Floral Rhapsody Collection

Hi
It has been awhile since my last post. I have been working very hard. I managed to create some new beads for the Bead and Button magazine's BeadDreams 2010 contest. Here is just a taste of the Floral Rhapsody collection. They are made from colored porcelain. I start my coloring the white porcelain clay with mason stains. I then use the colored clay to hand make each petal of the flowers. After they are bisque fired to cone 04, I glaze the faces of the pansies, orchids and center of the flowers and finish with a clear glaze. The flowers and leaves are ready for the final firing.
They will be available in my etsy store and my website early summer. You can email me if you would like to pre-order the floral pendants, leaves or links. The floral pendants will retail for $30.00.

Spring has Sprung

Spring has sprung here in North Carolina. Look what is blooming at the studio. Several of my orchids are in bloom right now. I love orchids. I have been growing orchids for over a decade. The orchid pictured on the right was bought back in 1996 at the Miami International Orchid show. It is named phalenopsis Plantation Imp 'Forever Orchids'. It is a cross between Phal. Rousserole 'Plantation' and Phal. Gladrose 'Plantation'. The orchid on the left is also a phalenopsis orchid. It is named Phal. Kaleidoscope. This orchid is a cross between Phal. amboinensis and Phal. Red wine.

Today, I also received a new shipment of glazes. I now have 33 new glazes to test. Some will go in the kiln this weekend when I fire the animal print beads and pendants that I have been working on over the last several days. The new pendants that my daughter designed will be in that bunch. I think I counted over 110 pieces that will be fired. Keep checking back to read and view pictures of those new designs.