Chocolate Clay Shards Glazed!

Here is a quick snapshot of the chocolate clay shards glazed...

Sorry for the not so great picture quality....

I was having a bit of a rough weekend (must've really been working on something internally with the new baby - like brain development or something because I surely had no energy and wanted to sleep all weekend...)

Here is a close up of some of my favorite pieces that came out of the glaze firing.

Unfortunately, nobody will ever see these in person...

The glaze did not fit the clay body...

And what I mean by this is that at the final firing temperature of the glaze and clay,

which should be the point where they have the strongest bond and most durability...

The glaze decided to leave the clay (sad story, I know...)

When I had tried these two particular glazes on my porcelain clay body a few years ago,

the same thing happened...

So over the next year (hopefully in the sooner part of this next year) I can do some experimenting to see if I can get it to fit better...

I've got some ideas and will see what works and what doesn't and will share here to give you all some insight into the glazing process.

Ok, So this morning, before the sun came over our trees, I quick snapped these pics...

Sorry for the side view of the pieces - it was the only way to get them without glare from the sun (even though it was indirect sun)...

I made sure to get some multi hole pieces and some 6 hole pieces glazed up for Bead Fest.

I've just been into that mode of seeing things dangle from pieces (I think Jenny Davies-Reazor has gotten this implanted into my head - Thanks Jenny! It's a good thing!!!)

The Chocolate Clay pieces towards the top right (with the river rock texture) are all glazed on one side, and some have one hole, others have two. There are only so many of these...

Below is one of the nature series pieces.

This particular one is a *Blood Root leaf impression that my friend Kim Love of AspenWear helped me with a few years ago.

*I posted some images of the Blood Root growing in my garden to the Marsha Neal Studio Blog in March, April, May (when it is in bloom) right before I began my garden blog: Marsha's Garden Blog.

Have you discovered my garden blog yet? Lots of pictures there of stuff that is going on in the garden... Ok - mostly blooms and other textures I find...

Off to get some decals designed and printed out for a last firing for Bead Fest!

Stop by and see me in booth #806...

Oh, and make sure you are signed up for my e-newsletter mailing list...

I'm going to be finishing that up this week and it will have lots of information on upcoming giveaways and contests... and of course coupons for shopping with Marsha Neal Studio!

Hope you are all having fun!