Up so Early!

I find myself awake way too early this morning.  Everyone is still sleeping away and my body is asking me what I was thinking.

Yeah, I was thinking that I get to unload the kiln this morning! 

Here's the bisque load from Saturday.  My daughter made a pile of Butterfly pendants because she's going to make a "ton of Money"  and buy some glitter shoes or help our neighbor buy a kitten, LOL  What a cutie!

Here are a few glazed beads and buttons made from Low Fire clay

And here are a few new pieces made from white stoneware and porcelain clays.  This is today's new work.  Funny how I like to mix it up so much.  It is hard to tell what clay it was made from in the end, but it moves differently when it is wet.

Here's some bright red stuff.... I was going for another Margie Deeb Fall/winter combo Lipstick red and a golden yellow/orange color whose name escapes me...

Still working away to get ready for Bead Fest Philly!   I will be downstairs in a big old corner booth across from the Artisan tables.  I still don't know how I am going to set up my display.  I will have to get to work on that :-)

New work

Soooo, I glaze fired some new beads.  Margie Deeb's Colors reports come so very highly reccomended and I saw that the Fall/winter one was just released as I was sipping my coffee and trying to rack my brain about what colors to use for my fresh work....  So, it was meant to be.  I bought myself my first color report and printed it right up and out to the kiln I went.  I only have cetain colors in my studio and it was hard to match some of the colors that Margie suggested, but I think I came pretty close to finding a match for the Woodbine, Lagoon, and Endive colors.  What do you think?

Also good news on my hurt thumb.  It healed up enough that I can use a few different bandaging products and throw for a few minutes at a time.  :-)  This makes me feel better about my plans.... because I am able to work again!    I certainly was scared when I wasn't able to do anything.  At least now I can work.............  and I am not sitting on my hands :-)

How are you this fine day?

Bali Necklace by Gunilla--GBKORU on Etsy!

Look at this "Bali" Necklace by gbkoru on Etsy! 

Ceramic pendant from Chinook Jewelry.

Ceramic connectors from Artisan Clay.

Lampwork disc from Blue Seraphim.

Glass beads, olive jade, red howlite, golden jade, red aventurine, brass

The necklace is about 47 cm + 5 cm long, about 19".

That's an Artisan Clay connector right there! 

I really really love this necklace! 

Go check it out!-http://www.etsy.com/listing/41232861/bali

Just look at those colors!

Trunk Show at Off The Beading Path!

How could I forget to tell you?

 I'm having a Trunk Show!!! This month you can find a large selection of my work at Off the Beading Path-- 310 Mill Street Suite E,  Occoquan, VA 22125

All the goodies pictured here and more have been lovingly packed up and shipped out to the shop.

If you are in the Virginia, South DC area stop on by and help Denise celebrate her 2nd anniversary and tell her I sent you!

New Decal Links and Pendants!

I unloaded the kiln today.  I have finally got back around to trying some of the decals I started early this spring when I took a workshop on the subject.  This photo is the finished pieces after their third kiln firing.  Notice the decals have turned slightly brownish/sepia after firing.

I almost forgot to take a "before" photo.  Here they are as I was walking them out to the kiln shed to be fired.  Here they are dark black.  The firing burns off some of the ingredients of the printer ink and leaves the iron of the ink behind.... Iron is usually a brownish/reddish color when used as a ceramic colorant.

I love the summer!  I love my garden! I couldn't help taking a photo on my way to load the kiln ;-)  (There is my abused apple tree I mentioned last post)  -ok -ok back to the beads ---

I don't know if you remember, but just after my Decal workshop I did a post about the workshop and said I would share my results...... and my kiln promptly broke during the decal firing.  These are the pieces that were in that kiln load.  The kiln never shut off and totally over fired at that time.  The decal is mostly burnt off and missing in spots.  That is not what I was going for, I just put the photo in for educational purposes :-)

Here is the original blog post on the workshop--http://artisanclay.blogspot.com/2010/02/potters-exchange-decal-workshop.html

I did not buy my decal paper myself, nor print it.  I was able to print a few of my prepared designs on the instructor's printer during the workshop.   I believe that the decal paper was @ $1 a sheet, or it can be printed for you from some website.  I have not looked into that yet...... But I am almost out of decals ;-(