Experimental - and it's not glass!

These are following on from a project I was working on at the end of term before we finished Uni for the summer - I promised myself I would use the summer break to experiment loads but to be honest, it hasn't happened much.

These are made from a combination of two different types of porcelain - a plain white body, and a black "grogged" porcelain - after a biscuit firing, the black clay was a sort of burgundy/purple colour. After a subsequent firing at stoneware temperatures, it has indeed gone darker, but isn't a true black - a few of the pieces are darker in areas than others, probably depending on the ratio of black to white, but generally they are dark brown.




There are a few more pieces still a Uni waiting to be fired to even higher porcelain temperatures, so when these are done, I wonder if the dark clay will then go fully black?

Of course, I will let you know!

Sunny Side Up?

I've the the kiln on overnight, so these aren't finished yet, but thought I would post a picture for you.

The first one, I've called "fried eggs" (gosh I am imaginative!)- I don't know whether to make these into cuff-links or earrings yet - but I think they're funky and fun, and I like them!













The pendant on the right is a favourite method of mine, for forcing bubbles - I think this a lovely sunny pendant, let's hope we get some good weather to match it soon!

Craft Fair News

Hi

I don't seem to be very good at updating this blog! Actually, I have been quite busy, making for a craft fair this weekend.

Its being held at the Long Eaton Art Room (link on the right) and its called the BEAU Show (Borough of Erewash Arts Unlimited) - it will be showcasing local artists and designer/makers, as well as recent graduates from local universities (including some people who have just completed the course I am studying on, I do believe)

As well as an opportunity to purchase individual gifts, there will be craft activities for children so you can have a browse at your leisure.

I will have a range of glass pendants, and hopefully some new ceramics jewellery pieces that I have been working on (I will post some pics as soon as I have taken them!) There might be a couple of bowls and coaster sets available too.

It's actually going to be a rather busy weekend for me - as well as preparing for this show, I will be going to the Stourbridge International Festival of Glass on Friday and Saturday, which I am REALLY looking forward to - all that eye candy! Better take a very fat chequebook methinks......

She flies like a bird.....

in the sky-ay-ay-ay..... wasn't that the song from the Nimble advert? Gosh, I am showing my age I guess.

This evening, about 8.00pm, just out the back door, we saw a hot air balloon over the school. So what, you ask? Well, the school field runs along the bottom of my garden, so it was rather close! It really looked as though it wasn't going to clear the trees.

The tree you can see in the picture is at the bottom of next door, so about 60 feet from where I was standing.

I also took a video, and whilst they were flying over right over us, we were able to actually talk to them, well, shout I suppose - could quite clearly make out faces and so on.

My son was fascinated - so was my cat! After the initial shock of the noise of the burner, when they both (cats that is) scarpered, the boy, Thistle, who's just plain daft, came back and jumped over the left side fence to follow the balloon on its way... nut.

My son followed it to the local field, only a couple of minutes walk away to see it land.

It's the most exciting thing to have happened round here for a while!