Suburban Girl Studio

Bead Shop Update!

Just added some new pieces to the Etsy Bead Shop.  Here's a little peak...

Raku...

 
Faux Bois raku...

 
Little porcelain heart charm...

 
After the holiday weekend, I'll be back working on new stoneware and porcelain beads!

More Stoneware...

I spent a few more hours earlier today with the brown stoneware.  Once again, I just played and experimented...

 
I even tried my hand at carving beads for the first time.  They need some additional clean up but I'm happy with them.

 
And then I got tired of beads altogether and made this small slab-built vase and two tiny trinket dishes from scrap clay.

 
And now I'm going to hit the bookstore and enjoy the rest of my Friday.

A Date with Brown Stoneware

I love porcelain but I was starting to miss my brown stoneware so we made a date today.  You'll notice the pile is small but that's because I experimented a lot and wasn't happy with some of the results.  I just enjoyed playing around with the clay and not worrying about anything else.

 
My favorite experiment of the day are these silly little cat charms.

 
I wonder what tomorrow's date will bring...

Wrist Wear

After my last show I decided I needed to add bracelets to my wares.  Even though I don't wear them often plenty of people DO like them.  Here's just two of the bracelets I finished recently...

 
My new favorite featuring a bottle cap bead by Glass Garden Beads, my own raku bead, lava, garnet and coral wrapped with oxidized sterling silver and finished with a lead-free pewter toggle clasp.

 
An earthy bracelet featuring two of my raku beads and a stonewear bead, unakite, wood, lava and Swarovski crystals wrapped with Vintaj bronze and finished with a Vintaj brass clasp and chain.

I really want to make more connector beads like the rose above but out of porcelain.  Unfortunately, my bead kiln is currently down for maintenance so it's going to be a few more days before I can fire more pieces.  Until then, I'll just keep making bracelets out of my stock of finished beads.

Glazing!

Glazed a batch of porcelain today while I did some laundry.  Since I don't have another show until the fall I figured I would experiment with glazes, underglazes, crackle glazes and dimensional glaze. 

 
All of these pieces will go in the kiln tonight or tomorrow.

 
And then I shall reveal the results! 

Back to Beads

Now that I'm done with spring shows I'm going on a bead-making spree. It's so nice outside and with everything blooming I felt the urge to make nature-inspired pieces.  So I went outside and pulled some little leaves and flowers out of the ground.  I rolled them into nice, smooth porcelain.  Here they are photographed with my Droid (sorry for the weird lighting).

 
I'm going to give each a wash with some oxides after they are bisque fired.

The little pile of nature I cruelly ripped from the earth...

 
And a big ole pile of greenware waiting for a bisque firing!

 
Mmmmmm spring!

Photos from the show

Just finished my final spring show and boy, it sure was a long day!  Got up at 6:30am and got home around 9:00pm.  I'm rethinking my strategy for next year.  I may be doing bead shows in the spring and summer and then craft shows for the holiday season.  Anyway, here's my ever-evolving table...

As you can see, I added a new banner created by Bears Graphics.

 
I also swapped out my white leatherette busts for neutral linen ones.  I really like how they tie the earthy look of the table together.

 
And of course, myself and the table.

 
Back to making beads tomorrow!

Craft Show Tomorrow

 
I will be at the Mother's Day Arts & Crafts Show at Birchwood Manor tomorrow from 10:00am until 8:00pm.  Birchwood Manor is located at 111 N. Jefferson Blvd. in Whippany, NJ.  Hope to see you there!

Saturday's Bead Show Haul

On Saturday I went to the Innovative Beads Expo in Edison, NJ.  I found a few gems at this show that I thought I would share with you all.

 
Polymer clay beads by Stonebrash Creative Arts.

 
Priscilla Marban never dissapoints.  She carries some of the most interesting beads ever.  For example, that blue bead is actually sawdust in resin.  Yeah, that's just cool.

 
Beautiful cut cabochons by Greg Graupp.

 
Some wonderful czech glass that will go nicely with my raku beads.

Hopefully this will hold me over until Bead Fest!