Unloading The Kiln

I get super excited every time I unload a kiln. I always say it's like Christmas when you were a kid. Everything goes into the kiln covered in glaze that is all one color. My glaze these days is green so every button, bead and bowl is green when it goes into the kiln. I fire to almost 2000 degrees F so it's hot and I have to wait for it to cool down.

Over the years I have built up some heat resistant fingers. You know at restaurants when they tell you to watch the plate because it's hot? I just grab it without problems and it always gives the waitress a scare.

After I can open it all the way, it's about 150 degrees. Everything is suspended on high temperature wires. Glaze is basically ground up glass so when it reaches it's firing temperature it melts. If things were sitting on the kiln shelves, they would be stuck there forever. That is why everything is hung on wires.

I pull everything out and lay them on a metal tray. They are still pretty warm at this point.

Bowls and pottery have clean bottoms so they sit directly on the shelf.

Here are little bird nests sitting and waiting to be brought in to the studio.

 Pottery is waiting patiently as well.

After cooling a little bit more, the beads and buttons are taken off the wires. Next, I sort them, put the buttons on cards and photograph them for my shop.

Enjoy your day!

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Ornament Thursday, Sprout

The theme is sprout and this is not a sprout. But it is a cute little spring birdy that I made for someone as a special order. I made several and they turned out so cute that I kept a few for myself. The word sprout makes me think of spring. Birds, flowers, trees, grass.... they are all sprouting this time of year.

This necklace has a few flowers and leaves along with my new little birdy. I used some muted colors that I thought were appropriate spring colors. I know...I said muted, but hey, for me there muted. The brown beads are pressed Czech glass, then there are pearls and faceted Czech rounds.

Check out the list of artists below and see what "sprouted" out of their heads this month.....

Ornament Thursday Artists


Alexa Westerfield - a.k.a. Swelldesigner
Now that's it's time for spring, ideas are "sprouting" all over the place. Alexa creates this eye-catching notebook to keep them in order.

Art Bead Scene
Some good karma is sprouting up at the Art Bead Scene with Heather's Lotus Flower Bracelet

Cindy Gimbrone
The Brooklyn National Anthem sprouts every year when Cindy's in Spring mode. See what it inspired this year!

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie giggles and remembers a furry friend, brings back an old mold, and sprouts up a beaded LOLhammy ceramic ornament.

Helen Bradley and Michelle Zimmerman at http design
It's spring and we're sprouting all sorts of wonderful art at http design. Michelle is toting her art to the market and Helen revisits a fun art school assignment for her inspiration.

Humblebeads
Humblebeads celebrates spring with a Berry Good bracelet inspired by some juicy disk beads.

Jennifer Heynen of Jangles
Jennifer has come up with a cute little necklace to remind you of spring.

Katie's Beading Blog
Create some spring flair of your own with this easy bead embroidery idea from Katie's book, Hip to Bead.

Kriss Cramer - Spring Is In The Air
Not much of a horticulturist? Me neither! But I love flowers and I enjoy growing these ones with some paper, paint, and rhinestones.

Linda Augsburg at Make It Mine magazine
Tea decided to join the fun this month. Check out her quilt blocks and Linda's purse.

Melissa J. Lee - Strands of Beads
What do Korean playing cards have to do with a sprouting spring? Check out Melissa's blog to find out.

Michelle McGee - S-P-R-O-U-T
Michelle just can't stop creating in green! A little wooden birdhouse becomes a beautiful palace!

Savvy Crafter
Candie shares some happy spring memories with a cheerful felty flower idea!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean tells a touching, poignant tale of some beads who help one another, and after a small amount of sturm and drang they get it together and help each other! In fact, they prettify whatever YOU choose! Go see! It's fun!

Spring is Sprouting for Joolz by Lisa
Even without a green thumb, Lisa managed to "grow" a garden of sorts this month.

Sprouting Up with Beading Help Web
Lynn Kvigne's used wire and a lentil bead to create a "sprouting" pendant for wire workers who want a bit of a challenge!

The Goddess ROCKS!
Inspired by a river rock shaped like an ancient goddess statue, Hali paints, melts crayons and adds glitter to create a sparkley celebration of Spring.

The Impatient Blogger
How does your garden grow? With metal mesh, Czech glass beads and vintage French images all in a row! Margot just returned from Paris where she discovered a treasure trove of vintage paper. This scanned and sized postcard image fit the theme of sprout perfectly and the necklace was in search of a new home...add some teal metal mesh bows and accents and voila...a design sprouts forth!

Vintage Girl Teams Up With Her Vintage Momma!
What does a gal do when she finds herself far from her crafting supplies? Why, she raids her mom's basement and then puts dear old mama to work! Stop by and you'll see why mom's basement is fertile ground for things that sprout!