Yolanda's Clay

Where does time go?

2012-01-24T16:35:00.000-08:00

As January almost ends and seeing the neglected blog I figured is about time to pay a visit here. Where does time go? I don't know, all I know is that it comes and goes too fast. So to all of you out there with a bit of shame I finally say, Happy New Year!

I was really excited earlier in the month when I was tagged in Facebook by Janice from J-Lynn Jewels Janice is the Designer Highlight for the month of January in Bead Trends The piece below is one of the many pieces that Janice had featured, it has a pendant I made with a swirl and a milky stone looking glaze, the pendant is made from porcelain clay.

Janice has many pieces featured in the magazine. Here is her Facebook Page of Published Designs so you can see the variety and beauty of all the pieces she creates. Gorgeous, romantic, breathtaking designs that make you want to wear them all.

Visit Janice's Etsy store she also makes altered art wood scrabble tiles, lampwork beads among other things.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

2011-12-22T14:38:00.000-08:00

This picture is from my neighbor's yard from last year before midnight that's
why baby Jesus is not set yet on its crib

It's been exactly a month since my last post and while I have not been very communicative lately. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support but most of all I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday.

While things in the PC world have gotten so out of hand in my opinion. I thought this is my place to express what I celebrate and express my love for all friends who regardless of what they celebrate they always have a special place in my heart. From me to you I hope you are always blessed with goodness, love, happiness and good health at this time and always.

I believe in the love of God and his immense sacrifice of his only son for the goodness of the world. And on Christmas Day I will celebrate that, the birth of Jesus from whom I receive love and compassion and renewed hope and faith in difficult moments in my life. It's a time for me to reflect and renew my spirit and continue my life always in the company of God. Merry Christmas!

Cyber Monday Sale and Giveaway!

2011-11-25T18:00:00.001-08:00

Wishing that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and loved ones. I spent mine with family. Having my daughter come down for the weekend was wonderful, she got the days off from work, and her classes were canceled. So this made it for an easy ride home on Wednesday, record time actually for being the day before and even driving thru Los Angeles. Now we prepare for Christmas.

I wanted to also announce on this post about the Beads of Clay Cyber Monda Sale! We will also have a giveaway of several pieces donated by the participating stores. Yours truly is participating and I will be offering 20% Off. So use code BOCCYBER at checking out to get your discount! Visit my Etsy Store

To find out details of the giveaway visit Beads of Clay Blog and enter for the giveaway!

I will be donating this piece above with the beautiful design from a decal. This piece has been fired three times, so I can tell you it was made with much love. Come Monday and get your goodies at Yolanda's Clay and good luck in winning the beads!

Old Town Artwalk in Tustin

2011-10-18T08:50:00.000-07:00

Come this Saturday!!

I will be displaying my work at the Old Town Tustin Artwalk this Saturday October 22

Visit us from 10am to 4pm

I will be on El Camino Real and 6th St. close to Armstrong's Nursery

And I've been told I'm in very close proximity to the wine booth!!

So come over let's do some shopping, wine tasting and enjoy the great weather

Tustin has!!

Hope to see you Saturday!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-10-13T06:35:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Witch Shoes Pedant is......

Amy!!

Amy let me know your address so I can send these to you asap!

Thank you all who participated.

Halloween is Time for a Giveaway!!

2011-10-08T14:50:00.001-07:00

I just feel like doing a giveaway, after all it's been a while. I opened the kiln this morning with halloween orders, and of course I always make more than I need in case of little accidents. But it was an accident free firing this time so I decided I ahd stuff to give!

The pendant, beads and charm above is what is up for grabs. Like an old good witch I am there is always a catch Muahahahha....! however you spell that. Here is what you need to do:

1. Like my facebook page Yolanda's Clay
2. Follow this blog
3. Blog this giveaway and come and post the link here
4. Tweet this giveaway and come back to post the link here
5. If you also post on your facebook yeah let me know here.

Anddddd If you make a purchase at my store Yolanda's Clay Etsy I will also add you to the giveaway and your whole purchase and giveaway will be shipped free when you win these beads (giveaway for US residents only). Plus those who have bought from me know that I always include little gifts.... so hurry and get something if you want.... in case you don't tweet, facebook or blog...!

This giveaway will end Wednesday October 12th, at 9pm West Coast Time. My time. So go ahead spread the word and enter to win this stash of fun beads. I really had a fun time making these, I already got new unusual stamps for next year, or maybe I will still have time to make a few.....

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK TODAY!

2011-10-07T08:04:00.000-07:00

Take 10% off all day today in celebration of First Friday Art Walk over on etsy. I got a coupon code for you in my store BOCFFAW use it when checking out! Visit me here and check out all the Halloween Pendants and Much More!

Also! I will be at a real Art Walk in Tustin this month! Come Saturday, October 22nd from 10am to 4 pm. To Old Town Tustin ant Main St. and El Camino Real. Arts, Plein Air Contest, Wine Tasting, Live Music and Food! I hope to see you there, stop by! (will load poster later)

Halloween is Around the Corner

2011-10-06T08:29:00.000-07:00

The store is full of halloween pendants. I listed a few last week and quickly sold and got a few orders for more right away. Those are shipped and gone to as far as Germany yay! my first Germany order.
These came out really cute and I can't wait to list more in the next couple days.

There's all kinds of designs to choose from. Pumpkins, skulls, witch shoes, spiderwebs. All these are spooky and fun, nothing gory or scary at all so they are perfectly G rated. Visit the etsy store and check them out Yolanda's Clay Here is a few more pics for your enjoyment. Happy Halloween! and boo!

Cyber Sale Oct. 2 Creating Handmade with Handmade

2011-10-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

Cyber Sale Sunday Oct. 2 put together by Love My Art Jewelry Blog Close to 40 artists makers of handmade beads, pendants, components and jewelry. All will offer discounts. And there are giveaways!! Visit their site by clicking button on the right.

I will be doing a 15% discount in my store in all items. Coupon code is LMAJ15 it will be all day Sunday OCt. 2. Visit Yolanda's Clay Etsy Store and get some nice new pendants I got there and lots of Halloween spooky pendants! Don't forget LMAJ15 for 15% off.

I'm donating this pendant and beads with decals for the many giveaways!

Love My Art Jewelry September Art Spark

2011-09-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am a sponsor for September at the Love My Art Jewelry Blog Art Spark Event. The purpose is to design jewelry in which your design includes a piece that has a special meaning to you. A memory of a charm a loved one gave you, the first gift your little one gave you that was collected on a walk to the woods, the beach. A memento in a special time in our life.

In the giveaway for the winner my donation is this set of pendant and earring beads, or charms. It's from my line that I call Watercolor Spring Fling.

To learn more about Love My Art Jewelry and the requirements yo enter your piece visit their blog.

Etsy First Friday Art Walk

2011-09-01T16:57:00.000-07:00

The Art Walk Etsy Team is preparing for tomorrow Sept. 2 to hold First Friday Art Walk with many sellers participating. I will offer a 10% off the whole store including sale items. Coupon Code is BOCFFAW enter this code at check out to get your discount!

Other members from Beads of Clay will be participating too and you can use the same code BOCFFAW. For other non BOC members you can use FFAW. I hope you enjoy saving money and getting ceramic beads! Please visit my store Yolanda's Clay on Etsy

Thanks and we hope to see you there!!

Cyber Sale Monday Aug. 29th!

2011-08-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

Come tomorrow and check what lots of Beads of Clay members are planning on out etsy stores! It will save you money, hint hint!! see you tomorrow!

Visit the Beads of Clay Blog tomorrow morning and join us!

Beads of Clay Blog

Designs Made with Yolanda's Clay Pieces

2011-08-27T06:24:00.000-07:00

I create a lot of my pieces just by thinking what I feel like making that day, sometimes I feel I am all over the place with pieces at different stages of creating. I wake up in the middle of the night and think Oh I could make this! or I should make that! I don't sketch (not very good at it) I don't write my ideas either. I am a very unorganized when it comes to playing with clay actually. A few years ago I started with a series of pendants that I called "Spring Fling Watercolors" the technique I use is basically an abstract watercolor brushing. I work the clay with different techniques to give texture, raised designs and make it interesting. All pieces are one of a kind and never a repeat piece. I have made many of these as they seem to be very good sellers on my shows. Simply hung from chain or leather cords. But the pieces below are fully designed an make my work stand out beautifully!

This piece bellow is one of the many batches of the Spring Fling line, very bright colors. Here you can see how Linda Landig of Linda Landig Jewelry used the pendant I made. Linda named this piece Monet's Garden, how sweet is that! She used different colors of crystals, pink opal, rose quartz, green aventurine, sterling silver chain and clasp. The result is a lovely and girly look to wear all the way trough summer.

From the first designs in the spring colors I wanted to play with glazes and a more tone down palette that could take the pieces from fall to winter and this is what I came up with.

The design of this piece was made from Silver Parrot Designs Her use of large link brass chain, pearl, shell, vintage glass and other metal accent beads give this piece an old time look. The glazes used were in rose red, myrtle green, lite cocoa and a little dab of blue.

I will have a new post with a most recent piece that I found recently or better said I was told recently with a little happy news that came with it too :)

These pieces today you can find on these artists' shops in the links above.

p.s. the technique above are done in other shapes, these just happen to be ovals. But I make hearts and circles as well. I came to find out that square were not my favorite so I have stopped those.

Beads of Clay Members Cyber Sale Monday August 29th.

2011-08-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

Coming this Monday August 29th!

Many members from Beads of Clay will be having a collective Cyber Sale!

Visit the Blog Monday Augsut 29th with information and coupon codes on all the stores participating.

Beads of Clay Blog

I'm Still Alive! and there is a giveaway!

