Inside the Studio :: Creative Impressions In Clay

Welcome to Inside the Studio!

Each week one of our contributors gives you a sneak peek into their studio, creative process or inspirations. We ask a related question of our readers and hope you'll leave comments! As an incentive we offer a free prize each week to bribe you to use that keyboard. The following week we choose a random winner.

Congratulations to Linda Katz! 

You have won your choice of a Mended Heart Pendant or Artfully Worded Quote. 

Please send Erin an e-mail with your information.

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House Heart Charms

My recent project was making the charms shown above for the Bead Cruise.
I have been a sponsor for the cruise every year except two. Job got in the way.
70 items were needed for the Goody Bag that go to each Cruise participant. The theme for the cruise is Hearts or Alice in Wonderland. You don't have to make something to go with the theme, it is optional, this year I chose to go with the theme. As you can see I went with hearts.
I'm going to show you how the charms came to life!

I extrude a clay coil from my clay gun. Pretty cool toy! I cropped out the huge mess that was in the photo...a little is still there but I was unwilling to Photoshop it out.

I straighten the coil out and measure it putting tick marks where they will be sliced. This makes it so they are close to the same size. Not that my slicing is perfect.

I take one of the clay slices and hand form to look like a house. Smoothing edges and flattening as I go. Put the loop in the top of the house and clean up the insertion point with a wet paintbrush.

I stamped the Heart into the clay. The heart shape was made by carving the end of a dowel. The dots were made using a stylis. They are set aside to dry as I continuing making lots more. Ignore the dry clay hands.

Underglaze colors on and getting ready to go in the kiln for the first firing.

All the glaze colors are on and ready to be dipped with the clear glaze and fired once again.

Out of the kiln! It's a party of color. I love color!

Carded and ready to be shipped to go on a Cruise.

As you can see there are many steps to get to a final product.

*Remember any button can be a pendant or jewelry component.*

My Question is: 

Where is your heart these days?
Mines not always into clay. See below.

This is my most recent project that I just shipped today to my grandson in Norway for his Birthday.
Yes, it is adorned with buttons!

Leave your answer to the question in the comments 

and you could win 2 House Heart Charms.

Have a great day and Happy Valentines Day!!

Feeling Sassy as usual!

Tari Sasser

Creative Impressions In Clay

Amuse the Muse - Buttons - Tari of Claybuttons

I dropped the ball on the post this past Monday. I thought I would post this Sunday instead.
There weren't any links left in the comments to post, so I will show an assortment of buttons.

Rebecca will be back from her Holiday for the next Amuse the Muse post.

Our own Mary Harding.

Glass Buttons by Leah Pellegrini of LeahGlass.

Kylie Perry Studios

Earthenwood Studio

Buttons by McAnaraks

Elsa Mora

Lisa Peters Art

Suburban Girl Studio

Moving Mud

Be sure to add the link to your favorite buttons in the comments!!

:::

And now for the BeadBlogger Links. See you on next Monday!

 The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton

Check out what Andrew and other participants of the Inspired by Reading Book Club made in response to "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Have you had a craft fail? If you have and could laugh about it, you will love this new book.

 Bat Out o' Hell Halloween Treat Basket

Make cute Halloween treat baskets using Eileen's Bat Out o' Hell basket template and design.

Art Bead Scene 

October Monthly Challenge recap of Entries.

 

Facebook Me!

Keep up on all the latest updates and more at the Crafty Princess Diaries' Facebook page. Like it, and make sure to click on the drop down notifications menu when you do.

Beading Arts 

Have you seen Michelle Mach's new book, "Unexpected Findings"? It's a lot of fun...

 What is Failure?

Cherie contemplates hope and failure with her latest print.
:::

Tari makes Handmade Ceramic Buttons...Fun, Funky&Functional!
Uniquely different, every piece of art is an original.
Visit Tari's website ClayButtons.com, browse more than 20 Collections of Buttons.
Remember every button can be a Pendant or Jewelry Component!

Amuse the Muse - Buttons - with Tari of ClayButtons.com

We are inching closer and closer to Halloween. I see more people decorating for Halloween than ever before. The only items I make that would qualify for this holiday are my Oz pendants, which are buttons also and my Wicked Earrings.
Leave links to your favorite buttons in the comments!

These are the single sided Oz pendants that come hung on a simple cord with a pewter charm.

These are double sided Oz Pendants on a swivel bail (not shown) with pewter charms. 

Wicked Earrings!

Great shank back buttons from Lisa Peters Art.

Gaea Skull Beads/Buttons. Most ceramic artists can make any bead a button.

Round Rabbit Earrings in fall colors. Go to her Facebook page so you can see shop updates

Be sure to add the link to your favorite buttons in the comments!!

And now for the BeadBlogger Links. See you on next Monday!

A Bead A Day

Think it's okay to go crazy with sparkle? Lisa does too! Stop by A Bead A Day to see her latest find!

Carmi's Art/Life World

Fun saying in resin filled bottle caps will make you smile today.

Homemade Halloween Cupcake Topper
Make these darling Halloween cupcake toppers to delight the kids. Just grab the free printable and have fun.

