New work, new studio

I was able to fire for the first time in the new space this weekend.  I fired tiles and I tried to get all the lingering custom orders finished.  Some of the orders lingered longer than I liked.  I am glad to get new work made and I am glad to get the space into working order.  We found an old door to use as a big counter and I found some high metal spinning stools for sale for $10 each down the street from the house.  The stools are the perfect height for the counters and have a nice adjustable back to them... and they spin!  Whoot!  That's a bonus.

tidy :-)

Along the back wall are more shelves made into counter space and my tiles molds and clay is all along the bottom shelf across the entire room.....I am so glad that my fellas helped me move all that clay!

My mom made that sculpture for me when I was pregnant with Lydia ;-)

I really like how the colors turned out on my tiles.  I love when I have multiples of the same tile in the studio.  I look forward to the day when I have a space to tile with my own handmade tiles.  For now, these will go to the Tile Gallery.... I live very close to the Moravian Tile works in Doylestown, PA

That's a town known for handmade tile.

Yeah.... I LOVE how they turn out!  I need to make more....

I made some beads too.... The long buttons are an order to be used on a cape.  Isn't that cool?  I love being able to work with other artists :-)

Most of my paintings are still at my old house, but I did find a few painted glass panels that I had started years ago around the garage to decorate the studio and make it feel more like home.

New donuts! 

And last but not least here is the finished glazed fairy sculpture that Sonya gave to my mom for her birthday...  She loves it! 

Into the Studio!

                         
                                                

The Grape-vined Kiln shed
Oh boy! I think this is where I out myself as a really big creative hoarder!
This place is a mess.

Here are some shots of inside the shed.  Shelves and Bisque and bits of glass.

And this is my bead storage area inside the main house.  So many drawers!  So many beads!

And this pile is the Sisterhood of the Traveling beads box.  I don't know how I am going to fit that all into the box.....  But I am going to try my best!

Around my desk I have all these little "project bowls"  little ideas I want to remember, beads I want to use together.... bead I made in similar styles, necklaces to finish for the next time I restock a shop... It's a mess!  Too many ideas, Too little time!

This is the center of my desk.  It's the actual space for current projects.  This is the place where I can see things and let them simmer into finished ideas.  Today current means within the last month-- I can hardly beleive it!  Life is full and life is fun!

 Lets start at the center of this mess and go counter clockwise.  This week I got my first beads from Kelleysbeads.  They are black and turquoise spotted.  I think they might work really well with the charm sets I have decided to keep for myself.  They have only been there for a day or so.

Also in the center are some Humblebeads~~ they are the same turquoise color as my charms as well.

Next we have a nice bag of beads from Bisque Bead Supply.  They have been here almost 2 weeks.  I thought I was going to be able to fire them up this weekend.... Doesn't look like it's going to happen.  Because I want to fire some pots at the same time and they are not yet ready.  Maybe next week :-)

Next we have a beautiful pair of earrings that my 5 year old daughter Sonya made for me.  I just love when she says " Ah ha! Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, I have an IDEA!"    and if you ask her.... I never share enough of my beads.  And if you ask me, I don't know another 5 year old with a collection nearly as big as hers.

Then we have some other bead I have saved for projects and two unfinished link bead bracelets.   The link bracelets were something I was working on for a magazine deadline but nixed when my family needed my attention.
and all along the bottom I have the Fancy Donuts that I received as part of the Rings andThings Blog partner program.  Some will probably go for a giveaway and some will be made into jewelry that I will share here on the blog.  I think they have sat there for a week :-)

So that's my mess!  Are any of you like me?  I'm feeling embarrassed.  "Open studios" might not be for messy ladies like me.

The next giveaway is at 4pm.... as long as I scheduled my posts correctly :-)

Here is the link back to the BOC participants page--
http://beads-of-clay.blogspot.com/2010/10/boc-ceramic-artists-open-studio-event.html

Welcome to the Beads-of-Clay open Studio Blog event---(sort of)

Hello Friends!
Today I am playing along with the Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog event!
Welcome to my Studio!  It's a mess~~~~ But I love it that way! 

This is the Garden Shed that secretly carries enough electricity to power an entire house.  It is where I keep my kiln and firing tools :-)

This weekend everything in my Etsy Shop is marked down 40% off regular price. 

 I am feeling the glow of a good destash around here and I thought this open studio event would be a good opportunity to clean out my etsy shop as well.  So... Go shop!  and if you have been checking out that special something this is the time to buy it! 

I will not offer this high of a discount again this year.

Don't forget to check out the Beads-of-Clay blog for a list of all participating Open Studio artists.

Where my blog is not listed :-)

Because......

I have scheduled my blog posts to become live automatically since I am not actually able to be in the studio today.  Because I am not actually "live" I am not on the "Official list"  but I am super fond of the Beads-of-Clay Group and very much a part of it, so......... I decided to play along!   So I am doing the same schedule, giveaways ect, But I am not picking winners at the scheduled times.  I will pick giveaway winners on Monday --- cause I'm a rebel  like that :-)

Next up is a giveaway at  2:45pm :-)

Here is the link back to the BOC participants page--
http://beads-of-clay.blogspot.com/2010/10/boc-ceramic-artists-open-studio-event.html

Who won?

First of all--- Thank you so much for stopping by my blog!

I started off by listing everyone's names on a big piece of paper, dividing up the international entries from the Bead Box entries.  We ended up with 41 comments for the bead box and 3 comments for the grab bag!  That's a lot of entries!

When I won the box, it happened at a time when the good news was plentiful.  I felt the beady world was smiling at me and I was smiling back.  I think that the Bead Box Goddesses sensed that again because my instant reaction to learning the winner was..... "Some girls have all the luck"

The next stop of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads Box is New York State and the home of Lorelei Eurto!  Congratulations Lorelei!   Katie Nelson stocked the box with TONS of Art beads from many different artists prior to my turn with it and now the box is HEAVY with Artisan Clay beads. 

The winner of the Artisan Clay Grab bag is Maria from Edinburgh, UK!

Maria--Please contact me via my http://www.artisanclay.etsy.com/  shop or send me an email thru blogger with your address

 I really enjoyed the freedom I felt by cleaning up and destashing my work area!  I get the feeling that there is still going to be tons of my beads in that box all the way to it's last stop..... which is OK if you like my work.

I feel like I am allowed to fire up some more beads now..... and make some new jewelry with my great new stuff!     I am free!  and inspired!  This is such a great idea!  I am so glad you started this Heather!

So... Thank you for stopping by!  and while I have you here, I'm going to let you know about some fun stuff that I am involved in :-)

We are having a big Open Studio Blog event over at The Beads-of-Clay group this Sunday!

A large group of Ceramic Bead Makers are having special sales and giveaways on their blogs and websites from 2-5pm!

I am not officially on the list since I will not be home on Sunday, BUT I am still going to be posting for the Open Studio and holding the same giveaways.  My winners will be chosen on Monday and my SALE is going on now thru Sunday.  

The destash feeling from the Bead Box is wonderful and I have decided to mark EVERYTHING in my Etsy shop at 40% off their regular prices!  I see some of you noticed the sale prices even before I got a chance to announce it :-)  Thank you!

I will be adding new work to my etsy shop over the weekend at the sale pricing and if all goes well I will be adding some WHOLESALE LOTS and GRAB BAGS as well :-) 

Last but not at all least--- Check out the Best Little Bead Box project and follow along on that bead box's travels before it is finally divided up to benefit Beads-of-Courage....  this week it is headed someplace pretty fancy if you ask me!

OK commercial over..... back to the beads :-)