Work in progress

I worked on some of my favorite feelings today: empty, torn and curious.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed claying again. While my head and heart were elsewhere it was more a matter of 'I have to clay' instead of 'I want to clay'. This didn't feel right and every time I had to start claying because I had to, I was dreading myself into the studio.
Thankfully I have found my mojo back and I've really enjoyed cracking some work in my studio today. :)

Updating my stock

Every now and then I do a stock update and make a list of feelings that I need to make in the feeling factory. The list is never empty and it usually grows while I'm making.
However, I always dream that it would be empty so that I would have time to start making new things. For now I'm just grateful that I'm able to make and enjoy. It also means that feelings are flying out of my studio and are lovingly adopted by many new owners. Thank you for supporting my work as it enables me to do what I love most. 

New start

A fresh year, a fresh start in the studio too. I'm finding it hard to balance my ceramic work with a little baby around but I'm sure things will get easier. Last fall, Anna (afjewellery & LilaRubyKing) and I have been discussing a new line. I find it so exciting to exchange ideas and discuss new work. And since Pinterest allows to have secret boards, we actually can have a joint inspiration board! Superfun!

Apart from that, I'm also doing a try out of a new product. It will take some time to develop and I hope it will work because I love the idea! Here's a sneak preview of work in progress...  I know it looks like a bauble but it's not! :)

Work in progress

You know how much I love cookie cutters right? I told you before it's my weak spot but strange enough they hardly ever end up in the kitchen.
Besides, using cookie cutters gives you less cookie, right? Huh? That's no good!
So I made some reversed cookie molds so that it leaves you with more cookie. :)

Here's the proof:

cookies cut out with cookie molds...

and cookies, 'cut' out with reversed cookie cutters.

I made the prototypes ages ago but never did anything with 'em until I found 'em in my drawer last week. I've been frantically working to getting some done but as time is ticking along, the quantity will be limited.
If you are interested, rush yourself to my stand at Stiel & Stijl to get yourself some. :)
It makes a great gift for people who love to make & bake.

Here's how I make reversed cookies....
The cookie molds look a bit like paper making molds or old butter molds.

I press the cookie stamp in the rolled out dough.

Then it looks embossed.
With a round cookie cutter, I cut out the flower cookie.
I take away the remaining dough and I put the cookies in the the oven.

I'm not a food blogger so I didn't do any fancy pics of these - and I must admit, I didn't even try.

I'll leave that up to the pro's...

Work in progress

A little sneak preview of what I'm working on...These still need to be porcelain fired and mounted but hopefully in my shop by the end of the week...

Work in progress

The other day, someone send me an e-mail and asked me if I make the bags I use for my baking pearls myself. So here's some proof I do...
I think it's a great way to practise sewing straight and have something useful as a result afterwards.
But being still a slow sewer, it takes me forever to finish one! :)
I stamp the bags with a quick & easy 'stamp words' technique...The fun part is that I can choose the color of the ribbon myself.
I do work in batches so I made a whole lot ready to be filled...
Hmm... I did not make enough ceramic pearls to fill 'em though. I hope there is a good movie on tv tonight! :)

Work in progress

A set of nesting bowls in the making...

work in progress

Ouch, sanding does no good to my hands. It hurts.
And I'll never have pretty hands and nails but I'm OK with that because I love what I do.
Sanding makes things look and feel much nicer... so I suffer and sacrifice. :)

I love pies

Did I ever tell you that I love pies? Sweet and hearty pies, I love 'em all.
Fleurfatale has started posting yummy pie recipes in her blog lately and I just want to try 'em all. Everytime, she posts one, I really have to withold myself not to run off to the grocery store to buy the ingredients!
She has more recipe's up her sleeve and mostly quick ones she says, as she can't spend hours in her kitchen! I can't either as I'll be reading her blog! LOL :)
I already made this apple/raspberry pie so often and it's loved heaps by everyone who has tasted it.
This intro is also the reason why I started making lots of little ceramic balls some time ago. And I thought that it wouldn't be bad to have some functional ceramic ware in my shop.
So I made baking pearls that can be used for blind baking. When you use puff pastry for a pie, it's best to pre-bake the dough beforehand. You just place a baking sheet on top of the pastry and then add weight to it.
You can use dried beans, dried peas or... jip, ceramic baking pearls.
They would make a fab gift for anyone who loves to bake & play in the kitchen.
Besides that, I think they have more class then the average bean and pea! :)Half a kilo of ceramic pearls come in a handmade, drawstring bag. Jip, made by me on my new sewingmachine - skills are slowly improving. I stamped 'baking pearls' on one side, and the Dutch word 'bakparels' on the other side. And of course a happy girl for even more fun while baking. :) I'll add them to the shop sometime next week.

Work in progress

Making singing birds...
Lots.

Work in progress

Remember I was making tumblers the other day?
I decorated them before going into the kiln.
Have no idea if it will look as planned eventually, but I tried to make a birch look.Let's hope the firing and glazing will co-operate to give me what I want. :)

Studio happenings

It will be a busy day today. My table is filled with lots of things that need to get done. I'm sure I'm not getting this all done today but putting things in little blocks motivates me to get those 'blocks' out of the way...

Make and package Babushka magnets...Make and package flower magnets...

Assemble ceramic birds so they are ready to Decopatch.

Decopatch a flock of birds...

Think about a custom feeling for a friend.
I asked for some adjectives so I can work from there.

Sand & assemble love birds.

Fill this shelf with porcelain bits and pieces
for my collaboration with Anna from LilaRubyKing

And that's only what fits on my table at the moment... the to do-list however is loooooong and wide! :)

Oh, and if you haven't already, please vote for me for the Poppy Award, here! :)

The secret project... work in progress

I think that I'm obsessed with textures. I'm glad my secret partner is too.
We won't be using all of these textures but certainly a few. I love the donut-shape although it makes me hungry while I work on them! :)
I love them all lined up best. It kind of looks like little feeling-donuts...
I also made some 'donuts' with graduating colors. I posted a tutorial on them here.

To know the idea behind the secret project, go read the first blogpost here or click on the label 'the secret project' to see all the posts about it.
Can't wait to receive your guesses but think about it carefully 'cause you can only guess once! :)
You can send your guess to mitsy@artmind.eu and can not change your guess so think about it carefully...

The secret project... work in progress

I went into our garden and looked for leaves...
... 'cause I wanted to mould them because of their texture.After the mould dried, I pressed little bits of porcelain clay into the textures.
Will definately make more moulds with more leave textures - I love these!I cheekily pressed a sea urchin I got from Star of the East into the plaster too.
Too bad that it doesn't come out so I'll have to find another way to mould urchins...I also collected some random stones...
... and pressed them in some plaster too.I love the irregular structure.
And here is the result when it's fired: rough and rugged! wow!And shells and corals have lovely structures too...I don't dare to mould these the regular way because I don't want to ruin them so I use an alternative way with plasticine.

Anyone knows what this derives from? I think I picked it up on a beach in Queensland, Australia once but I'm not sure.And here is a the collection of porcelain bits that I pressed onto the shells and sea creatures.
I will need to go to an exotic beach to find more amazing stuff! I love these!

To know the idea behind the secret project, go read the first blogpost here or click on the label 'the secret project' to see all the posts about it.
Can't wait to receive your guesses but think about it carefully 'cause you can only guess once! :)