2011-08-09T22:32:00.000-07:00

Where did time go? It's been over a month since the last post. I've been in a funk lately, but I told myself that enough is enough. So here I am, just wanted to remind you I'm still having a sale on my Etsy Store thru Friday the 12th, with 10% Off! Code is 2011Birthday.... Oh yes, friday is my birthday and I want to celebrate with a discount! so go over and check out the stuff and buy buy buy...

Also just a little note, the Beads of Clay Blog is having a giveaway and one of my pieces is donated for the giveaway, so go and check it out and win win win!

Piece I donated for the giveaway!

Celebrate with a Birthday Discount!

2011-07-14T15:27:00.000-07:00

I have a birthday coming up on August 12th! And what better way to celebrate another one than giving you nice people a break in price. My way of thanking you for supporting handmade and the creations I love. So here is the scoop, and remember you can always let me know if you have any questions by leaving a message here. Enjoy!

Get a 10% discount now through August 12th with the purchase of regular priced items. Use Code 2011Birthday for your discount!

Again thank you for supporting Yolanda's Clay

New Look for Yolanda's Clay Etsy Store

2011-06-03T08:43:00.000-07:00

Been wanting to do a new avatar and banner for my etsy store for a while. Bonnie from Love My Hero Etsy has shop banners for etsy stores. I wanted something on the colors above, brown representing earth as clay comes from it and the green is an all time favorite color. The nature theme on it with birds which I love. I am very pleased how it turned out and give Bonnie big kudos for getting it with this info "brown, green, birds, earthy".

Love My Hero also specializes in Military themed jewelry. The store has pieces already made for a quick purchase and you could also have items to be custom made exclusively for you.

Bonnie is a Marine wife who likes doing scrapbooking and now uses her digital knowledge to make the themed jewelry that is in her etsy store. I hope you visit her store and heart it and check many of her other pieces available for yourself or as a gift for someone you know who has a family member serving.

What a great way to honor and remember so gratefully the men and women who do so much for our country and our freedoms. Thank you to all service men/women past and present who give everything for us.

Cats and the Outdoors

2011-05-29T06:50:00.000-07:00

A snapshot of cat experiencing the outdoors

Jupiter is more daring and after many times out has explored beyond the threshold.

Layla being the shy one is still hanging by the door.

We have had these cats for six months now and they are finally feeling at home, specially Layla who is three. We believe she did not have a good beginning but now she is safe, trusting and enjoying having a home. Jupes as we call her, was 2 months when we got her so she knows this is her home from day one. They will be indoor cats because of the dangers outside, and our area has coyotes occasionally. But they do get bored at times so I take them out in our yard supervised for 10 minutes a couple times a day.

Today I will be at Patchwork Show in Santa Ana form 11 to 5 pm, if you are in Orange County come and check it out lots of fun things going on.

Patchwork Show Event

2011-05-25T10:51:00.000-07:00

Patchwork Show Again!!

That time again for Patchwork Santa Ana

Sunday May 29 from 11 to 5 pm

Main St. and the 5 Freeway

Between Bowers Museum and Main Place Mall

Hope to see you there!

Few items Today

Sunday is Patchwork Show Long Beach

2011-05-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

PATCHWORK SPRING SHOW MAY 15 in LONG BEACH

Sunday May 15th is the day people! Patchwork Show in Long Beach is happening. From 11 to 5pm

at the Marine Stadium. There will be over 125 vendors with all handmade goodies. The shows are always a blast so come prepared to have lotsssss of fun, good food and nice music in the background.

Rain or shine! so do the sun dance for us please.

Here some of the stuff I've been making and that I will have there.

Come and say Hi!

Another Design with One of my Pendants

2011-05-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

A few months ago I made a sale on my etsy store, I asked the buyer how she found me. She said she saw a picture on flickr of a necklace with one of my pendants, later on she sent me a link to this necklace.

The pendant was one that sold around Christmas. The necklace was beautifully designed in yellow and purple. It was a commissioned piece that artist Linda Landig from Linda Landig Jewelry created for a man who would give away as a gift. Linda's designs are beautiful pieces full of color in many different designs and choices for you to wear.

The pendant is a little square about one inch in size, stamped with a yellow bird in the center with ornamental texture surrounding it in purple and an outline of yellow again. The piece is designed with square beads, seed beads and lentil beads and some nugget looking ones too.

Linda and I have become facebook friends and I became a fan on her page too Linda Landig Contemporary Artisan Jewelry Also here is a post she did recently on her blog on some pendants she recently purchased Linda's Bead Blog

This is another pendant Linda has on the works, can't wait to see what she makes with it. Thank you Linda for sending the pictures to share.

Sigh..... Black Clay Results

2011-05-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

I did a post last month about working with black clay the picture above is from some pieces in the bisque stage. Below are the results after the glaze firing. Will let the pictures do the talking. What do you think? I think they look prettier in the bisque stage..... darn! Luckily I only glazed half so I will play with the other half and other glazes, but will not expect much. Have a great Friday!

This little heart was listed on my etsy http://www.etsy.com/listing/73550966

What happens to my pieces when they sell and are shipped.

2011-05-05T05:18:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder what happens to your work once it's been sold, packaged and shipped? I do think about them sometimes, curiosity I guess.

I came across a blog last year of a jewelry designer with lots of pretty pieces. She uses artisan beads a lot, I saw some of her focal beads were from Beads of Clay members that I know. One of her necklaces had been featured on Stringing Magazine and it was just beautiful! I hearted her etsy store Silver Parrot right away and I have continued reading her blog often catching up with what she blogs about. Later on she bought some of my pendants and has returned to buy from me several times now. One of the most recent pendants she got was the one on this necklace that she featured on her blog.

I was very happy to see this piece and to see in it one of my pendants from the line I call Spring Fling for its bright and happy colors and the techniques of an abstract watercolor. Except this batch I made I selected different underglazes of more subdued colors. She bought it and I shipped it.

I loved the use of the open chain and the bits of color that tie-in so well with the colors in the pendant. She has more pictures with a more detailed description on her blog Silver Parrot Blog along with the inspiration when she saw this pendant on my store.

Visit her blog for other pieces she features on the same post that will make you want some jewels for yourself. My favorite in there is the one name "Driftwood". Visit the blog and from there you can jump to her etsy store and see more from Silver Parrot.

Fresh Off the Kiln!

2011-04-11T17:08:00.000-07:00

Here is the results after all pieces were fired. this weekend. I will let the pictures do the talking because between Twitter, Facebook, etsy and threads I am beat! Thank you for coming to take a look at my work. Scroll down and check the previous two posts for the process.

Earthenware Pastel Spring Fling Heart

Earthenware Pastel Spring Fling Hearts

Earthenware Pastel Spring Fling Circle with Matte Glaze

Earthenware Pastel Spring Fling Oval with Matte Glaze

Earthenware Pastel Graffiti Heart in Matte Glaze

Miscellaneous Decals

Flower Iron Oxide Decal

Tree of Life Pendant with Iron Oxide Decal

What's To Do This Saturday

2011-04-08T11:14:00.000-07:00

This is some of the work I did last weekend, it's bisque fired and ready to be glazed. Yesterday afternoon I spent wiping off dust the bisque pieces and later I applied the decals to these pendants. Hopefully I can do two firings this weekend and show some stuff Monday or Tuesday. I am in no rush ever to get stuff done pronto. But will try,,,, :) have a great weekend.

Black Clay, some with colored slip.

Decals

Back of pendants above, UG one coat for
translucent look.

A Quicky Post Work Done Sunday "Spring Fling" Pendants

2011-04-06T16:52:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show a sequence of the process of my most popular pendants which I named Spring Flings. I will spare you a picture of a blank slab of clay since there is not much to show. These pictures were taken with my cell phone and the studio room is not very well lit so quality may not be best.

Slab prepared with undergalzes

Slab after pieces have been cut, I usually cut
them way closer but this was the second batch and I
was tired.

Pendants have been cut and are ready for cleaning
and making hole or attaching wire.

Pendants are cleaned, hole is made, and they are stamped
in the back with my initials.

Here is a shot of the first batch. Slightly different as the
underglazes are darkened and there is no texture. These were
just cut and await cleaning and holes. Some of these I will
decorate with decals.

One last shot that didn't come out was the back of the pieces where it shows it colored in a matching glaze along with the side of the pendant. These are in the kiln bisque firing right now, so we'll see them next once they are glazed fired.

Working with Black Clay

2011-04-03T08:28:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a bag of black clay just for the fun of it. Glazes have different results when used on different clays. I made a lot of pieces, but when it comes to the glazing part most likely I will only glaze half and see how they come out. After I see the results I may change things in order to get maybe better results if by chance the first batch is a dud. Below are some pictures I took with my phone, not the best but you can see some work in progress.

And the picture on the left brings me to ask a question, do you like thin or thick pendants? A lot of people think that because they are made of ceramics they are heavy. And they are not, but I've noticed at some shows that people really take a look at them and sometimes just ignore the thick ones. When I suggest they pick them up and feel how light they are it surprises them. I think both thickness give the pieces different looks. Thin is delicate maybe a softer look design on a necklace. Thicker is bulky, earthy maybe more of a casual simple necklace with leather cord or swede.

What would you prefer to use in your work? Do you have a preference? Leave me a comment please and let me know what you think.

Spring is Upon Us Soon

2011-03-09T20:32:00.000-08:00

Stoneware bird in speckled green glaze.

Stoneware bird in Yellow Maize glaze.

I realized today that this coming Sunday is Daylight Saving Time. Days will be longer and it will get dark late in the day. It is the best time of the year for me here in So. California. And this time around is even better because we have had a late winter with rain as recent as last week. One gets spoiled by the beautiful weather we always have, and when we get that little cold or rain it is just not happy times for me. So welcome Spring!

Aquamarine glaze on Porcelain with Decal decoration.

I've also realized that it has been about a month without a posting here since the giveaway. Interestingly I had comments to approve,,,,? I never had that, it makes me think that i may have changed some settings on the blog last time I fiddled with settings or something.

