Clay Continued

New work

I’m still messing around with clay.  Yesterday I made some free-form shapes and little houses.  I’m almost ready to take a break and clean up the tools and clay dust in my studio.  Still, I feel compelled to make one more thing, mushrooms!  I want some cute little mushies to become pendants, earrings and rings.  Oh boy!

This little guy is 1" tall.

Play with Clay

Clay pendants waiting to be fired in a kiln.

 

I’ve been getting into playing with clay the past couple days.  Just experimenting.  Mostly I’ve been rolling a thin slab and stamping designs.  There are so many things to try.  My technique is getting better.  It appears that waiting is the hardest part.  That is, waiting for the clay to dry a bit before I can work with it.

I’ve been walking around the past couple days feeling completely unproductive, until I took this picture.  It doesn’t look unproductive!  For some reason, a lot is never enough with me.  Every moment in my life not spent doing something creative is wasted time.  I know this is technically not true, but it feels that way.  I sense a new years resolution somewhere in that statement. 

Okay, back to work!

The Ultimate Body Oil

Ignore the ingredients listed on top of the jar from last year, I didn't bother rewriting them.  BTW, I decorated these bottle brush trees with new and vintage buttons a couple years go.  They are my favorite holiday decoration.

 

This is the time of year when dry itchy skin seems to be part of living.  Ugh!  Over the years I’ve played around with making salves and body oils to varying degrees of success.  It’s fun to make your own.  In August 2010 I put together a juicy mixture of oils and the result was a disaster.  I think my mistake was including aloe gel.  It got moldy.  Eeew! 

A couple days ago I tried again.  This time leaving out the aloe and adding a splash of gin as a preservative.  The mixture was emulsified in a blender and was a big improvement from last years mix.  Unfortunately I got carried away with the bee’s wax and my moisturizer is more like a salve.  It is not easy to put on because I really have to dig my fingers in.  I guess if it really bothers me, I can melt everything again and add more oil. 

Here are the ingredients if you want to give it a go.  I’m not giving amounts because I really don’t know how much I used!

Body Oil Ingredients:

Shea butter

Coconut oil

Jojoba oil

Almond oil

Apricot oil

Avocado oil

Vitamin E oil

Bees Wax

Gin

Essential oils (your choice – each container of mine has a different scent)

Melt all but the gin and essential oils in a small pot, emulsify with the gin in a blender, pour into glass containers (avoid plastic, you don't want the heat of the oil releasing toxins in the plastic which are then absorbed into the skin), and mix in the essential oils last.  Let cool and enjoy!

The Learning Curve

First attempts

Lately I’ve been thinking about working in clay.  I’d like to experiment with making beads, pendants, plates, bowls, and more.  It’s been a long time since I’ve done ceramic work!  So, I bought a 25-pound bag of white clay and excitedly dug in. 

Oh dear!  It was not as easy as I imagined while lying in bed at 3 am. The clay was mushy and hard to work with.  It stuck to my fingers, cutters and molds. In fact, the “ugly” voice reared its head and repeated, “I hate clay, I hate clay”. I told it to shut up and stepped away for several hours for a trip to the movies and the mall.  I finally returned to the worktable after dinner to a brilliant surprise.  The clay had hardened some and I was able to execute a reasonable amount of control! 

Now, I have renewed faith and will take a stab at it again tomorrow.  If I had given up when it got frustrating, I would have missed out on a fantastic opportunity.  I’m always telling my students to stick with their projects and not give up.  Sometimes a time out is the best medicine. 

Christmas at Tennessee Valley

I love these shadows!

John and I took a morning stroll through Tennessee Valley to begin Christmas day.  Our first sight was two deer near the parking area, and further along, several more.  There were very few people when we started our hike, which was nice.  Today is another “Spare the Air” day, and the air quality was horrendous, about the worst I’ve ever seen (there were "God Beams" in the smog).  Still, it was good to walk off a little of that Christmas dinner and get some partly fresh air.

Cheers!

Deer in the Valley

John's "Stonehenge" on the beach

Christmas in San Francisco

Just a few photos from my holiday stroll downtown with John today.  Wishing you and yours a bright and warm Christmas and Hanukkah.

Union Square Christmas Tree

I would have given all my Christmas presents to adopt this sweet dog at Macy's.

John going up the escalator at Macy's

            

                   Santa taking a break.

A balmy Christmas eve day.

Giant ornaments at 101 California.

It looks like King Kong dropped this from the top of the building.

Ice skating at the Embarcadero.

Christmas Jewelry

I’ve been wearing a variety of Christmas jewelry since I was a kid.  And since I don’t throw anything away, I enjoy those pieces year after year. 

