Birdie and Etsy Shop Update...

My man took the bird to the vets as we were tired of waiting for the RSPCA and the bird didn't seem to be eating as much as it had been. They took him/her and found a punctured lung so they had to put the bird down. Now I feel terrible that we kept it him/her alive for so long. I didn't realise the vets would take a wild bird - I suppose we have learnt a valuable lesson and it will be straight to the vets next time.

I have been shopping all weekend, bought lots of beautiful furniture and some white paint to get rid of that terrible yellow in the studio.

Making pendant beads from porcelain and with metal hoops, is that something people prefer?

I like opening the kiln and seeing how the previously silver wire has gone black and the striking contrast of it next to the white porcelain.

You may have noticed that I have listed those 'singles' earrings as a pair. They are just too fantabulosis together and I was kinda regretting putting them as singles after a few days. Feels good to see them together now :)

Also I have listed a couple of sets of GLAZED beads...yes that's right...I have put my experience and knowledge into action and I intend to make a new line of beads that are with matte and/or gloss glaze. Some of these glazes I will weigh out and mix myself following recipe's made by me. There is a high gloss white glaze that is on the inside of these...

It was extremely difficult to capture the incredible white glaze in the photos. It is so smooth and soft it feels like milky soap. 

The black is matte and creates a satin effect with some gloss glaze seeping through from the inside for a slight sheen in places.

I'm having so much fun making these shapes and putting them together. I am playing around with some variations and developing this form which was initially inspired by my bell beads, then later by the woodlands that surround me and this beautiful time of year.

Here is the other ones I listed which have and glossy green glaze on the inside. The glaze isn't actually made to go to stoneware temperatures but look what it does at 1260 degrees Celsius on porcelain...

The glaze pooled and made these rivers of glassy green (it looks blueish in the photo but it is really green). The white dots are where the porcelain wall has been pushed in by the textures I used on the outside of the cup; the oxide in the glaze has rolled off and around these.

I will be painting and making beads this week so there will  be things popping up in the shop.

I adore working with the gilders wax so will continue to use that on beads as well.