Bright Blue Beads - Part Two

This is what a bit over 100 glazed beads look like. It took longer than I thought it would, but I just kept at it, and then they were done.

I had to get away from them for a short while, so I went for a bike ride (I have a road bike, and it is wonderful exercise) around my neighborhood.

After returning from exercising, I had to choose between fixing dinner or putting the beads on the stainless steel rods. I looked in the fridge and realized we have a couple of chicken breasts that were grilled yesterday still in there ... decided to stir fry some veggies, throw in some Raman noodles, and chow down.  The veggies won't take more than about 10 minutes to chop and realizing I had plenty of time still to spare, I strung all the beads on the rods and stacked them in the kiln. 

 I probably could fit more in the kiln than I did, but whenever I squash the beads together I usually lose more than a few from bumping together during the firing.  So 2-3 beads on each rod works best for me.  The rods are not bright and shiny because they have been fired so many times.

Most of these beads which I have glazed today are in my 'star fossil' design which appeared in the Fall Stringing 2014 magazine.  I realized when the magazine hit the store shelves that I had sold so many of them over the spring and summer that I only had one or two left.  I did a bit of searching and found quite a few of those designs in bisque form.  After finding them, I had to figure out which underglaze I had used.  I hope it was Marine Blue because that's what I glazed these in ... if it was a different blue, well then, oh well.  Blue is a great color, no matter what color blue it is.  Can I get an Amen?

Here is a photo of the beads that fit into the kiln and all the beads that will have to wait for another firing.   

There are three rows of beads.  The first two rows have 12 beads each, so that's 24 beads, and the top row has 17, 42 beads in total for this firing.  That's almost half of what I have glazed, and I will try to get the rest in the kiln later. 

I did go ahead and start the firing. It will take about 6-8 hours.  I am firing this batch to cone 04.

The kiln should shut off between 10 pm and 12 am.  I won't go to sleep until they are fired.  I am not able to sleep with that kiln firing.  I like to keep my eye on things and make certain all is well.

 I'll take pics and post the results tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by!  -- Natalie

BRIGHT BLUE BEADS

  I am glazing today!

I have glazed and glazed and glazed this morning.  I have used a bright marine blue under-glaze on these beads in the photo.  Now I will have to glaze them with a clear gloss.  As you can see I have applied some clear gloss on a few already.  It doesn't look glossy, does it?  Well, after they are fired, that glaze will melt into a clear glaze, making that blue really shine.

Later today I will put all these on small stainless steel rods, and tomorrow load them into the small kiln.

 I also have got to do a few more pottery mugs/dishes/bowls so that I can fill up my big kiln. Or maybe I will just fire what I have. It is amazing the way things get away from me as I get older. I have so many, "HEY, I MEANT TO FINISH THAT PROJECT" moments.

 Have fun and thanks for stopping by! -- Natalie

Website Update

I have been updating the look of my website and today I made a lot of progress, adding about 20 new bead listings.  If you don't know where it is, it is very easy to get to: http://nkpdesigns.com and if you want to go directly to the bead page it is here http://nkpdesigns.com/inventory/beads.htm .

I'm still playing around with the look of it ... but for the most part this is what I've come up with. I'm trying for a bit of a showcase gallery feel and then if (and only if) someone wants to get the specifics on an item, each picture can be clicked on for a closer look.

I hope it is easy to navigate. Let me know if you have any problems.  Thanks for dropping by! -- Natalie

Whistles Ceramic Whistles

One good thing about having my own domain and storage space is that I can put small audio files of my whistles online.

Here is a whistle and its audio file. This whistle has an added bonus that if it blown into really hard, it just fizzes out completely, which means no one blowing the whistle next to you is going to hurt your eardrums.

So if you want to have a look and listen at my whistles, visit my the whistles on my webpage. 

Thanks for reading!  -- Natalie

Time for a Face Lift

It's been a wonderful summer so far and it isn't over yet.  I have traveled a lot and had a lovely time away from home.  Once I returned I took a look at my website and decided it was badly in need of a face lift.  I want to be able to offer items on my website that are easy to put into a shopping cart and pay for. I wanted a minimalist look and feel to it, as close to an online gallery as possible.  I wanted to offer my pottery and whistles as well as my beads.

I am in the process of transferring my inventory from here:
 OLD SET UP
to here:
NEW SET UP . 

Hope that makes sense.  I will be adding a few items every day until each area is well populated.

And when one thing gets a facelift, everything gets a face lift.  In case you haven't yet noticed, this blog has moved from a pink theme to a aqua-blue theme.

As far as the creating of actual pottery and such goes ... yes, I have been throwing some mugs and I look forward to putting them in the kiln soon. I did all that type of announcing earlier this month on Facebook.