The present above is a pin.  I remember begging my mom to buy it for me at the 5 and Dime.  As a 6 year old, a sparkly gold present was the perfect symbol of Christmas.   The funny thing is that I still love this pin and wear it every year.  It still holds an exotic allure for me, and it is made out of plastic!

My 3rd grade room mother gave this Santa pin to me!  Every student in class got one.  I think this was the same year we also received crocheted ghosts and pumpkins.  So cute!  I love explaining where it came from.  I don’t remember who made it, and wish I could thank them for all these years of enjoyment.  

The item above came from Cost Plus over 30 years go.  It’s a pretty cute little item.  It is a Christmas tree box; the lid is a pin, inside is a tree necklace and there are two earrings attached to the pin/lid.  I don’t wear it so much but love the novelty.  How come I don’t see these everywhere?

I make these snowman and snowflake pins.  When I was a classroom teacher I’d have the kids make an ornament out of Wonder Bread dough every year (Wonder Bread mixed with Elmer’s Glue).  One year I had a lot of leftover white dough, so I got crafty and made these pieces.  On occasion I wear them, but I don’t’ like being poked by those stick arms!

I made the snowmen and tree earrings about 12 years ago when I just started to get into making jewelry.  The snowmen are lamp worked glass, and the trees are made from Swarovwski crystal beads.  I love the trees, small, light, playful and sparkly.

This is the rest of my holiday stuff; a necklace of tree lights that glow with the help of a battery, other non-glowing tree lights, and more.  Wearing these makes me feel like a kid again.  What I love most about Christmas is the lights, and feeling connected to family through following old traditions. 

Moving Along

Glamour Girl Earring

Well, I did it!  I processed all my photos.  It took a day and a half of pretty much working non-stop.  I feel pretty satisfied.  Most of the photos were pretty easy to adjust.  The challenging ones were the earrings.  Most of the photos had a few strands of hair covering the earring that I had to clone out.  I’ll want to redo a few photos at some point, but I think what I have is fine to get me started.  Thank goodness for vacation time so I could sit down and work uninterrupted. 

The next steps are to write descriptions of each piece and an artist’s statement.  If I can do that by the end of the month I’ll be very satisfied.  For the next few days I’ll take a break and work on other creative projects. 

Processing

Choosing photos from iPhoto

I thought I’d go into a little detail about the process of putting photos of my jewelry on the web for those of you considering creating an Etsy store of your own.  It is a longer process than you might think, and requires a substantial time commitment. 

1. I went through all 833 of my jewelry photos in iPhoto, picking out 5-7 for each piece.  A variety of views are ideal, so the shopper has a strong idea of what they are buying.
2. I listed the file names in a notebook.
3. Each file was opened in Photoshop and saved with a descriptive file name.
4. The photos were then organized into files: The Collection Name > Type (Ring, Necklace, etc) > Name of Design > Individual Photos

Recording file names to keep track

The next step is to go into each photo using Photoshop to crop and clean up the image. 

If I don’t post much about my progress, know that I am working on this.  It is hard for my back and neck to sit at the computer for hours on end, so I’ll be doing a little at a time, taking lots of breaks along the way.  Once I have my store up and running, this will be easier.  I’ll just post a few new pieces at a time.

Organizing photos into computer files

Winter Solstice

Solstice in the studio

 

My intent was to walk on the beach, meditate, and do some sort of solstice ritual today, but it didn’t happen.  Instead I worked at my computer, preparing photos for the web.  At first I felt disappointed with my choice, but as I lit my candles in honor of the returning light I realized that what I’m doing is perfect.  I’m filling a long dark winter night with creative work, that when finished may bring brightness to my life for the rest of the year and beyond.  I’m planting spring seeds.  May you all embrace the darkness in your own way, and plant some seeds in the fertile soil of 2012.  (Oh oh, I’m starting to sound like Chance Gardner in “Being There”)

Happy Solstice!

"As long as the roots are not severed, all is well. And all will be well in the garden.”  - Chance Gardner in “Being There”

“I like to watch TV.” -  Chance Gardner in “Being There”

Holiday Crazies

I’ve been away from the blog for a couple weeks and don’t have a good excuse.  I could say I got caught up in the holiday crazies (shopping, decorating, partying, baking), but that just isn’t true.  I did partake in a few of those things, but not to the degree I suspect most people imbibe.  I can only blame procrastination.  I wanted to blog about how I was making progress towards my December goals, when in fact I was making no progress.  I had nothing to write about. 