Another thing is that I had not touched clay since November. I was just not finding my way with it since the Holidays, then New Year's, then the weather. Always an excuse I guess. But the last couple weeks I have been making new stuff. Birds and other colorful items ready for spring. My sales have been really great lately as well and for that I am thankful. These are few pictures of the new stuff.

Stoneware Purple glaze pendant and beads.

Earthenware pendant with watercolor
type technique

Being excited about spring can only bring one better thing after it.... Summer!

Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-11T06:08:00.000-08:00

The winner of the bird beads is!

Mary from Birch Bark Beads

I tried to get the widget from random.org to show the winning number, but I'm sorry for some reason I just didn't know how to get it here.

The number chosen was number 4.

Thank you all for entering, I will be doing another one in a month or so.

Mary, please email me at yolandasclay(at)yahoo(dot)com

The Bird and the Beads Giveaway

2011-02-03T06:19:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to do a giveaway lately, and like always just needed to get my act together. Well, it is not totally together, but anyways here I am with a giveaway. To enter the giveaway you need to post a comment on my blog let me know why you like ceramic beads, and how you heard about me and this blog. Feel free to share this giveaway with your friends etc. I need to get my name out there and any little exposure helps.

I am giving away a set of six beads and a bird made from stoneware clay and glazed in a teal green shade. They have been fired to cone 5. The bird and beads are all handmade by me so please expect a little of the handmade look and feel. The bird I love, it's a little plump measuring about 1" and the beads range from 10 to 13mm. These beads will go to the lucky winner when I announce it on February 11th.

Please leave your comments. Last day to enter is Thursday the 10th. The entry time will end at 9pm PST. I will announce a winner Friday Feb. 11th. in the morning. Thank you for visiting and good luck!

Kiln Firing Results

2011-01-30T13:40:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I opened the kiln and this is what it looked like. I am happy to announce no pieces were lost in this firing, and that makes me happy. This is what everything looked like once I got them all out

Do you like what you see? Well come back Thursday because I will have a giveaway of one of those birds and beads. I need to do one more firing to complete the sets and take pictures.

So I will see you back here on Thursday. In the meantime I hope you enjoy these pictures. And thank you for always stopping by the blog.

Where in the world is Yolanda??

2011-01-28T14:40:00.000-08:00

I know, I know it seems like after my last post I just disappeared to never be seen again...Well not so really. Holidays came and went, everything was nice. Staying home this year and spent Christmas with friends and had a great time. For New Year's it was quiet here at home.

I think part of my disappearance from the clay blog was the disappointing firing I had before the Holidays. A full kiln of ornaments all went to the trash... the glazing was horrible. It made me feel like crap really. I still cannot pin point what it was, I did a small firing afterwards of little things I make to give away like magnets, smaller pendants, some beads and the firing came out good. So I am being brave right now and filled the kiln for a firing and it's going as we speak.... fingers crossed. Here are some pictures of the kiln full right now.

Beads on wire before loading in kiln

This is the whole batch, about 150 beads and 30 pendants

Here is a view from above of the full kiln. Not all those beads fit, I had about 30 pieces left for next firing. I have to glazes more things to add to those and really use all the space possible.

This load I will probably open Saturday night or Sunday. So until then I say, later.

Christmas Nostalgia

2010-12-20T14:58:00.000-08:00

At this time of year I get sad and long for the good old times when my Mom was still alive. She passed away ten years ago and while that should be long enough time to get used to it, it is not. I get that feeling of wishing things were the same as back then. The dates in the year are reminders of how much I miss her. Mother's Day, her birthday, my birthday, her anniversary, Christmas for sure.

On the positive side I have nice reminders of her all the time and at this time it's these two ornaments. Inexpensive, simple not fancy but full of memories that ring every year when I get them out. My mom was a Pic n' Save addict, she loved that store and all it had to offer. I remember taking her there when se visited me and rolling of the eyes was a constant thing I did.... oh mom, that is junk..! Well these ornaments came from there, and while at the time I didn't do a song and dance when she got them, I knew inside I liked them.... yeah,, get them, they are cute and will look nice. The little red house she gave to me before she passed away, I basically said when you don't want that I want it... llevatelo mija (take it honey). The tree I took after she passed away, it had most meaning to me than to my siblings... I remember the day we got them, what store, how much, and where we went for lunch after we shopped.

Looking at them they do look like the $1.49 item we bought, but for me looking at them and going back to the many memories of every Christmas with her, they are priceless.

I hope your Christmas is full of wonderful memories with those you love, Merry Christmas!

And this is Jupiter!

2010-12-09T06:17:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post on this little bundle of fun. Jupiter "Joops" is such a darling little girl. We got her home Tuesday and right away she felt at home exploring around and bouncing from couch to couch. She is actually two months old and I am glad because I wanted a little kitty.

Layla took to her right away welcoming her with snuggles, cleaning her and playing. Layla we found out had a litter last May, so she is used to caring for babies and does so well caring for this little one. Having Jupiter come home has also helped Layla come out of her shell and spend more time all over the house and not just a couple rooms.

Here they are together last night right before bed. They seem like old buddies.

We got new kitties!

2010-12-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Meet Regalia who has been renamed Layla

We had difficult decisions to make last year and this September with our older pets when they had to be put to sleep exactly a year apart. They were 13 and their time had come, we miss them terribly still. But knowing how much happier they made us, we thought it was time to get some life back into this house. We will always love them and remember how happy we were to have them.

Been looking at rescues online for a month or so, went to the shelter a couple times too. But this week I went back wanting to get a dog, but the decision was hard on what I (we) want to get that will please all humans in our household. Well, I made the decision yesterday and instead we got two cats!

Meet Regalia she is two and a half, black and white and such a sweet girl. She is still shy about the new home and has claimed dibs on Christina's bedroom.... pics prove it, I think. She is getting to know the house but pretty much stays there. She had a good night sleep. It will take her several days I am sure to get used to being here. She is loving, friendly and has the cutest meow as if she was a baby kitty. Too sweet! and I am happy for her to come to our home!

The other kitty is a three month calico with lots of white, she is also a girl. She is getting spayed Monday and I will bring her home Tuesday. She was too quick and I could never take a good picture of her. We have decided to name her Jupiter. Will post her pictures next week if she stays still for more than an second.

I am happy we are giving these two sweethearts love and a good forever home.

Patchwork on Again

2010-11-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

Come and see me and other 80 crafters at the best show in Orange County, Patchwork.

Patchwork will be on today Sunday November 28th. from 11am to 5pm. Located at 2202 N. Main St. in Santa Ana. Main and Buffalo right off the 5 Freeway. You can't miss it! the hole block on Buffalo is closed off for this great event.

Click me for a bigger version and to get info

Come and enjoy everything handmade, food and music. This event is free to everybody! I hope to see you there, I will be at booth 9.

Fresh off The Kiln

2010-11-16T11:14:00.000-08:00

This morning I got to open the kiln to these beauties. They are from what I call my "Spring Fling Watercolors" This time I added some twists into making these to give them a different look. The results, is what I expected so I am pretty happy with them.

I really have a lot of fun making these. I realize that I am the happiest when I am creating. I hope I can continue doing this for a long time.

The shapes are hearts, circles, birds, two size of ovals.

I will be listing these in the next couple days, many of you know me,,, and know that I have a hard time letting go of what I make. But I will have to let them go and I hope I can do it and list them in the next day or two. If you want some of them before I list, email me and I can reserve them for you.

They will be $10 per pendant. My email is YolandasClay@yahoo.com

I love these!

2010-11-14T09:52:00.000-08:00

On my last post last Wednesday I blogged about the decals I applied to some colorful beads and pendants that I won as a giveaway from Bisque Bead Supply. Well after a couple days of wind and some other work to do they are finally done. Here they are.

I think these two above are my most favorite ones. but I do love them all.

I hope to list later today on my etsy store. If you're interested let me know and I will get back to you as soon as I feel a bit better.... kind of
not feeling well today.

What do you think of them?

What I did this Morning

2010-11-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

Last month I won a giveaway of bisque items from Bisque Bead Supply

Bisque is the term given to ceramic that has been fired once, and is ready to be glazed with many choices of glazes. Once glazed you need to fire again and they come out all shiny like these beads above, aren't they pretty just like that?

These beads I decided to do a third firing
because I wanted to add decals for the decoration part of the design. I printed my own decals on special paper. Sooo, this morning I printed the decals at 4 am... couldn't sleep so might as well get going right? and after a walk this morning I applied the decals to the fired pieces. The picture to the right shows the pieces with the decal that will be attached to that piece, it has the white backing paper that will be removed after the decal is immersed in water, the water loosens up the decal from the paper and when ready I will set on piece and slide the paper off. Dry the decal and remove any wrinkles once set on bead.

And this is what they look like once the decal has been attached to the piece. I will let dry overnight and do the firing probably tomorrow.

So Stay tuned to see the results in two days or so.
let me know if you have any questions about decals.

I Never Win Anything!

2010-10-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

That was a frequent saying of mine. I remember for many years entering raffles at church, for school fundraisers and honestly the only time I won something was like fifteen years ago at church. But the thing is not to win but to help support the causes of those places that need it.

The last several months I have entered giveaways from blogs of artists and designers I read. Last month I entered a giveaway at Lisa's blog Lisa's Clay Happenings and yesterday I got these two little boxes above.

An this is what was inside, yay! Lovely pendant and lots of beads in bright pretty colors, and a pair of earrings to match! I have admired Lisa's work for her use of raised designs on her pieces. I am one who loves touching and running my fingers over the pendant and feeling the continuous lines of the leaves. I also love her tropical color combinations. I have one other piece of hers from a past bead swap on the Beads of Clay Group. If you would like to visit Lisa's website here is the link Clayworks of New Hampshire Thank you Lisa for putting such a beautiful and lovely giveaway, as soon as I make something with the beads I will post here.

