NKP DESIGNS - Beads, Pottery, and Whistles

Marbled Whistles

2012-02-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

I made these last night and am waiting for them to dry enough to bisque fire them.

If you haven't checked out my whistle shop on Etsy, have a look: click here

I'm adding one whistle a day and each listing includes a link to listen to each whistle's individual sound.

My daughter is nearing the end of her pregnancy and soon I am going to be a grandma. I am more excited about this than I can put into words.

My daughter is having a little girl and that means eventually she will want jewelry, lots and lots of jewelry, and pretty things. Of course she will have her pick of whistles.

I can't wait for her to get old enough to want to make pretty things, too.

Windshied Car Glass Imbedded in Porcelain

2012-02-13T12:43:00.000-05:00

This is a sample of the latest batch! I have more to still fire. I think I may have glazed the next batch with a pale pink. Yes, I will be making more of these. The experiment I did with the longest bead worked like I thought it would; the glass dripped downward and formed a small drop.

These were fired at about 1885 F degrees and the windshield glass still retained its wonderful pale green color.

Second Trumpet Whistle

2012-02-10T11:43:00.000-05:00

This is one of the ideas I had about how to make the extension finger holes more ergonomic.

I bisque fired some of the whistles I made earlier this week last night. The little Trumpet Whistle in the last post made it in there. I am going to try to glaze enough for a firing this weekend.

Clay is very drying and I had no idea that making so many whistles would suck all the moisture out of my lips. When I make beads, I use lots of lotion on my hands, but I think I will have to stock up on some chap-stick next time I decide to make these fun musical toys.

Trumpet Whistle

2012-02-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

I've been making whistles all week and playing with making additional holes. I had put the clay up for the day yesterday and I had an idea. What if I made one big hole and then attached another piece of clay with three differently sized holes. Would it make a fun sound? Would it make a sound?

Well, it did! It made a most marvelous sound(s). This prototype has opened up possibilities in my mind that are so exciting.

I started thinking of different ways to arrange the three hole attachment to make it more holdable. I'll be playing around with this idea a bit more.

I've moved five more of my whistles from my NKPBEADS store to my new NKPWHISTLES store. I also dropped the price. When I started making whistles, each one took a long time. I've gotten to where I understand the process much better and I can make them in about half the time it used to take. So I'm dropping the price accordingly. I'm hoping that making them more affordable will make them more desirable.

Thanks for dropping by!

Announcing the Grand Opening of NKP Whistle Etsy Store

2012-02-08T12:34:00.001-05:00

I decided to open up an Etsy store just for the ceramic whistles.

I had been putting these whistles into my bead or pottery store, depending upon whether they could be strung as jewelry or not.

When I first started making these whistles, they were very difficult. It took me an absurd amount of time to construct one. I'm getting better at it now and it doesn't take nearly as long.

On each whistle in my shop, I will have a link provided to listen to its sound.

I also am planning on having a giveaway on a couple of whistles the next few weeks, so come back for that. I have a demo on my website how I create these whistles. Here is the link: http://nkpdesigns.com/ceramicclaywhistlebeaddemo.html

Hear how it sounds:
http://nkpdesigns.com/whistlewavs/92523108.m4a

Here is my whistle store link: http://nkpwhistles.etsy.com

I plan on adding two, three, and four tone whistles over the next few weeks. Right now I'm trying to add in a variety of things. You can still find whistles in my two etsy shops, but I will eventually transfer them to the NKPwhistles shop. And I still need to hang a little etsy mini for these on this blog.

I first started making ceramic whistles after seeing a video on making these from a video I obtained through my pottery guild. I was fascinated by the process. Then I ran across a book called, "From Mud to Music" and I bought it. That book is so much fun! Eventually I'd like to make other mud instruments as well, for now I'll just content myself with creating more whistles.