The good news is that is changing.  For the past several days I’ve gotten myself back on track.  I have about 200 photos to process for my upcoming Etsy store.  Each picture needs to be handpicked out of hundreds, titled, filed, cropped, spot corrected, and adjusted.  I’m on my way.  This is the drudgery of opening an online store.  Five photos for each item, and I have about 30 pieces.  You do the math.  I’ll need to retake a few along the way, but it is all progress.  I was gifted with the perfectionist gene, so what you see is my absolute best. 

Rollover

December Goals

Ah, my goals for November were too lofty.  I finished the month with many items on my to-do list un-done.  I couldn’t have known that it would take so long sketch each piece, and even longer to photograph them.  It has been challenging. It has been work.  So, the unchecked items get rolled over to the December list.

November Goals - Incomplete

“People are most creative when they care about their work and they’re stretching their skills.”  - Teresa Amabile

“One must work and dare if one really wants to live.” – Vincent van Gogh

Photographing My Jewelry on a Model, Take 2

The model is me of course.  I took another stab at modeling the necklaces today and was much more successful.  I used my camera, not the computer to take the pictures.  They came out much more clear.  My set-up was rather clever: black fabric over the bookcases (I sat in front), the tripod is John’s Proust set, and I set a mirror behind the camera so I can see the screen.  I got really good at setting the self-timer with my left hand in the mirror!  Once I figure out what poses work best, the rest will be easy.  I’ll take another stab at it this weekend when I have more daylight hours available.   

The Security of Having an "Out"

Tennessee Valley Beach

Monday I went for a short hike in Tennessee Valley after work.  I couldn’t believe how hard it was to get myself there!  I was tired from teaching all day and all I really wanted to do was go home and eat chocolate!  So, I told myself that I would decide what to do as I got closer on my drive home.  After all, I went through the trouble of packing my walking shoes that morning.  As I approached the area I mysteriously found myself in the exit lane!  I resolved to drive to the parking lot and sit in the car looking at the hills, getting out was optional.  But of course, I was compelled to put on my shoes and stretch my legs.  The deal was to get to the first bench and not go any further if I didn’t feel like it.  But, of course, I did.  I walked to the beach and back, about 4 miles I think. 

It cracks me up how I had to keep giving myself a way out in order to move forward.  I’m so glad I made it and stretched my legs.  The valley was very pretty and the wind was calm.  The smells, sights, and sounds of nature energized me.  Perhaps next time it won’t be such a battle to get there.  

Pleasing Light

I think this strategy can be applied to a great number of things we need/want to do and make excuses for.  To push just a little bit further, without fully committing ourselves.  Like getting a child to eat their peas; just give it a try, and if you don’t like it, that’s okay.  It was the child in me that wanted to go home and bury my fatigue in something sweet.  I’m glad I was able to coax her out of her comfort zone. 

Surprising Patterns in the Eucalyptus

 

Pumpkin Food

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake with Homemade Graham Cracker Crust

 

It’s been a week since I made my pumpkin puree and I’ve been having a great time cooking with it.  In fact, only have one cup of puree left!  Looks like I’ll need to buy another pumpkin, or perhaps I’ll move on to butternut squash.  The most delicious item so far was the vegan pumpkin cheesecake.  Yum!

Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Vegan Pumpkin Pancakes

Vegan Pumpkin Soup with Vegan Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Never Give Up

Little tripod = book pile (and yes, I read the whole series)

 

Yesterday I spent several hours taking photos, playing with lighting, and taking pictures of my jewelry.  All the photos were awful.  I wanted to give up.  I searched the web for “real” photography equipment and tried to justify spending money I don’t have on getting the best. 

Well, today is a new day, and I’m over that.  It would not be a wise business decision to spend a lot of money before I start making money.  And there is no reason I can’t take decent photos with what I already have.  This morning I remade my “stage” and will try taking pictures again.  With a little luck, the light will be better today too.  Do you like my “Stephen King – ‘Dark Tower’” tripod?  And, what kind of art teacher would I be if I gave up on my own project because I thought it was too hard?  If I’m to have any integrity in the classroom, I need to practice what I preach. 

Set up with my light filter.

Uncharted Territory

The "stage".

 

I’m completely comfortable sitting down at my studio table to make jewelry.  Even if I’m trying a new technique, I’m confident I can do it. 

Now that the jewelry is made it’s time for the next step in opening an Etsy shop.  I need to photograph my work, and I’m not feeling so secure anymore. 

I have some decisions to make.  If I’m photographing the work on a model, do I use myself, or ask a friend to model for me?  Do I show the whole face, or just the part of the body where the piece sits?  Do I go for a slightly artsy photo, creating a “look” to inspire the customer, or do I go for straightforward, plain and simple?  The only thing I know for sure is that I want the work to look professional and to tantalize buyers, all the while informing them of what they are getting. 