But wait! There is more.... last month I also won another giveaway at a supplier of ceramic pieces. I got them last week or so, but they are in the process of glazing and then firing them.... so stay tuned. And I guess now that title phrase cannot be used as much. Unless another fifteen years go by.

The Meaning of Friendship

2010-10-07T17:16:00.000-07:00

Throughout the many years of internet surfing, google searching, art forums, ebay purchases, handmade crafting, shows, ceramic beads and jewelry. The list could go on. I have come to make friends with many of you, many friendships have been long lasting and some go on to be an eventual hello through emails, blog postings or most recently facebook. But this person I want to share with you today is too much fun and special to not comment on.

I met Gerry through the Beads of Clay group a few months ago, in the spring when we opened an etsy store for the team, she joined and donated a few pieces to raise funds for promotion of Beads of Clay. We have emailed continually for months now, always having fun in what we say and what we know and don't know about internet how tos. We talk about our work, life, pets, shows and the going ons of the team.

Today I received this beautiful watercolor card with a sweet message to brighten up my day while I continue to go through losing Sparky. Gerry makes beautiful pendants with the imprint of a Fleur de Lis in what she calls an Oxblood Red Glaze. I have commented on it a couple times... okay maybe a few times or maybe too many times how much I like that glaze. I really do like it! Well today along with her card and her sweet message sending me some "happy" she also included this lovely necklace for me... Awww.... thank you Gerry!

It made me so happy to receive this Gerry, I really wanted to thank you and let you know howmuch I appreciate your friendship. We may not know each other in person, but I really appreciate to have you in my list of friends to get to talk to. This is one of the great things of the internet in out time. Brining people together sharing same interests, forming friendships, sharing skills and knowledge.

You can visit Gerry Lee's store on etsy for a sweet pendant like this. her store is Clay Designs by glee

Having to say Goodbye

2010-09-29T08:58:00.000-07:00

Sparky 1999-2010

I posted last week about Sparky not doing too well and having to take care of her hoping that she would get a little bit better. Unfortunately, she took a turn for the worse in the next few days and Monday we had the vet come to our home to have our sweet Sparky put to sleep.

As the days went by her legs were not working anymore. Slowly she had lost total balance and strength to the point of not being able to get up anymore on Sunday. Last Thursday my daughter came to visit to spend time with Sparky and see her for the last time. We spent several days showering Sparky with love and attention while making her comfortable as much as we could. She still had a great disposition, seemed happy to see us, ate well and seemed to enjoy the towel rides we gave her to get her outside several times a day. We miss her terribly and wish we could have had her for longer, but we really try to concentrate on the time we had with her and a remember as many memories she gave us those eleven years. We will always love you Sparky.

This is a poem I came across earlier this year from a post a friend wrote when she lost her dog. Making the decision to let them go is always hard, I hope we can find comfort in knowing that we did the best for our sweet friends.

If it should be...

If it should be that I grow frail and weak,
and pain should keep me from my sleep,
then you must do what must be done,
for we know this last battle can't be won.

You will be sad, I understand,
but don't let grief then stay your hand,
for this day, more than the rest,
your love and friendship must stand the test.

We've had so many happy years,
what is to come can hold no fears.
Would you want me to suffer? So,
when the time comes, please let me go.

Take me where my needs they'll tend,
only stay with me until the end,
and hold me firm and speak to me,
until my eyes no longer see.

It is a kindness that you do to me,
although my tail its last has waved,
from pain and suffering I have been saved.

Do not grieve, it should be you,
who must decide this thing to do.
We've been so close, we two these years,
Don't let your heart hold any tears.

Author Unknown

Beads beads and more beads!

2010-09-23T18:18:00.000-07:00

I have been busy with glazing and trying to make new work pieces and jewelry in preparation for a show. All this while I have a ton of things to do around and out of the house. Plus taking care of my dog who the last couple months has been showing her age. New things keep coming up with her symptoms, so trips to the vet have been often. Her most recent and scary situation this week is that she has no control of her rear legs, she has little balance and walks like she is drunk. The xrays showed she has the lower part of her vertebrae fused on three places. So I am keeping an eye on her, she is on meds to help with inflammation, pain etc. But if things don't get better, sadly I will have to make the decision
to have her put down. In all other aspects she is doing great, she has an appetite, looks happy, wants to go on walks (but can't) and seems to be okay which makes the decision hard.

In the meantime here are some beads from the last firing, I hope to add more. Hopefully I will have time to add some to my etsy store in the next couple days.

I will keep you posted on Sparky, hoping that she pulls through and is able to give me a couple more years of her companionship, love and reason to get out there with her.

I Will Never Forget

2010-09-11T06:47:00.000-07:00

As September 11 has been approaching I see on tv specials to watch, stories of families and ways to remember and honor those lost in the most horrible event in US History. I've watched a couple and as I watch I continue to have the same feeling as I did that morning. I couldn't believe what I was watching, I felt sick, I cried for those lost, I cursed at those responsible. And while feelings of anger want to take over me, today I just want to remember and pray for those lost and their families and for the wellbeing of our country.

I chose the picture of this bird because it has been visiting me a lot this summer. Sometimes I think it's my Mom sending me a message, or that it comes to protect me. But it also reminds me of someone I knew that passed away one year ago on this day. Or it could totally be nothing related to the reasons above and just likes sitting at this chair under the shade the eves provide. But all in all, seeing this bird it gives me a sense of feeling hopeful. And I choose to concentrate on that hope. Hope that our country some day will be united. Hope that someday the victims of 9/11 will not feel as much pain. Hope that those lost this day nine years ago and those that I have lost personally will forever rest in peace.

Bisque Bead Supply Giveaway!!

2010-09-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

Bisque Bead Supply is having a giveaway of $50 in bisque products from their website. If you are a ceramics artist and have not been to their website you will be happy to find a lot of bisque pieces ready for decoration. They have a selection of several clays for low and high fire pieces, and many other tools and supplies for ceramics. You'll be happy you shop here and all their bisque is made in the USA.

Visit their blog for their September giveaway here Bisque Bead Supply Blog and maybe if I don't win you win $50 in bisque products. So good luck!

In Need of Color

2010-08-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

I love the ways these pendants turned out. Bright, colorful and pretty. I'm the kind of person who is affected by grey gloomy days and rain, specially when it last days.... I get gloomy along with the day, unenergized and basically drag with things to get done. It's safe to say that my favorite time of year is summer.... even when it gets too hot. But a pick me up for me any time of the year is color in other thing s I see. Flowers, pictures, jewelry, clothes, pottery among many things.

What is something colorful that you own that makes you happy?

Some Beads to Show Off

2010-08-26T15:04:00.000-07:00

The big pendant in the middle, dark blue pendant and the purple piece were made using the woodblock print stamps I bought at the flea market.

Yesterday I was supposed to post some pictures of the last firing I did on Saturday. I don't know where the days go, but they sure pass by very fast lately.

The firing I did was just one firing where I glazed greenware beads and fired to the temperature the clay is supposed to be fired. I liked this one firing doing, because it saves one firing for the bisque load (usually I do two firings). Plus it saves time, electricity and also wear and tear of my joints.... just kidding! wear and tear of the kiln. So those things are worth exploring and hopefully having the results all be 100% good will make it better. The firing had about a ten percent of the beads not come out well. This could be blamed on the glaze being kind of old, or it is just not a good glaze to use in only one firing. I've never had problems with it before... so I will say it was the firing it only once. So live and learn. But most results were good this time, so I like that.

This glaze always look good no matter what clay I use.

I really liked this dark and deep blue.

I am going to continue exploring with different glazes for this one firing approach to save time most of all. I have a show coming up and need to get lots of pieces done between now and then. What do you think of these glazes? I really like them! they look very different from other pieces I have done with the same glaze. I have used different clay to so that's part of the difference.

Next post will be about different textures made from an item that most crafters have in their house.... stay tuned.

The purple tear bead on the right and the three teal round beads were stamped with the woodblock I got from the flea market earlier this month.

psssst.... I had to come back and add this picture, I love these pieces.

Testing testing..... Reviewing Bead Racks

2010-08-24T07:07:00.000-07:00

A couple months ago I bought a bead rack from Bisque Bead Supply owned by a clay buddy I met online years ago on the Beads of Clay group that we both belong to.

I am always looking for ways to make loading the kiln a little easier with all the small jewelry pieces I make. I have a small kiln that is 8" by 8" which by industry standards is known as a test kiln. Saturday I decided to use the rack for the first time. I put the high fire wire through one of the holes and then loaded three glazed beads and pushed the wire to the other side and let it sit on the matching hole. The rack has holes all along the length of it at different heights. So it's easy to figure out where you want your beads to be set and how many per wire, all depending on the size of your beads. I also used one space to hang pendants from the top indentations, this way you make full use of the whole height of the rack.

The rack made the loading easier than I had done before, I'm always having to reach all the way to the bottom of the kiln to set several wires along one row at a time, it can get tedious and tiring after a while. I took the rack to the table, beads on a plate and started filling it. When I was done I picked the whole thing and put it in the kiln and voila' I was done. The wires I used were about 7" long, this gave plenty of room for the wire to go across and pass the holes on the opposite side, and after I had filled the rack I realized if I play it well I can hang stuff on the outside too! Note that if you put something on one end, make sure to put an item on the same wire on the other end, so the weight does not tip the item on the other side because the wire will be lifted a little bit until the hole stops it. Basically use a balance approach. The pictures above were taken before loading into kiln.

Rack has been set on top section of kiln

The picture right above here you can see the left row is where I hung the pendants I talked about above, and also two pendants on the outside of the rack one on each side. I want to point out also that putting these pieces on the outside (specially the pendant row because of its weight) will avoid sagging of the wire thus avoiding pendants to stick to rack floor. For those of you who are not ceramic people, things to look out for when doing a glaze firing is that things cannot touch (or rack sides) otherwise they will stick together and will not be usable, you can also see that not all wires had items on the outside because they'd be too close risking getting stuck.

