Preparing a new workshop

I've been asked to give a workshop 'mold making' many times and I've always been hesistant for a few reasons. One of them is that it's a very, very messy activity. I just couldn't imagine having more then 1 person in my studio making a mess but well, I've given in and the first workshop will take place at the end of april. I'll be sure to make a picture before and after. :)

So right now, I'm doing some preparation work and I'm making a few molds for people to use in the workshop. One of my co-workers bought an old house a while ago and she mentioned that she found so many old keys. Haha, that sounded like music to my ears so I asked her if I could mold them.
They have been laying about in my studio for quite some time but now I finally find the time to make it happen.

I made a double mold for pooring clay slib into it. It's drying now so I'll post a picture when I finish a porcelain key. Here are some images of the process:

My cup of tea...

Deborah is one of the people who participated in one of my workshops 'working with transfers'. She makes beautiful illustrations and applies them to tea pots and cups.

I love her work: it's cheeky and fun and makes me smile.

Since she doesn't own her own kiln, she asked me to fire her work and I get to see all the goodies that she makes first hand. I just want to share some with you because she intricately incorporates her drawings onto the teapots making sure that the image which is already on it, is part of her design.

BEWARE! Cute unicorn overload!!!

Who wouldn't want to have his/her tea or coffee poored out of one of her pots?
I believe that some of these will be available at de Vitrine in Brugge next weekend. There are many more designs so check 'em all out if you are in the area!! :)

Thumbprint cookies

 foto: Onar Originals

These cookies are a big hit at workshops and I have been asked for the recipe numerous times so here it is:

225gr selfraising flour
100gr cold butter
75gr sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
Raspberry jam

Heat the oven to 200°C. Add the selfraising flour and the butter in a bowl and mix it with your fingers. If neccesary, add some more flour. Add the milk little by little through the mixture until you have a soft dough. If the dough is too dry you can add more milk. Put teaspoons of the mixture onto a baking tray. I use a baking sheet to put the mixture on. It saves washing up. The biscuits will become twice as big as the dough so leave enough room in between the biscuits. Press the top of the dough a little and make with your finger a little dent into the top. Add a little bit of raspberry jam into the hole. Bake the biscuits 15 tot 20 minutes in the oven until they are golden brown. You can keep these 3 tot 4 days in an airtight container and for a month if you freeze them. You need to defrost them at room temperature and warm them again to get the crunchiness back. This recipe is for 12 cookies

En ook in het Nederlands voor de niet-engels-sprekers onder ons:

225gr zelfrijzende bloem
100gr koude roomboter
75gr fijne suiker
1 ei
2 soeplepels melk
Frambozenjam

Verwarm de oven voor op 220°C. Meng de zelfrijzende bloem en de boter in een kom en kneed het met je vingers. Indien nodig, voeg een beetje meer bloem toe. Dan voeg je de melk er beetje bij beetje bij tot je een zacht deeg hebt. Als het deeg te droog is, dan kan je meer melk toevoegen. Maak een hoopje met een koffielepel en leg het op bakpapier op een bakplaat. Ik rol er eigenlijk bolletjes van en druk ze dan een beetje plat. De koekjes worden 2 keer zo groot dus laat voldoende ruimte tussen de koekjes. Druk een beetje op de top van het deeg en druk met je vinger in het deeg zodat er een kuiltje ontstaat. Doe in het kuiltje een beetje frambozen jam.
Bak de koekjes 15 tot 2à minuten in de oven tot ze mooi bruin zijn.
Je kan de koekjes 3 tot 4 dagen bewaren in een luchtdichte container en voor een maand als je ze invriest. Je moet ze ontdooien op kamertemperatuur en opnieuw opwarmen om ze terug krokant te maken. Dit recept is voor 12 koekjes.

At work in my studio

 I've had a few people coming to my studio to work with transfers. I love it when I see all the pretty illustrations and color designs. It's a fun workshop and thankfully there hasn't been anyone who hated working with transfers. :)

My absolute favorite piece is the vessel above. I love the girl with her real life goldfish balloon!
The vessel was scored at a local secondhand shop that I visit nearly every week and I wish I had found it first! LOL :)

On the shoppinglist...

 

 

I've been working on the new collaboration project and my hand is sore cutting up a transfersheet. But the images are mighty cute and I can't wait to apply 'em onto the mosaic tiles. 

