clay

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box

March 26, 2024

Just made a new batch of mushroom jewelry boxes. It's all simple skills that when they come together produce something new. Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


It starts with a slab and a circle the same way you would for a mug.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


The sides have to come together and the bottom put on.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


Looks like a mug. Now is when I'd start bellying it out if it was a mug. Since it's not I shape it, but don't add volume.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


I neglected to take a picture of the larger circle that will be the top, but it needs a flange. I shape the flange on the flower pot to make it circular.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


The top starts in something that is rounded to give it shape and then I add in the flange with a coil on the inside.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


It gets shaped to being as circular as possible.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


Then it gets flipped over and the worm gets added to the top.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


8 pots on the shelf to be covered in plastic and dry for a couple of days. I want the pot to setup enough to carve the bottom and use the hole cutter.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


I use a fluting diamong core tool to make the ridges on the bottom.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


I use my fingers to flatten out the edge and make it a little wavy. Not required, but I like the look. I also give the worm little eyes just because.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


Now we painstakingly do holes all the way around. The biggest challenge is to not go too close to the edge or too close to the previous hole.

Making of a Mushroom Jewelry Box


Tada!! This is mostly done. Just some final clean up left.

glaze

Kiln Results 5/18

March 22, 2024

This kiln is a bunch of experiments and new things. The new puzzling vase forms came out amazing as did the vases that were extruded. For a couple of the extruded vases I used my glaze chips on a vertical surface for the first time. Not going to lie I was worried they were going to pop off. I had one tiny drip, but with my advancer shelves it was no issue at all.

The new luminaries are awesome as well. I did some tests with Georgie's interactive pigments on Laguna 60 that make me wonder why it's taken me so long to do this. I think I like the satin glaze with the glossy chips slightly better, what do you think?

Also there was a lag in when I glazed things to when I put them into the kiln. I've stopped writing things down and I think there are a few things that are going to have fallen out of my head in that time. We'll see how well I do at remembering glazes.


Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Clayscapes Cream painted on. Clayscapes Coastal Blue poured.
In retrospect Coastal Blue needed 2 coats to get what I was expecting, but I'm not complaining with what I got
Kiln Results 5/18
Clayscapes Spearmint, Starry Night, Crown Heights dipped
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Clayscapes Pitch Black Poured, Cream swipes
Kiln Results 5/18
Clayscapes Spearmint, Starry Night, Crown Heights dipped
Kiln Results 5/18
Colors for Earth Bright Violet and Laurel Green
Mayco Lavender Mist x3 2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Colors for Earth Bright Violet and Laurel Green
Mayco Lavender Mist x3 2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Various Mayco ug Coyote Mediterranean Sea x3
Kiln Results 5/18
Refire I added more Opulence Emerald and also stacked them together. It made it a better color and slightly less boring
Kiln Results 5/18
Clayscapes Lily of the Valley dipped
Glaze chips pressed outside
Kiln Results 5/18
Amaco Green Satin x3
Glaze chips pressed outside
Kiln Results 5/18
All birds - Mayco Bluebird x2 with a Dandelion tip
Noses: Mayco Cutie Pie Coral
Left: Body Opulence Sea Spray, Hat Opulence Floating BLue
Middle: Opulence Sea Spray
Right: Body KY Mudworks Dandelion x3, Hat Clayscapes Spearmint, Stary Night, Crown Heights
Kiln Results 5/18
Noses: Mayco Cutie Pie Coral
Far Left: Hair Mayco Dandelion, Body Mayco Bluebird, Hat Clayscapes Spearmint, Stary Night, Crown Heights
Left: Body Opulence Sea Spray, Hat Clayscapes Spearmint, Stary Night, Crown Heights
Right: Body Opulence Pebble Bearch, Hat Clayscapes Starry night?? or maybe coastal blue?
Far Right: Hair Mayco Dandelion, Body Opulence Sea Spray, Hat Clayscapes Starry night?? or maybe coastal blue?
Kiln Results 5/18
Noses: Mayco Cutie Pie Coral
Far Left: Body Opulence Floating Blue, Hat Amaco Green Satin
Left: Body Mayco Amarylis, Hat Clayscapes Lily of the Valley
Right: Body Amaco Green Satin, Hat Opulence Pebble Beach
Far Right: Body Amaco Green Satin , Hat Opulence Pebble Beach and Clayscapes Crown Heights??
Kiln Results 5/18
Noses: Mayco Cutie Pie Coral
Far Left: Hair Mayco Dandelion, Body Mayco Amarylis, Hat Clayscapes Crown Heights??
Left: Body Opulence Pebble Beach, Hat Clayscapes Spearmint
Right: Body Midnight Ceramics Boogeyman, Hat Opulence Sea Spray
Far Right: Body KY Mudworks Dandelion, Hat Clayscapes Starry Night?
Kiln Results 5/18
Spectrum Sangria x2 Spectrum Soft White on the rim
Kiln Results 5/18
Left: Spectrum Texture Moonscape x3
Right: Laguna 60 Spectrum Texture Moonscape x3
Lesson learned this glaze is awesome, but it runs
Kiln Results 5/18
Mayco Rose Quartz x2 Amarylis x3
this has pin holes inside, might try to reglaze
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Clayscapes Lily of the Value bottom Himalayan Blue Poppy Top
Kiln Results 5/18
Antlers Mayco Java Bean x2, Hooves Mayco Tuxedo x2
Nose Mayco Hot Tamale x2 2167 clear all over
Kiln Results 5/18
Mayco Sandstone x3, Norse Blue x3 Light Flux sweeps
Kiln Results 5/18
So I am 90% sure that I have the zinc free and the super clear right, but its possible they are backwards
Laguna 60
Top Left: Georgie's Sand and Surf interactive pigment Super Clear
Bottom Left: Georgie's Sand and Surf interactive pigment Zinc Free Clear
Top Right: Georgie's Indigo interactive pigment Super Clear
Bottom Right: Georgie's Indigo interactive pigment Zinc Free Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
So I am 90% sure that I have the zinc free and the super clear right, but its possible they are backwards
Laguna 60
Top Left: Georgie's Winter Storm interactive pigment Super Clear
Bottom Left: Georgie's Winter Storm interactive pigment Zinc Free Clear
Top Right: Georgie's Autumn Foliage interactive pigment Super Clear
Bottom Right: Georgie's Autumn Foliage interactive pigment Zinc Free Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60
Mayco Tuxedo x2, Java Bean x2, I can't remember the yellow Mayco ug maybe
2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Clayscapes Nutmeg x2
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Mayco Northern Woods x3
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Mayco Blue Yonder x2 with touches of Hot Tamale
2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Georgies Autumn Folliage Eggshell Wash
Kiln Results 5/18
Colors for Earth Bright Violet and Laurel Green 2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Midnight Ceramics Sexy Mermaid x3 2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
Laguna 60 Mayco Black UG wiped back
Mayco Norse Blue x3 Light Flux x2 Hot Tamale x2 2167 Clear
Kiln Results 5/18
This is just bad. I tried to pull out the tree and the roots with different Georgies pigments and then use Eggshell wash. It's just garbage

