one of my most consisent sellers of my more art type pieces. I intentionally make them all slightly different. My goal isn't consistentcy, it's that each set is unique.
The first one I make always starts off rather rough. I have to remember how to roll them. By the time I've done the 3rd or 4th I have it down. The biggest key to these is to not try to do it when the clay is too wet or they will not stand. This is true of anything that's taller than about 3-4 inches. You want the clay to still be moldable, but have stiffened up enough to hold the weight.
I ordered these daffodil cutters from De La Designs a few weeks ago and I couldn't wait to start making things with them. The first thing I've made is these candle holders. I think they're super cute.
I think I'm also going to make some garden stakes with them in the near future.
I also realized that the cutter looks like a Star of David and realized that opens up some interesting possibilities as well.