These are some whistles I fashioned last week. A couple of them are two tone whistles, meaning they have one hole that can be covered by a finger. I still need to bisque and glaze fire them.

Glass Glass Beautiful Glass Embedded in Clay

2012-02-07T11:06:00.000-05:00

This is a white stoneware clay in which I embedded car windshield glass. It was an idea I had several years ago but I never followed through with the idea.

Car windshield glass is a type of safety glass so it can be handled without shredding your skin. It also crumbles apart nicely into smaller bits and pieces.

I originally had a ton of this glass several years ago after our car was mutilated in the middle of the night. They took the stereo but left some beautiful glass that I thought I would eventually use.

After a couple of years I had not done much with it and I tossed it away during one of my studio cleans. Buh Bye

A few weeks ago I ran across this bead in a bowl full of beads waiting to be glazed. It is made from a terra cotta stoneware clay. I decided to glaze it with a transparent green glaze. After it was fired and off the rod, I kicked myself until I was black and blue! What had I done? What!? Had!? I!? Done!?

I began asking friends to look around and scoop up any broken windshield glass that they might come across in their travels. I flirted with the idea of parking my car on the street instead of the driveway so that perhaps some kind thug might whack away at my windows whilst we were asleep.

BUT I realized I could go to the car windshield fix-it shop and plead for some broken glass. The only question I was asked was, "Do you want regular or tempered?"

What he did was empty out his vacuum cleaner and not only did I score some free glass, but 55 cents in change and a bobby pin too!

Here They Are

2012-02-06T10:43:00.000-05:00

I spent Saturday night separating my batch of beads (see last post) into sets. These are not all of them, but represent the entire batch quite well. When I had a lot of 'orphan' beads, I glazed them all the same color, even if they were from different clay bodies. So here they are ...

New Batch

2012-02-04T16:29:00.000-05:00

I took these out of the kiln this morning then had to run off to ceramic's class. That means that I get to take the off the rod right now. SO I'm going to go do that right now! Click on this photo to see the beads more clearly! Do you see the whistle on the far left end? It has a really good sound.

Into The Fire

2012-02-03T10:12:00.000-05:00

The last few weeks I've been glazing a small amount of beads each night. Most of these beads I've made over the years as experiments that never got glazed. instead they've been sitting in bowls on my shelves in my studio, just sitting there, taking up space.

Beads do not hold or generate emotions, but if they did, I would say this particular batch has been extremely patient with me.

Yesterday I decided I had enough to fill my big kiln and put them on rods. It took a lot longer than I thought it would take.

In fact, it took so long that I decided not to load the kiln but thought I would load the kiln today, this morning.

However, it is raining outside so it will have to wait a few hours. My porch is covered (on top) but the wind and the spray of the rain does reach through the sides. If not today, tomorrow, or the next day. No hurry. They've waited this long after all. They can wait a bit more.

Blue Jean Beads

2012-01-20T10:41:00.000-05:00

I used a blue glaze on these and they remind me of the same color as my favorite blue jeans.

Sprigs have been added to each round bead and textured in this geometrical pattern.

I am feeling incredibly indecisive today. I can't decide whether to sell these individually, by pairs, or lump the entire batch into a single listing with the Caption: WHILE SUPPLIES LAST and sell them one by one or in groups as specified by the interested customer.

Any suggestions? Oh, these are about 14-15 mm.

Newbies from the Kiln

2012-01-19T11:48:00.000-05:00

The next few days I will be showcasing some beads I have taken out of the kiln the last few weeks. I've been negligent about getting them online and in my store, but I'm trying to rectify that somewhat.

I have been sorting through some of my bisque beads the last few weeks as I have been glazing and I found this adorable piggy head in the bottom of a bowl that was stashed high up on my bisque bead shelves (yes, shelves).

So I glazed him in a clear gloss glaze and included him in one of the recent firings.

He's a cute little piggy. Apparently the brown stoneware clay I used had some white clay in it, making for an unique ear.