Part of me wants to run, throw in the towel, and go back to making stuff.  But I know that at some point, I’m going to have to master this.  I’m sure there are business people out there who would just hire someone to do the photography for them, but I’m a DIY kind of girl.  The learning curve seems steeper than I thought, and it will take longer than anticipated. 

After chatting via e-mail with several friends about yesterday’s model shots, I have decided not to use them.  They will be great for profile pictures, but are not the quality I strive for in presenting my work.  I was going to try modeling them again today (with my real camera), but decided to take a little break from that and set up a staged shot instead. 

I’ve seen some fancy photography studios on the web, so this is my first attempt to imitate them with white drawing paper, cardboard and clips.  It’s not bad.  I’m not thrilled with the bowl as prop, but not horrified either.  I’ll have to do some dishes tonight and try a few others.  The light seems pretty good, but I’m going to have rig some sort of barrier around the tripod to hide it from reflecting in the bowl. 

 

I’ll get there!  Tomorrow is another day.

Bowl display.

First Attempt

 

This is my first attempt to photograph my jewelry on a model (me). These pictures will accompany my close up shots of the necklaces (which will be razor sharp).  The purpose is to show buyers what they look like when worn. 

I took the photos with my laptop, not exactly a good quality camera, but liked how I could see what I was doing reflected back on the screen.  If I had to keep turning around the camera around to check the shots I might go crazy.  My pale skin on the black background confuses the camera and it automatically flashes.  The photos are a little fuzzy, but they might be good enough for the web.

I worked until I lost my light.  I’ll be back at it tomorrow wearing some of my costumes.  

 

Slow Food Cooking

My pumpkins.

I like to think of the kitchen as my second studio.  So much creativity takes place in there.  Like an art studio I have my tools, work surfaces, instruction books and storage. One of the things I love about cooking is the process of transforming and combining elements.  Alchemy if you wish.  You can usually find me working in one of the two rooms. 

Last night I made pumpkin puree.  My friend Suzanne had a fruitful yield of pumpkins this year and passed a few on to me.  How lucky I feel to have home grown pumpkins! Pumpkin puree keeps well frozen and is so much nicer than using the canned goop. 

Ready for roasting.

I started by cutting the pumpkins into chunks and scooping out the strings and seeds.  I roasted the chunks on an oiled pan in a 350-degree oven for about an hour.  When the pumpkin cooled, I scooped out the meat.  I took an extra step this time and squeezed out the extra moisture through cheesecloth.  Years ago I steamed my pumpkin (Fanny Farmer’s recommendation) and ended up with watery pumpkin pies.  It was such a disappointment after all that hard work.  The pumpkin went in the Vitamix (blender) and was stored one cup at a time in plastic Baggies.  I would prefer to store the pumpkin in glass, but our freezer is small and it would take up too much space.  

The roasted pumpkin.

Scooped out "meat".

  

The puree!

From the pumpkins pictured above I gleaned 5 1/2 cups of puree.  Not as much as I thought, but I did drain out a lot of pumpkin juice.

Ready for the freezer!

After cooking the pumpkin I worked on the seeds.  I rinsed them well and spread them evenly between two baking pans.  One pan I sprinkled with Himalayan Pink Salt, the other Himalayan Pink Salt, curry and lemon pepper.  I slightly over roasted the curry seeds; they still taste good but have lost most of their curry flavor.  All together I have about two cups.  Yummy!  I’ve been roasting pumpkin seeds since I was a kid.  I think I enjoyed the seeds just as much or more than actually carving the pumpkin.  A word of caution: eating large amounts of pumpkin seeds = eating large amounts of fiber, there are consequences, if you get my drift.

 

 

Rinsed and ready for roasting.

The roasted seeds.

What will I do with it?  I plan to make a vegan pumpkin cheesecake first.  Next, perhaps a regular pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin soup, Thai pumpkin curry, and pumpkin fudge.  If I make all these things I’ll need another pumpkin!  I can also make a body scrub out of pumpkin and sugar. 

Pumpkin is super nutritious.  One cup of pumpkin has 49 calories.  It is full of fiber, vitamin E, Thiamin, Niacin, B6, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Vitamin A (246% RDA!), Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Potassium, Protein, Copper, Manganese, and antioxidants.  It boosts the immune system, is anti-inflammatory, prevents cataract and macular degeneration, protects against some cancers, helps with prostate health and depression, prevents osteoporosis and kidney stones and reduces LDL cholesterol!

100 grams of pumpkin seeds have 559 calories, 110% RDA iron, 71% RDA zinc, and 31% Niacin!  They also contain protein (30% RDA), manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin K, selenium, and the amino acid tryptophan.  

Seeds ready for eating!