Speaking of Facebook ... it is so easy to jump over there and update there that I found myself updating over there fairly regularly.  If you haven't 'liked' my Facebook page, please do. 

The other thing that I realize I have forgotten to mention are the publications my beads have appeared in the last few months.

Thanks for stopping by! 
Natalie

Beads Published in Step By Step Wire Jewelry

I have some beads in this magazine off to the left. A huge shout out to Step By Step Wire Jewelry!  They are so great about showcasing artist beads and jewelry.  Love them!

I think I submitted the beads in this issue about a year ago for another issue.  I had almost forgotten they were included until the magazine showed up in my mail a few days ago. I don't know if it is available on the store shelves yet, so if you want it right away you can order it here:  CLICK HERE .

I have some cranberry color delicate scroll beads and I know I have some around here, so over the next few days I'm going to include them in my website shopping area.  I think I'm going to add a page just for beads that have appeared in books and magazines so they will all be easy to find.  They won't be the exact same beads, but they will be similar.  I have been searching for just the right blue glaze for some beads that appeared in Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry  and I think I have found a close match, but it is just that, a close match. That wonderful discontinued glaze ... sigh ... I've searched all over the internet for spare bottles but no amount of searching has helped.

One of the beads in April 2014's Step By Step Wire Jewelry magazine is this bead off to the right.  It is hard to tell from the magazine photo that this is a lentil shape bead.  It is hard to show that unless the hole is showing from a certain angle, at least that's been my experience. And it is also hard to show that the front and back are completely different unless two photos are taken.  I have found bead photography to be completely difficult on every level. I sure would hate for a customer to think this bead is round only to find it is a completely different shape.  I did a whole series in this shape and type of bead, wrapping small strips of clay around a lentil shape and texturing the sprigs.  I rarely have the patience to sit and glaze them separate colors like these, so when you do find them in my store it is best to snatch them up as quickly as possible because I don't do custom orders.  I could do a blog post about that someday but really, it's kinda obvious ... I don't do custom orders because I make beads for myself and if others enjoy them that's great and if not, oh well .... (insert silly grin here).

Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping by!!!!

Clean-up, Fix-up" your workspace BLOG HOP

The idea is to take photos and explain a little of what I did to get from A to Z (or in my case from A to B because I procrastinated and got started at the last possible minute).  I am giving a lovely baby shower for my daughter who is having her second (a boy this time around) in the morning,  and so tonight I am rushing to get everything done.  Wait, let me reword that, we are throwing her a SHOWER in the morning. The baby isn't due for at least another month.  lol

I waited until the last possible moment to start cleaning the kitchen (for the shower party), and while I was cleaning the side of the knife holder I sliced open the knuckle of my middle finger.  Clearly I have no depth perception.  I will spare my readers any gruesome pics of that. It probably could use a couple of stitches, but I dosed it with rubbing alcohol and  hydrogen peroxide and bandaged it tightly so it would stop bleeding.

And it did.  I got the kitchen clean.  And because I could only use one hand, it took a very long time.  It was after 9 pm before I got around to beginning cleaning up my studio.




Before I expose the shocking state of my workspace, let me show off what it looked like a few months ago, pristine, organized, clean .... 

I had just gotten my new bench and put my old worktable behind it because is there such a thing as too much workspace? 

I think not.

In no time at all, it looked like this: (scroll down)  Excuse me while I blush a bit. It's quite messy, but from what I gather many artists studios are in much the same condition.  Most of us are not Martha Stewards, we only aspire that level of wonderful.

For the record, I do prefer it clean rather than messy.  And even though at the moment my finger is covered with a bandaid, I can't bear to leave it in this current state.  I am going to get in there and clean because who knows who might want to peek their head into my studio and see my workspace tomorrow at the baby shower?

By the way, the new baby's name is going to be Caleb, and of course he is going to be adorable, even if he's red, wrinkly, and has a squished nose, he will be the most beautiful baby ever, except for his big sister of course, who is tops in my estimation.

It was 9:40 pm when I went into my wreck of a studio and 20 minutes later had most of the bigger stuff picked up and put away nicely.  While I was opening a drawer, the bottom of the drawer came loose and pulled forward.  Thus one of my heavier hammers (it WOULD be the heavier one) fell out and onto my foot and scraped some of the skin off. It really hurt. I yelped.  But I didn't need a bandaid and I'm not going to take a picture of my poor beaten up small pinky toe.





I suppose I'm having a clumsy sort of evening.  This is why all things worth doing ought to be done after the morning coffee and before the afternoon weariness sets in, but actually I am not tired tonight.  I have lots of energy (for once).

The baby shower in the morning  is going to be quite small, less than 10.  Since this is the second baby, she is only lacking in baby boy clothes. 