I wish I could sculpt at will but that just doesn't happen for me. I will have a bit of clay in my hands and decide to sculpt something and pphhhbbbb nothing happens.

Other times, I am able to make something like this piggy head. Voila!

The hole is going through the top of his head to the bottom of his head.

More Beads?

2012-01-17T13:16:00.000-05:00

I love making beads. It is relaxing to sit with clay in a bag on my lap and create. I wish I loved the act of brushing on the glaze as much as I like the clay in my hands. I love opening up the kiln full of glazed beads, though. I will try to concentrate on that as I begin the process of glazing these newbies.

Dragonfly Ceramic Bead

2012-01-13T12:01:00.000-05:00

I am back from taking pictures of my pottery to taking pictures of the beads that have come forth from my kiln the last couple of months.

This picture to the left is a handformed nugget with endcaps that I impressed a stamp of a dragonfly upon. The dragonfly impression comes from a very tiny base metal post stud earring that I bought at the dollar store.

I have about 15 different nugget beads with this glaze, all with different patterns and impressions and sprig techniques.

I do have this listed in my store, click here to read its dimensions and to see more pictures from various angles: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90380057/dragonfly-nugget

What About Those Beads?

2012-01-07T11:15:00.003-05:00

... in case you are wondering ... I have been renewing 4-5 expired bead listings daily (deja vu) whilst I take pictures of pottery for my pottery etsy store.

The hardware lights are covered with a piece of paper and sport sunlight natural bulbs to keep the color true. They are pointed upward and the light bounces up and off of the piece of white foamboard which is carefully balanced on stacks of books.

If I pointed the light directly at the pottery, it would reflect two eyeballs staring back at me. A bit creepy? I think so!

The background was bought from B&H . It is actually taped to the curtain to keep it from slumping. Yes taped. I am resourcefully determined. The piece of white foam board which is sitting on top of the books was bought at the dollar store. I turn off all the lights in the room and shoot with my macro lens on the camera, no flash. Other than to sharpen the image with picasa, no other photo editing manipulation is needed.

I think I will only need another week to finish this process up. I fired two loads of beads in my big kiln in December. The result is that I have an entire ziplock bag (large) of new beads that need photographing as well (they're so shiny and pretty!). The sooner I get finished with this the sooner I can get busy with that.

Oh, in case you are wondering, that bright pink thing beside the light is my umbrella. It is placed there to keep the light from rolling. Whatever works, right? LOL!

Amber Ceramic Beads with Endcaps

2012-01-01T09:00:00.001-05:00

I like making this style of bead. It's simple but distinct in its shape. I have been concentrating on textures and patterns and thought it was time to return to a nice smooth glaze on a smooth bead.

2011-12-20T15:10:00.000-05:00

I've been glazing in the spare time I've had. These beads to your left have been dipped in a watery black underglaze, left to dry, then wiped off with a sponge.

I love this effect, though it is very time consuming.

Here are some rounds in which I combined two glazes of green. One is a sage green and the other is an apple green. I don't know how they will turn out. You are in as much suspense as I am.

I love how the beads look on the skewers, kinda like a bouquet of flowers.

Here are some beads that I added a sprig of clay on top of a texture, then textured the sprig.

The blue-green glaze had some blue crystals in it and they melted nicely in the firing.

It's been a fun year experimenting with beads: glazes, textures, iron oxide decals, etc ....

I didn't expect to be diagnosed with cancer earlier this year but it is nice to be past cancer treatments and getting my strength back. In case you are wondering, the cancer is in remission and my doctor's don't expect it to reoccur. I'm having regular tests and biopsies the next few years to make certain of all this, though.

Thank you to everyone who wished me well and prayed for me. That touched my heart greatly. It's been a wonderful year and this next year my daughter and her husband are making me a grandma. I'm so looking forward to meeting little Ruby Makayla who will be born near the end of April, perhaps May.

