Porcelain Playing

Over the last few weeks I have been playing around with some porcelain clay for fun.  I even tried using the wheel for the very first time, which was a bit scary but also quite good fun.  It's so difficult!  I watched a few Youtube clips and had a go.  There were quite a few disasters, but I made two pieces which I kept - the yellow plate (this was in regular clay) and the small white porcelain bowl.  As you can see from the photographs, I like yellow....I like yellow a lot!

For most of the porcelain (everything except the decorations) I glazed with a clear glaze.  I am planning to give these out as little Christmas gifts this year, but I might also keep one or two things for me.

These are my Christmas decorations this year!  I decided to stick to only hearts.  This year I invested in a few new doilies for rolling and pressing into the surfaces....

All strung up and ready to be hung....

I also had a go at making some spoons in the porcelain.  They are very wonky but I have realised that I rather like spoons lately.  I am always drawn to spoons and markets and in shops.  Don't know why, but I just like them.  

This is one of the smaller dishes that I made.  They are most definitely not perfect, but kind of cute in my opinion....

This is my first attempt on the wheel.  It has a VERY heavy base, but I am thinking I could use it for dips/olives/salt or something pretty.

You can see all the different doily patterns here....

Here are some making shots....

For the bowls, I slumped them onto metal cooking dishes when air drying...

I also stamped in my surname onto the bottom of some, with a stamp kit...I kind of like this!

Bow Ties...For My Dog!

A few months ago I made Gracie, our beagle a little bow-tie, following the instructions here.  After looking to buy one, I decided that I could and should probably have a go at making one myself.  The first one I made is pictured here - the pink and red polka dots.  

Gracie looked so cute with a bow-tie that I decided to make her a special Christmas, tartan bow-tie.  There are a few other dogs in the family so I am making a few extra for those lucky pups as well!  I just started making these today, so watch this space for the finished results.

The black and white fabric will perhaps be her New Year's Eve bow-tie?!

Partridge Christmas Cards

Here are some photos of my 2013 Christmas cards!  They are based on the 12 Days of Christmas song, and the line 'A partridge in a pear tree!' A few years ago, I decided that I should always make our Christmas cards and this is this year's design.  I am rather happy with them!

I printed onto a creamy-oatmeal paper with a forrest green ink.  The lino cutting took about 4 hours and the printing took about another 4 or 5 hours, which made around 50 cards.  Each card measures 15 x 15cm when folded and 15 x 30cm when flat.  I packaged each card in a nice brown envelope, which I found from a seller in Glen Waverley, Melbourne for a bargain!

These little cards are currently flying all over the globe to friends and family, and some are still to be written.  

The lino....in reverse from the final print of course!

I like the envelopes, am so happy I found them! 

Christmas Fabric Wreath

Now that I am on holidays I have had some time to make some crafty projects for Christmas.  I like making stuff (as you may know) and Christmas is a perfect excuse in my opinion.  

I found instructions for my fabric wreath here, and I found the fabric at Lincraft.  I opted for funky, non-traditional Christmas colours.  I also decided to use chicken wire that we had lying in our shed, purely because I didn't have a metal coat hanger, however, after completion, I think the 3 dimensional shape of the chicken wire gives the wreath a 'fuller' look in the end.

The wreath certainly brightens up our rather ugly fly screen on our front door.  It looks quite funny I think - like a shaggy, colourful dog....or something!

Pre-cutting and knotting.  I bought half a meter in each fabric and ripped them into roughly 3cm wide strips, of about 20 length.  It doesn't need to be accurate - just go with whatever shape and size your fabric is.