Rather than have the party games, I decided to serve beautiful food and let the conversation flow.  We have some Greek pasta salad, and I found a lovely wedge of blueberry cheddar cheese at the fancy grocery store. Can you imagine? Putting blueberries in cheese? I bought some gourmet crackers for that, oh, and some hummus too.  I will also be serving fresh fruit. I had a really neat idea about cutting the fruit into flowers and had watched a video on you tube about that.  It was fun to watch and after we got home from the grocery store, I tried to make a strawberry look like a flower.  Instead it was a mangled mess and I tossed it into a Ziplock bag for the hens to eat tomorrow.  Here's the video though. Looks easy, huh? Well, it's not!









So at about 10:20 pm  I went back into my studio and decided to give it to the top of the hour.

It only took about 10-15 minutes to whip it into shape.  I haven't addressed the shelves, that's for another day.  I have my unfinished/to be finished projects on the extra table in front of the bench.  But I now have plenty of room to stretch out and for that I shout out a happy THANK YOU to our hostess, Sharyl! 





Oh, one last thing .... have some calorie free Shower cake .... YUM!

Thanks for stopping by!!!

Participant List:

Host: Sharyl McMillian-Nelson 
… http://sharylsjewelry.blogspot.com

Donna Millard http://fyrebeadz.blogspot.com/
Beda Hendrix ... https://www.facebook.com/SasijuhlsThings
Ann Schroeder… http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com
Pamela Rachelle… http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com
Kristin L Oppold… http://www.yayjewelry.blogspot.com
Heidi Kingman ... http://heidikingman.blogspot.com
Andi ... http://strungoutjewelry.blogspot.com/
Patricia Buchanan Click “Blog” on the menu bar at
http://www.braceletstoo.artfire.com
Helen Simon… http://helensharvest.com/
Kashmira … http://sadafulee.blogspot.com/
somethingunique ... http://somethinguniquebylana.blogspot.ca/
Renetha ... http://lamplightcrafts.blogspot.com
Kathy Lindemer ... http://bay-moon-design.blogspot.com
Swapna Dinesh … http://www.swardaa.com
Linda Landig ... http://lindalandig.wordpress.com/
Ann Schroeder ... http://www.beadlove.wordpress.com/
Beti Horvath ... http://stringingfool.blogspot.com/
Sam S ... http://samsbeadshopandjewelry.blogspot.com/
Christina Miles ... http://wingsnscales.blogspot.com/
Islandgirl ... http://islandgirlsinsights.blogspot.ca/
macmillanmarie ... http://www.macmillanmarie.blogspot.com
Emma Todd … http://www.apolymerpenchant.com
Neena Shilvock …
http://www.capriliciousjewellery.com/3/post/2014/02/neither-ship-shape-nor-bristol-fashion.html
Dee Clark… http://biz-e-bead.blogspot.com/
motidana ... http://kalaabhushan.blogspot.com/
Here Bead Dragons ... http://beaddragons.blogspot.com/
Carol D. ... http://dillmansdallies.blogspot.com/
Pam Sears ... http://crazycreativecorner.blogspot.com/
Nan Smith ... http://wirednan.blogspot.ca
AliMc ... http://northwoodscreativestudio.blogspot.com
Kari Asbury ... http://hippiechickdesign.blogspot.com
Shirley Moore ... http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com
PyxeeStyx ... http://travelingsideshow.blogspot.com/
Jayne Capps … https://mamasgottodoodle.blogspot.com
Louann Elwell
... https://plus.google.com/117746558861718110652/posts
Rain ... http://honeyandollie.com/
Lori Bergmann ... http://www.LoriBergmann.blogspot.com
Helen Simon… http://helensharvest.blogspot.com/
Arlene Dean ... http://aglassbash.blogspot.com
Sandra... http://city-of-brass-stories.blogspot.de/
Alicia ... http://www.allprettythings.ca
Natalie Pappas ...  http://blog.nkpdesigns.com/

What Makes 'Ceramic Clay' Ceramic?

There seems to be a bit of confusion on this issue recently, especially with the addition into the marketplace of Laguna's Air Dry Clay which does not need a kiln in order to harden.

It's clay ...right?
Yes.  

So if the material is clay, then it must be ceramic ... right? 
Wrong.

It's not ceramic unless certain conditions are met, and these conditions can only be met with the addition of heat.  Why? Because heat makes the clay crystallize. Ceramic clay when fired form opaque crystals.  I would never call ceramic clay "glass", or even "opaque glass" -- even though technically it is the same material as 'glass'.  Why?  Because it would be misleading to do so.


Sometimes customers purchase polymer and glass beads which mimic a 'stoneware ceramic bead'. Fantastic!  And they are glad to know which medium they are truly purchasing.  I've seen some gorgeous beads which mimic stoneware ceramic clay.

