NKPdesigns

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

It may Never Be This Clean Again


I spent yesterday morning straighting up my studio, which is located in a small corner of the section of our second living area. In about three weeks my son will be moving out and I get HIS ENTIRE ROOM AND CLOSET! Oh boy ... I may never have to clean up my studio again ... just joking.








This is a teapot that I made using credit cards as templates. Now that I'm looking at it, I'm giggling because it kinda resembles the back tank of a toilet with a cannonball gun. I like it though. I put casserole handles on the sides instead of a regular handle, and now I'm thinking maybe I should have put a flush lever.

Maybe next time ....







And here is a box I also hand built. I like the lid. It was one of those, Oh look at this very cool scrap ... it'll make the PERFECT lid. What do you think?

Pottery and Treasuries


The last few days I've been obsessing over Etsy treasuries. Hosting them is like a big online party where everyone pops in and raves how fabulous every one's art is, then they pop out as quickly as they appeared.

What is an Etsy treasury? If an artist has an online store at http://etsy.com/ they can host a treasury by first snagging one (there are directions on Etsy in the forums), then once a treasury is snagged, there are 12 empty photo boxes to fill with pretty art. Usually a host does not use their own art, but other artists. Now, you may ask, how does that do the host any good? Well, because if I host some one's art and they sell that item to someone who has viewed that treasury, then they might just put something of mine in their next treasury as a thank you. So it's a different kind of way of marketing and getting seen by customers who otherwise might not see my art. Right now I'm hosting a Buy and Replace treasury that lasts until Thursday at 4:30 am. Go here to view it: http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=3830 ... 8 items have sold so far. When someone buys an item from a treasury of this type, they can tell me the item from their store (or their artist's favorite store) to replace it with. It's like a fast moving game. Very fun!



However, (putting aside the treasuries for a moment), I've been fairly productive this week. The two photos are some mugs I threw on the pottery wheel. One thing that caught my eye at the July Texas Pottery and Sculpture Guild show was the beautiful butterflies which sat on several pots and casserole dishes. I thought, "Hey I have butterfly cookie cutters!" So the first mug sports a butterfly. I made it so it wouldn't hinder a left handed person from sipping their coffee. I'm a lefty and so my idea is LEFTIES FIRST. My next will be for a right-handed person.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Pottery Day


Right before the July TP&SG show I was asked to make a couple of custom made bowls by a friend who has some friends who like pottery.



So yesterday I got out the white stoneware porcelain clay and happily got to work. All I know is that they want a couple of soup bowls and like the color turquoise.



So it's anybody's guess if they'll end up liking them or not. I very much enjoyed handbuiling both of these. I'm planning on glazing the outside turquoise and giving the inside one lovely turquoise swirl, beginning in the center to the the very top of the bowl.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Blythe Spirit Creations


Debbie of Blythe Spirit Creations has made some beautiful jewelry from some of my ceramic beads and I wanted to showcase them here, in my blog.



Debbie is awed and inspired by the beauty of semi-precious stones and so she aims to create jewelry that is enjoyable to wear and brings us closer to nature. Clay, of course, is earth that is heated to a point where it vitrified (melted) into glass.


Click here View her necklace.

Click here View her earrings.


All of her jewelry is gorgess and worth a look. Please visit her Etsy store today.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Pottery 'How To' You Tube Videos

Usually in the mornings I sip a bit of coffee, check the email, and add to the website or to the Etsy store. But on Saturdays I like to spend time on You Tube and watch instructional videos.

Here are some that I think are fun that I watched this morning. If you like pottery, you'll enjoy watching it be made.

Throwing a Casserole Handle
http://youtube.com/watch?v=tJu79MeodYY&mode=related&search=

Throwing a Porcelain Bowl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkMKZpoxAUE&NR=1

Carving 1 with Grace Sheese
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZViqsxfdCY&mode=related&search=

Jorge Quintana Makes an Olla
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MKVtuAGrtR4&mode=related&search=

Finley Pots
http://youtube.com/watch?v=POlxGUabCvw&mode=related&search=

Three Minute Teapot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9qOnismn1g&NR=1

Wheel Throwing A Pottery Bowl using a Rib
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GzECxJFKrFM

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Wow! Another Treasury!

I snagged this one. Yay! Go here to view and click!
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=2621











I put a couple of items in my etsy story today http://nkpdesigns.etsy.com/ . I put in this strand of beads and a cup. Mostly I took photos though in order to put them online. So in the next day or so I should have a lot of new things, both on my website and in the Etsy Store.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Eggplant Purple Bead Set

These earthenware beads are made out of a clay called, "Toas Red". The clay body peeks out from underneath the glaze. I love this combination!


