Ceramic Clay Shards Update

One of my favorite parts about my job as a bead maker is photographing my work.

It can be frustrating trying to find the perfect daylight, but when else do I get to have all these little treasures in one place - waiting for their chance to be in front of the camera?

 I just like to look at them all...

Get to know each one of them a little bit better...

Spend time sorting them from their "out of the kiln, hole cleaned, paired up and ready to be photographed" tray to their "for sale on Etsy tray".

Each one photographed against a neutral background and a second time to show the size...

I love how this blue of my Dusty Denim glaze puddles and then breaks tan on the ridges of my porcelain clay shards...

And in my previous posts of late, here is a set of shards from the same firing, same glaze, that have been etched (removal of clear glossy glass finish). 

I love these rich buttery muted tones...

I've done a ton of research on etching beads, but there is just something in my brain that I need to test out before I can do my big Etsy shop update (with etched beads).

The photo above is a standard home test that potters can use to see if their glazes leach any materials (acid test). This is especially important for any glaze that is to come into contact with food or drink.

Now I know my pendants are not going to be used as scoop to get the hummus from the bowl at your next party... 

But still. I need to know if and how it reacts with long exposure (a couple days) to something so acidic with the shiny glass outer coating removed...

If it does leach - well, then I've got a bunch of work to use for "other art projects".

Although shards used to make earrings like this would be totally fine...

Speaking of which...

I'm going to have my first ever magazine article published in the April 2012 edition of Step By Step Wire Jewelry on how to make my Porcelain Shard Trapeze Earrings as you see them below...

I'm pretty excited. Nervous excited...

So with all these thoughts of clay shards going on today, I decided to roll out some clay balls...

And from those balls - more shards...

Just enough to squeeze in at the end of a very long day of working on the computer...

I love having just a bit of time like that to get into the clay groove.

I want to do it more often - so many ideas brewing!

With this bit of insight into what I've got in stock for shards,

Directions coming out soon for how to make the Trapeze Earrings (of which I could also make them up for you if you don't have the time to try it yourself),

And my wanting to make more means I need to move some of those that are sitting in my Etsy shop, taking up valuable space - there needs to be a sale.

Want in on the details?

The coupon code is going to be announced to my Newsletter subscribers later today (Jan. 27, 2012).

If there are any shards left after the Shard sale, I may post a code to use either here on my blog or on my Facebook Fan page - but I'm hoping that they will be gobbled up fast.

Hope you're finding inspiration somewhere!!!