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! :)