Art Bead Scene 

Art Bead Scene Editors take the October Monthly Challenge using Milton Avery's painting Autumn as inspiration. 

Focus, Focus, Focus! 

Can there be too many works in progress for any crafter?

Beading Arts 

Learn how to make the very popular wrap-style bracelets that you see everywhere these days!

Taking a Fall Drive

Cherie uses the colors of fall as inspiration for some new pictures.

Tari makes Handmade Ceramic Buttons...Fun, Funky&Functional!
Uniquely different, every piece of art is an original.
Visit Tari's website ClayButtons.com, browse more than 20 Collections of Buttons.
Remember every button can be a Pendant or Jewelry Component!

Amuse the Muse - Buttons - Tari of ClayButtons.com

I love fall! Cooler temperatures, beautiful colors and comfort food. Knitting, crocheting and other textile and jewelry arts. Start thinking holiday gifts.
Rebecca left you with my favorite musing BUTTONS!
Let me show you some of my favorite buttons that I make.

These are my Freeform Picasso-esque buttons. I love to make these. I take a piece of clay flatten it out and draw my design onto the clay with a blunt pencil. No molds, no restrictions just drawing whatever I feel like.

Seriously, who doesn't like Tie Dye? I can say lived through the 60s but I was a small child. 

I LOVE these buttons. They take a long time to create but are worth it!

I created these designs when I was Vintaj's Art Bead Partner. I love bright colors!

"Life is way too short not to use every color available"-Tari Sasser

I've been saying this for years.

Here are the links you left for the great Button Adventure!

From Mary Harding my fellow editor!

Nice earthy colors from BH Claysmith

Deep Burnt Umber colors from Vika.

Be sure to add the link to your favorite buttons in the comments!!

And now for the BeadBlogger Links. See you on next Monday!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Up-cycle that 50's Purse with Epoxy Clay!

Halloween Craft Ideas 
Halloween is fast approaching. Here are some crafty ideas sure to delight trick-or-treaters of all ages.

Art Bead Scene 

Take a peek at some of Tari Sasser of Clay Buttons' beautiful handmade buttons. 

Another Scarf? 

Watch episode 6 of the Crafty Princess Diaries Podcast. 

Embracing Hope 

Cherie paints pictures centered on the theme of hope.

Tari makes Handmade Ceramic Buttons...Fun, Funky&Functional!
Uniquely different, every piece of art is an original.
Visit Tari's website ClayButtons.com, browse more than 20 Collections of Buttons.
Remember every button can be a Pendant or Jewelry Component!

Amuse the Muse - Buttons - with Rebecca of Songbead

Happy October everyone! You're not going to be seeing a lot of me this month....because next weekend, I am off to Florida, USA - where (looking at Art Bead Scene's stats!) most of you good folk are from. It's my third trip to America, something which I can't quite believe - my first to Chicago was a decade ago with the National Youth Choir of Scotland, the second was to California for my partner's work, and this time around it's for my brother-in-law's wedding in Florida (although we are sneaking in a wee trip back to California to see our good friend Patina Queen!). I'm excited! And have no doubt that the California leg at least will contain at least one bead shop...

Anyway, due to all this travelling I'm not sure of when I will be touching base with the internet, so the wonderful Tari will be taking over my Muse posts for the next few weeks. I thought I'd leave her with a topic which I think is right up her street - buttons! Who doesn't love a button? I know I do. 

And seeing as Tari is taking over from me, I thought I would share some of her very awesome buttons with you today.

Perusing Tari's site, over at Clay Buttons, these super-cool jigsaw buttons immediately jumped out at me. My favourite shape is the top one - they look like someone just took a bite out of them!

I adore Tari's branch buttons, and this is one of my favourite of her branch button styles. Wouldn't this look awesome as a clasp in a Autumnal-styled bracelet? 

You can't beat spots at any time of year, and even though the saying goes that 'blue and green should never be seen', I am a great believer in these two colours together.

These textural toggle buttons would look awesome in jewellery for these chillier months - or for those of you who work with fibres too, they would look fab on a knitted clutch or purse.

Feeling spicy, anyone? This chilli pepper button would definitely add a touch of whimsy as a clasp or layered focal.

Take a stroll round Tari's comprehensive website - there are so many more handmade art bead and button treats there for you to see.

And now for the BeadBlogger Links. See you on my return!

Carmi's Art/Life World
There is a brand new and inspired book which Carmi used to "Craft Her Stash."

Quick Craft Projects Sure to Impress 
Anne asked for quick craft projects that look like they took a lot of effort. We can all use a few quick craft projects like that, can’t we?

Art Bead Scene
Check out September's challenge entries!

Beading Arts
It's hard to believe that this year's "Bead Journal Project" is already three-quarters over! Cyndi shares her piece for September, finished just in the nick of time!

Felted Ornaments
This quick video tutorial shows how to make some simple hand-sewn felt ornaments. 

Cute Paris Curtains
Cherie makes curtains for her kitchen.

Rebecca is a Scottish jewellery designer, based in her country's capital, Edinburgh. You can read more about her and her work at her blog, songbeads.blogspot.com and see more of her jewellery at songbead.etsy.com. She also has a supplies shop at thecuriousbeadshop.etsy.com.