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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Peppermint Pendants Tutorial

Welcome to Holiday Project Number Two! Here's the how-to......

Supplies Needed:

1 Ceramic Striped Tube Pendant

2-3 Faceted Czech Glass beads measuring 6-10mm in size

Approximately 6 inches fairy ribbon

1 brass eyepin 2 inches

3 brass jump rings 6mm

20inches brass chain

1 brass clasp

Instructions:

1. Slide the Czech beads onto the headpin. Finish the end of the headpin with a loop to match the other side of the eyepin.

2. Connect one end of the eyepin to the ceramic pendant. Connect the remaining side to a 10 inch section of chain.

3. Add the second piece of chain to the opposite side of the pendant using a jump ring.

4. Tie a small bow with the fairy ribbon on the chain just above the jump ring.

5. Add the clasp and jump ring on the chain ends to complete the necklace.

You're finished! Hope you had fun. 

Ceramic Tube pendants can be found in my Etsy shop. Fairy ribbons can be found at bead shows and shops, or on Etsy. I bought mine at Flower Seed Paper on Etsy.

Have a great day,

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Beads, Camper, and Painting

Hey, Hey, How are ya? Summer is in full force here and one minute it is loads of fun, lots of parties, get togethers, vacations, and trailer re-dos. Then... it's trying to cram a full weeks work in around all that fun that gets me frazzled. I peaked in to the Etsy shop last week and realized there were no beads. Yikes! I couldn't believe it. No worries, there are lots in there now.

I couldn't believe all of the comments about our new camper Lucy, thanks! Around here I have coined the term "camper brain" it's where you should be doing things like cleaning, laundry, or working and you can't do anything but camper stuff. Nik and I have a huge case of camper brain right now. We have been ripping out wet and smelly paneling lately. It's a gross and dirty job but it's the first thing that needs to be done.

One thing I am doing for work is painting. There's a deadline coming up for some design work. It's not a done deal that this company will use my work so I am doing lots of painting and designing to present to them. But I am excited about the opportunity and am having lots of fun in the process.

Hope you're having a great summer,

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