Welcome March with New Comtemporary Designs

Welcome March. The first day of spring is just around the corner. I awoke this morning to the birds singing His praises and the sun was shining.

 I have finally taken some pics of new designs for 2010. I am really excited about these new designs. I have been testing the market by wearing a prototype and have received rave reviews. I will have to admit that the pictures are not the best since I was using a different camera. I still have not gotten mine fixed so I used the camera we have for the children. But, you are still able to see the designs. Of course, each design can be made with any texture design and glaze color giving a vast number of options.

The woven clay basket class I took last week was fun. Teresa at Everyday Art Gallery is planning some great classes for 2010. Make sure if you are in the area that you check it out.

Let it Snow..Let it Snow..Again

Well, today it is snowing outside the studio. The kids have been out of school for 4 days this week. We are just recovering from last weeks huge snowstorm. We rarely get snow in these parts. We get more ice than anything. We had between 5 to 7 inches last week and more snow, sleet and freezing rain from one system today and more from another system coming in tomorrow. I have spent time working a temporary job last week that  finished up earlier this week. I did manage to get a bisque fire done last Sunday. I plan on sanding, waxing and glazing today with a possible tie-dye break. After the last test tile firing, I was so excited with the new colors that I had to get more things made. I look forward to seeing these items all decked out in the new colors. I have made some rectangular frame links and some items textured in patterns I have not used in a while.

There is one problem that dampens my excitement. My digital camera broke last week. I won't be able to take pictures of the new items right after the glaze firing. I won't be able to put any of them in my etsy store right away. My camera is a Canon PowerShot S2 IS that is only 3 1/2 yrs old. The lens has malfunctioned again. The lens will not retract back when shutting off the camera stopping all operations. I had to have the malfunction repaired the first time during the first year warranty period. Now, I will have to pay to have it repaired or pay more money for a refurbished camera with a 90 day warranty. I really don't like that idea. I spent so much time researching cameras 4 yrs. ago and getting to know how to operate this one that I really don't want to have to do that again.

Well, let it snow..let it snow..again..I going to prepare to glaze

Test Tiles Revealed

Yea!! God is good! I am very pleased with the overall results of the test tiles. Given the countless variables that contribute to the science of pottery, many of the colors turned out beautiful.
Some of those variables that I may have experienced yesterday may include the fact that I am having trouble adjusting my kiln sitter after I installed a new one. The cone is suppose to be at a 90 degree angle but mine are coming out extremely "U" shaped which could cause overfiring. This is definitely different than before. Another variable could be that some of the glazes arrived extremely cold almost frozen. I have never experienced that before so I have to reason that it could change the chemical formula. Most definitely the clay bodies are a variable. If you don't fire the same clay body as the sample given by the manufacturer then expect variations in color.

Needless to say, whatever the variables may or may not have been, there are always surprises when you open a kiln of test glazes. For example, one of the pink glazes is beautiful on white porcelain, as shown in the below picture as the pink rectangle) but not very attractive on stoneware clay. Some glazes that are suppose to be transparent are too opaque for textures but would still work for a smooth surface. An example would be the pink diamond in the outside lower left hand corner of picture below.

The above picture depicts some of the new glaze colors for 2010. The are on a white porcelain clay color.

Test Tiles in Kiln Today

The new glazes arrived earlier this week so I have been glazing some test tiles I made last week from porcelain and stoneware clay. Today, I am firing the kiln. It always amazes me to see the color of the glazes before they are fired. Some that look very burnt orange will actually turn out denim blue or burgundy, some that are dark gray will turn out blue, some that are light brown muck colors will be beautiful greens or pinks. I am always excited to fire the kiln knowing that tomorrow when I open the kiln, I will have an array of colors inside. I am expecting about 29 new colors to reveal themselves tomorrow morning. I am hopeful that all 29 colors will be spectacular. I am very excited to see the pinks. I really need a good pink glaze. I have been looking for one that is semi-opaque to transparent. These have a tendency to flow nicely over textures. Check back tomorrow and we will open the kiln together.

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everyone

I hope that 2010 will be a very successful year for everyone. I have started the year off with a sale through my etsy shop. This is fantastic. I still have a few porcelain snowflake ornaments left at 50% off in my etsy shop. Once they are gone, they are gone until next Christmas. So get them now at a great price.

I got just what I wanted for Christmas. A gift certificate to purchase new glazes. I can't wait for the new colors. I am excited. I don't have a really good pink in my line now so I am looking forward to testing the new glazes and am hopeful that I will find great colors to pass onto you my valued customers.

