My experiments with porcelain

I am really enjoying playing with porcelain, it is so much cheeper then silver and completely different to work with. Its so light and I really like the feel once fired. 

The most noticeably thing is the extreme fragility whilst in the greenware stage. 

Its like re-learning how to handle the clay but I have managed to build a little house called the Tuscan Villa. I have added colour, silver and even colour and silver together and it works well. These have all been a one stage firing. The next lot have been fired to a bisque firing with colour . I will give them a glaze to see the difference.

Here are some photos of what I have been doing the little building is in the kiln a long with some other bits and bobs.

I can't wait to open the kiln tomorrow morning, but for now I think I need to make this lot into jewellery

Big Bertha is on!!

Big Bertha is on and loaded up with two layers of porcelain, see you in about 15 hours time;-)

This was the view of the first layer.

Experiments with Bronze Clay

This is not the first time I have dabbled with Bronze clay it tried it when

it first became available here in the UK, I didn't like the firing schedule, it was

unreliable.

Now that there are so many brands I thought it was high time I tried it again, this one was given to me to try by Katie, she wanted to convert me saying "its great stuff give it a go"

I will be honest the firing was easy, you can see from the photo that  I hit one with a hammer and even cut one with side cutters, with great difficulty I did cut the ring. To my surprise it didn't crack.

These are test pieces and not my normal artsy designs.

My thoughts are, Yes I did like it, with not a green hand in sight.

 Will I use it again?

I think so. 

Here are my samples, I like the polished finish, not keen on the out of the kiln look 

at all. 

I still have three more rings to test and might make a bangle to test the different sizes.

The continued week in Cornwall

After the porcelain class it was a short drive for the Rio Certification Hosted by Lisa Cain at MCSJ and taught by the very charming Mr Patrik Kusek.

The class was fast and furious but we all managed to pass with flying colours. 

This is a photo of the projects I liked,  I did voice my dislike for the others but hay ho it was all technique based.

Thank you Patrick and Lisa for enlightening me,

 to what a Mirkin is!

Week away in Cornwall

I had a fab week away, staying with Miss Julia down in Bugle in Cornwall and then taking a fascinating class at CSACJ with the very talented Marion Wilson, it was a one day intensive course learning how to use, fire and glaze porcelain. 

The class was packed full of information.

I chose not to fire mine but to bring them home, so I could do my own firing, this is the way I like to learn. They all fired perfectly and the schedule was very easy to follow.

Here are just two of the finished pieces of jewellery I made.

 The first is a pendant with a very subtle underglaze and the other is a pair of twee flower earrings, which I have to confess I love, they are so light.

 I think I will be making some more. It is a lovely material to work with.

Anna Mazon Class hosted by Lynne Glazzrd

Well what can I say apart from what  a fabulous week spent with dear friends then a two day class with Anna Mazon.

I loved every minute of her class and actually managed to get my piece fired although I had to finish at home which was great.

This class gave me so much inspiration, I came home and used the technique in one of my own projects and this is the result, I think it worked well.

Not I am making another project!!!!

Medusa from the garden

Critter number 13

Tiny the Door Mouse Ring.