But most of all I'm thankful to God who got me through some very tough months, and my mother who sacrificed her time and energy and took care of me. My husband was incredible too, as he always is and has been. Thank you to my friends who stuck with me and by me ... May God bless you everyone! See you next year!

Popsicle Stick Bead Textures

2011-12-16T16:34:00.001-05:00

I went searching around my studio for simple geometrical textures and stumbled across this Popsicle stick (or is it a coffee stirrer?) which caught my interest.

There are not many of these beads in my stash because I was experimenting. I do like how the glaze turned out. This particular celadon glaze below is one that was discontinued by the manufacturer last year. I had about 1/4 of a jar left and these are some that I did glaze.

I used this glaze on a few other beads made from different clay bodies and on each one, the glaze performs differently.

I like this texture and will probably end up using it again. I hope to find another glaze that does as nicely as this one does.

I have some of these beads in my shop for sale. Click Here and Here to check them out.

Bossy Bead Necklace by Jean A. Wells

2011-12-07T12:42:00.000-05:00

I created this bead in a whimsical fashion, adding texture and sprigs of clay to the stringing holes to form this very fun 'bossy' buttery yellow nugget bead.

Jean took this bead and fashioned it into a most gorgeous necklace. She hung it from a hand formed bail made from square copper wire and added faceted yellow and purple Czech beads for emphasis.

The whole effect works wonderfully. The necklace is 20" long but if you prefer it shorter, she'll be happy to change the length just for you.

Definitely take a moment to check out Jean's blog, her store, and also a more detailed description of this necklace.

Bracelet by Kathy Mortensen

2011-11-25T12:10:00.000-05:00

I always love seeing what jewelry designers end up doing with my beads. Kathy Mortensen purchased these beads back in October and created this beautiful bracelet. The silver is a lovely way to complement the green delicate scroll ceramic beads. Thanks for sharing, Kathy!

Sunflower Seed Beads

2011-11-17T11:29:00.003-05:00

These beads have had a black underglaze put on them and I wiped most of it off so the dark color would sink into the recesses. I made five sizes, small, medium, and large. These range from about 13 mm to 24 mm from hole to hole.

I am planning on firing these nine different colors.

I have been calling this style "Harvest" but when I look at the unfinished beads I can't help but think they look like a bunch of sunflower seeds.

These are the nine colors I will end up with when these are all fired. (see last photo).

What will I be doing with the rest of my day?

That's easy .... glazing glazing glazing. And tomorrow I'll be firing firing firing. It's going to take a couple of firings, though because I will have to use my smaller kiln.

In other news, my large kiln is still out of commission. I'm waiting on a part to come in the mail. I had thought it was the coils, but as I was removing them from the kiln, I saw the 'infinite switch' had a burnout.

Then I had a flash of memory. I did this same thing last year with another infinite switch issue. I had perfectly good coils then, too. My kiln has two infinite switches. One for the bottom and one for the top. Last year it was the bottom one that burnt out. This year the top burnt out. But I didn't look to make sure before pulling the coils out and by the time I realized it wasn't a coil problem it was too late.

I suppose I could have stuck those coils back in their slots but I probably would have ended up ruining the firebrick.

I am also in need of some slip on connectors in order to connect the switch to the wires, but the place I ordered the switch from was out .... and I think I may have some extra in my stash somewhere around here, but I'm not certain. I wonder if hardware stores carry those slip on connectors? If not and if I don't have any, then I'll check the ceramic stores around here and if they don't have any, I suppose I will have to wait the three weeks the online store said it would be before they would be back in stock.

New Beads

2011-11-15T12:00:00.000-05:00

These came out of the kiln yesterday and I plan to list them later this week on Etsy.

These are nugget beads, each one unique with various textures combined with sprigs.

I am particularly drawn to the lavender bead at the bottom left. I did not think that texture would come out that lovely.

