Silver in the Kiln

Been working on new Silver pieces the last few days.

Finally got them all cleaned and smooth!

and now they're cooking in the oven.

It never ceases to amaze me that all these bits of clay will be pure silver when they come out of the kiln, it's just awesome!

Everything in my Etsy Shop is already marked down 20% or  more, including all the new pieces I will be listing over the weekend.

Kristi

Etsy CyberSale blow out

I've just marked everything in my Etsy shop down by 20% or more. The sale was planned to start tomorrow but I'm snowed in today so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to start a day early! I plan to keep these prices through Sunday (November 28th) but I may keep it going.

New jewelry is being made and put together as we speak so check back for pieces being added throughout the day and in to the weekend. I hope to re-fresh my shop with lots of new. I've also removed just about all of the beaded pieces (non PMC) and started a new Artfire Studio so if you are looking for those you'll find them there!

Discounts only on Etsy at this time.

Thanks everybody!
Kristi

FastFire Bronze

Yup...I finally tried FastFire Bronze and I LOVE IT!!! It took a little bit of getting used to, mainly because in the green state it's so flexible it made me nervous but it held together beautifully even with all it's bending and twisting.

The other thing I noticed is that when you're filing or using the knife to create holes, the clay doesn't dust off, it sort of collects on itself and comes off in clusters, reminds me of shreaded paper. Not shreaded like what comes out of a paper shreader but really shreaded like what come out of some of those padded mailing envelopes.

Most pieces were 4-5 cards thick, fired at the schedule that come in the pouch, 1550 for 2 hours. Granted I do think my kiln runs slightly cool. One piece needs fixed but everything else came out in great shape. I even had to dap one of the earrings to bring it back to shape and it handled it perfectly, it's pure metal!!  I liked it so much I just ordered some more. I love original BronzClay but that eternally long firing schedule is the pits!

Here is a grouping of everything that came out of the kiln last night.

And below are 3 finished pairs of earrings, all have been listed in my Etsy Shop.

I hope to finish a couple of the other pieces and get them listed in the next day or so.

Watch for my BIG BLOW OUT SALE in my Etsy Shop, the weather in my area is pretty dodgy right now so here's an opportunity to shop on line!! Make room for lots of new stuff. Look for 20-25% discounts on everything in the shop begins Wednesday the 24th!!!!

Kristi

Don't forget to check out my new Artfire Studio



Printer Drawers vs Glass Beader

As some of you may remember some time ago I was lucky enough to purchase a cabinet with a bunch of printer drawers. Amazing storage for beads!!

Well some of the drawers were really dirty and pretty much unusable for putting beads in them and we've been trying to figure out how to clean them up ever since. I cut out bits of card stock to put in the bottom, didn't work all that well cause the sides are still dirty. Tried to take a damp cloth to each little space, not only did that take forever it really didn't clean them at all.

So...we finally broke down and are using my hubby's glass beader. For those who don't know what that is, it's sort of like a mini sand blaster. My husband does alot of auto and metal work so he cleans stuff in it. It uses air pressure to throw tiny glass beads to clean rust, scale and dirt etc off metal. We turned the air pressure way down so it wouldn't damage the wood. The drawers are almost too big to get in the glass beader, but they do squeeze in.

But my husband decided to give it a try, he was getting close to putting new glass bead in it so it's the perfect time to experiment. And it works so well I can't believe how beautiful and pristine they turn out.

Enough talk...I know you've been waiting for pictures, I know I would be. So here you go!

This is a glass beader, you put your hands in those holes which have gloves attached.

Here's a look inside, your hands are inside the protective gloves and the nozzle shoots out the glass bead.

Here's one of the drawers inside.

Here's looking through the plastic window on top as my husband cleans the drawer.

A before picture of one of the worse parts of one of the drawers. They actually have paper on the bottom which we didn't realize until we started cleaning them.

One of the squares cleaned out, much nicer than the other dirty ones around it! I have used the machine a few times and did a little bit of one drawer. But, you have to use a foot pedal to start and stop it and since I'm still wearing a boot, that made it pretty difficult. I couldn't tell what I was doing with my foot. Sometimes it was on when I didn't mean for it to be and sometimes the other way around lol.

