Faux Ceramics

Here are pics of the Faux Ceramic beads that I taught Virginia how to make today with Kato Clear Medium and Alcohol Inks.  The base bead is a mixture of White Premo Clay, a bit of beige and a lot of beach sand.  The beach sand came from the Nambucca Heads Beach.  Adding the sand gives the clay just the right look.  All of these beads are Virginia's except for the little spotted fish at the bottom right hand corner. She's going to give these a couple more coats of Magic Glos at home.

There just wasn't enough time in the day to finish all the tiles.  These ones are partially finished.  Virginia decided to take these ones home to finish.  I'm sure that however she finishes them will be fantastic.  She has a wonderful eye for colour and design as you can see from the bottom three images.

These are a couple cheese knife handles that Virgina covered with polymer clay cane slices.  They're very popular in the Craft Shop where she sells them in South West Rocks.  She just can't keep up with the demand at the moment.  The shop's wanting more of 'em.  I can understand why!

Notice the little grey bags that the knives are set upon.  Virginia made those herself with some leftover felt that she had from when she was felting.  What a fabulous case to put them in after using and putting away.  Great protection from getting nicked.

Gifted and Talented Year 9 Students

A few pics from the two-day class that I taught at a local high school to Gifted and Talented Year 9 students as part of a Literacy and Numeracy Project at the Trade School.





Year 9 Students creating art





Polymer Clay beads created on Day 2





Proudly showing off their creative talent







Pendants the Year 9 students created on Day 1 and some of their Polymer Clay Art on Canvas







Stevo putting some details into his Polyclay Story




Adrian proudly showing his necklace and bush tucker bracelet. Click on image to see  his amazing colour combinations and details.



Steel wire-working class

Jim Hood hard at work learning some new wireworking techniques at my home studio.

Sawing jump rings from 14 gauge rebar wire with the jeweller's saw.  Di (wife) was very pleased with the bracelet that Jim gifted her at the end of the day.  It's the perfect size since she came for a nice relaxed day in the country and spent the day away browsing my library of extensive jewellery construction and design books.

Jim and Di have been creating some gorgeous Steampunk Jewellery and they plan on including some of this wire-work into some of their future designs.  It's really amazing what you have been upto... I know that we'll be seeing some of it at the next Nexus Gallery Members' Exhibition in Bellingen (Dec 19 - Jan 14).

It's a very sad day for Megan Diaz and our Family

I woke up this morning thinking about my cousin Megan Diaz, who lives with her parents in Texas, and then found an email from my aunt with further news about her condition. See past post on Megan Diaz here, here and here.

My Aunt wrote that my 19 year old cousin, Megan Diaz, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, this year, has not improved. The doctors have recently informed her parents that the disease has advanced and that there is no other way.  They will have to remove both her breasts. The operation occurs in two stages.  One breast at a time.  As you can image... this is extremely traumatic for my Uncle; very difficult in fact as he was brought to sobs and tears when he informed my grandmother about the doctors' conclusion. Our prayers are with Megan at this time.

For information about breast cancer or if you would like to talk to someone, please call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.

Please click here for the "Be Breast Aware" link of Australia.

Disaster... gonna leave Steel Clay for a while

I'm afraid that firing the new Pearl Steel Gray Clay in my kiln just isn't in the cards for me. I'm so disappointed with my own results that I've decided to leave it for a while... after three failed attempts. I'll wait until there is more development in the way of a firing schedule in a mini kiln box. It's a new clay... I'll let others lead the way into this new frontier.

I've lost patience with this clay and will stick with the one that I know best... PMC Silver. I've always had good results with PMC Silver. Although it's more expense... I have never been dissappointed with my results with that one. As you can see from my past creations here, here and here.
 
Thus... mini kiln boxes, steel clay powder, coconut carbon and ash sifter are now packed away in the shed for another day.  Hopefully, not too far in the future.

It's here, it's here... my precious little mini kiln!

I found someone to carve out the Mini Kiln for me. I'm so excited that I can now fire my test samples tonight.  I'm keeping fingers crossed that the steel clay sinters competely. 

The photo on the right are my test pieces all lined up about 1/2 inch apart in Coconut Carbon, before covering completely.  I didn't spend a lot of time refining these pieces, they're just about the size and thickness that I will use if this works out.  Theyre squared cut pieces about 4 cards thick.  Will tell you about my firing schedule in another post.. I just want to make sure that it works right, first.  Read about and see the soft fire brick before it became a mini kiln.

I sanded the steel bracelet with a dremel today

It's been about 4 weeks since I made the Steel Clay and Viking Knitted bracelet. I wanted to see how long it would take for it to begin rusting without having been sealed. Has started to do so. Today I gave it a good clean with the dremel. It's nice and shiny now... has a pearl gray colour to it. I can see why they call it that now.

Here's a pic of it all cleaned up and sealed with Renaissance Wax

I just received my order of the Steel Clay and Coconut Carbon and will be test firing it in a couple of days.

I'll be posting pics of my results as well as the mini kiln when it's finished.

Check out the earlier posting about this bracelet here to see how it looked before sanding with the dremel tool and sealed with jeweller's wax.

Soft Fire Brick soon to be a "Mini Kiln"

I purchased this Soft Fire Brick after reading on Hadar Jacobson blog about "Mini Kilns, Even Better".  I'm gonna see if I can find someone that can carve it out to the right size for my kiln.

I've ordered some of Hadar's Pearl Gray Steel Clay from the Eclectic Studio and also a bag of  "Bronze Clay Carbon Firing Media - 750gr". This carbon is coconut based.

I will let you know how I go with finding someone to carve out the kiln brick for me.

Pretty Little Babies

Aren't they just too cute?!?!

They're like pretty little babies in the hospital nursery just waiting to go home with momma and daddy.

These are the offspring of the "Hope Bead" that I made for Megan's Fund Raiser.

My good friend, Pamela from Perth, said that she would off sell them for me to her Swimming Team. So they're now on the way to WA!  All boxed up in the gorgeous little pink boxes.

It's got that extra little decorative flair to easily attach to a cell phone, PDA, key ring, or other handheld device.

The decorative strap is attached with a jump ring and easily removed and added to a chain or beaded necklace.  And if you're game... you might handweave a Kumihimo necklace like the one that I made for Megan.

The proceeds from these beads are going to "Megan's Medical Expenses".  The cost is $20.00 plus postage.

Dots It Is!

And there you go. The Salad Serving Spoons with none other than "the Dots".  I'm quite happy with how they turned out.  I just think that the dots really set it off quite well.  Just that needed touch to finish off with the "Wow Factor" don't  you think?  It will be up to purchase online in the next few days, for those whom are interested. Other design patterns will be available for purchase soon... just in time for Christmas!

See previous blog post for images of this Fabric of Clay with and without "Dots".