Ceramic pendant necklaces

Newest addition to my shop – a whole collection of handmade ceramic pendant necklaces!

Way back in 2009 when I was first feeling out what my Jadeflower Etsy shop would offer, I made all sorts of items. Many things that I no longer make. Necklaces and pendants were some of those things. I quickly discovered that Etsy has a plethora of jewelry makers! Ceramic jewelry certainly was not to become my main focus.
But after many years, I’ve decided that if I want to make a few pretty wearables, then why not?

My goal in this collection is to make cute, unique wearable art, while remaining affordable. Even with shipping factored in, each necklace is less than $20.

I have a mix of stamped/glazed ceramic pendants and fused-glass ceramic pendants.

Some I finished with gold or silver plated chain. And for some, I chose a more bohemian black suede cord.

These are casual, daily-wear necklaces that don’t take themselves too seriously. 🙂

It was lots of fun to get my tools out and do some jewelry making again! Each necklace is finished with a lobster clasp closure, and a 2-inch extension chain, which makes them adjustable between 18″ and 20″

Click any of the images to see more of that particular piece. To see the whole series, click HERE

So if you’re looking for a sweet piece of wearable art, please check out my new necklace collection. Makes a great gift for yourself or someone special!

Steven Universe Love

It’s a funny thing, I probably watch fewer cartoons now that I’m an “adult” but I bet it’s not by much! There are so many great animated shows these days, and I’m not ashamed to say I love ’em.

One of my favorite current shows is Steven Universe. It is too adorable! And like my other fave show Adventure Time, even though the episodes are only 11 minutes long, they pack so much into them! Each episode is like a rich tapestry 😉

And no show can be any good without great characters, which Steven Universe has in abundance. Which brings me to the point of this blog post – I decided to start a ceramic mug series to pay homage!

So here are the ones I’ve made so far (and all are currently up in my Etsy Shop)

Steven Universe Ceramic Mug

Obviously I needed to make a mug of the title character. Goofy li’l Steven!

Rose Quartz Mug

Steven’s mother, Roze Quartz. I love everything about her character design.

Pearl Mug

What can I say about Pearl? Well, when I made her mug, I focused on her upright nature, a little no-nonsense. But with a fancy handle – both for her spear and because, as we know, Pearl is a fancy pearl.

Garnet Mug

Garnet’s mug was the most challenging. She has a lot going on. This mug can be enjoyed from many angles, this one highlights her start costume motif.

Amethyst Mug

And lastly, good ol’ Amethyst. Short and curvy, and very purple. She’s got it where it counts.

And because I couldn’t resist, another Steven Universe inspired item: A Cookie Cat trinket box. ^_^

Cookie Cat Ceramic Box

Can’t wait for more episodes later this July! Till then, I guess I’ll have to do some rewatching, and make new mugs 🙂 How about Ruby, Sapphire, Peridot and Lapis?

Just the newest stuff in Jadeflower’s Etsy Shop

Hi all! Just stopping in for a moment today to post a few pictures of what’s new in my Etsy Shop. It’s funny – for the past two years really, I’ve been so swamped with custom orders, mainly Tardis related, that I’ve had virtually no time to work on other things – to develop other art and products. I’m not complaining about the success of these popular items! No no. It’s just the reality of being a solitary person with a finite amount of time to work. There are only so many hours in the day.

But as of recent weeks, my backlog is finally becoming more manageable, and I’m actually finding the time to work on additional things. So here’s what’s new!
I don’t know if any or all of these will become regular players in my Jadeflower lineup, but I’ve been enjoying their development, and I guess we’ll just see how they play out. 🙂

Ceramic Dalek Creamer

After several request for a Dalek companion to the Tardis Teapot, I’ve created this creamer/pitcher. This is currently a made-to-order item in the shop, but I hope to have the time to build some that are ready-to-ship.

Dalek Creamer Tardis Teapot

And I even have a dorky little video to demonstrate the Dalek’s pouring power on the Jadeflower Facebook page. Check it out!
Next, continuing with the Doctor Who theme, I had been wanting to make very very small Tardis figurines, intended for terrariums, for quite a while. Here’s the newest (and smallest) Jadeflower Tardis!

