Oodles of Bracelet Bars...

Ok, not really oodles but quite a few! Also glazed back buttons and a couple of Big Circle connectors. These guys will be on the website tomorrow evening.

You still have time to enter the giveaway from my last post...I can't believe it but no one has guessed what I have planned for my fabric!

Hello Bunny...

So how many of you forgot to set your clocks forward for this morning? I still haven't done the rest of the clocks in the house but at least we had the alarm set correctly!

This cute little munchkin was hanging out this morning...he was quite unconcerned about my presence and went through his full grooming routine for me...


Pretty sure I haven't actually dropped any pounds and become impossibly fashionable just by carrying my new camera bag but as promised, here is a little peek at it in action!
Lowepro Passport Sling Camera Bag (Mica)


It has plenty of room for my camera with a lens attached, a second lens, wallet, keys, cell phone, extra battery and memory card, notebook and pen, a few filters and the manual. Here it is with the back zipper opened to increase the interior by about 30%...


There's a nice padded insert that my camera fits in just comfortably and there's enough space for my camera strap to fold up on top. Notice those two little black flaps? Those are the pockets for a cell phone and the extra battery.


Here's the thing for anyone with a larger camera like mine, the insert comes with a handy dandy divider that you would theoretically use to snuggle your extra lens into but when my camera is in the insert there's no room to spare. I figured I'd give you a picture of how it would look with the divider in...use your imagination that there's a camera there too!


I have a solution though, I plan to sew another side on to the divider and make it into a little pocket that will go beside the insert instead.

For those of you who are here for the beads, here's a peek of some of what came out of the kiln yesterday... This interesting glaze has a matte finish and did a neat antiqued kind of effect in places. I said I wanted a glaze that reminded me of the flamingos from my zoo post... I think I almost did it!
Now I must get some work done- I need to start pulling together last minute numbers before our ever so fun trip to the tax man this afternoon. I hope you have something more fun planned!

New Stuff!

I've been doing some playing around in the mud over the past few weeks and finally have everything up on the website! Shown above are a bunch of my cut out pendants, some on the website and some are off in the mail for consideration in the upcoming issue of Beads 2011.

Also on their way to Beads 2011 (but a couple on the website) are my new nests... I hesitated to make them because there are so many great nest beads out there but I felt like these were different enough to do with all the individual "twigs" that I should go for it. What do you think?There's no prominent hole for them but the open nature of the nest allows for a thin stringing material or bail to be inserted. I also think they would be ahhhmazing glued to a flat backing or bezel...ring anyone?

I've also been playing around with pushing my porcelain pendants to the limit as far as thinness...this time with pierced designs. One is on Etsy already...Major losses in both production and firing with these guys and the glaze results are still not 100% what I'm looking for but I love how delicate they turned out. I had some of the pendants where the holes fully filled with glaze, kind of a stained glass effect, which is what I wanted but it didn't happen consistently.

Be sure to check back later this week for a super special giveaway opportunity. The generous folks at CSN stores offered me the opportunity to do a product review or another gift certificate giveaway...I thought I'd spread the love to all my wonderful peeps so I chose the giveaway. One lucky person will receive a no strings attached gift certificate code for $45 to spend at any of their shops! They have so many great things and reasonable prices so the winner should be able to find something wonderful, whether it's a splurge or a necessity.

Home!

I have returned from the frosty North! Note the bone chilling white ground cover (and the $35 amazing steal Kenneth Cole wool coat I stumbled upon at the most random of stores while there). This is the front of my sister's house...temporary stairs in place until the thaw. A Christmas miracle...my sister actually allowed me to take a photo of her with my nephew... a) yes, we do have the same parents b) she's a photographer and I don't know if I've ever been able to get her in a photo with a smile c) as far as I know she doesn't read my blog so she won't get mad at me for sharing the photo d) yes, her hair is naturally that curly and that color. Naturally when in a deep freeze climate one seeks out gelato... Honey Ginger was the flavor I finally settled on but this only shows about half of the options! Unfortunately the glare on the glass got in the way but they were presented so gorgeously I had to try. Just enough of a layover in Minneapolis on the way home for hubster to pose with a moose... Although it's nice to have snow for Christmas, it was also nice to be home in my own warm bed by Christmas morning. Since returning home I managed to post a few lingering items that came out of the kiln before the trip. These handpainted Zinnia charms... Some stoneware beads... and a funky chunky pendant molded from an ocean stone...
And just for Cindy...the recipe for the amazing white chocolate gingerbread biscotti from my holiday baking spree! (adapted from All Day I Dream About Food) They were definitely a hit and although I primarily made them because of my biscotti loving neighbor friend L, I had to keep my fare share which disappeared promptly!

