More Raku

Here is Saturdays batch of Raku. Wow it has been so much fun experimenting with the different glazes. I am very pleased with the results and I think this is the direction I am going to go with my ceramics. I am working so many new designs at the moment that I can't wait to get them all out. Right now I am working on more hearts and a some ocean themed beads. I have been hand working all of them so none are the same.

I have more pictures!

I love RAKU!!!!

Last year in my Ceramic's class I got myself a taste of Raku, (Actually my first taste was about 20 years ago in my College Ceramics class, too young to appreciate it, but I digress) Ahhh I fell in love with it and have been itching to do it again, So after much thinking and a bit procrastinating I finally bought some Raku clay, glazes and various other implements you need and dove in. I am so addicted! Raku feeds that Veruca Salt part of my personality that screams " I WANT IT NOW!" I have a 25 pound bag of raku clay and 14 new glazes and I am gonna Raku my little heart out!

Looking for displays

I have been cruising the web for wooden compartmentalized bead displays. I don't know if I am getting the description wrong or if they all called something else but I am getting nothing. I have found some stand up bead displays but this is not what I want. I want to be able to show off my beads in a way that makes them accessible to people so they can pick them up and and imagine what they would make with them. Plus I think wood looks nice, warm and goes well with ceramic pieces. I am finding this so frustrating, I don't want to use plastic, ick. I have been using some little bowls but the bowls look messy to me scattered on the table. Oh well I will keep up the hunt.

Typealizer

Typealizer

I found this interesting and fun tidbit on Marsha Neal's Blog .

What is funny about it is that it is me to the T. The living in the present moment thing is what amazed me the most. I had read a New Earth last year and it has literally changed my life for the better. I have never felt more a peace with myself, life and my place in universe than I have this past year practicing staying in the moment. Life seems so beautiful to me now that I have stopped to really be in it.
This little line from the book and bare with me it's from my memory so out of context, My life's purpose is what I am doing doing right at this moment, Wow that opened my eyes and I cried because I no longer had to think I had to do something spectacular to give my life meaning! That by living in the moment and being at peace, these things will come to me easier and more gracefully. Interesting huh?
I had pause in writing this because my daughter, who is four woke up and needed her morning hug and hugging her smelling her hair and just breathing her in with a clear mind and being totally present for it is like my own little heaven, which a year ago I would of missed out on. Yeah sure I would have enjoyed the hug but my mind while hugging her would have been filled with all the things I needed to do, I would have been living in the future missing out on that special connection of our spirits touching right now.

Here is my Typealizer profile!

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Made in China

On my way home from work I decided to stop by the pottery supply store to pick up a bag of clay
and a couple of jars of glaze to play with. While waiting for someone to ring me up I noticed a new display of glazed beads. Oh wow BEADS my heart fluttered! (I have discussed my addiction to beads in previous posts :P) I was distracted by the pretty glazes and it took me awhile to figure out that they were selling bags of already bisque fired beads in various sizes and shapes. Interesting I thought picking up a bag, As I turned the bag over there it was the "Made in China" sticker! Oh boy for some reason this pissed me off! While I know these places sell tons of bisque fired ready to glaze goods like mugs, plates and tiles, this disturbed me. I love the process of making my own beads from the beginning of digging my hands into the wet clay to the excitement of opening up the kiln to see the results after the final firing, knowing that wow I did that! So no made in china short cuts for me thank-you!

In Search for the Perfect Round Bead

The best thing about playing with clay is the ability to make your own beads and design them anyway you want! I have been a bead- alholic since the late 80's when my best friend at the time had taken up jewelry making it was the beginning of a life long career for her she does beautiful and unique work take a look at her website .
For me it was the beads, I fiddled around with making my own jewelry but I think it was just an excuse to acquire more Beads!! So coming full circle in this tale, I get to make all the beads my heart desires. The downside is I sort of thought it would be easier. I am starting to think that I have some sort of affliction that prevents me from being able to make round beads. I am having a great time learning and playing and trying to reach the Zen of the perfect round bead, and I am getting pretty good at making ovals and tubes.

Minimalist Earrings

Here are some samples of the earrings I have been cooking up with my ceramic charms. I have to say I am very pleased with the out come. I love simple clean looking jewelry so these are perfect to me. I made the earwires out of sterling silver and smacked them around a bit on my wee little anvil, a quite enjoyable experience hammering on the anvil btw :P