Temp Testing the Glazes...Yields Some Unusual Results.

I am having fun right now challenging my glazes to a temperature duel. I am breaking all the rules and under firing and over firing each glaze and I am quite pleased with the results! I am keeping strict records of temp of when the coating begins to melt. My blue Charlotte's were under fired by 200 degrees. Some of my scarabs were over fired by 50 degrees...must be careful here, or have a puddle of glaze on my slab shelf.

I have been able to repeat two of the glaze firings and got the same result....yeah, cause the effect is drop dead gorgeous...if I do say so myself:) All gold and flashes of light blues and pinks, turquoise...just wonderful!

Custom Orders Can Be Fun...Like my New Charlotte's?

I can't leave a good thing alone...had to take these wonderful antique Frozen Charlotte's and put my Wondrousstrange stamp on them. I love adapting items to fit what I need...or in this case, what an other artists needed.

I made a plaster mold of my three little Charlotte's that I had bought and started playing around with changing them into a unique jewelry focal piece. At first I only did flat back dolls, then my little mind worked out a firing platform to fire them standing up so I could glaze on both sides. I added fired in loops to top and bottom and now have a great piece that can be strung, in stead of just wire wrapped or glued.

With some trial and error, I also found that I could make a hole running from head to toe while there were still in their wet stage and make that work.

With different glazes...my Charlottes have really become...my Charlotte's:) They are small enough to fit in a watch case...most of them anyway...which I think is dandy:) Tell me what you think...any other suggestions for finding a way to incorporate these into jewelry or assemblage pieces?

Some look like Golden Gods guarding Tut's remains, others look rusty and old, though very new. I am having a a great deal of fun altering these cute little dolls.

The Ravens Will Come to Live With Me..Lucinda from Belvedere Beads Has Agreed!!

I love ravens/crows! I have no reason for this...but can't get enough of these mysterious birds. Perhaps it's the gentle rapping, the tapping, tapping at my souls door that has them so embedded in my psyche. Who can not remember being introduced to Edgar Allen Poe...The Tell-Tale Heart, The Gold Bug, The Raven.

Lucinda Storms of Belvedere.etsy.com and her informative blog...http://lucindastorms.blogspot.com has captured the personality of these clever creatures. I could not resist owning a pair of these treasures. And if her lamp work is not enough to obsess over..she also paints! Check out her back blog postings to see her present project in the works...also the subject is "birds".

My father taught my nephew to recite The Raven, early in his elementary school years...see also my blog posting on his graduation gift...http://wondrousstrangedesigns.blogspot.com/2009/05/congrats-to-grad.html. The gift, a ceramic collage... a tribute to all Christopher's hard work, my father's love for his grandson, and my love of Poe.

Thank you Lucinda for your inspirational work...and for bringing sweet memories to the surface again:) Clink on my title for a link to Lucinda's blog.

Eclectic Visions of an Altered Journey: Inspiration and a give away

Eclectic Visions of an Altered Journey: Inspiration and a give away

An other beauty of a give a way!!!

Lovely Gift from a gifted Teacher and Artist...DJ Pettitt

I am so far behind on my blogging! But I could not let DJ's package come and not let you all see what a wonderful gift she created for me. I particpated in one of her informative digital alterations classes earlier this year...and my name was entered into a drawing from class members. I had really forgotten about that perk when signing up. So generous with her knowledge, DJ 's class was much more than I had expected. I have not had time yet to play with all she shared with the class...but very soon I will share with you a few of my interpretations of her innovated techniques for using Photoshop.

But back to my prize...Isn't it a lovely portrait of a blackbird? The lace, the texture, the "Flight of Time" reference is so perfect for my life right now...as you all know...there is never enough time to live, love and create:) Little did she know that black birds/crows/ravens are at the center of my creative force right now. How is that for being serendipitous?

The gift it self is lovely beyond words...but it came wrapped in a sewn brown kraft paper enclosure. Fun to unwrap...but peaking...I saw fabric inside the package...and found a beautiful piece of vintage sari as a still further wrapping around my gift. This was like Christmas to me:) In the center of this swaddling...I found a personal note card and two postcards of her colorful work....then, my gift. Over whelmed and so delighted...this so made my heart smile!

DJ, I can't tell you how much I love my new piece, and all the accompanying gifts. You are a treasure...and I love the treasures you create!!

Just had to share with you all!! Click on the Title for a link to her new blog site.