I really liked the bead rack. It's durable, small, stackable. The size is perfect for my kiln, it was a breeze to fill up and load in kiln. I am going to order a second one since they are stackable, two will fit just right in my little kiln. I could see these racks be made in bigger sizes too, I think they could be used with larger kilns where you could have several in one firing. I do want to say that this load took fewer beads than I usually put in the kiln, but saving my back from being tired and in pain for the years to come, is worth it to me. The price for the bead rack is $34.95 plus shipping. You can get the rods to suspend the beads and pendants also at Bisque Bead Supply click Supplies on the left and it will give you the choice to check the different sizes and gauge. The wire that I used to fire the beads is nichrome high fire wire, I buy this at my local supplier and it's gauge 17.

If you think you might want to save time in loading your kiln I'd say give this rack a try. They are available at Bisque Bead Supply made by ceramic people and most of all it is made in the USA. You can also buy lots of bisque items that are ready to be glazed and fired, their selection is really big for lots of designs for your ceramic jewelry. BBS is family owned by Marla James.

Please let me know what you think and if maybe you are thinking of getting one. Wednesday I will post my experience of the results of this firing, it was the first time I did a one time firing.... stay tuned for the results of the firing and close ups of the items pictured above.

Time to Show Off

2010-08-17T13:16:00.000-07:00

I have been adding things to my store at Yolanda's Clay just because I have lots of stuff to list. And sometimes there is no time, or it takes forever to do the whole process of photographing, editing, listing. But yesterday and today I have been sick so I figure I make the time.

But I also wanted to share the look on how my earrings will come packaged now. Jackie from Made By Jackie created the above tags for my clay creations. Aren't those cute? And they look super cute with my earrings! I love the tags and the earrings together. Jackie makes a lot of paper products ranging in a big variety from cards for any ocassion, party supplies for kids, banners, cake toppers etc. Visit her store if you are looking for superly cute things! (I know superly is not a word... :))

And here is a girly little pendat in green and pink with butterfly and hearts. Can it get any sweeter than that? I don't think so.

I called these a la scrabble tile since they are 1"

Great Find at the Flea Market

2010-08-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

In case you missed Sunday's Post I said I'd write about something that I have been looking for a while, Indian Wood Blocks for printing fabric. I found a vendor selling them for the first time here in Irvine! Every time I go to flea markets, antique stores or swap meet I am in the look out for these since they are great to imprint on clay and make pendants and beads.

Available on etsy shop

The items on all three pictures above I used the same block to stamp clay, this block I bought a couple years ago at a farmers market, it was rather expensive reason why I only bought one. I've seen some on ebay but again the prices are too, high so I kept looking. Well Sunday was my day, I found a new vendor who sells items from India yes!! Elizabeth sells tablecloths, napkins and placemats. And in the middle had a table full of wood blocks! My wishes came true! I took a few pics of her booth, and the coveted blocks.

Oh boy... was I in trouble at this booth.... Luckily she had some small ones that ranged from $5 to $8. But those big ones were $20 plus.

We quickly made a connection with Elizabeth and will get some of her linens soon (blocks were more important). She is a local gal and was wishing that the event coordinator would invite her back for next month's market.... We saw her coming and cheered when Elizabeth asked us in front of coord. if she should be back next month? we smiled when she said... Okay Elizabeth, do you want to pay now or mail me a check for next month.. yay! She'll be back!

I bought three blocks and they were under $20 for all three... whew! So as soon as I can I will start making new designs for pendants and beads to list on etsy. Stay tuned.

Can't get enough of them...! See you guys next time

In love with Flea Markets

2010-08-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

My friend Shelley and I have been frequent visitors to a couple of flea markets in our area for a year or so. Tustin is fourth Sunday and Irvine is first Sunday of the month. Irvine is way bigger than Tustin, so while they have a bunch of the same vendors, they really can't compare. Today was Irvine's turn. Please click on pictures for bigger images.

I loved the bench behind the big pillows, but the whole set up is pretty

For some reason today we were taking longer at each booth, basically there was so much to see.

So, with no kids, no rushes, no worries to be back at a certain time we went exploring with sunscreen on, all coffeed up we got going..

This is the first time I see this ribbon seller. I loved her selection and all those colors were bright and beautiful!

Love!

This white vanity and chair was my favorite piece I saw today. It was beautiful! The price was not bad, I would have bought it if I had the space for it. Which made come to the conclusion that a bigger home is what I need.

The man who owns this store works the wood beautifully, he is my favorite always. He works on those pieces so much by pounding them, sanding them to give them character. He stains the wood and cleans it to be ready to use as if it was new.

These are more pictures of this booth, so much to see.

These buckets were $10, good for plants or flowers or just by themselves.
What do you think of the bathtub?

I thought these were so cool!

Unusual for a flea market? Shelley and I think we should get this so when
one gets tired the other one will push...

Tomorrow I will show a few more pictures of today's loot. Some stuff I got to use in clay pieces that I am about to start making for an upcoming show. We also think that next time we should go to Long Beach FM.

What to make....

2010-07-29T14:45:00.000-07:00

With so many techniques in ceramics, sometimes is hard for me to choose one. While I love them all I constantly feel like I am pulled from every direction.... And to give myself some sanity, I try them all, even if it's one item per technique at a time. Here are a few I have been working with lately.

Owls are big lately, at shows I always sell a few at least.

I was finally able to get down and make some decals and follow through the whole process, while most pieces came out looking good a few were not so pretty.

So as you can see, I don't have a line of products that is all uniform, I don't have many of the same. But I have fun stuff that I like to make and I make with the outmost care and quality there is. Hope you like them.

Happy Birthday Etsy!

2010-06-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

Last night The Road Less Traveled in Santa Ana hosted one of the many party celebrations for Etsy's 5th anniversary. About 25 etsy sellers got together to craft, chat, meet and of course have food. Everybody brought something to eat , we had delicious salsa and chips, someone brought a pretty cute three layer cake decorated to look like a patchwork quilt with stitches and cute buttons, vegan cupcakes (to die for), preserved jellies to spread over bread or crackers with cheese.... yumm. Delilah the owner of RLT made a delicious lavender lemonade and had her new kumquat vodka (very strong) but I gotta say, very good!

We spent a few hours there enjoying a warm california evening, enjoying friends, company and of course discussing our stores, strategies, sales and future shows.

Thank yous go to The Long Beach Craft Mafia for putting a fun night to celebrate handmade along with Delilah and Nicoe Stevenson for hosting the party. Nicole and Delilah were busy making vendor bags for the next Patchwork show to be June 27 in Long Beach http://www.patchworkshow.com/. Many of the attendees last night will be at the show, so we hope to see you there!

Bead Frenzy

2010-06-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

Beads beads and more beads..... I have a show next week and most likely I will not use these beads for that show, still, I need to make some more. I got an order that I have been putting off long enough that now it's do or die! So, I got into it yesterday and just started cranking them. I am posting some pics for the different shapes, textures and sizes.... nothing new or amazing that you haven't seen before, just good old clay made into something small.

The bottom pictures are beads in different shapes I made these beads in less than one hour.... you can see that the darker the clay the more water it still has, at this point the beads have dried for a while and it would be hard to change the shape or add texture. This stage is called leather hard. The beads that are white are completely dry, and definitely you cannot change anything at this point, their stage is called greenware and they are ready for their first firing called bisque firing. Greenware is very delicate, if you drop a piece most likely will break, with beads they either break or chip.

I am using stoneware for these beads, I hope to fill the kiln with just stoneware pieces and label really well. I have several withe clays but they're not all the same, some low fire and high fire, labeling will help avoiding under or overfiring.... the picture above is of some stuff made earlier this week. I have some pendants, beads, and connectors for jewelry.

What is your favorite clay to work with?

Is that time again!! Patchwork is Back!

2010-05-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

So happy to announce that I was accepted into both Patchwork Shows coming up June 6 and 27th.
I have been doing patchwork for a couple years now and it has been one of my best selling shows and my favorite one to do. And to get accepted into both is double the fun in one month!

So prepare yourselves for two great Sundays of good fun, music and great food. But most of all a lot of unique handcrafted creations that are made from San Diego to LA. Patchwork attracts vendors and big crowds because it is undoubtedly the best show in the OC.

So here is all the scoop for you to go and check!

SANTA ANA SHOW
Sunday
June 6th 11-5 pm.
2204 N. Main St. at Buffalo
Santa Ana, CA 92706

LONG BEACH SHOW
Sunday
June 27th 11-5pm
marine stadium park.appian way@nieto
Long Beach, CA 90803

I hope to see you there and don't forget to look for Yolanda's Clay Beads!

Another Year Begins

2010-01-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

As the year's end approached last night, I could not help but be thankful and feel blessed for all the people in my life, all the experiences lived and all the things learned. Not everything is good all the time, but today I want to concentrate on the positive. So with a happy feeling inside and a smile on my face I want to wish you all a Happy New Year 2010! May all your wishes come true and all good things come your way.

New Things to Come

2009-11-30T09:14:00.000-08:00

That is just a catchy phrase to make you read.... my bad.
I realized that I haven't written in about a month. I am bad at this blogging stuff, but you all know that already. So let's skip the apologies.

Thanksgiving was wonderful, Christina came home Tuesday. We went to San Diego on Thursday to spend Thanksgiving with Glen's family. Barbara as always was such a great host and boy is she a good cook too! We took Sparky with us, so that's always appreciated that she lets us do that, Sparky is so needy. We spent the day with great company and for that I am thankful to have the Boyd's and Henehan's in my life. For some reason nobody got their cameras out this year, so I have no pics to show the fun had.

