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Friday, January 29, 2016

Ceramic Decal Love

Happy Friday!

Here are some new mugs I fired...my first attempt at waterslide decals.

I love them! I hand painted some details on the inside and back and fired them. Then I applied the decals and fired them again at a lower temp. I'm looking forward to more experimentation!

Fox mug with polka dots and bird mug

inside of bird mug
back of bird mug with hand painted details


polka dots inside fox mug

red polka dots on back of fox mug

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Vases With Personality!

I just finished some bud vases created with Valentine's Day in mind and I have to say, they are full of personality! What I love about these is that they are cute with store bought flowers, wild flowers, or just by themselves.
Great gifts for your sweetheart including your kiddos!!!

Here are some of the results:

owl heart striped vase with flower

owl vase with hearts in tummy

cat and owl bud vases with hearts




Friday, January 22, 2016

Ocarina of Time




Happy Friday! Today I'm sharing an old project I hope to revive...the ocarina of time....well, really the ocarina of clay. Last year for my son's 6th birthday we had a Zelda themed party and I made clay ocarinas for party favors.

Ocarina making is fun but technically challenging if you want it tuned properly. We made some with 7 holes, 4 holes, 1 hole, and even no holes except for the fipple which is simply a whistle. I made a hedgehog shaped whistle for my daughter who I was pregnant with at the time. I gave it to her today but she is still a bit young to figure it out.

I'd like to make some more animal shapes and glaze them with fun colors.


Here are some examples I've found on other sites.  whale- old school vibes etsy, elephant- handmadeheart.com, star symbol- lot pottery etsy. Stay tuned for ocarina updates, I'll post some process photos when I get started!
 

Friday, January 15, 2016

Too Much Stuff


I live in a small 2 bedroom house with my husband and 2 children. We have problems keeping our stuff to a manageable amount! Our garage aka my studio is getting better but is still packed. I donate to goodwill regularly and often without my family knowing...they still haven't noticed the stuff that is gone!

I used to buy a lot of home decor stuff...cute stuff that caught my eye as the shelves at the stores changed with the seasons. I saw the video "The Story of Stuff" and it changed my life...I basically sold everything in my house, except for my family heirlooms, and moved to a 560 sq. ft. apartment in an Eco Village in Portland, Oregon with my husband and son. I was sick of clutter and the driving force of consumerism! I changed directions in my career - moving away from making stuff- especially disposable stuff- to animation.

I developed cubital tunnel syndrome while studying animation -which is very painful for my computer mouse hand/arm- and has hindered me from working full time on the computer. Alas, I turned to the earthy, soft material of clay but am know faced with the stuff dilemma.

How do I build a handcrafted ceramics business when I don't want to feed consumerism, fill landfills, or add to clutter?

I suppose I try to create pieces that people will really connect with and not chunk in the landfill when the next design comes along. Hopefully I'll develop relationships with my customers similar to the "Know Your Farmer" movement.

Bringing a smile to your face when you drink from a mug I made or put a flower in a bud vase...I suppose that is my mission really.

So instead of running to Target and buying some mug or flower pot that was mass produced in another country, try buying local and handmade :)
Don't Give Up! Fight the clutter! Connect with your stuff on a meaningful level!

In the meantime, I'm going to work on that ugly garage aka studio of mine.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Be Mine Valentine Cat


Happy Friday! Here is a fun little stop motion video I made of one of my vases. It is a work in progress and once it dries, I'll glaze it and share the results. I'm hoping to have it done well before Valentines Day!!!

I'd like to do some other animals too...owls for sure! Check out the TinyHappiness shop in February to see the results. If you share the video and send me a screen shot or link where you shared it, I'll give you an Etsy Coupon code for 15% off a purchase in my shop :)...even it it already sold.