Gingerbread White Chocolate Biscotti

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp dark molasses
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped dried or candied ginger (I used Trader Joe's version which isn't coated in sugar but a sugared candied ginger would work as well)
1/2 cup slivered almonds

(you could also have extra melted white chocolate if you want to dip your biscotti...I just add the chips to the dough so I can skip a step!)

Preheat oven to 325F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or my favorite kitchen item ever, a Silpat: DeMarle 2406 Silpat 11-3/4-by-8-1/4-Inch Nonstick Silicone Baking Mat

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, spices and salt. In a larger bowl, beat butter and sugar together until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla and molasses.

Beat in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in white chocolate chips, chopped ginger and almonds. Dough will be stiff and sticky.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll each half into a 12-inch log and transfer to prepared baking pan about 3 inches apart. Flatten each log into a 3-inch wide loaf.

Bake until loafs are almost firm to the touch, 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes, but maintain oven temperature.

Carefully transfer one loaf at a time to a cutting board. With a serrated knife, gently saw back and forth to cut loaf crosswise into 3/4 inch slices. Place slices, cut-side down, back onto lined baking sheet. Bake until firm and golden, 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Once cooled you could dip one end in extra melted white chocolate and allow to dry on the lined baking sheet.

The Little Things...

that can make my day... On Monday morning driving in the rain I was able to take this (totally legal and not dangerous at all) picture from my phone to catch a stunning double rainbow. I was actually worried I was going to end up in a car crunch because I was so distracted staring out my side window! Not only did this stunning rainbow turn out to be fully visible as a complete arch at one point, even more astounding was a first for me...the end of the rainbow was not only visible, it ended at the side of the freeway! Alas...no pot of gold on this one... but I don't need it, I have these yummy beads from Kelley instead! She hooked me up when she was here last weekend... Not sure how long I'll hold on to this pretty little egg and trio of headpins before I put them to work! Now, on to the last kiln load now up on the website... I managed to sneak in a couple more stoneware pendants with my newest glaze...Plus a pair of little bumpy bead caps... and some new drippy branch pendants...Next post, a super delicious recipe for a snack that's just too easy (and good for you...unlike the leftover Halloween M&Ms cookies I baked up tonight!) to pass up! So what have you done with all your leftover candy?

A Little Fun...

planned for this weekend! If you follow Kelley's blog you know she's on her way to sunny San Diego for a visit (well, it's been sunny this week...they say we're might have drizzle on the weekend...boo hiss!).

It seems like almost all of my beady buddies are waaaay to the East, so I was just thrilled when Kelley told me a while ago that she would be coming to my neck of the woods to visit a friend who was about to have a baby. I didn't hold out too much hope that we'd get a good chunk of hang out time but then she emailed to say she'd be here and free for almost the whole weekend! If there's one thing I love love love, it's playing tour guide. Especially for someone who is interested in beady and artistic things! Now, since she's put it out in the world I know I have to stick to my promises... (even though she didn't find a way to pack Little Horse for me) I've promised:

her toes will touch sand (although it might be super chilly)

her ears will listen to the Pacific (and it will most certainly be wonderful)

her eyes will see sea lions (and her nose will smell them!)

her feet will walk for a cure (and she'll get to go out for brunch after...and maybe even sit in my mack daddy massage chair later)

she will eat good (make that totally freakin' amazing) Mexican food (in a super awesome kitschy setting)

she WILL NOT end up at Taco Bell if "restaurant A" falls through due to recent publicity (dang that Man vs Food episode re-airing yesterday)

she will get her fill of Balboa Park and the Artists' Village (somehow in the 10+ yrs in SD I haven't made it to the Village...pretty sad)

she will meet pupper Nana (but she must keep her mouth shut about the state of my "studio" space...I'm not kidding about this...there might be a waiver/confidentiality agreement signed...she'll even get to meet hubster)

I think there will be a couple of good fun outing surprises along the way too but I'm not going to put a spoiler out there! Despite the fact that I feel like I'm going through a particularly non-photogenic phase, I promise that we will have lots of photos of our funness to share!