Christina left Sunday morning and the house has been quiet since then. It's nice to have her come and visit, but it's also nice to have her go back... am I bad again??

I had a tutorial to show but the last step didn't work out... the glazing. Glaze ran down and there were some pinholes. So, I will have to wait for next firing to do more pieces then. It has to do with texture so I will give you that much today.

In this post I want to thank all of you who have supported my little ceramic creations, been there for me as a friend. I truly appreciate all of you. Wishing you all the best of the Holidays. May love, family, peace and happiness fill your hearts and home forever.

Dia de Muertos

2009-11-02T13:41:00.000-08:00

Today in Mexico and other Latino countries is the day for the celebration known as Day of the Dead. In what appears to sound like a day of mourning and crying is actually pretty much the opposite. Dia de Muertos is actually a celebration of the life of our loved ones who have departed. The tradition is to celebrate by visiting their place of rest and bring to them a lot of gifts to make their place look happy, festive and colorful. Flowers is the first of gifts brought, maybe their favorite dish and drink, favorite music, candles. All these things look so pretty because as you know the Mexican culture and folklore is always full of bright colors.

Today I came to realize that while I was growing up we never went to the cemetery to visit anybody, I knew about the celebration but never went to one. We Didn't have anybody that was so close to us that had died and that were resting near us. My Mom's parents and siblings and my Dad's father had died many years ago, some even before I was born in their home state in Southern Mexico. It wasn't until I was 24 that my maternal grandmother passed away in Tijuana. Being the first closest member of my family that passed away. By that time I was living in California already and was very well adjusted and assimilated to living here. It took another 14 years for us to suffer a major loss. On July 2000 my Mom passed away, that was a very hard time for us and for me sometimes it still is. I didn't visit her resting place today because she is in Tijuana, and I don't make the trip there very often but I had my sister get flowers for her.

Today I went to visit my Aunt and my cousin whose resting place is in my neck of the woods, they both died last March less than 24 hours from one another. Mother and son rest together. My cousins and I brought our chairs, chatted and then prayed the rosary. We went to lunch afterwards and caught up with things going on with our kids nowadays. It was my first visit to the cemetery on this day and it was very nice to see a lot of people visiting their loved ones. Someone even brought the mariachi band! (I love mariachi). It was just the perfect day under the hot California Sun.

This is a picture of what my Mom's resting place looks like. My brother Gustavo is so good at maintaining and cleaning all the time. I am always thankful to him, and I am blessed he is my brother.

A day with Lana

2009-10-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended a one day workshop with Lana Wilson at Saddleback College in South Orange County. I was looking forward to this day since I read about it in her website... May or June I think. I emailed the instructor at the college and did not hear anything for 3-4 months, I thought that I was not going to be so lucky to get in. But I did! and it was great to attend.

Lana is a very lively and energetic lady. Her life is full of experiences from the many years being a potter, her many travels, her children, a life well lived.
She incorporates times in her life as she is describing her clay work, how a technique happened to be created when she was doing something totally different from clay, or how the night before she was thinking while lying in bed of how to improve a technique that she would show us that day. She is truly fun to watch and listen to. I wish her several days workshops were near by, I'd go in a hearbeat.

While she showed us a lot of stuff in the one day workshop, I will talk about a few things that stuck. She is working with colored slips right now in creating functional pottery, something that was not done by her years ago. She adds the slip to a wet slab by brushing coats of different colored slips. And then proceeds to alter the clay in many ways by carving, stretching, throwing it on the table, stamping and so much more. She created several pieces in the day and I manage to get some pictures of a cup, vase and a couple plates.

Lana is very giving with sharing a lot of her techniques of doing clay. I see her as a kind person who probably saw in us the eagerness to learn and to create something new, beautiful and fun with our own hands. She gave us that sense that it was okay to do whatever we wanted with what she taught us and if in the process we learned something new, or a way to improve (hard to believe) to take on it and just do it.

Thank you to Richard White at Saddleback for letting me in, and to Lana for being a great teacher and an inspiring me to take clay to a new level.

How could I

2009-10-11T19:51:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am again with another apology post. I am so bad in keeping this blog current, I don't know what it is?? Well, I do know a couple reasons why... but there is more than a couple, but I will not get into the couple ones I'm talking about. I am finally walking much better than the last couple months after surgery in July. I can say that walking as my exercise is great, so that has me a little happy that I can walk with my neighbors again.

Also, I am missing the girl now that she is gone to College, so that is taking some time to adjust. Sadly to top it off I had to put my sweet kitty down a few weeks ago, not having her has been very hard. Every time I think of her I start crying.
She had been sick since the beginning of the year and we were trying to figure out what was wrong with her. In the end it was just too much to put her thru more tests. She lost a lot of weight in the meantime and gain some back and ultimately lost some more. Sassy was a cat who LOVED to be petted, she was the neighborhood's cat and paraded herself everywhere. Many of my neighbors are sad to hear she is not here anymore. She was quite a character always demanding of my attention, she also outlived many cats around us that were lost to coyotes. She was a smart and loving kitty that will be missed greatly.

I will post in the next couple days about a clay workshop that I took a few days ago with a very fun and wonderful clay artist from the San Diego area. I have admired her work for several years and felt very lucky to attend the one day demonstration she gave at the local college.

So without making anymore promises of keeping this always current, I'll just say, hasta luego.

Taking care of business

2009-07-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

I had knee surgery two days ago on the 29th, all went well. Except that yesterday morning I was not feeling pain, I was actually feeling pretty good so I saw no need to take painkillers. SOB! by 6pm the pain was so ever present, took two pills and it took about 3 hours for the pain to start fading away, by that time I took another dose and poor baby was crying wishing that I had not been hopping around all day.

Another reason for not taking the meds was that they make me so sleepy, dizzy and kind of depressed. So while I'm making one thing better (pain) I'm screwing up others....ugh. Today I have been in and out of sleep like in a fog, but oh well pain has reduced a lot, so, so far good for that. Thanks to Glen, my sister Laura and Christina for being there for me and taking such good care, specially Glen who did the driving and heavier load the first two days.

As it is I am taking care of business in the knee dept. but not on the clay dept. Just a couple orders to get done but not much
that I need to worry since the people waiting knew that I would be out of commission.

Back to the pillow. Later.

Getting old

2009-06-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

I found out yesterday that I may need knee surgery on my right knee, not what I wanted to hear. I had surgery on that same knee 15 years ago when I had a torn meniscus. Everything went well then and I really didn't have any problems since. But about a month ago I twisted the knee when I was trying to get in the car, didn't hurt horribly but it has been a constant nag to the point where I have slowed down my walking tremendously. And for those of you who know me you know that it was back in February that I started walking a lot after taking care of some health problems, and I have been able to lose 16 lbs.

But now I need to take care of this before it gets any worse. I am waiting for a call to set an appoinment for a MRI. It's funny that the first surgery I had was about the same time, I remember taking advantage of the 4th of July weekend to recover better w/o having to go to work for 4 days or something like that. And here I am now at the same time.... same knee and same problem, a torn meniscus.

I feel that once I turned 30 the warranty on my body expired and it started bringing on aches and pains, changes on body, the rate of hairloss quadrupled, depression set on bla bla bla. And don't get me going on turning 40!

I think the reason I didn't want to hear about surgery is because I haven't fixed my shoulders that have been bugging me since my late 30's... been putting it off for a looonggg time and now I have to take care of this first. Oh well, c'est la vie.

Tustin Chili Cook Off June 7th

2009-06-06T21:50:00.001-07:00

Hey! come and see me and grab a bowl of chili! Sunday June 7th 11am to 6pm with all the sunny sun California has to offer. Don't miss the biggest Chili Cook Off over 40,000 heads will show up to eat, listen to music, drink beer, put their legs in a contest, and buy buy buy handmade...!!

http://events.ocregister.com/tustin-ca/events/show/85859801-tustin-street-fair-and-chili-cookoff

Be there! I'll be waiting for you. Old Town Tustin, you really can't miss it.

Patchwork Aftermath

2009-05-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you everybody who came Sunday to the Patchwork Show. I was very happy to see people who have bought from me before, have taken a class, friends and as always is fun to meet new customers and to see how they like what I make. Patchwork is a fun show always. Sales were good and I'm happy to apply the profit I made to buy new materials and start all over again. It was fun to share with Kayte as she is such a lively and fun girl.

One BIG surprise I had was to see a very good friend that I consider more family who drove all the way from San Diego, Jennifer and her 3 little kids. She had read my post on Facebook in the morning and didn't have plans for Sunday, so off they came to check it out. Her kids are too adorable and full of life and energy. The girls got necklaces, and the little boy got nothing.....sorry. Happy to see you all.

I takes a couple of days to recoup from shows, they have lots of work to do before, during, and after that's why I'm posting today. Now I'm preparing for the next sale, on June 7th. I will be at the Annual Tustin Chili Cook Off from 11 to 6pm, the location is Old Town Tustin and it goes for blocks. OTT main streets are Main St. and El Camino Real.

Earrings for Patchwork

2009-05-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Here is a few pairs of earrings that will be available this Sunday May 17 at Patchwork. Come and say hi. Read on the post just below to find out what Patchwork is.

Patchwork the Biggest Indie Craft Show in the OC

2009-05-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

This Sunday May 17 in Santa Ana, The Road Less Traveled Store and the all famous Harvey's Bags are putting their 4th show of the biggest and most popular handmade indie crafts, Patchwork. This will be my third time doing Patchwork and I must say that I always have fun. It's crazy, it's crowded, it's wild and I love seeing lots of people come and appreciate Handmade. You can see all types of people, young and old, families, friends together having a blast, enjoying the most fabulous creations vendors have to offer, along with great music and delicious food.

Patchwork is located at 2202 N. Main Santa Ana, Off the 5 freeway and just in between the Bowers Museum and The Main Place Mall, it goes from 11am to 5pm.

