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!