Ideas For Home
I have been working a lot porcelain ceramics this past month. My collection of Cuttlebug Embossing folders is the the perfect match for clay jewelry.
To make this I used Coleman porcelain and cone 06 glazes in a mini electric kiln that plugs into a regular 110 outlet in your home. FYI – you could also easily make this necklace by using Sculpey or Fimo.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Ready the clay by kneading it a bit to soften it. Roll it into a ball.
2. Place the ball of clay on top of the embossing folder of your choice. To make this key I used the Cuttlebug Vintage Collage embossing folder. Press the clay by hand on to the embossing folder until flat, with the palm of your hand about a 1/4 inch thick. If you want your piece to be a necklace make a hole now using a straw.
3. Lift the clay and place it off to the side on a piece of parchment paper. Now cut around the shape, with a craft knife, removing excess and overflow pieces of clay to get the shape you desire. Smooth edges with a small amount of water if needed. NOTE: Never use too much water when working with clay because it will just melt and fall apart.
4. Repeat the method in numbers 1 and 2 to make as many pieces as you are interested in making.
5. Once all of the pieces are made transfer them to a board or tray covered in newspaper. With all the pieces resting on top of the newspaper, cover the entire thing in dry cleaner plastic for several days so that the pieces dry slowly. NOTE: drying ceramics too quickly will cause them to crack.
6. Remove the plastic and allow them to dry for another day or two. NOTE: Never put wet ceramics into a kiln they will just blow into pieces.
7. Place the dry ceramics (called greenware) onto kiln shelves and/or kiln furniture
8. Close the lid, set the dials according to the manufacturers directions, place the firing cone and let it run it’s course for 24 hours.
9. Once it is completely cool, open the kiln. Some popping and pinging noises will occur – this is normal. Your pieces will now be “bisqued” – this means fired pottery that is unglazed. Pull them out and set them on a table .
10. Pull out your glaze colors and a small paint brush. Cover the pieces in the glazes. Once the glazes are dry coat them all over with a clear glaze if you want them to come out shiny.
11. To glaze fire repeat steps 7, 8 and 9.
12. Now use string, yarn and t-shirt yarn braided together to make the necklace “chain” part of your piece, tie it at the top with long enough strings so it slips over the head.
Give, wear and enjoy! Happy crafting xoxo Lovely Lula
Here are some of the items you will find if you come visit me today at Coffee Cookies Crafts and Braggs Pie Factory. I will be demoing the YUDU screen printer and will be selling screen printed goodies. There are t-shirts, onsies, baby hats, cards, jewelry and a few other yummies. Get your holiday shopping on!
It is fall and that means rich, earthy root vegetables are in season. Run straight out and buy some. This means carrots and potatoes yes but also beets, turnips, parsnips, squash and rutabagas. This is a favorite root veggie dish that is not quite so scary in the exotic root vegetable category.
To grab my Thrifty Cook recipe jump on over to Phoenix New Times Chow Bella:Â Root Vegetable Medley
When thinking about fall my mind traveled to canning jars and I thought why not decorate an old, vintage, glass, canning jar to create a tea lite.
I made the halo over top of the jar with my Cuttlebug, copper and Sculpey clay. I added in a few beads and some glass marbles inside of the jar and it is ready to place a tea lite in and go! For the complete tutorial click here:Â Glass Jar How To
I found a great Halloween tee-shirt at a thrift store and I turned it into a bag for trick-or-treating.
Here is how to make one:
1. Find a size large t-shirt at a thrift shop. Cut off the arms and neck but leave a small amount that will act as the handles.
2. Flip it inside out and sew along the bottom, closing it off the create the bag shape.
3. Turn it right side out and now it is time to decorate.
4. I cut a spider out of black broad cloth on the Cricut and ironed it on using Wonder Under Fusible Web. I attached yellow felt, green foam and googly eyes for the eye area.
5. I then attached black and white safety pins, a black shoelace for the spiders string, black and white ribbon and then used a rubber stamp “boo” along the bottom edge.
Make yourself a DIY trick-or-treat bag.