That's for this portion of the blog. It's snowing outside so I took a couple of pitures of the snow. This moss covered rock was so pretty, it deserved to be snapped!!

Isn't it pretty!!

Here I am out in the snow all bundled up. Don't think it will amount to much!

Finally, as I was walking in and out to the garage I noticed this poor Geranium blooming. It's been out in my greenhouse completely neglected since before my foot surgery. So it's hasn't had any water or anything for nearly 2 months, I'm so happy I noticed it and got to appreciate it beauty!!!

Kristi

My new Artfire Shop Kristi Bowman Design

I still have alot of work to do but I thought there is enough to unveil my new Artfire Shop. A number of items you may have seen moved from my Etsy shop and more to come. Quite a few new items and more of those to come as well.

Today has proven to be a very busy day as I expected it would be. I have not had a chance to sit and work on my Fastfire Bronze, that might have to wait until the weekend.

I hope you enjoy looking at my new shop!! Please feel free to let me know if there is something I've done that doesn't make sense or maybe could be better, I am open to all suggestions.

Here are a couple of items I hope to get listed later today.

Thank you!

Kristi
Kristi Bowman Design

Busy day off tomorrow!!

Well after considerable hemmin and hawin, I have settled on opening a new Artfire shop for my beaded creations. I actually opened Big Cartel and listed some items but it just didn't feel right to me. So....I opened a new Artfire shop. I had an existing one but I wanted to use a different name so since the old one been sitting empty and idle for ages I just decided a new one was in order.

I was hoping to have the next 2 days off but work just couldn't swing having me gone on Friday so I'm off tomorrow, work Friday then the weekend. I'm going to be feverishly working to stock my shop, I am also planning on finishing off my package of Fastfire Bronze clay and firing it, I really need more PMC in my Etsy shop. Once I take out all the beaded items it will be pretty bare.

I'm also thinking I need to have a sale in my Etsy shop, I need to clear some of the stuff that's been in there for ages and hopefully people will happily that will make it easier for Christmas giving and I can afford to buy more PMC to make new schtuff!!

I'll post the link to my new Artfire shop tomorrow, once I've loaded it up with pretty things.

Ohhhhh and I bet you're thinking...what are those pretty pictures I put in my blog, well I know I like pictures and this post is more wordy than I usually get so I thought I'd share a couple of the brand new pieces. Check out those gorgeous Lampwork Beads by Kelley's Beads. It's funny, I bought those cute little colorful briolettes a few weeks ago in purples, blues and pinks and I wondered why, I didn't think I'd ever use them and then POOF, I had these wonderful colorful beads that were a perfect combination.

Talk to you all tomorrow!

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy

and soon Artfire

Playing with Enamel

I've had a little starter kit for some time from Painting With Fire shop on Etsy, been waiting for a number of things to finally give it a try, not the least of which is getting my studio moved to it's new location and set up. It still needs some work but I got it ready enough to have my first go at it.

First off, some time ago I bought a big bag of destash stuff from. I took out the few things I wanted at the time and put the bag in the closet and forgot about it. I just recently remembered it and thought it would be perfect to use as practice pieces for enamel, lots of stuff I can ruin and it's no big deal. There are actually a bunch of cool stuff too, I'm going to save those for when I've gotten better at it, but there is plenty of junk for me to play with for now.

Here is my first attempt, not so good but that's ok. There are probably 30 of these little frames in the pile.

Then I tried a bead, a little bit better but still need practice...I can do that!

Fun fun fun!!

Kristi
Dreamsome.Etsy

Big Cartel

I have been contemplating for some time, opening another shop. Since I was stuck on the couch for a few weeks after foot surgery, I could not do my PMC work so I set up a little beading studio right on the couch. I have really been enjoying playing with stones and beads and I want to continue doing that. But I decided I need to keep my Etsy Shop more focused on PMC and separate my beading work to another shop.