I turned the beads on the strand so each side could be seen. Click on the other photo to get a better close up of each bead.


The focal bead is 25 mm x 17 mm (at its widest). It is 10 mm thick. From hole to hole it is 14 mm. The holes are 2 mm, and I do take special care when forming the beads that each hole is smooth (like lampworkers do with their glass beads).The other beads vary from 14 mm to 16 mm.


These beads were fired at Cone 06.

Click Here to visit them in my Etsy Store. Thanks!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

What? Another treasury? Yay!

Yay! Joan got a treasury and included me.














Visit her website, Joan Miller Porcelain. Her artistic technique is incredible. Here's a picture to prove it.

Great Show!

The Texas Pottery and Sculpure Guild show went well last weekend. It was great to meet all the customers. I wrapped this year and the best part about that duty is not only meeting everyone, but being able to handle, touch, and oooo and ahhhh over all the pottery as it is being bought.

It's exciting to see all every ones' smiles as they hold the most absolute perfect mug they have been searching for their whole entire lives. Then there are those who are clutching the most perfect vase in the universe. What a joy! I'm looking forward to the November show.

Thanks to everyone who bought my pottery and beads. I'm sorry I didn't bring any necklaces, but I surely will to the November show. In the meantime, check back on my Website and Etsy Store for my newest creations. Also, please browse my 2007 Spring Blossoms Line if you are interested in seeing more of my recent work.

Making Progress

So here's another attempt with the resins. I bought better photo paper and a different mold. This was a small silicon candy mold with no texturing on the front or back. However, the sides are fluted, reminding me of a bottle cap.



My flash gave this a grainy appearance, but in real life it is completely clear and a good quality.

Now I just have to figure out how to take a good photo of these new resin pendants. I also have to decide whether I want to glue on a bail or if I want to drill a hole. I haven't figured that out either. That's the best part of designing, figuring it all out.



The photo is from a favorite road trip I had with my buddies up to Millerton, New York where we rode over 70 mile ... or was it 55? This photo shows a little town in Ohio where we rode near 3 mile creek. I will have to ask my friend where exactly it was because, alas, I have forgotten that as well. I do remember, however, that those are our bikes.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Treasuries

Yay! I'm in two Treasuries:


This one which Jessica of Handcrafted Jewelry snagged. It expires on Tuesday 11:38 pm, July 10th
http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=2347






Also please visit Jessica's Etsy store as well as her website at Fired Clay Artists.








I'm also in this one Yolonda snagged. It expires Tuesday 1:15 pm, July 10th.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=2347

Please do visit her site as well.
Yolanda's Clay Beads & Pendants Etsy Shop



It's a lot of work to get a treasury as I found out last week. First you sit online waiting for the number of treasuries to dwindle down to 221. Then there is a lot of refreshing of the page, and then when the box pops up, somehow you have to get your text in the box and press enter before the other 200+ people who are doing the same thing you are.

It's a wonderful way to get to know another artist's work though and I am hoping to snag many more treasuries myself!


Thursday, July 05, 2007

A Fun Project

Working with resins is my newest project. This first try is somewhat of a disaster but I learned a lot from it. First, I learned to use GOOD quality photo paper. The photo is a painting of mine I did a few years ago. I added some computer generated side bars to help make the rectangle shape square for the mold. It's 350 dpi. It would have worked better with better paper. This paper WAS photo paper, but it was inexpensive and thin and I should have known better. Click on the photo for a better look at how grainy it came out on the cheap paper.

If you notice there seem to be some writing showing through from the back. Yeah, that's my signature with a '1'. I thought it might be neat to make collector editions and sign and number them. Unfortunately the writing bled through to the front.

Also, when I bought my mold, an ice cube tray, it had a texture on the bottom and sides. So I really need to find an ice cube tray with no texture. This is fun and I am learning from it. Resins are a blast and I am completely hooked on them after only one try. I acquired a book about a year ago on making beads and pendants from resins, but this is the first time I've made the effort to explore this particular medium. My next effort will be better, hopefully.

Also, I snagged an Etsy Treasury and so did Jessica! I'm in both so have a look, click on everything, help us make it to the front page! THANKS and ENJOY!

My Treasury
Jessica's Treasury

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Picture of a Pitcher

It's finally finished and I'm pleased with how it came out. I think it would have been even grander with that base that I initially added, but when something is not to be, it is not to be!

This is my one of my first attempts to combine throwing with handbuilding. I look forward to doing similar projects.


Baby steps ...

Monday, July 02, 2007

Etsy Treasury


I've been included in an Esy Treasury, which is a huge honor, especially with these other very talented artists.

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=1712

Please come and click on each item in our treasury to help us make it to the front page of Etsy.

Thanks!!!

(and maybe purchase something as well) :)