Now on the topic of our walking for the cure...for the second year in a row I'm walking with the Babes for Boobs team in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure. I've done an abysmal job of fundraising this year so I'm going to totally copy Kelley's approach and after you've headed over to her for your lampwork if you want some ceramic goodies too you can get 10% of the amount you donate via my fundraising page off your next order with me! Just make the donation online with your name identified and send me an email with the amount...I'll send you a code to use on my website for your donation discount!

Okey Dokey, some new pics to share from the kiln load this week... Tell me you love this glaze (because I totally dig it!). Some more of my new Branches series... A set of beads in that same yummy delish glaze as the first pendant... A single bead cap with the itty bitty beading detail...only one because I busted everything else that matched it :( A pair of bumpy bead caps, kind of urchiney aren't they? Last but not least, a pendant and matching beads in my new Turtle Green glaze... Stop back on by later this weekend for fun touristy pics!
So what do YOU have planned for this weekend?

Fall Colors...

just not the fall colors you would expect...like leaves and pumpkins... Instead I bring you a peek at some new glazes, two that I love, one that I'm ok with and one that's totally not what I was hoping for. Can you guess which are which? The first is on porcelain, the middle two are on buff stoneware and the last is on porcelain as well. Thanks to everyone for stopping by for the Beads of Clay Open House event! If you didn't make it during the afternoon, I'm still offering a 30% discount on my website until midnight tonight when you enter the code fallopenhouse.

After the Turkey...

I spent hours with Photoshop! I managed to get three glaze firings in this week, quite an accomplishment alongside a dentist visit for three fillings (yes, three!! I swear I don't eat bon bons and drink soda all day!), a 5 mile pre-Thanksgiving meal walk, cooking a full turkey dinner (well the pumpkin pie came from Costco but I did bake Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies...mmmm), cranberry margaritas with the neighbors, and reading the latest James Patterson novel cover to cover (meh... not sure why I keep reading them). So, I have quite a few new things to show off including three new glazes. A big part of two of the firings was devoted to a custom order so there aren't as many headed to the website as you might think but I'm pretty sure there will still be lots for people to choose from!

Jade is a rich, lush bluey green that is just the color of rough jade stones I picked up at Jade Cove in Northern California on a road trip a few years ago (haven't named this pattern yet):
I'm loving these Bracelet Bars, they're gently curved rectangles that fit nicely across the top of a wrist. Here's one in the pattern Koi glazed in my new favorite, Moss, a speckled chartreuse.A Lattice patterned heart glazed in Jade: Bubbles charm glazed in Jade:
A pair of Bzzz charms glazed with Twilight (I have them in the innie and outie versions):Cup O'Joe charms glazed in Rootbeer (a slightly darker and more pumpkin shaded version of my Harvest glaze): Another new design in Rootbeer (the outie version of the first pattern that has no name yet):Drizzle charms glazed in Peacock:A Patina glazed Magnolia circle:
A heart in my new Lantern pattern glazed in Moss:Here's a Bracelet Bar glazed in Jade (no pattern name on this guy yet either): Well, that should be enough with the photos for tonight! Now I need to start adding them to the website... might take a while- as always, if there's something here that strikes your muse drop me a note and I'll hold it for you.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

You spin me right round...

So that was my theme song yesterday thanks to a case of vertigo! Interesting phenomena and one that I have not had the "pleasure" of experiencing in the past. It might be nice to know what the heck brought on the carnival ride ambience that I felt all day but I'll just be happy with the fact that I feel like I'm back on solid ground today!So not much else to share due to my couch confinement yesterday evening but I do have pictures from the last two kiln loads that didn't make it into the last post. More of the new designs and some of my experiments for a "Bumpy" pendant/connector series. Of course the early bird gets the worm and my favorite, the one below, has already been packed up to travel to Finland for Gunilla! I really like the interaction of this glaze and pattern. Speaking of glazes, new shades are in the works (I admit I have a problem...in high school I began a nailpolish collection that entered into triple digits...apparently I've found my grown up equivalent in glaze colors!)