Extruder Workshop at Tacoma Community College

I like to teach and it was a while since I was teaching in a large group. Last weekend I did a 2 day extruder and surface decoration workshop at Tacoma Community College organized by the Clay Club students at TCC.

A big thanks to Clay Art Center for letting us borrow the Scott Creek Super Duper clay extruder for the workshop. I LOVE this extruder because of its design and its ease of changing dies. With this hands-on workshop, everyone got to try it out and unleash the potential of extruded work. Here are some picture of the workshop.

Discussing Die design and making your own diesAlways fun working on butter dishes

Attaching spout to a teapot

Making a pillow bowl. Love the finishing sponge from Mudtools

Working with students making a butter dish

Some of the pieces in progress, oil bottle, butter dishes, pillow box, sugar creamer, etc...

A big Thanks to AMACO for sedning their velvet underglazes for the workshop.

Techniques for slip decoration

One of the oil bottles decorated.

Overall it was great fun with a great group of artists. Contact me at creativewithclay@yahoo.com if you would like to arrange a workshop.

Decorative Butter Dishes

I have been making decorative butter dishes for a few years now and I am always thrilled to decorate them with unique patterns. Because of their time consuming nature, I usually made 12 at a time. This time I decided to challenge myself and make 30 of them. Most of these are for wholesale orders, so I have been a busy bee.

I made all different patterns and had to really scratch my head on these.

Few things I realized from making larger quantities at one time...

• You increase your efficiency. For example, you pick up one tool and do the same step on all the butter dishes. Rather than picking up and putting down 10 tools for each piece. This saves a lot of time.
• Develope quicker ways to do the same thing. I made a new tool which helps me score and slip. More on that in another post.
• And because I wanted different designs on all butter dishes, I came up with some really cool new patterns.
• And most of all your hand developes a memory, just like playing the piano which makes things go a lot faster and your work will continue to improve.

Do share your insights on what you have learnt working in your studio.
 

New Butter Trays

Many of you have seen and purchased my lidded butter dishes which are still my best sellers. With a suggestion from the Luna Sea Gallery in Pascadero, CA, I am introducing my new butter trays. They are still charming and colorful with a different design and a great price point.

They can also be used as spoon rests or serving.

Check them out in my Etsy shop.

Mother's Day Sale

The one thing that my mom loves is a good deal! And I am sure there are many like her.

So if you haven't shopped for your mom yet, this is a great opportunity to make her proud with a good discount.

Purchase any item in my shop and get 25% OFF shipping.
Any two items and you get 50% OFF shipping
Any three items and get 75% OFF shipping
Any four or more items and absolutely FREE shipping.

Just mention "Mother's Day discount" in Message to Seller when you purchase.

Discounts will be given as refunds via paypal as soon as payments are made.
Items will be shipped via USPS Priority Mail or Fedex ground.

Act fast as this deal only lasts till May 2nd, to ensure that your gifts reach in time for Mother's Day!

A Great Wedding Gift!

It always thrills me more when people buy my work as gifts. One can always spend money on themselves, but when they spend it for someone else, it shows they have confidence in their purchase and the the receiver is going to love them.

And of course it is great when people combine different items as gifts. This last order was just the perfect gift for a wedding. Sugar creamer set, a butter dish and salt pepper shakers.

Wouldn't this be just great for a wedding gift? Other popular items in my shop for gift are my Oil vinegar bottles, teapots, set of mugs.

Best wishes to everyone receving these gifts!

Secret Santa..... Shhhhhh

This time of the year it is the time of gift giving. It sure is very thrilling to receive a gift... isn't it?
I see so many of my customers purchasing gifts for their loved ones these days from my shop and from other places. What fills my heart is that sometimes they are willing to spend that money for a gift someone rather than purchase something for themselves. It is the season for gift giving.

So I have decided to gift something to my customers too. All my customers shopping till the end of this year (Dec31st 2009) will recieve a Secret Santa number in their packages. On New Years Day (Jan 1st 2010), you will receive an email with instructions to redeem your gift. What is it? Well.... it is a secret. And the gifts are different... OK here is a hint, it ranges from a discount all the way to a free piece of my pottery. I have said enough. :)

Just hold on to your Seceret Santa number when you receive your packages and wait for my email on January 1st 2010.

On a different note, here are some pictures of my new Dancing Divas I have listed in my etsy shop.

Indian Wedding

They sure are a grand affair! Lots of food, lots of people, great clothes, tons of color and great source of inspiration like the henna pattern above. I am sure this pattern will make it to some of my pottery soon.I was going through some pictures of my brother's wedding which happened in Dec'2007. I had to do a double take on this picture of my cousins standing on stage next to my brother and his wife. The colors, patterns, designs looked so similar to a recent picture of butter dishes I had taken. Looks like my butter dishes are off to a wedding too. Do you see the resemblance?

Charan at the TideFest

I am going to have a booth (#68) at the TideFest at the Gig Harbor High School on December 6th and 7th (Saturday 10-5; Sunday 11-4).

The address is given below and you can also visit the website at http://www.tidefest.org/

Like always, there is more new work that I will be showing. Attached is a glimpse of my new soup bowls. My butter dishes and sugar creamer sets will also be available for purchase.

Attached are some pictures of my booth too.

For shoppers who can't make it, I also have an online store that you can visit at http://creativewithclay.etsy.com/