I will be sharing my booth with my friend Kayte from www.LuckyFindDesigns.etsy.com Kayte makes such cool bycicle basket liners, aprons and purses with fantastic fabrics from all over the OC and LA. Other etsy sellers will be there too like www.amymaydesign.etsy.com with her fabulous jewelry and all of her popular button earrings. Amy will be sharing with Jackie from www.madebyjackie.etsy.com and all of her super adorable and beautiful paper creations of all ocassion cards and tags among other little cute things she makes. In the same lot will be Miss Yvette (all the way from SD) her store is www.offthehookhats.etsy.com with all of her knitted creations.

As you can see Patchwork is a gathering of friends who like to create, congregate and enjoy a beautiful day of sun and warm weather doing the things we appreciate most, having fun and yes...making sales too. Patchwork is free!! Come and see us!

This Mother's Empty Nest

2009-05-08T16:31:00.001-07:00

My daughter graduates from high school next month. As the time approaches for graduation and later the time for her to go off to college, I cannot help but think of how quiet this house will be. It has been getting quieter for a while now. She's been busy with homework, getting a job last year, getting her driver's license and being a full blown quiet teenager. I've come to realize how much I will miss her presence and having her around even when at times it seems she is not here.

This is a big thing happening in a young woman's life, but I can undoubtedly say it has been a long awaited moment for both of us. As she steps into a new world of new friends, being away from home, a new place to live, a new school, and new adventures it's hard for me to see my only child leave, no matter how long this awaited moment has been. So, as I prepare these months to finally cut the umbillical cord I will enjoy this time and continue to guide (nag) her, motivate (push) her, expect (nag again) from her, and love (love?) her.

In the end all I could have thought of teaching her has been taught. It's up to her to put those things into practice, it's up to her to follow the best road for her, it's up to her to continue expecting the best of herself, it's up to her to make the best life for herself. But for me, it's still the time to continue loving her forever.

Soul at Home Artisan's Craft Faire

2009-05-02T05:36:00.000-07:00

Sunday May 3rd. from 12 noon to 5 pm. Soul at Home in Tustin will be holding their Annual Craft Faire. Soul at Home is a yoga studio, spa, and a home market. In there you can find unique items for you and you home. With a green emphasis on many of their products you leave their space feeling relaxed from yoga and the wonderful feeling than in a little way you're helping our wonderful planet. The store is beautifully decorated in soft earthy colors with lots of pieces that inspire you to become in tune with your inner self. Come and visit us this Sunday and come and enjoy a day of peace, art, and fun.

Soul at Home a Marketplace for Living is located in Tustin, 17612 East 17th St. off the 55 freeway. Come and see my ceramics jewelry and many other handmade good for you and home.

Happy MayDay!

2009-05-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

Happy day to all of you who celebrate this holiday. In Mexico May 1st. better known as Dia del Trabajo is a National Holiday. Dia del Trabajo is the equivalent of Labor Day. No one works... well no one is supposed to work but of course the ones who do are those in the retail business, hotels, grocery stores. Government, schools, post office will close on this day.

I remember growing up May 1st. was a day celebrated in Tijuana with a parade (desfile). Unions would do the route, as some school bands, and students were made to do it too. As with any other parade the end of the line was filled with food vendors, craft booths, carnival, music and a lot of fun were you could stay for a while and enjoy having a day off. People who did not participate or who did not care for the "desfile" would opt for going to the beach, shopping, or just stay home and catch up with things. For some if the day fell on a Friday or Monday you could do a puente (long weekend) and do something more fun like going away for the weekend. I remember for many people in this bordertown a popular destination was Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, or Seaworld. People would save for months to have this little mini vacation and enjoy the fruits of their labor. Huh! What a concept. Something you don't hear much anymore...saving.

I don't live in Tijuana anymore, and I don't know if the tradition still exists, but wherever you are and whatever you do, I hope that this day is enjoyable because a day off for all the other days you work is a nice break!

Spring is Almost Here!

2009-02-06T06:27:00.000-08:00

But the Gift Guide for the California Crafter's Club of Etsy (CCCOE) has launched their own Gift Guide as of Feb.1st.
Over 65 Crafter's from California have signed up to advertise and sell their Handmade Goods. Come and take a look and see what all the fuzz is about and all the wonderful things are made in our beautiful state!

California Crafters Holiday Gift Guide 2008

2008-11-12T07:28:00.000-08:00

The Etsy team of California known as California Crafters Club of Etsy (CCCOE) is preparing for the Holiday Season 2008.

Visit http://www.handmadeincalifornia.net/ from now until Dec 31, and see the amazing work of all these artists.

Offering beautiful gifts in all price ranges, all types of art, jewelry, sewn items, pottery, paper items, anything you can think of we got it!

Tiring Weekend Full of Fun

2008-11-12T07:15:00.000-08:00

Thank you all who came to both shows this past weekend in Irvine and Santa Ana.
Both shows were very fun to do and got lots os sales, so that makes me happy, and happy that a lot of pieces found new homes. Thank you for your support.

Patchwork Show in Santa Ana, CA

2008-11-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Come and see us at the biggest Indie Craft Show in Orange County! Over 50 vendors of the most innovative, fun and handmade stuff you can think of.

I will be sharing a space with Susan from Red Bess Bonney Creations. The Show is this Sunday November 9th, from 11 am to 5 pm. It's free, it's fun with music and good food! See you there!

Holiday Faire at the Irvine Fine Arts Center

2008-11-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

This Saturday Nov. 8th I will be selling at the Holiday Faire in Irvine, I will be sharing a booth with Genene from Genene's Jewelry, come and visit us if you have a chance! Over 150 vendors will be at the show it's a family event and lots of fun for everybody.

You're it!!

2008-10-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Amy a friend from the CA Etsy group was very sweet in thinking of me by tagging me. I'm supposed to tell 7 interesting things about me, which will be very hard..I'm not interesting!?! but anyhow, here we go to give it a try.

1. I am the youngest of 9 children, born and raised in Tijuana Mexico. I have 4 brothers and 4 sisters and a whole bunch of nieces and nephews. I am blessed that my Dad is still alive, and unfortunately my Mother passed away in 2000. I miss her everyday and think of her a lot.

2. And after being raised among so many kids and always thinking that I would have a bunch myself... I have only one child, a daughter who is 17 and is a Senior in High School. Which comes to be sweet to only have one specially when you are dealing with the teen years...Wheww!!

3. I have worked in many fields from an assembler in an electronics factory, a florist, retail, property management (my longest job 16 years), as a realtor, and now a days I'm embarking into a new thing as we speak Medical Interpreter, let's hope I stick to this one for another 16 years perhaps.

4. I immigrated to the US in February 1983, my decision to come here was to save money to buy a car and then go back. Well, I loved it here so much I never went back and have decided to stay here for ever. I became a US Citizen In May of 1997. A proud moment for me, the memory of being at the LA Convention Center among thousands of people and taking the oath to be loyal to my new country will stay with me for as long as I live.

5. I have always been a crafty girl, I think I take after my Mom in that regard. I can remember going to the craft store with her as a little kid when raffia flowers were in, and when you'd make trees out of wire and seedbeads. She was always working on something, she was a good seamstress and always knitted and crochet. It wasn't until my young adult years that I realized how much I liked making things with my hands.

6. My clay endeavors started when I took my daughter 10 years ago to a clay class that her parental grandmother was teaching in Laguna Beach, and man I was hooked!
I started building a small studio little by little, bought a kiln then a wheel and have been collecting tools and what nots ever since. I started making jewelry two years ago and right after that started making ceramic beads and pendants. It's this year that I started doing shows, craft fairs, boutiques, and different sales with friends to sell our stuff. I am happy where I am right now with my ceramic's jewelry.

7. I consider myself a peaceful person, hardworking, fun and friendly, concerned about issues going on in the world right now, I don't like conflict so I'm pretty mellow, I like to read sometimes, I like to exercise sometimes, watch tv a lot,
Ohhhh,,,,I procrastinate a lot that's my worst quality.

Well there you go, you know a little more about me....boringggggggg.
Thanks Amy for giving a chance to look back.

Halloween is Almost Here!

2008-10-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

I've been working on Halloween pieces for the last few weeks, adding some to my etsy store. It's been fun making them, so now I will have fun selling them this coming Saturday.

Join me and Catherine from www.LuckyZelda.Etsy.com at the 27th Annual Village Venture Arts & Crafts Faire in Claremont California, Saturday October 25, 2008 from 9am to 5pm. Free Admission, Chldrens Halloween Costume Parade, Kids' Korner, Unique art and Original Crafts and much more! Off the 10 or the 210 Frewways.

Please come and visit us, we will be at Booth 494!
Hope to see you there!

Where to buy my ceramics, and help a cause

2008-10-07T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hello, long time I haven't been here. There is that little thing that gets in the way callled life, so some things get put in the back burner. Bad Yolanda, bad.

I want to invite you to visit my booth this Saturday and Sunday at the Mistletoe Madness Craft Faire, October 11 and 12, from 9 am to 4 pm. Presented by the La Habra Woman's Club, at the La Habra Community Center located at 101 W. La Habra Blvd. La Habra, CA 90631, corner of La Habra Blvd. and Euclid Blvd. Lots of vendors showing their handmade creations. Admission is free, and the nice thing is that proceeds benefit the La Habra Senior Programs and Scholarships. So what better than enjoying a day with the loved ones, do a little shopping (or a lot) and helping a cause. This is the way I like spending my Saturday.

Hope to see you there! Come and say hi.

Private Ceramic Jewelry Classess

2008-04-28T08:10:00.000-07:00

If you live in the Orange County area in California, and would like to learn how to make your own ceramic beads, pendants and jewelry. I will start giving classes in a private setting, your place or mine. Email me at for further information.

March 29 Etsy Members Backyard Sale!