 

I love the colors & I'm pretty sure they will look awesome after firing.
Soon magnets to be and in our shops (LilaRubyKing & ArtMind)

Free

Last week I had a very good work week in my studio. I had a few days off work and worked in the feeling factory.

When I have a list of feelings to make, I usually make a few feelings of the most popular ones. It's easier to make a few of the same feelings then switch from one feeling to another.

I also had a request to make 2 large free feelings so lots of free feelings will fill the kiln this time...
It's great to feel free, isn't it?

About groceries and food

Anna (LilaRubyKing) and I e-mail each quite often and while we talk about our collaborative work, we also quite often chat about other stuff.

So while we were discussing a new, small project, we agreed on a theme and then got distracted talking about food stuff and grocery lists and then suddenly, our new collaboration is all about food and groceries.
Huh? How did that happen, Anna?

Anyway, all supplies are ordered and I'm waiting impatiently for it all to arrive at my home. I'm always excited about new projects so I can't wait to get my hands on it all.
To be continued...

This kind of day...

It has been the kind of day to put on rainboots and stomp about in the puddles!
Yeah, it's great to be a kid! :)

Work in progress

I worked on some of my favorite feelings today: empty, torn and curious.

It's been a while since I've enjoyed claying again. While my head and heart were elsewhere it was more a matter of 'I have to clay' instead of 'I want to clay'. This didn't feel right and every time I had to start claying because I had to, I was dreading myself into the studio.
Thankfully I have found my mojo back and I've really enjoyed cracking some work in my studio today. :)

Updating my stock

Every now and then I do a stock update and make a list of feelings that I need to make in the feeling factory. The list is never empty and it usually grows while I'm making.
However, I always dream that it would be empty so that I would have time to start making new things. For now I'm just grateful that I'm able to make and enjoy. It also means that feelings are flying out of my studio and are lovingly adopted by many new owners. Thank you for supporting my work as it enables me to do what I love most. 

Collaboration

My sweet friend Anna got featured on the Etsy blog with a quit your day job-article. The main focus was about our collaboration. Can't believe it's already 5 years since we are working together and even though we're miles apart, it feels like having a very good friend around the corner.
Hope we can add many more years to that and be able to come up with new ideas and projects together.
Later this year we will hopefully see each other again to attend on a fair together and do some actual sightseeing besides working in the studio.

Don't you find Anna's colour in sheets fantastic? I love 'em and can't wait to start colouring with Julie. Here is Julie's latest artwork:

BEMINE

We're only one month away from Valentine's day and I thought it would be a good moment to discontinue my entire Heart-ART section.

Since Ikea decided to discontinue the frames I used for the porcelein hearts, I decided to not only sell the last frames at 50% but also sell the hearts that I already made to make up the frames.
There are bigger frames that are available at IKEA to put 'em in or you can use 'em for another creative project.

And while I'm at it, I'm also discontinuing some other Valentine related items.

So, if you are into Valentine's and want to give something unique and different, feel free to check out the Heart-ART section in my shop. Perhaps you see the perfect gift for your loved one.

Busy hands in my studio

Today I had a workshop transfers in my studio so there were busy hands cutting and applying the decals. I love all the designs they made.

 Ontwerp en uitvoering van Karla (Lettershop)

Ontwerp en uitvoering van Debbie (Amaritas juweeltjes)

 

Ontwerp en uitvoering Hilde (Hilde Groven)

If you want to design your own transfers or tableware, don't hesitate to subscribe to one of the two remaining workshops this fall (23 October or 7 November).

Custom work

A client asked me to make a feeling that represents 'new beginnings'. The old skin is peeling off and there is a brand new one underneath. I love how she wanted me to depict it.

Special day in sight

In about a week, we're celebrating a very special day: Julie's first birthday.
I can't believe how quick the year passed by. When I look back on it, my heart just swells. I can't imagine life without our little sunshine anymore. She's such a happy face that loves to give and get cuddles. This may sound cliché but nothing beats the moment when you wake up in the morning and see this tiny, little creature laying next to you waking up silently. And the moment when she opens her eyes you see instant smiles and misschief. The past year, she turned our lives upside down and gave it more meaning. Yet another cliché. Perhaps life with children is all about clichés? Haha!

Anyway, I decided to make here a little outfit for her first birthday. I used an extremely pretty piece of fabric made by my good friend Anna. And I made a matching crown to complete it.
We're ready to celebrate! :)

New line of studs

The first pairs of the new line of studs is now available in my shop. I think they are prettier in real then on the pictures. :)