I also quite like the yellow texture, too. I'd like to try that texture in different colors (maybe a lavender?).

Thanks for stopping by!

Fun Experiment with Sand and Beads

2011-11-14T23:48:00.000-05:00

A good friend of mine brought back some sand from two of her trips. She used some of the sand in a bowl which she fired to cone 10 and it came out really neat. She gave me some of it and also some other sparkly sand and told me to have fun. So I did. I mixed each type of sand in some clear cone 06 glaze and coated each bead.

I didn't want to get confused as to which bead I put what at, so last night I took this photo on the left. The bigger bead was coated with the sparkly sand and the smaller bead was coated with the other sand.

I probably should have used the same clay with each bead, but I didn't. The bigger bead was made from b-mix cone 6 clay and the smaller bead was made with frost cone 6 clay.

I fired these at cone 1 though. Why? Because I had other beads firing at that temperature and stuck these in at the last minute.

These came out rather rough, but I like the texture of the sand. I think I would like to add another coat of clear gloss to these and refire.

Fun Necklace by Jean A. Wells

2011-11-10T07:00:00.007-05:00

It is always exciting for me to see how jewelry artists fashions necklaces, bracelets, earrings, etc ... out of beads that I and others have created.

This necklace has several bead artists. The handmade ceramic cardinal bird by is by Cindy Dolezal. The handmade stoneware fall seed pod is by me. The handmade porcelain stoney bead and leaf pendant is by Ingrid Mueller and the handmade polymer clay bead by Alison Crenshaw. Then there are some beads by Earth Tones, a Vintaj brass twig, some Antiqued brass chain, some Deerskin leather lace, as well as a handmade brass clasp. This measures 18-1/2" with a 2-3/4" leaf pendant. It's just stunning!

Here is another photo of this necklace. I love the background which this necklace lays upon. Notice also the bright red cardinal, it is such a beautiful bright focal piece, and the twig it sits upon has a leaf dangling from it. It's a lovely combination!

Here is the bead of mine that Jean used. It is made with Trinity stoneware clay, bisque fired, coated with iron oxide, wiped off, fired to cone 10 in a natural gas kiln. I only made a few of these as I don't have regular access to this particular gas kiln.

Click here to visit this necklace. Click here to visit Jean's store.

Kiln Elements

2011-11-09T11:52:00.000-05:00

I am busily making beads. So far I have 100 small harvest beads and 100 small smooth, and now I'm working on the next size up. So far I have 60 in total with 30 harvest style and 30 smooth style. I'm trying to get enough to do 10 in 10 different glazes in each size. I haven't decided if I'm going to do a bigger size. I might, but probably not as many. Decisions decisions.

The photo on the left is what they look like right now. Some are dryer than others, hence the color variation.

About a week ago my big kiln had a bad firing because the top set of kiln element coils burnt out. I had to unload everything. I refired the beads in the smaller kiln but the pottery still sits on my table waiting to be refired.

Yesterday the box was delivered with four coils (my big kiln takes four elements). I plan to put the new ones in on Saturday when it is going to be about 70 degrees outside.

I have had this kiln about 10 years and this is the third time I've changed the elements. I must be hard on elements. Maybe I ought to stop peeking inside my kiln before it has cooled down enough. Yep, that's probably it. Or maybe it is because it sits outside. I dunno. I just replace 'em when they burn out.

Latest Firing

2011-11-03T09:50:00.000-04:00

These are what came out of the small kiln this morning. These beads are all fired to cone 1 and have a black underglaze in the recesses. Yesterday morning I had to rescue them from the big kiln.

The night before I discovered the element coils in the big kiln had burnt out and were not glowing at all. It still had about two more hours to fire. The bottom set of element coils were glowing brightly, but not the top. I know from previous experience that the kiln was not going to go to temperature. So I shut it off.

In the morning I loaded these beads into the small bead kiln and this is how they turned out.