Tiny Tardis Figurine

Each one is made of porcelain and glazed in the same blue as all my other Tardis items. I think they’re so cute! And the simplicity really appeals to me.

And my last item of the day is an Adventure Time creation! If you couldn’t tell by my last blog entry about bacon pancakes, I am a huge Adventure Time fan. So, expanding my repertoire of strange and interesting teapots, I made a whole tea set based around the character Beemo (BMO) who is basically a living handheld video game device. It’s hard to explain…

Beemo ceramic teapot and cups

There is an episode where Beemo is talking with his alter ego “Football”. He attempts to teach her how to drink tea. It’s adorable.

“No, Football. Like this!”

The tea set is complete with 4 tea cups. The glaze on my tea cups isn’t as vibrant (oh those cartoon colors!), but the design is so detailed and decorative! I love the way they turned out.

Beemo’s Adventure Time tea cups

So that’s what’s new! Hope you take a peek over in the shop to peruse!
Now, enough from me! Back to work 🙂

Oh! And be sure to “like” my Facebook Page to get up-to-the-moment looks at what I’m working on!

a litany of teapots

Is it ironic that the more stuff I have to do, the less time I have to share what I’m doing? I hate having the radio silence on the blog here! But I’m just so dang busy with all my orders…I feel that the blog has been neglected quite badly. But hey, when you don’t hear from me for ages, just think to yourself, ‘Ahh she must be quite busy right now!’ That would be the truth.

But if you’re curious as to what I’ve been doing the last two months, let me show you with a picture:

32 tardis teapots

Teapots have been my life for the last 2.5 months (and no break in sight!). I did take a few days off at Christmas, but my timetable suffered for it, and I am behind in my ETA’s. Not only because of a few days rest, but I just didn’t have a clue as to how long each one would take to make, realistically, when they all piled up at once. I am trying desperately to catch up, and I am busting my butt! I am just so grateful that I have awesome customers who understand that handmade items take time.

But the above image is kinda fun, huh? (click on the picture for a larger version) You can really see that no two are identical. There is also a kind of evolution going on. Mainly due to the shape of the spout – I make each one by hand – forming the solid shape, letting it harden slightly, slicing it down the middle, hollowing it out, re-attaching both halves, and then attaching to the body.
*There is a great video tutorial on how to make a curvy spout here.

And yes, I had a request for a green Tardis teapot!

Alright, well that’s enough from me for now! I gotta get back to work, hah! 🙂
Until next time!

Mushrooms in action

Sorry for the lack of posting! It’s been a strange mixture of being really busy yet nothing very interesting happening.

But this little bit was just too fun for me not to share!
My biggest seller in my shop are my Three Dainty Mushrooms – they have a simplicity to them that I think people like…

But it is very rare, with anything I sell on Etsy, that I get to see how my little product is used or enjoyed. But I just got an email from Elisa, whose blog McLaughlin Designs shows me just that! The photos on her site are beautiful, and she took this little shot of her new succulent terrarium with a trio of dainty mushrooms! (I was so excited!)

photo from McLaughlin Designs

Isn’t that sweet? (See her full blog post here)

Elisa also has a gorgeous Etsy shop where she sells original knitting patterns, so if you are a knitter, check it out!

Newest additions to the shop!

I’ve had a whole slew of new items added to my Etsy Shop recently that I’m really excited about. It’s always fun to be making new things, and here is a bit of what’s what. 🙂

A series of wheel-thrown bowls with original illustrations – fruits and vegetables…

Pomegranate Bowl

Pomegranate bowl...with pomegranate

 

Radish Bowl

Radish Bowl, side view

 

Bean Bowl

Bean Bowl

 

Fig Bowl

Figs, detail

 

Olive Branch Bowl

Olive Bowl

 

And then my newest addition to the Faux Bois collection…a tray set with two square containers. The idea behind this set was small spaces, like city apartments, that could use some self-contained mini indoor gardens!

