Blue Jean Beads

I used a blue glaze on these and they remind me of the same color as my favorite blue jeans.

Sprigs have been added to each round bead and textured in this geometrical pattern.

I am feeling incredibly indecisive today. I can't decide whether to sell these individually, by pairs, or lump the entire batch into a single listing with the Caption: WHILE SUPPLIES LAST and sell them one by one or in groups as specified by the interested customer.

Any suggestions?  Oh, these are about 14-15 mm.

Newbies from the Kiln

 The next few days I will be showcasing some beads I have taken out of the kiln the last few weeks. I've been negligent about getting them online and in my store, but I'm trying to rectify that somewhat. 

I have been sorting through some of my bisque beads the last few weeks as I have been glazing and I found this adorable piggy head in the bottom of a bowl that was stashed high up on my bisque bead shelves (yes, shelves).

So I glazed him in a clear gloss glaze and included him in one of the recent firings.

He's a cute little piggy.  Apparently the brown stoneware clay I used had some white clay in it, making for an unique ear.

I wish I could sculpt at will but that just doesn't happen for me. I will have a bit of clay in my hands and decide to sculpt something and pphhhbbbb nothing happens.

Other times, I am able to make something like this piggy head.  Voila!

The hole is going through the top of his head to the bottom of his head.

More Beads?

I love making beads.  It is relaxing to sit with clay in a bag on my lap and create.  I wish I loved the act of brushing on the glaze as much as I like the clay in my hands.  I love opening up the kiln full of glazed beads, though.  I will try to concentrate on that as I begin the process of glazing these newbies.

Dragonfly Ceramic Bead

I am back from taking pictures of my pottery to taking pictures of the beads that have come forth from my kiln the last couple of months.

This picture to the left is a handformed nugget with endcaps that I impressed a stamp of a dragonfly upon.  The dragonfly impression comes from a very tiny base metal post stud earring that I bought at the dollar store.   

I have about 15 different nugget beads with this glaze, all with different patterns and impressions and sprig techniques.

I do have this listed in my store, click here to read its dimensions and to see more pictures from various angles: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90380057/dragonfly-nugget

What About Those Beads?

... in case you are wondering ... I have been renewing 4-5 expired bead listings daily (deja vu) whilst I take pictures of pottery for my pottery etsy store.

The hardware lights are covered with a piece of paper and sport sunlight natural bulbs to keep the color true.  They are pointed upward and the light bounces up and off of the piece of white foamboard which is carefully balanced on stacks of books.

If I pointed the light directly at the pottery, it would reflect two eyeballs staring back at me.   A bit creepy?  I think so! 

The background was bought from B&H . It is actually taped to the curtain to keep it from slumping. Yes taped.  I am resourcefully determined.  The piece of white foam board which is sitting on top of the books was bought at the dollar store.  I turn off all the lights in the room and shoot with my macro lens on the camera, no flash.  Other than to sharpen the image with picasa, no other photo editing manipulation is needed.

I think I will only need another week to finish this process up. I fired two loads of beads in my big kiln in December. The result is that I have an entire ziplock bag (large) of new beads that need photographing as well (they're so shiny and pretty!).  The sooner I get finished with this the sooner I can get busy with that.

Oh, in case you are wondering, that bright pink thing beside the light is my umbrella. It is placed there to keep the light from rolling.  Whatever works, right?  LOL!

Amber Ceramic Beads with Endcaps

I like making this style of bead. It's simple but distinct in its shape.  I have been concentrating on textures and patterns and thought it was time to return to a nice smooth glaze on a smooth bead.