AND anyone who knows me, also knows that I value every kind of medium for creating beads: paper, metal, wood, seeds, glass, resin, plastic, polymer etc ....  If a customer types in the search term "clay bead", they may be fooled into thinking an air dry clay bead is made from ceramic clay. That would be a shame.

"Why can't the term 'ceramic' be interpretive?" or "What does it matter, anyway?"   The answer is because the term 'ceramic' is a scientific term describing a scientific process.  If a clay can go through these six stages, it may be called 'ceramic':

Condensed from "Pottery.about.com/od/temperatureandmaturation/tp/tempclay.htm"

"First Stage: Atmospheric Drying (212 degrees)
Second Stage: Burn Off of Carbon and Sulfur (572-1470 degrees)
Third Stage: Chemically Combined Water Driven Off (660-1470 degrees)
Fourth Stage: Quartz Inversion Occurs (1060 degrees)
Fifth Stage: Sintering (1650 degrees) -- it is a fusing process

Note:
Bisque firing usually is done at about 1730⁰F (945⁰C), after the ware has sintered but is still porous and not yet vitrified. This allows wet, raw glazes to adhere to the pottery without it disintegrating.

Sixth Stage: Vitrification and Maturity
Vitrification is a gradual process during which the materials that melt most easily do so, dissolving and filling in the spaces between the more refractory particles. The melted materials promote further melting, as well as compacting and strengthening the clay body.

It is also during this stage that mullite (aluminum silicate) is formed. These are long, needle-like crystals which acts as binders, knitting and strengthening the clay body even further.

It is also imperative to note that different clays mature at different temperatures, depending on their composition. A red earthenware contains a large amount of iron which acts as a flux. An earthenware clay body can fire to maturity at about 1830⁰F (1000⁰C) and can melt at 2280⁰F (1250⁰C). On the other hand, a porcelain body made of pure kaolin might not mature until about 2500⁰F (1390⁰C) and not melt until over 3270⁰F (1800⁰C). "

SOLUTION:  Feel free to ask the artist:"Is this clay one of those air dry clays?"

It's Will Be Spring Again, Really!

Hey it's almost spring, right?  I had these lovely leafy green beads and thought I'd group them together. They will make a wonderful nature themed piece of jewelry.

Click here to see them in my Etsy Store

Buttery Yellow Ceramic Nuggets

   I had fun making these nuggets. I impressed a flower texture on each sprig and when it came time to glaze, added a light blue underglaze. To see them in my Etsy store:  Click Here  

From My Heart To Yours

Found these sweet heart beads in my stash, decided to photograph them.  I wonder if I have more? I don't think so .... I believe this was a combination of two glazes (one with blue crystals) because I had a bit left in each jar and was curious as to how they would turn out.  I wonder what the name of those two glazes are?  I wonder if I was smart enough to record it in my glazes book. Hmmmmmm 

Here's the link to see them in my store:  Click here

Marbled Sprig Beads

This is one of my favorite things to do: take porcelain and stoneware clay and marble them together, then add sprigs and coat with a single glaze.  The mix of clays end up shining in a variety of colors.  Find this one here.

Handpainted with Iron Oxice Designs

After I scrolled thick black lines on this bead, I applied my hand-drawn lacy iron oxide decal and re-fired.  I found it in a bowlful of beads which was sitting in my living room and thought I'd offer it for sale. Find it here.

Button Pattern on a Ceramic Bead

One of my favorite ways to add texture to a bead is to impress it with a patterned button.  That's what I did with this bead, and the glaze settled in the recesses in a wonderful glazy way. 

Ginger Ceramic Nugget Bead

I'm thinking of renaming this to 'golden' nugget, but it's more brown than gold. This glaze came out unexpected on this bead. I was expecting more of a caramel color...it might have something to do with how I dipped the bead into a watery mixture of black undergaze before the caramel glaze I applied. If it was that ... my memory is poor.  I think if I wanted to make another bead that color I would fail because now that I think about it, I'm not really sure which glaze I used.

On the other hand, my granddaughter toddled into the room where I keep my beads to photograph and she squealed, "BEADS!"  Because yes, there was a whole bucket full of beads that I had gathered from every area of my house (trying to get organized you know...).  Ironic that I think I have just as many in my studio, but at least those are sorted in containers. These just got bagged (well, some of them) and placed in this bucket for later. And this, my fellow bead hoarders, is what happens when I take beads out of the kiln and decide to keep them around a while so I can stare at them a bit longer.

.... and yet I still have some beads half-glazed ready to fire in my studio....

My sweet granddaughter scooped out some choice beads and petted them, "Pretty," she cooed, then ran to show them to her mama.

Can't wait until she's old enough to help me around the studio. Maybe she will be a whiz at photography and help me to get all of these online, lol

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.