 

Faux Bois Tray and Planters Set

The set would not necessarily have to be used for plants, however. There’s a whole myriad of other uses for such a cute trio!

Tray and Two Square Pots

 

The last addition of the day is reminiscent of the tea light holders I made en masse for my wedding (check that out here). I’ve refined the technique, and I think this little cup is so darling!

Blue Lace & Flowers, a dainty wrapped cup

A perfect desk companion

and beautiful with a tea light candle

I hope you’ll check out some of the newest things over at Jadeflower Ceramics! I’ve been having fun 🙂

Shop highlight – companion cube

I was thinking about posting about one of my items currently in my Etsy shop, to give it a bit of back-story. The piece in question is the Companion Cube Coin Bank:

the companion cube

It’s one of my favorite items on sale right now, but I suppose if you’re not into video games, the reference might be completely lost on a person! I know that for myself – if M wasn’t such a huge gamer I’m sure I would have no clue what a “companion cube” is, and why would I care? But as I am continually exposed to new (and old) games on a whole slew of different game consoles (xbox, ps2, ps3, dreamcast, NES, DSi, PSP…), I know more about video games and the gaming industry than I would every have thought possible.

But anyways, the companion cube…
In October 2007, a game called Portal was released for the Xbox, and of course M had his hands on it the day it came out. Normally I have a very passing interest in the games he plays, but Portal was different, because it was a puzzle game, and it had the most amazing (and captivating) physics engine I had ever seen. The game also had a vague but intriguing plot, and a laugh-out-loud yet subtle humor. I don’t play video games myself, but I could watch M play this game all day.

In many of the puzzles you need to use a weighted box to help you solve the level. Most of these “weighted companion cubes” are not special and don’t have the silly pink hearts on them, but in one level, you need to use ONE companion cube throughout the entire level, and this one does have the hearts and as funny as it sounds, you get kind of attached to the inanimate object.
And then at the end of the level you’re told you must incinerate your friend, the companion cube! The game is so well made and effectively executed that you actually feel bad for tossing this block into a hole full of fire.

So I’ve added my own homage to the companion cube in my shop. This one’s already been through a kiln of immense heat, and come out fine and dandy on the other side ^_^

Making it a coin bank gives it added functionality, instead of just being a charming art-object. The first model I made was for M, and now it lives on his desk at work.

The game sequel, Portal 2, is set to release in spring 2011 – and as uncharacteristic as it is for me, I can’t wait!

Faux Bois Fever

little faux bois cylinders

I’ve been doing lots of work with my Jadeflower Etsy Shop in recent months, not only working on day to day ceramic items, but also working on what I want my Jadeflower Brand to be. I’ve seen stuff all over my favorite crafty sites and blogs about the importance of not just making cool stuff, but making cool stuff that relates to this identity that a successful business needs to create.

Now, I certainly haven’t gotten to the point where I have a cohesive brand identity (and at this point, I’m not really a full-blown business yet…trust me, I am working diligently on making that happen soon!). But I am slowly reeling myself in, and focusing on what I want Jadeflower to BE. I’m not going to reveal all of my brainstorming yet, but I will share some stuff that is already popping up in my shop.

stoneware faux bois vase

I found this really great wood-grain pattern at my local ceramic supply store, and I’ve been using it on some new items. I first stumbled upon the faux bois decor phenom while I was planning my wedding – so many woodsy-chic wedding ideas out there. Lots of centerpieces incorporated tree branches, log sections and birch bark. I guess it reinforces my idea that the woods are very romantic.

faux bois tealight holders

 

So I’ve been making new items to incorporate this new pattern. I’m still playing around with colors and sizes to see what I like the best (and what gets the best response). And I think my “product line” is moving in the right direction, with the addition of  home decor items inspired by nature, with an earthy-yet-chic vibe.

rustic chic utensil holder

 