It's Snowing up Extra Savings

I have been getting ready for the etsy showcases I am in this Saturday. I will be in the Jewelry-Necklaces and the Ceramic and Pottery showcases. I have been taking lots of pictures and  currently posting new items in my etsy store. The weather man today said that we have a chance of snow this weekend so I am going to have a "It's Snowing" sale. My entire website and etsy store will be on sale Saturday. Everything will be 20% off. On the website, you will need to use the promo code "Snow" to receive the discount. Everything in my etsy store will already be marked down. I will plan to ship on Monday so that you will have a good chance of receiving your items before Christmas, if you live in the continental states. I will make no guarantees.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. I hope that each and everyone of you have a great feast today and enjoy family and friends. I will certainly be enjoying the turkey and stuffing with gravy.  I must admit that the stuffing is my favorite part of the Thanksgiving feast. My mother has always made stuffing in muffin pans. She uses Pepperidge Farms stuffing with the turkey broth. Oh my is it the best. Maybe this is strange to some of you but that is how I was raised and that is the only way I make my stuffing for my family, in a muffin pan.

Remember tomorrow I will be showcased in the Ceramics and Pottery showcase on etsy. I will have those wonderful porcelain snowflake ornaments available.

Black Friday

I have not blogged for a while. I have been trying to catch my breath after the furniture market,  art shows and custom orders. I have started working on new finished jewelry designs for next year and make porcelain snowflakes for my upcoming Etsy Ceramics and Pottery showcase. I know that alot of us love to shop the day after Thanksgiving but really don't like the crowds, traffic, or long lines. The internet has helped us out greatly. We now can sit back in front of the computer and shop til we drop. In honor of this new tradition, I will be featured in an Etsy showcase on Black Friday. You can look for new items added to my shop as well as the snowflake ornaments. This year they will come in a box ready for gift giving.

Now for a little history lesson..
According to Wikipedia, "Black Friday is a term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the United States, which is the beginning of the traditional Christmas shopping season. The term dates back to at least January 1966 -- "Black Friday" is the name which the Philadelphia Police Department has given to the Friday following Thanksgiving Day. It is not a term of endearment to them. "Black Friday" officially opens the Christmas shopping season in center city, and it usually brings massive traffic jams and over-crowded sidewalks as the downtown stores are mobbed from opening to closing.
More recently, merchants and the media have used it to refer to the beginning of the period in which retailers go from being in the red (i.e., posting a loss on the books) to being in the black (i.e., turning a profit)."



In North Carolina today, we finally have some much needed sunshine so I am off to take lots of pictures of the new items that I will be adding to my etsy site for Black Friday. I look forward to shipping you all the items that you purchase from me through my etsy site.

-Tracy

I have just finished and delivered to wholesale customers the porcelain snowflake ornaments in time for the holiday shopping season.  I love these ornaments.  They are time consuming to make. Each one is hand formed, bisque fired, sanded, glazed, fired for a second time in a clear glaze before applying and firing the mother of pearl lustre. I always have to make extras because I always break several somewhere along their journey.
I have several sizes and styles. Each one is signed, dated, and comes in a gift box with a certificate of authencity.

You can purchase one from Everyday Art Gallery and Southern Spirit Gallery but I betcha can't buy just one.

Second Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Sharon P. on winning the necklace. Sharon please make sure I have your email so that I can get your address and let me know what length you would like your necklace.

Works in Progress

I am currently working on my limited edition porcelain snowflakes for wholesale customers. I have a few in the kiln awaiting a bisque firing, but still don't have the kiln working. I have been waiting since the beginning of Sept. to have it fixed. I will be on the horn tomorrow to my electrician friend to schedule some time hopefully this week. In the mean time, I am busy rolling out the clay and forming them.

A Rainbow of Animals

It has been a long time since my last post. That day I was firing the kiln with these gorgeous pieces in it. Didn't they come out fantastic? I have been getting ready for the Piedmont Pottery festival which is this Saturday in Eden NC. Everything displayed must be pottery, so I had a lot of finished jewelry to make. This will be my first appearance at this show. It will allow me to introduce porcelain jewelry and promote ceramic beads as an art form.

I have also had my first international sale thru my etsy store. I have been very excited about that. I guess this now makes me an internationally known artist.

Well just a quick post tonight...until we meet again

Tracy

Fab Fibers Giveaway

Hi

I can't believe that it has been so long since my last blog. I was busy with the biannual International Furniture Market in late April and since then I had an out of town show. I will blog about that another time and post pictures. I have been glazing beads and pendants to get ready for my next show. Again I will post pictures and blog about that later.

Today, I wanted to post a picture of some beads that I found on a blog named Fab Fibers. Check them out. She is giving them away. How great is that! They are called Calypso. I think I have new glazes for my porcelain that would coordinate beautifully with these beads.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Tracy

Fresh out of the Kiln! Wild Things

These great new designs came out terrific. The middle picture shows the pendants before the final glaze firing. The colors are just intensified during the firing process as well as becoming glossy. My daughter was pleased with her designs. She wore the green today to school and received many compliments even from students she didn't know. I just can't wait until I get the opportunity to make more in all the great colors we have planned, turquoise, pink, orange, violet, and a royal blue.

Remembe to check out the websites at www.TGLdesigns.com and www.TGLdesigns.etsy.com for more of our designs.