Last Day of Etsy Shop Sale

At some point tomorrow morning I will be changing back all the prices to regular price in my Etsy shop, then taking off until December 15th…

New Lentil Beads in the Etsy Shop!

Right now everything is 25% off retail prices. And if you are one of my FaceBook fans (and you use the coupon code before paying via Etsy), there is an extra code that you can use listed on my Marsha Neal Studio FaceBook Page that you can use in addition to this 25% off to get an even better deal (just become a fan to use it).

Over the next two weekends, I will have finished jewelry at two different home shows. Email me (Marsha at MarshaNealStudio.com) for the addresses if you will be in Wilmington, DE and want to get some items for gifts (or to treat yourself!).

Lentil Beads Are Making An Appearance...

Last week a friend - LeAnn of Summers Studio - posted a tutorial and link from the Beads-Of-Clay Blog to a post she had done on her own blog about making Lentil beads...

Something inside me stirred and I HAD to get into the studio to revisit the ideas of making lentils...



This pic above is just taken this morning after my first kiln unloading...



Above you see the "making stage". This is the putting the two halves together part...



Oops - a step before - this is all the halves (textured circles that have been domed) setting up on drywall... Then I "clay glued" the halves together.



This picture above is after the first firing (the bisque firing)...



Two different layers of colorant & glaze have been applied to these (will hopefully look similar to the blue, black & white one pictured)...



Then into the glaze firing (@ 2232 F)... Each piece suspended and then weighted down to prevent excessive sagging of the wire as the special high temperature wire heats up...



After a 24 hour period of heating up, then cooling down, the kiln is ready to be unloaded and pieces looked over.



These pieces look much better out of the kiln - which is a breath of fresh air! The textures are on both sides - some the same, some different...



I just love that puddling blue... I'm a bit obsessed with it at the moment...



And here is a side shot of the piece. They were all textured along the seam where the two halves were joined for a more finished look. I also really like the way the lines make a vertical path for your eyes to follow as you turn the piece over...



Then these were left as domed cabochons (no hole). I am picturing these with oxidized silver...

Wish I could instantly be an awesome metalsmith right now. But I have friends that are and will one day brush up on my metal skills once again...

One step at a time...

Lots of other cabs being glazed this week to be sent off into three directions - 2 private requesters that are LONG overdue and to Darlene of D7 Studio for the upcoming Marlborough, MA bead show in a week and a half.

I guess I should put some up on Etsy too... Early next week!

-- Pictures Taken With & Posted From My iPhone