Work in progress

I'm still catching up on things but of course I couldn't resist trying out some new stuff. The idea to make mini art wall feelings has been in my head for a while now. However, it started out as a completely different idea to what I made now. These are little ceramic 'tableaux' or a canvas with a feeling 'painted' on them. They are 20x20cm or 8x8inches.I'm a bit reluctant to show as these will look completely different once they are finished. They won't have the whiteness of ceramic but will be colored with oxydes or stains. I made scratches all over the pieces so that when I add oxydes to the fired piece, the oxyde or stain will remain in the scratches leaving a darker mark. This is still very much in the experimenting phase so it might turn out to be something completely different. I thought I would show you these anyway so I could get some feedback on them! :) Thanks in advance for giving your opinion.
Oh, and these will be one of a kind. Won't make the same one as it's too much fun to come up with different designs! :)

My creative space

Today's creative space is my outside office. The weather has been so wonderful here the past weeks that I just make my workspace outside. I just put on lots of sunscreen, put something on my head and clay till my heart's content. :)

Want to show your creative space? Hop over theo Kootoyoo's, it's fun! :)

Mitsy's crocheted babuschka

Another post about crocheting but this one is superspecial. A while ago, I asked Tara from Mamachee to design me a Babuschka crochet pattern so that I could crochet little, colorful feelings.
I love the pattern she made for me so I crocheted them in rainbow colors, took some fun pictures for her and now she listed the pattern in her Etsy shop. Yay! :)
Haha, she actually called the pattern 'Mitsy's crocheted babuschka'. We'll the ones in the pictures are mine but don't hesitate to make your own.
They are easy and fun to make and they are fun to play with. You can easily tweak the pattern yourself so that you can actually make 'em larger or smaller so that they would look like real nesting dolls. :)

In between project.

While my partner's sister is growing in size, I try to let the box of surprises growing for the baby to come. Besides, it's nice to take a break from claying once in a while and to get my crochet hooks and yarn stash out. Still so many things I want to make but I just couldn't resist making this birdie rattle (pattern is from Mamachee on Etsy). The bottom is supposed to be brown but who ever said that trees can't be pink? :)

How to make a plaster stamp?

Since I was making a few moulds today, I remembered that I planned to make a tutorial on how to make a plaster stamp. Plaster stamps are not hard to make and they are great fun to use in your modelling projects. You can use regular stamps too but they are much softer so somtimes it's hard to use them for pressing into clay.

Here is what you need: a rolling pin, a cutter, a stamp and a piece of plasticine.
Plasticine is soft clay made of plastic so when you poor the plaster in there, it will come off very easily afterwards.

Take a piece of plasticine and kneed it a little bit.
Make a flat piece with a rolling pin. Make it about 0,5cm or 0,2inch thick

Press a stamp into the flat piece or plasticine.

Make it nice and round with a cookie cutter.

Roll a flat piece of plasticine and twist it around the stamped piece.

Let the ends cross each other and cut the excess plasticine away with a knife.

Press the plasticine clay firmly together on the bottom so no plaster will be able to escape.
Make some plaster ready. Mostly it is made with 1 part of water and 3 parts of plaster but it depends on the kind of plaster you use.
I always go with the pyramid method: you poor the plaster into the water at the same place and a pyramid will form. When the pyramid doesn't suck any water anymore, it's enough plaster and you can start mixing it with the water.
If you like that the plaster will set quickly, you can use lukewarm water or add a pinch of salt.
Poor the plaster into the plasticine mould.
You can also poor liquid (porcelain) clay in there and fire the stamp.
Let it set for a while and take the plasticine away. Cut away the rough edges with a kitchen knife.
Now you can stamp your heart out in any modelling material. :)

My creative space

Today's creative space is our couch.
Since the kiln is cooling down, I took a little break from claying and I'm making happy girls. I add a happy girl to every order I get. They are not for sale in my shop so the only way to get a happy girl is to order something from my Etsy shop or win a happy package when I do a contest or a give away. :)
They are fun and make for lots of smiles! :)

Want to show your creative space? Hop over to Kootoyoo's and play, it's fun! :)

Playing catch up...

Hope you all had a nice Easter and are not left with an indigestion from eating too many Easter eggs. I just put up a quick post to let you know that it is very busy in the feeling factory.
I'm still stocking up but somehow it takes forever. Not surprising though since clay is such a slow craft. I'm also getting orders out but some feelings still have to be fired so the 'shipping room table' is kind of full until these are fired. And also lots of feelings still need to be sanded -which I detest- but they say wednesday is going to be a sunny day so I think I'll be in the backyard sanding then - those things are definately more pleasant when it's sunny! :)
I'm so much looking forward too reading blogs, chat in our teamthread and making treasuries again but it just has to stay on hold until I have a bit more time. So bear with me while I try to play catch up! Thank you! :)