glaze

Kiln Sneak Peak 5/18

March 19, 2024

So much goodness in this kiln! And the first kiln in a while with a ton of new glazes so it's a big mystery. The "pillow" vase in the back looks amazing. I'm also excited about the drippy one on the far right. That's the first time I've used the glaze chips on a vertical surface. Both of the squiggle luminaries look awesome.

Finish cooling kiln! https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WPcoOSCWYuyoyEf84rCsBQRKl7f5H96vpRytC4t4Tvo_VD6PcBrTUO-4i3SdLGtmSKg1z0KkuEISubpWruy7X5E-BPTKiYM3MjYWNy3w2j47hFeSrPYu7UbP1idX6lfhoVMO6RGjk6y4rwNiJLDTx7CYIJje605VlP5iWTo7f5tEXhELtMYcLFi5-fDT/s4032/970407E2-F647-4993-B79A-567BEE836409_1_201_a.heic




clay

Doing Some Carving

March 18, 2024

It's been forever since I carved. Did a few this weekend and hit them at the exact right texture.

This first one is an is an idea I had for a giant sunflower. Doing Some Carving


Some smaller sunflowers

Doing Some Carving


Amazing job right? Ok I didn't carve this, this is lace. I'm having a lace moment

Doing Some Carving




clay

Calla Lily Candle Holders

March 14, 2024

I neglected to post these earlier in the week. I've been spending a lot of time tediously migrating photos off of Google so it feels like I'm spending a lot of time blogging, but in fact I'm not. I have to edit each post by hand. It's not that hard to do the posts with only 1-2 pictures, but all the posts with the kiln results take about 20 minutes each. I'm only in November of 2023, but I will keep trucking along. In the mean time I made a batch of calla lily candle holders this week. These are one of my favorite things to make and something which I get a ton of people who come into my booth at shows to look at them. I love calla lilies and saw something that inspired me to go make these. While I made a template for these, each one is intentionally unique as I shape it into its own flower. Calla Lily Candle Holders




Calla Lily Candle Holders




Calla Lily Candle Holders




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