This Old Man Bracelet by Jean A. Wells

The focal of this bracelet is a little old man that I formed from stoneware clay.  Jean used it in this bracelet in a wonderful way. 

There are also two polymer woodgrain looking beads, a round and a rondelle, by etsian EarthTonesOnline, a blue turquoise magnesite round, two white magnesite rondelles, a pumpkin white magnesite bead, two peach magnesite rounds, two green magnesite barrels, a nut bead rondelle, a black and white marbled polymer bead with a touch of turquoise that Jean made, a faceted bronze Czech glass rondelle beads, a Copper seed bead, a Brass snake charm, Goldstone, agate,  and jasper dangles.  The clasp is Copper and Jean's handmade copper jump rings are oxidized and polished.  This bracelet is professionally finished with copper wire guardians and crimp covers.  It measures: 7-3/8" to 8-1/2". Of course, if you need a different length, Jean will change that for you. Here's a link so you can look at more pictures.  http://www.etsy.com/listing/76760252/this-old-man-stoneware-polymer

Cyber Sale

 

Today, August 29th, some members of the Beads of Clay etsy team are holding a cyber sale.  I am offering 20% off in coupon form.  Enter the coupon code BOC20 (take this link to visit my etsy store ) upon checkout to receive your discount.  Remember, with every order I always send a few extra thank you beads.

There are many other ceramic bead artists holding their own sales with varying discounts. TAKE THIS LINK to visit the beads of clay blog to see a list of all the participating artists.  

Thanks for looking!

A Necklace by Jean A Wells with some of my ceramic art beads.

I did a little tag searching on Etsy to see if I could find any jewelry with my beads in it and I did. I found this beautiful necklace in Jean A. Wells shop.

It has a wide variety of artisan ceramic beads including McCarroll, Ingrid, and Potterygirl1. It also sports copper beads and wood beads. It is strung on a Greek leather cord with handmade brass clasp and Measures: Approx. 18-1/2".

I think it is a simply stunning necklace.  McCarroll did the gorgeous pendant, by the way.

New Pots

 Yesterday I sat down to throw on the wheel. I haven't been able to do that since April.  Luckily all my clay had not yet dried out!  I like making this curvy shape and adding small feet. 

A good friend suggested I press words into the rims of some of my pieces, so this I did.  Also, I wanted to get some patterns into these pieces.  So I took a large cap that went on a bottled water and made a circle. Then I pressed a stamp shape into each circle. From the inside, I pressed outward to make a small bubble shape.

Last I took the end of a bamboo skewer and outlined each circle for emphasis.  

 I found an oval shape to use on this form.  I didn't add feet to this one, but I did trim the foot.

There are two things I dislike about pottering.  I dislike having to make certain rims are just so (the right thickness and smoothness) and I dislike trimming.  This is why I oftentimes put feet on my pieces.

My last semester in ceramics my instructor told me I was too advanced to be ignoring the undersides of my pots.  Since then I have been attentive to those areas of my pots.

I like this bowl so far the best.  I think it would hold salsa or dip or a steaming hot chowder.  That reminds me ... I just got back from the Oregon coast and if anybody goes, be sure to eat at Mo's, the original one in Newport is the only one that serves fresh homemade bread with its clam chowder... and it is the best I've ever eaten, next to my mother's of course.

I have two more bowls to add feet to and decorate.  These are bowls I will be donating to Empty Bowls this year.  If you want me to make you one, just leave a message.

Daisies and More Daisies

If you've ever spent much time looking around my Etsy stores, flickr photos, etc ... you may have noticed that I love daisies. I've drawn daisies since I was a small child.  My mother sent me home with a daisy drawing I did in third grade and I have put it somewhere special (meaning I can't find it to scan it into the computer, unfortunately!)

All my life I suppose I have been a bit obsessed with daisies.  This picture is one I drew of me and my daughter.  If you look closely, I am pointing a petal at her!

To add to all the drama is a busy background!

When I began working in ceramics, I still drew daisies. I made some into stamps.  This drawing on the left never became a stamp because by that time technology progressed to where I could print out my drawings on a laser printer with a special decal paper (quite expensive paper, by the way).


I am able to incorporate these images not only onto beads, but pottery as well.  Below is a porcelain mug I have decorated with not only brush strokes of plants, but colorful commercial decals as well.

This mug took four firings. The first was the simple bisque firing, which shrinks the clay so that the clay accepts the glazes easily. (approx. 1850 degrees, cone 06)

The second firing is where I paint on the brush strokes and apply a clear glaze. (approx. 2350 degrees, cone 10)

The third firing is where I attach the laser decals which I have drawn.(approx. 2165 degrees, cone 4)

And the fourth and final firing is where I attach the colorful commercial decals. (approx. 1422 degrees, cone 016)

It's a lengthy process but I love seeing it all come together.

And the best part is that I am still drawing daises! :)

Beads of Clay is giving away $95 worth of beads

Beads of Clay August month's giveaway is valued at over $95.00!

Take this link to visit the blog and enter.

A winner will be drawn on Aug. 17th.

~~~We use Random.org to pick a winner~~~

Maybe YOU will win!!!

 

 

 

Coral Swirl Sprig Bead

I am still having fun with this style of bead.  I press a swirl stamp into a round bead and add small sprig bead caps to each end hole.  I rub in an underglaze after its been bisque fired and cover with this Victorian Red glaze by Mayco.  The body of the bead is porcelain and the sprig bead caps are an iron stoneware clay.

This bead is 21 mm from hole to hole and 20 mm at its widest.

I have it in my Draft items to be listed later this week.  I am loving that new Etsy feature. I can get items ready to put online and Etsy has a  folder it stays in until it is time to put it online.  The old way was to save a link to the listing into a text file.  I always lost the text file.  :(