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

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.

Good Morning,

I have started the kiln this fine morning. This is a bisque firing of porcelain snowflakes, beads, pendants and a stoneware bird feeder. The kiln is fired to cone 04.
It will take about 4 to 5 hours to complete.

Last week was a crazy week. We started with about 4 inches of snow on Monday, I was sick with a terrible cold and could not even enjoy the largest snow fall in.. like, oh, I don't even remember how many years it has been since we have seen that much snow. The kids were out of school for two days. They loved the snow. Monday night the temperature was hovering around 12 degrees. Now, today, what a fine morning. The sun is shining and the temperature is going to be in the high 70's. Can you believe that. In one week, our temperatures have spanned 60 degrees. We have gone from winter to early summer time temperatures.
I hope to get some gardening done today as well as the kiln firing. My daughter, being the teenager that she is, wants to go shopping today, we have to see about that one...
Well, back to the kiln. I have some great new designs of snowflakes in there, as well as some new oval hollow pillow beads that I have ordered new sterling prong bails for. In the picture, you will notice that just about everything is laying flat. That is ok since no glaze is in the kiln that would cause things to fuse together. One of my bead trees is in there with pendants hanging. I fire these on nicrome rods to ensure that the holes don't shrink. I will have to hang the pendants in the glaze firing and if I allow the holes to shrink during the bisque firing I would never be able to get them back on the rods.
I have so many bisque fired jewelry components that need to be glazed. I have to get busy glazing. The next time I run the kiln it will be a cone 6 glaze firing. I will get some pictures of the before and after. It really is an amazing transformation.