My ceramics journey...

Earlier this year I began tinkering with clay. Or playing with mud as I like to think of it! And I really got the bug.

The thing about ceramics is that there is sooo much that can go wrong and this can be a little trying for a control freak like me.  Warping as the clay dries, warping in the kiln, kiln explosions, freaky glaze combinations, glazes that run when you don't want them to ... I could go on. But there is also the excitement of seeing how things turn out. Glazes look totally different once they're fired so it is always a surprise.

I started with hand building (which I love BTW) and progressed to the wheel. Oh, and the wheel is where things can go really wrong really fast LOL! The wheel is great but there is something adorable about eating from your own slightly wonky hand-formed plates.

I have so much to learn but hey, I'm not in a rush.

A few lanterns: 

     

They look so cool when lit up:

     

     

A vase with a 'button':

Hand formed pinch pot. I just love pinch pots - they're irregular, wonky and lovely lol!

Wheel throw mugs ... with a birdie of course!

A bowl thrown on the wheel, then glazed, waxed and glazed again:

Cute cute cute little hand-formed biscuit plates. Like a side plate but smaller. CUTE!

  

And finally... I made some holly to add to a Christmas wreath, and I had a few leftover ;-)

Thanks for letting me share my little sideline. There are a few items in my Etsy if you're interested :-)

 

A bit of art journaling just for me .....

A bit of art journaling just for me :-) Quote by Dina Wakley Media Line.

 

Ho Ho Ho! It's THAT time of year :-)

“Ho Ho Ho!”

by Kate Crane

Oh, yes, it's almost Christmas, only 33 sleeps until the big day! Over at Carabelle Studio we are offering you The 10 Days of Christmas to inspire to get busy creating your Christmas makes :-)

10 days of step-by-step photo tutorials or maybe a video, with full instructions to make something festive. All for freeeee! You can find the tutorials every day for the next few days *here on facebook* in the Les Caras Friends group, or *here* on the Carabelle Studio page, or *here* on Instagram.

Supplies:

Stamps: Matroichka Pere Noel, Foret de Sapins, Bunting Bonanza, Un Regard sur mon Histoire, Mini Words

 

Stencil: Point

 

Acrylic paints (blues) + brayer

Gesso + palette knife

Archival inkpads – greens, and black

Stickles Glitter Glue

White Posca 1-M, Stabilo All pencil (or any dark pencil)

Watercolours (for stamped image)

Scissors, glue, 3-D fixers

Make sure to look closely at each photo as the step instructions are underneath.

Today, it's my turn, and I'm showing you how to make this colourful multi-layered card using an oldie but goodie - Matriochka Pere Noel. I love him! Nothing too tricky about this make - just a bit of cutting out .... 

Hope you will join us!

 

Join me for a live!

THIS Saturday I am doing a LIVE over on Facebook with Stampers Grove - *you can follow along here*

4.30PM GMT

And this is the project! Come and join me :-)

EDIT: The video recording is now available to view **HERE**

If you want to play along on the day then here is the supplies list. In italics I have included exactly what I will be using as I always get asked, but feel free to substitute anything. And if you don't fancy the printing then you can do it all with scrapbook paper instead.

SUPPLIES:

Gel Plate (any size)

 

Brayer 

Speedball soft

 

Stencil 

Little Strips/Crazy Circles by Carabelle Studio

 

Stamps

Bunting Bonanza/Van Life by Carabelle Studio

 

Alcohol inks

Gumball/Lettuce/Aqua

 

Acrylic paint

Dina Wakley Media White

 

Card for printing

Any smooth white card

 

Stickles

Unicorn

 

Black ink or watered-down black paint + junk lid for stamping

 

White pen

Posca 1-M

 

Stabilo All pencil, or any dark pencil

 

Something to colour stamped images

I’m using regular watercolours

 

Scrap of old text

 

Typed quote/found quote/ or use Mini Words stamp by Edwige for Carabelle Studio

 

Glue/scissors/trimmer

 

** If you don’t want to print you can use any old painted scraps that you have or even scrapbook paper

 

**I add stitching but this is always optional

 

Approx measurements of my finished card in cm:

16.5 x 12.5

10.5 x 14

7 x 8

 

LIVE session coming soon!

LIVE session coming soon with Stampers Grove over on Facebook. Hope you will be able to join me. Come and join me while I talk to myself for an hour or so! :-)