Spiral Sprigs with Beadcaps

I had the hardest time deciding what to glaze these.  Now, if I had made 4 or 5 sets maybe it would not have been half as hard, but as it is, I only made this one set.

I glazed with a blue underglaze on top of the sprigs, and then put a Mayco Crystalites glaze (Monsoon Seas) on top of that.  I'm writing this down so I do not forget.  Because I will forget! 

Pink and Purple Sprig Wrapped Beads

These have wrapped textured sprigs and non-textured bead caps. They have been glazed with a purple underglaze, which was subsequently wiped off, and reglazed with pink.

Come Shop in Person

Click on this photo if you are having trouble reading the text.  I will be participating at a show hosted by Ron and Janel Hollister at 8304 Llano Ave., Benbrook, TX, 76116 on December 11 from 10 am to 6 pm.  Please stop by and say hi and admire at all the beautiful pottery!

There will be four artists total.  Ron Hollister, Stormie Parker, Barbara Throne, and myself.  There will be lots to eat and drink so bring lots of friends.  It's going to be a fun day!  Mark the date on your calenders!

Circles

These rounds all have round bead caps, and I impressed the circles via the help of the tip of a broken pen. I rubbed in a black underglaze and coated with pink.

One of the smaller beads has a small chip in the bead cap, so I won't be selling it.  I'll make it into a personal necklace for myself.  Eventually.

Wrapped Sprigs Rounds in Light Blue

I rolled clay into a strip, applied over a round, then textured it. The texture helps it not to fall off as the clay shrinks and dries during the bisque firing.

This was glazed with a light blue, the new light blue from Mayco, the foundation glaze that is named simply "Light Blue". 

I'm thinking that I am going to attempt to put other foundation colors on top of each other to see how they fire. Do they move around and melt together?  I think they will not.  At least that's the impression I get when reading the back of the jar.

Leaf Sprigs

These are four rounds, approx 16 mm (I'm guessing, I haven't measured them yet), with a simple leaf sprig design.  One of these beads has a 'bead cap', which has been textured for interest.

The clay is a iron speckled stoneware from Texas Pottery in Bluemound, Texas (www.texaspottery.com).

Alan and Debra Bray sold this company a few months ago and the new owners are also kind and helpful.  I have long been a fan of Texas Pottery's clay, so go in and say howdy if you are a potter and haven't been there lately.

Alan and Debra were extremely helpful to me when I first got into pottery. Debra practically held my hand as she urged me to apply for a business license so I wouldn't have to pay tax for supplies.  Alan fixed my little kiln on more than one occasion and refused to take the money I offered.  One time there was about 100 lbs of hard clay that he offered me for absolutely free (I took it and watered it down and it was perfect).  I have great memories of the two of them and am always thankful for their cheerfulness and willingness.  When I first decided to fire beads, it was Alan who showed me how I could balance the rods on the kiln stilts.  I, and all my bead customers, are especially grateful for that!

Newbie Beads

I remembered to snap a quick photo of these after they came out of the first initial bisque firing.   I tried to do sets this time, 4 smaller beads with one focal bead.  That's about how long my attention span lasted until I got bored and thought of something different to do.  Over the next week I'll be trotting out finished beads from this batch.   Click on this photo to see these up close.

Whistles

These whistles are whimsical, playful, and playable, too.  They sport a hole for stringing a leather or fabric cord through.  I don't recommend wire for stringing because it could chip the ceramic glaze.

For Days and Days

...for days and days I've been rephotographing everything in the pottery store.  I'm still not finished but I have decided to put it away for a few weeks.  I'm trying to get a few more beads and mugs glazed before a show I'm doing on December 11th.  When I have a flyer, I will post it here.

White Ceramic Beadcaps on Black Melons

I have for a long time been fascinated with metal beads.  Which is why a few years ago I took a workshop on wheel-thrown, altered and assembled pottery with Leah Leitson who is fascinated with silver teapots and serving vessels.   

I don't know why it took me so long to make the connection that I should try to make ceramic beads in the style of what I like best about silver beads: the addition of metal to metal.  It is no simple thing to add clay to clay.  I often have the added clay fall off in an initial bisque firing, usually while taking them out of the kiln. Or sometimes, they are drying and a sprig falls off ... fail!

These additions are so little it is hard to slip and score the way one might do with larger pieces.  But when it works, it works nicely.

Black Textured Waffles with Red Ceramic Beadcaps

Here's more 'brass' that is black.  Should I call it 'brassy black'? 

These would be fun in a bracelet.  The red ceramic beadcaps give these somewhat of a whimsical attitude.

The texture is from a large antique button.

White Rounds with Ceramic Black Beadcaps

This is another example of the brass glaze coming out more of a black.  It is a stark (and lovely) contrast to the whiteness.

Note to self...make more of these.  Next time, though fire them to cone 1 instead of cone 04.  It doesn't seem to make a difference on the color and will make the beads a bit more durable.

Iron Oxide Decals Bowl

This bowl is a terracotta stoneware with white slip applied to the inside and the outside. It was fired to maturity at cone 6 in an electric kiln. 

Iron oxide handmade decals were added at another firing at cone 05.  The spirals were made via a spirograph toy, the paisleys were hand drawn by myself, and the double bandaid type decals at the top are copyright free patterns that I altered.

It's Not Brass

This was supposed to be a specialty brass glaze, cone 04, put out by Duncan. I do like it, but it's not brass. I have a couple of bead sets done in this same glaze that I'll blog about tomorrow and later this week.

This is a sprig bead which I also pierced holes into and added sprig bead caps. 

Simple Vase

This is a very simple vase. I'll be adding it to my pottery store sometime today.  This is a vase that I pulled to 10".  After bisque and glaze firing it ended up at a cool  8.5". It's perfect for a bouquet of cut flowers, and its neutral golden tan color means it goes with most any color scheme.