So after much debating back and forth in my head I have decided to open a shop on Big Cartel, I have a number of new pieces I haven't listed on Etsy yet so there will be some new stuff and I'll slowly move the currently listed Beady items over to the new shop.

So some time over the weekend I'll do the BIG REVEAL!!!! Watch this space!

Here are a couple of the new pieces, thanks for looking!

Dragonfly Earrings and Necklace

I had some fun today working in my new Studio and working with these cute Dragonfly beads and fun and colorful Ceramic Beads and adding them to my Etsy Shop. I still have lots of organizing to do but I also got lots done a little bit at a time!

Fly Away Earrings

Fly Away Necklace

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy

What happened?

EEEEEK, what happened to my beautiful new studio? Oh ya, my husband brought in all the stuff from my old studio, now I get to organize and put it all away. It will probably never look as beautiful as it did before, but that's what it's for right? I have those beautiful uncluttered pictures of it with a brand new floor and wonderful storage units forever.






We're having major discussions about a particular not very attractive work table I want to bring in, it's perfect for my solder, enamel and generally playing with fire station, but compared to the rest of the beautiful cabinets it's an ugly duckling. But it is a studio afterall, and none of the other pieces work as well as this one for this particular purpose. I don't mind that it's not beautiful but since this room is in the center of the house and for now can't be closed off my husband wants it to be "attractive".


Kristi
DreamSome.Etsy

Art Bead Scene November Challenge

This months inspiration for the November Challenge is a really wonderful piece of art called Tree of Life, Stoclet Frieze, 1909, Gustav Klimt 1862-1918.

I had a very good idea what I wanted to do right away. I had already been playing with some beads that fit in to the color scheme so I had a good start. I looked through my existing PMC pieces to see if I had something that would work. There are loads of wonderful pieces out there made by other artisans that would have worked but I really wanted to use my own work this time.

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy

Etsy Metal Clay Charm Bracelet Auction

Very exciting Auction coming up for our amazing one of a kind Charm Bracelet created by 22 Etsy Metal Clay Team Members. UPDATE This auction is now LIVE go take a look!!





100% of the proceeds go to Autism Speaks. Much more detailed information will be included in the Auction.

Here is a link a Flickr Gallery which includes photos of many of the individual charms included in the bracelet.

Facebook Fan Page
EtsyMetalClay.com

Etsy Metal Clay on Flickr

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy

Sisterhood of the Traveling Beads Giveaway

Sisterhood of the Traveling bead box-
Originated by the talented Heather Powers of Humble Beads- Heather compiled a large box of beads from her studio, and offered them in a giveaway on her blog. The box has traveled through the hands of about 8 different people!

All you have to do to enter is go to Lorelei's Blog and leave a comment.

Here is the box, all packed up and ready to go to the next lucky beadaholic!

Here's what you need to know to play along:

The giveaway: The entire box of goodies, WELL over $200 worth of beads.

The stipulations: You'll pay for shipping: $15.00 for flat rate priority mail.

The rules: You'll take what you want from the box, add in items from your own bead stash to replace the items you took and do the same giveaway on your blog. We'll keep the beads traveling for as long as we can.

To enter: Leave a comment, be sure to include your email.

Bonus: Blog, facebook or twitter about it to enter more than once. Leave another comment letting me know how you helped spread the word.

Deadline: Comments will be accepted until Friday Nov 5th, at 5pm [the box will then be shipped Monday Nov. 8 to the winner.

The winner will then have 2 weeks to go through the box and pick out their items and contribute to the box, and then host their own giveaway.

All I ask is that each time it passes hands, the winner will email me when the next giveaway starts so I can enjoy the traveling and help promote your giveaway!

International bloggers: I'm sorry, but due to shipping only those in the U.S. can play along. But I'm suddenly feeling really bad for my non-U.S. blog readers. If you are outside the states leave a comment and I'll also draw one international winner for a bead grab bag from my own stash of beads.

Please go to Lorelei's Blog and leave a comment for a chance to receive the box.

Best of luck to all who enter!!!

Kristi

DreamSome.Etsy