Been a while since I have made anything larger than a clay bead. But I woke up one morning and thought....not wall hearts but Stars!!!
 And here is the first one...more to come!
Not easy to make it "pillow -like" with all the angles and seams. This one has been sold already but stay tuned for more.

Collaborations are cool!

 I have been asked to do some pretty cool custom items. It is so rewarding working with other artists and bouncing ideas off of each other. Probably the coolest commission was for some majolica sugar skulls to be used as cabochons by artist Nicole Dumontier at Eklektisch on Etsy.  I just sent them to her and she's a pretty busy gal, but I can't wait to see what she does with them! Her metalwork and craftsmanship are exquisite!....here is a sneak peek of the cabochons....and bone beads!

Cone 5-6 metallic glaze by Spectrum !!

Tried a new glaze this week with spectacular results! Spectrum Mars Scape 1451. It is a Cone 5-6 metallic glaze. I was a bit concerned based on some results I saw posted on other reviews. But on my little beads it showed all it's glory (except for one...i'll explain that later). I used Highwater Redstone Clay...bisque fired to 05. Three heavy coats of Spectrum Mars Scape, fired to cone 6 and soaked for 15 minutes. The results!

Now, this last photo shows the same glaze on the "6" bead. The bead was exactly the same but I dipped  it in the Mars Scape and it was placed at the very top of the kiln. I suspect that it did not fire to maturity up at the top where the peep hole is open and the lid lets a bit of heat escape. As well, it probably did not have a thick enough coat of the glaze. I am going to try and re-dip it and fire it again on a lower, hotter shelf and see if that makes it sparkle like the others. As you may know, metallics are very difficult to photography. It is the movement and color of the light bouncing off and around them that really makes the gleam. Try it for yourself and let me know how you fare!!

Announcing New Shop

I found myself becoming more and more consumed with making ceramic beads. After I accumulated a large amount of these beads and realizing I was not adept at turning them into a final product......I decided to sell them to others to use instead! The response has been amazing!
This month I will have a showcase on the EtsyStalker website. Drop by to take a peek and for a coupon code to save 10% on your purchase at my new shop Beads, Birds and Bones!