Ceramic vases and tea light holders

One of the things that was important to me when we were planning our wedding was an infusion of hand-made ceramics. In case you didn’t know, ceramics is my thing. 🙂

ceramic vase centerpiece

{image courtesy of Sheila Addleman}

I decided early on that I wanted to make ceramic vases for the centerpieces as well as some sort of small ceramic vessel that would both be decor and double as favors for our guests. For the favors, I was partially influenced by my parents’ wedding – they had an artist friend who made them over a hundred little wheel-thrown bowls with their wedding date glazed on the lip and the phrase “love endures forever.” These bowls decorated the reception tables – each with a single floating flower – and the guests got to take one home to remember the event.

tea light

{image courtesy of Sheila Addleman}

Rather than make bowls for flowers, I decided I wanted my ceramic favors to hold tea lights for a bit of ambiance at the tables.

ceramic lace tea light holders

{image courtesy of Sheila Addleman}

I really wanted to incorporate the lace from my mom’s wedding dress as a key element of the design. She had saved the left-over fabric from her dress, and I have been using it on quite a few of my pieces as of late. By laying the lace over a rolled-out slab of clay and then running my rolling pin over the top, I get an awesome impression of the lace.

ceramic lace vase - detail

{image courtesy of Sheila Addleman}

Both the vases and the tea light holders used the lace pattern, and both are formed by rolling slabs into cylinders. It took me a year to get them all done (well…since I started early I knew I could take my time!) and I wanted to keep it a secret, too, since they would be our gift to our guests.

all the tea light holders!

The tea light holders were a big hit with our guests, and many of my relatives who attended my parents’ wedding recognized the connection, which made me happy!

And there was one final touch that M and I made sure of: for our friends and family who RSVP’ed that they couldn’t make it to the wedding – the week before, we mailed out tea light holders to them (candle included) with a little note, telling them we would miss them and if they would light a candle for us on our special day and hold us in their hearts. We really wanted to include them in our celebration, even though they couldn’t be there in person.

tea lights for mailing

Lastly, an announcement! The vases from our wedding will be available in my Etsy shop! And ALSO, I will have a booth at the Renton Art Walk this Saturday, where I’ll be showing lots of my sculptures, as well as plenty of smaller items for sale (including the beautiful and unique vases from my wedding!!!!). Hope to see you there!

{image courtesy of Sheila Addleman}

Deux the Dishes

Oh the Internets…I am continually reminded of what an incredible invention it is that allows us to find so much information (often trivial and obscure) just with the typing of a few words and a click here and there.

Case in point, I just returned from my ONE shopping Achilles heal – that glorious store Anthropologie. I know I am not alone when I admit the mere thought of the store makes me go all dreamy-eyed. I know of no other retail store that has this effect on me.

But I digress…most of the time I don’t buy anything when I go into Anthropologie (and I go there quite often, being that I can walk there from my house!), and I am strictly a Sale-Rack shopper when I do make a purchase. But that doesn’t mean I can’t wander the floor and imagine, and be inspired by all the creativity wafting about.

Hidden in the back corner nook where lots of their on-sale housewares/knicknacks reside, I found two of these gems at a screamin’ deal:

Isn’t this the cutest dishtowel ever? I was immediately drawn to the sharp and delicious contrast between the deep teal color and the crisp white fabric. And marked down 80%?? Yes, please!

And so proud was I of my bargain purchase, I wanted to post it here on my blog; so in trying to find a photo, I discovered since it was such a sale item, the towel isn’t even on Anthro’s website any more. So I did a general Google search for “‘do the dishes’ Anthropologie towel”
…and I discovered that the designer/creator of these super cute tea towels is actually an Etsy seller from Glasgow! Her shop is called showpony and she has lots of other cool and cute screen-printed items for sale!

I don’t know, I was just struck by the fact that our world really has become so small – so connected! I had just bought something made by another Etsy seller! (Clearly a very successful seller). Anyways, it may seem silly to some people (go ahead, you can roll your eyes at me) but all I could think was, “Whoa! COOL!!”
Not only did I get two awesomely cute tea towels for a ridiculously good deal, but they were handmade by a real person from one of my favorite places on earth (the UK). And I give so much props to Anthropologie for supporting real artists and craftspeople. Makes me feel even better about my one secret shopping addiction 🙂