2008-03-27T08:44:00.000-07:00

Five etsy sellers are getting together this Saturday for a backyard sale,
lots of goodies for you to look at and purchase. Jewelry, candles, home decor, paper arts, sewn bycicle bastket liners, aprons, baby items, ceramic beads, pendants and things.

Come join us, check the flyer for an address!

Aardvark's Workshop Update

2008-02-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

Last Friday was the second class of three were I am teaching ceramic bead making at Ardvark Clay in Santa Ana, CA. I have eight wonderful women take the classess, we made clay beads the first class, and this past friday we did the glazing. This coming is going to be putting our jewelry together.

Aardvark asked me to do another workshop in the summer, lasting longer than three weeks. I am working on a program where we have more time and choices on the fabrication of beads. We will continue the handbuilding and stamping methods, but I will also show how to make plaster and clay molds, slip casting of beads and also adding glass to them. This should be fun and can't wait for summer! also because I am tired of cold weather.

Have a great week and visit again. I will post some pictures later in the day.

Happy New Year!!

2008-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

Best wishes for a great 2008 everybody! I know I have not been as good as I should on the posting here. Things get in the way and time is flying so fast lately, I can't keep up with all things I'd like to do.

I am excited that I did my first show and things were really well, sold some pieces, recouped my fees so I'm happy. I am not going to say that I made money because that would be a lie, I have so much money invested in supplies, equipment, clay materials
etc, etc, etc. But I am getting in gear to add more venues for the cause. So, in a way I am excited about that beginning for me for the new year.

I am also going to be teaching a six-hour workshop on making ceramic beads, pendants and ultimately the last class is making jewelry with the ceramic pieces made. I will be teaching it at my local supplier,in Santa Ana, California. The workshop will be held Fridays, February 15,22 and 29, from 9-11am.

This Chritmas was fun for me, I got to spend time with my Dad, brothers, sisters and their kids. Some of them I had not seen for a few years since they live in Yucatan, they are all grown and beautiful kids. Lots of food, screaming, laughing, and games we played that almost turned into a war....it was fun.

More later,

2007-11-19T12:42:00.000-08:00

There is a movement everywhere about the benefits of buying handamde items, crafts, gifts, etc. Will you join us and celebrate handmade products with us? What are the benefits? You help your fellow Americans since many of us are here in the US, selling our crafts. There is an array of items like soaps, candles, jewelry, pillows, blankets, pottery, art, photography. You name it! we have it. You can vist my store on etsy. And from there go and look around, you'd be amazed of all the Christmas shopping you could be doing from your computer at home. Stop by and support us, and be totally happy with wonderful things made with love and care!

New Month, New Beginning

2007-10-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

All right, all right. I haven't been posting lately just because a lot is going on
over here, but I made myself a promise that I will be more organized and make schedules of things to do etc... First order of the day is to add things to the stores, write here and let you know of my October deal!! Sign up on my mail list
at www.yolanda.firedclayartists.com I will have a raffle at the end of the month, the lucky winner will get $25.00 worth of ceramic beads and pendants.
Good deal huh?? you don't even need to buy anything, but if you do...cool!
Above is a picture of half a wholesale order, kind of chunky was the request, these beads will be incorporated into jewelry with pmc pieces and glass beads by artist Linda Ames who makes beautiful work, her website is listed below.

Birthday Sale!

2007-08-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

In celebration of my birthday today I have two different discounts offered at each my FCA store and Etsy.
Click to the links on the right and go and save some money! This offer is good thru August 31. What a way to celebrate huh?? Well, HB to me.

Etsy

2007-08-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

I have sold a couple things at etsy, and bought more than sold...lol. But it's been fun being able to create treasuries, I am featured in a couple and have one that ends tomorrow. Go visit and see what you like. I have a couple new things there as well, and will add new beads tomorrow.

FCA August Artist of the Month

2007-08-11T07:48:00.001-07:00

I've been chosen as artist of the month at FCA!! Yuppieee! Anyway, it was fun answering the real interview, bringing me back to my beginnins of clay and most important to last year when I started the clay bead making process. Take a look and know a little more about me, visit www.firedclayartists.com/page.php?15 there you can got to the FCA homepage and visit the store directory for other friends' clay pretties.

Summer Contest

2007-07-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Summer Design Contest!
Enter our first contest ever, for your chance to win
over $100 worth of pieces (Pictured Above) from some of the Artists here at FCA!

Create something that screams SUMMER.

It can be made with something you have purchased in one of our stores or some other Artist's work. As long as it has one Artist's piece in it.

This contest ends September 1st! So hurry!
E-mail a picture of your creation to Marla@firedclayartists.com

Winner to be announced Sept 4th!

Sad day

2007-07-17T06:24:00.000-07:00

I'm sad to say that the firing I was waiting to open this morning was not that great, lots of pieces turned out
like poop. Time to have the kiln checked and calibrated. Ayy ay ay!

July 24th is the seventh anniversary when my Mom passed away. My brothers and sisters get together on this day and her brithday every year, we celebrate mass in her memory go to the cemetery afterwards and then go home and have a gathering celebrating her life, her cooking and her love for us. I still miss her a lot, she was the glue of our family and life has not been the same since she died. This year is extra special, my oldest brother and his family will be here, he is in the military and not always can be present. So, my eight siblings and our 30 children altogether along with my Dad will have a blast.
Here is a picture of my Mom, my daughter and me.

Working Working

2007-07-16T18:29:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last two days working in my studio. I have all these ideas that are hard to contain in my mind. So, rather than writing them all I decided to make a few of each of those ideas. Working on rings, beads, some abstract pieces and pendants. Many are just molded and given texture with my hands with the help of little dryness in the clay already. Some stamping, written mesages, and also making new molds with founbd objects from my yard (and the neighbor's). I am getting into carving a few pieces, I have some way to go in this department. I have a glaze fire that ended this morning but it's still not ready to open, specially with the hot weather here in California. I will have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Talking about hot weather, working in clay at this time is a race against time. If I get distracted clay dries too fast and things crack, that happened to two molds I made yesterday. So continuous covering of the trays and the everynow and then spray bottle action helps. But, no complaint about it, living here is just heaven....

Saturday I was gone for half an hour little after 9 pm to pick up my daughter from our local fair, went there picked her up, came back to a TP'd house. I have a beautiful big Jacaranda tree in my front yard, they covered it in paper like crazy! they even had the time to wrap my light post all around. Those kids... I have to say Christina felt somewhat happy about it, like she meant something to someone. We got the most of it right away because the sprinklers were ready to go on within minutes. We were lucky not to have all this wash down toilet paper on the grass.

I have a couple pictures here of a firing last week, this was fired to cone 5.
Some pieces were refires and for the second time they did not turn out the way I wanted. So to the pile of discards.

Happy 4th!!

2007-07-04T08:13:00.000-07:00

Happy Holiday! ahhh freedom, wonderful thing to have. There is no doubt I'm so thankful to live here in the US, I love this country so much. Thank you to all of our soldiers both men and women who give so much for us to enjoy our freedoms. The best to you all.

Okay, I have been putting off my answers to the tag Melanie gave me the other day. I tried to do the fancy thing and add the tags to the meme thing and all of that but just couldn't. So, here are my answers.

What were you doing ten years ago?
I was enjoying life a lot with my five year old daughter. Exactly 10 yrs. ago I was logging on for the first time on the internet.
What were you doing one year ago?
Dealing with the first problems that a teenager gives her mother.
Five snacks you enjoy.
Pretzels, chips & salsa, chocolate, crackers and cheese.
Five songs to which you know the lyrics.
Hold on to the night-Richard Marx
Call me-Blondie
Truly madly deeply-Savage Garden
Living la Vida Loca-Ricky Martin
Amor eterno-Juan Gabriel (this is a song called "eternal love" dedicated to a mother who has passed away). Very touching.
Five things you would do if you were a millionaire.
Hmmmmm.....travel, get a new bigger home, help family, give to charity, rescue/get more pets.
Five bad habits.
Procrastination, too much internet, money spending, stressing about life, being negative sometimes.
Five things you like doing.
Ceramics, going to the beach, shopping, reading, walking my dog.
Five things you would never wear again.
Stockings, a dress, high heels, mascara, lipstick.
Five favorite toys
ipod, laptop, game uno, freesbie, deck of cards.

So there, I guess now I need to tag five people....
Marla James, Jessica Sharrah, Linda Aames, Mary Harding, and Jossie E.

Etsy

2007-06-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last couple hours acquainting myself with Etsy. I added my first items for sale. the address is www.yolandasclay.etsy.com Lots of cute stuff.
I'm excited!!

Talk About It

2007-06-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Okay, there is nothing better than to jump into something new. My friend Melanie from www.earthenwoodstudio.com tagged me, there are questions I need to answer and then I must tag five people. I'm still working on it navigating this new project of blogging, so be patient and I should get it in a couple days (I hope). I have a new glaze firing ready to open this afternoon, we'll se what goodies are in there and maybe post some pictures later.

There is always a first time

2007-06-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

I have been putting off doing a blog long enough. With the encouragement of my friends at the Beads of Clay Yahoo Group I'm feeling brave today. The main reason for this is to spread the word about our wonderful community of ceramic artists throughout the United States and other countries, and their creations of jewelry components such as beads and pendants as well as handcrafted jewelry pieces by many of them. Everybody's creations are different but all are beautiful. I will be adding in the days to come more information about the group, their blogs and websites. But, first I will start with mine since I know my info by heart. A couple months ago I got started with my first internet store, you can find me at www.yolanda.firedclayartists.com. This is my direct page which is hosted by www.firedclayartists.com and at it you will find many of my fellow ceramic amigas and amigos selling beautiful one of a kind pieces of clay goodies. Please visit us and enjoy our little treasures.

I will also use this blog to let you know a little bit about myself and my life, and how I have become involved in ceramics. That's it for now, until next time. Good Night.