Saturday, March 26, 2011
New Wool
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Custom Order Hand Bag
Here is a felted hand bag I just completed for a custom order. It was fun picking out the colours and altering my original design to suit what my customer was looking for. I hope she likes it!
Quiet in Blog Land
Pottery Update - My blog might be quiet but the studio is active. Productive no, but I have been going through a huge learning phase. 7 weeks ago I made some new glazes and they have been a challenge but I'm getting very close to fixing them. It will take a little bit of tweaking over the next few months but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now.
I finally ran out of clay and had to switch brands which is proving to be a whole new set of challenges. Luckily I have lots of online resources and wonderful potters who have been giving me tons of very useful advice that is making all the difference.
Needless to say, I do not have any pictures of new work to post. Oh I have lots of pictures of my disasters that I have been sending to people for advice since a picture says a thousand words. What would we do without digital cameras and the Internet?
Crochet Design Update - I have just completed a commissioned felted bag. As soon as I sew on the button I will post some pictures. I haven't been crocheting as much lately because my pottery dilemma's are eating up a fair chunk of my spare time. But I have ordered some new 100% wool which should felt nicely. Another experiment, just like my pottery, the experimenting never ends. Who said that hobbies are supposed to be calming and relaxing? *sigh*
Work has been busy and my spare time a little stressful but I keep telling myself it will all pay off when I get it figured out. Wine helps too. Sometimes a lot of wine. And when I am feeling really frustrated or angry all I have to do is turn on the news and realize that my little problems are so completely insignificant to everything else going on all over the world and I should just be grateful I have a home, a job, a family, a safe place to live and spare time to create with clay and yarn.
I finally ran out of clay and had to switch brands which is proving to be a whole new set of challenges. Luckily I have lots of online resources and wonderful potters who have been giving me tons of very useful advice that is making all the difference.
Needless to say, I do not have any pictures of new work to post. Oh I have lots of pictures of my disasters that I have been sending to people for advice since a picture says a thousand words. What would we do without digital cameras and the Internet?
Crochet Design Update - I have just completed a commissioned felted bag. As soon as I sew on the button I will post some pictures. I haven't been crocheting as much lately because my pottery dilemma's are eating up a fair chunk of my spare time. But I have ordered some new 100% wool which should felt nicely. Another experiment, just like my pottery, the experimenting never ends. Who said that hobbies are supposed to be calming and relaxing? *sigh*
Work has been busy and my spare time a little stressful but I keep telling myself it will all pay off when I get it figured out. Wine helps too. Sometimes a lot of wine. And when I am feeling really frustrated or angry all I have to do is turn on the news and realize that my little problems are so completely insignificant to everything else going on all over the world and I should just be grateful I have a home, a job, a family, a safe place to live and spare time to create with clay and yarn.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Switching from Stoneware to Porcelain Clay
Who knew that switching from Seattle Sea Mix 5 Stoneware to Plainsman M370 Porcelain could be so drastic! Porcelain is so silky and smooth that I am considering making a lovely facial mask out of it! LOL. It is way more plastic and durable BUT will it hold up to the strength I need for hand-building? Time will tell and I have asked for feedback from the experts as I never realized that one clay could differ so much from another.
I was always too afraid to switch clays because the Sea Mix was what I have been using since day one. I finally ran out of clay from a local pottery supply store that is no longer in business so I had to make a change. I choose Plainsman because it is a Canadian company and I always try to support the local economy when and where I can as well being local (Alberta, BC) the price was better. I am also hoping I am doing my part in cutting down on green house emissions since the clay does not have to travel as far and at 40 - 50 pounds a box, it is heavy!
For the last month I was fretting about my glaze disaster and now I am moving on to fretting about my choice in clay. Eventually I will have everything worked out and be on my merry way but every time I learn a little bit the more I realize I have sooooo much more to learn.......
I was always too afraid to switch clays because the Sea Mix was what I have been using since day one. I finally ran out of clay from a local pottery supply store that is no longer in business so I had to make a change. I choose Plainsman because it is a Canadian company and I always try to support the local economy when and where I can as well being local (Alberta, BC) the price was better. I am also hoping I am doing my part in cutting down on green house emissions since the clay does not have to travel as far and at 40 - 50 pounds a box, it is heavy!
For the last month I was fretting about my glaze disaster and now I am moving on to fretting about my choice in clay. Eventually I will have everything worked out and be on my merry way but every time I learn a little bit the more I realize I have sooooo much more to learn.......
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