Brown Stoneware Meets Beautiful Glazes

The last month I have been working with brown stoneware, after several tries last year of working with it an not getting good results I talked to a friend who is a potter and he gave me some pointers to alter the clay.  And viola' it worked!  Here are some of the pieces that I made, any set can be recreated if you are interested, as some of them sold already.

Quilted Flower

I also played with the best glazes to use and I am in love with these colors!

A little shinny, a little rustic and a lot of beautiful pieces!

I could just switch to working with these two glazes and clay for ever.

What do you think?  I'd love to hear your feedback please.

Love Birds

Rice Fields

Blue Buddha

Stick & Stones

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year 2013!

May this year brings to you a bundle of happiness, good health

and lots of love.  May your dreams come true, your goals achieved

and many blessings for everything else!

picture found here
http://terrybreathinggrace.wordpress.com/2012/01/01/happy-new-year/

Beads of Clay UFO Sighting, me!

Get to know a little more about me at the Beads of Clay Blog UFO Sighting

A Day We All Remember

Thoughts and prayers for all of those affected on this day 11 years ago.  You will always be in our hearts.  Peace.

Stringing Magazine Feature

Earlier in the year I submitted a couple pieces to Stringing Magazine Fall 2012 for their Ultimate Guide Shopping Section, one was chosen and it was great to see it in the magazine!

The pendan featured is the one above, I took several pictures of the actual magazine page and it just didn't come out good, which I came to the conclusion that the resolution in the magazine was not the best.  So I found a picture I had from before.  This is a porcelain pendant of a heart with thorns glazed in several colors, and each color takes three coats.  Lots of work.   I also have the one below available in my etsy store.

The forgotten blog..... and Roses

You may remember this blog post  back a couple months ago, carving rubber stamps was a project to do for a while.  And finally it was done but then it took a while to do something with them.  This picture  above was taken back then to show how stamps work with inks.

The following pictures are of pendants using the rubber stamps, I used the big swirl above. I called them Roses because that was the intent and that's what they remind me of.  These will be in my   etsy store later today but in the meantime enjoy!

New Batch of an Old Favorite "Spring Flings"

Pieces I got out of the kiln this  morning.

You all have seen the pieces I make called Spring Flings, I get orders on these often so I make a batch every other month or so.  This is the most recent one I made and thought I share since I desperately needed a blog update.  You can see the more detailed process on how I make these Here  I will have several of these to list on  etsy in the next couple days.

Pieces are still wet.

Here they have been drying for a couple days.

A couple pieces in the bisque (one firing) stage.

Leaf sets for earrings.  Finished with a clear top glaze.

First Friday Art Walk Sale

First Friday Art Walk Sale today May 4

Get 15% Off using coupon code FFAWBOC at check out

May 27 I will be participating at the Patchwork Show in Downtown Santa Ana

new location at the Artist Village  on Sycamore and Second St.

Come!

Rubber Stamp Carving for Clay Projects

Darn!  I knew I've been gone from here for a while....  but almost two months?  That's a first one for me...  I think.  Maybe I was gone longer before and I just don't remember.  Anyway, this is what I've been doing all this time.....being sick twice!  And more recently for three weeks but I am happy to be feeling better since yesterday and getting ready to create stuff and catch up with some custom orders that I have been able to slowly work on as I was sick....

I took a clay class online, and you know what the beauty is of online classes? No grades! so while I watched the videos did the first project before getting sick.... and that was it.... first project and I stopped. I don't have to worry about an A+ or an F!  I love it.  Well, in this class one of the many projects we did were carved stamps on rubber.  I did a few a couple weeks ago playing with it, just random carves which I will do a post later.  But today this is what I did.

Transfer image onto rubber, I found image on google,

Carved stamp and outside areas, it took me about 20 minutes

Played with ink pads to see how image came out.

I want to eventually use the rubber stamps to do monoprints in clay, do direct stamping on clay and use portion of design for pendants, and use on paper crafts as well.  The uses are many and it really saves on manufactured stamps for which I can say I have a  big selection, but it's nice to know this is something I made.  The design of this stamp is a lotus flower, it needs a little tweaking and cleaning around.

Stamped a piece of clay to see what cleaning needs to be done to improve piece.

The top image with the blue background is also a technique that I will be using in clay,  underglaze pieces with a color background and bring out the image with a different color glaze.  The results will be great and colorful as you can use as many colors as you want.  Now, do you think this looks like a lotus flower?

Anyway there is tons of tutorials for carved rubber stamps on google, so a quick search will give you lots of ideas.

What do you like best?

Mixed color bead sets like these?

Or bead sets in the same color glazes?

Most of these are listed on my Etsy Store  and the other ones are coming up soon.  If you have a minute please leave me a message and let me know what's your preference.

Fresh Off the Kiln this Morning!

This is what my kiln looked like this morning through the peephole!

And this is what they looked liked when all beads were collected, touched, admired, played with, admired again, and put into this pretty dish I got the other day!

             Aren't they pretty?   

Where does time go?

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!

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!

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

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!

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!!

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!

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

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!