LeeU Posted December 17, 2018 Report Share Posted December 17, 2018 I'm very happy with how my Snowflakes series came out. Last year I did ornaments in porcelain, this year made stoneware candy dishes & small tray-like pieces. I'm narrowing down which images (i.e. stamps) to use and which glazes look best. My favorite combination: Coyote's Crystal Forest and Laguna's slow cool Ivory Crystal (bottom pic). I also like Coyote's Turquoise Matte w/clear (top pic). The feedback I'm getting tells me I'm heading in the right direction and I've decided to target holidays & seasons next year. I don't want to do craft fairs, so I am cultivating a relationship with a bead artist who just "loves" doing these shows (wha???) and may be willing to set me up at the crack of dawn for a modest fee, and I'll show up a bit later. I would love to see some other holiday/theme pieces you've had success with, re: good sellers. To me, seasonals are a different product than generic "anytime/year-round" items that are not visually tied to something like, for example, Valentine's Day. I assume they may take a different marketing approach?? Or not?? Any tips??? Thanks. (I know the above color is off-just a quickee reference pic on the fly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabby Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 The top one is very pretty. Usually I don't go for holiday-themed things, ether to make (not counting Christmas cookies!) or to buy, but if I saw that first little snowflake tray near me, I might rethink that. On first glance, the one on the bottom looked to me like a puzzle. Are you the person who once had the challenge to make a toy out of clay and made a turtle? Would a bag of porcelain or stoneware puzzle pieces that could be assembled double as a coaster? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted December 18, 2018 Report Share Posted December 18, 2018 I like the color variation in your glazes, also how "fat" the clear is. The Ivory Crystal is nicely frosty. Are they ^6? I noticed that Mark is still doing candlestick holders, so they must still have a market. Maybe you could add your LeeU inflection to some hand built ones based on the little dishes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberta12 Posted December 19, 2018 Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 The only holiday themed items I make are ornaments. I love making them, practicing new surface design techniques on them. For me it is fun. And profitable. I sell lots and lots of them. I make a different shape each year, and discovered that I have people who collect them, looking forward to new ones each year. They are a small kiln filler, that people can purchase to tie on a gift for tags or hang on the tree. When I first started doing craft shows, I made more holiday items. They simply did not sell that well (in my area) and people were looking for items for everyday use. As I said, could be my area. I LOVE the snowflake tray! The first picture. It is perfect! Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted December 19, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2018 Body & glazes are cone 5. The "puzzle piece" looking imprints on the bottom one are partially impressed cookie cutter designs. I like the idea of a changing annual shape or theme, and something light/small enough to tie onto a gift. (Yes-I made Mr. Turtle.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 20, 2018 Report Share Posted December 20, 2018 I don't make to sell, but I've given a few of these away in my time. All were well received. (Or I have polite relatives.) This one has butterflies , I've also made them with christmas cookie cutter shapes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeU Posted December 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 Are there known clay bodies that make the best sounds for mobiles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liambesaw Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 I have a really nice one that I broke, it sounded beautiful and when it broke I found out why. Each of the flat pieces was hollow! No idea how they did it, it didn't look slip cast. It was definitely stoneware though, the walls of each donger were about 3mm thick, rectangles about 3 inches long, hanging from a thrown bell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 Amy sanders I believe does a lot of hollow (puffy) stuff as I call it. Nice work, hand built, stamped underglazed etc... looks like fairly easy to hand build stamp and accent with underglaze colors or mason stains. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callie Beller Diesel Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 If you fire most clays to full maturity, they'll ring. I made some Christmas ornaments that were little trees, but the trunk was a bell clapper this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 18 hours ago, LeeU said: Are there known clay bodies that make the best sounds for mobiles? I've got my mobiles set up so they don't clash. One in the sewing room this morning drove me round the bend. Had to get the step stool out and adjust the string length. Silence, ahhh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 21, 2018 Report Share Posted December 21, 2018 Our ornaments are always hand carved one off signed by the artist gifts attached to gifts as a personal touch. Intentionally they are time consuming and top shelf made from cone 6 porcelain, fired to 6 and completely glazed. They do ring nicely when struck. Thank Goodness! Spraying these things very evenly is time consuming let alone all the hand carving and decorating! below are the rejects. Maybe I will make them into a mobile! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chilly Posted December 22, 2018 Report Share Posted December 22, 2018 19 hours ago, Bill Kielb said: fired to 6 and completely glazed. Very nice, don't forget to show us your mobile when it's done. Out of interest, @Bill Kielb, how do you support them in the kiln? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted December 22, 2018 Report Share Posted December 22, 2018 @Chilly These are suspended on a wire since they are glazed all around. 3/16” nichrome and two long stilts works fine in our test kiln so perfect size for this project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted January 18, 2019 Report Share Posted January 18, 2019 On 12/22/2018 at 2:21 PM, Bill Kielb said: @Chilly These are suspended on a wire since they are glazed all around. 3/16” nichrome and two long stilts works fine in our test kiln so perfect size for this project. Those ornaments are really nice, Bill. How long are they and how are they priced? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Kielb Posted January 18, 2019 Report Share Posted January 18, 2019 They are about three to four inches long, cone six porcelain fired to six, hand carved, hand underglazed, signed by the artist on the back with a date (year) and glazed all sides using one of two tested durable glaze clear recipes . (Matte and gloss) sprayed by me. Nice even coats all around, no drips, same thickness. then they are affixed to various presents as a new Christmas keepsake. what are they worth? I’ll let you answer that. thanks BTW I appreciate the compliment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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