New WIPs and News from the Nest

It's been slow going around here, because life has been busier of late! Even so, I've been chugging along, playing with new designs and putting some fun and whimsy into my work.

Am I reflecting my current mood? Maybe. Regardless, cussy cups are now on the menu!

It hasn't been all work, though. I took some time out to hit the Supernatural convention near my house and had a blast!

 

I indulged in a few photo ops, and they were worth every damn penny!

I don't generally fangirl, as I grew up in Los Angeles and have had lots of contact with people in the film industry, but getting to stand this close to Jensen Ackles and Jeffrey Dean Morgan was something else! Sweethearts, the both of them!

I absolutely adored Kim and Brianna! Kind and gracious, as were all the cast members I interacted with!

I'd like to add that my next ex-husband is looking mighty fine, too! ;) We had a couple of fun encounters, and he's just as much of a cinnamon roll/chaos goblin as you've heard!

Maybe I'll do this again next year? Stay tuned!

New WIPs

Well, it seems like there's a pause in the rains and the cold here in good ol' L.A., so I got back outside to my wheel and started making, again.

I've had more requests for really big mugs, so I've thrown a few of those, too. I'm guessing those will end up at around 30-ish ounces once they're out of the glaze firing.

Clay shrinks as it goes from wet to dry, then shrinks again in the bisque (first) firing, then shrinks one last time in the glaze firing, which for these guys will be at ^5-^6. The little carrot means "cone," which is how hot it's going to be fired to.

I've had the idea to make some mugs for Pride, to support my LGBTQIA+ friends and fans, and what better way to do that than to start with what we in the Supernatural fandom call "The Ship of Dreams," Destiel!

And life has been difficult of late for many of us in my age group. I lost both my aunt and my mom within weeks of each other, and decided that a couple of naughty language cups were on par with the current mood...

I figured I'd give you a sense of scale and capacity, too, so my two-cup measuring cup was the best tool for that!

This morning, I unpacked the kiln, and will start cleaning the clay dust off these pieces before I agonize and overthink the glaze combinations! Three of the pieces are commissions, which I seldom take anymore due to people "Karening" too much. I just don't have that kind of patience left in me, anymore!

"Carry On" is one of those commission pieces, actually. The client wants it in yellow, so it gives me the excuse to buy and have fun with a new (to me) Celadon glaze from Amaco.

I was down to just a few bowls this year, so I took some time to make a couple of larger ones, and a bunch of smaller bowls that would make good ice cream or prep bowls. I still want to get to ramen or Pho bowls, but just haven't gotten there as of yet!

And then there's this guy! My first cookie jar, requested as a gift for a friend's brother. I've really enjoyed making him so far! Lots of thought about the handle, I have to say...

This cup is a replacement for another one of similar design, because my friend wanted even more caffeine at her disposal!

This guy is just a glaze test for a new to me glaze which has a reputation for being runny. I have a piece in mind which will use this texture, and I want to be sure I know what to expect! Aren't the bees adorable?

Time to get glazing!

Holiday Shop at ShellHawk's Creations

Handmade gift shopping? Come to me, my minions! ;)

Bunches of cool stuff at ShellHawk's Creations Etsy store, and still time to get them in time for Christmas!  

Happy Holidays, everyone!

News from the Nest!

It's been a little bit, hasn't it? Have you been missing my gripping and enticing prose? No? I'm crushed, but I will sally forth with the latest updates.

First, I was lucky with my latest firing, as you can see above. I went off the reservation and did a bisque firing and a low-fire glaze firing, in the same firing! All mixed together, willy-nilly! 

And it turned out so well!

You may reasonably ask why it might be such a big deal to mix glaze and bisque. Honestly? I never looked it up! I just never saw it done when I was in school and thought that maybe it had to do with the chemicals released by the heat of the firing. But then I saw someone mix glaze and bisque when glaze and bisque firing were at the same temperature without major issues, so I thought, why not?

Some clays and glaze don't reach maturity until they're fired at higher temperatures. Low fire clays mature between 1945°F and 1971°F. When you fire low fire glazes, they flux at about the same temps, give or take. If you get into super-duper low fire like lusters or china paints, you're looking at around 1283°F, give or take. But this firing had both clays and glazes at the same temp, so no biggie! I love how the glaze pieces turned out, especially the Day of the Dead jacks!

In other news, I had a successful stoneware firing, which results will be in my shop shortly tonight at 6:00 PM PST! I got some more of those Supernatural-inspired cups, mugs, and tankards put together, because:

1. I am obsessed, still
2. I love the peace that carving clay gives me
3. I love making things for fans of SPN, because I know they appreciate my handmade work
4. Did I mention I'm obsessed with Supernatural?
5. I love carving "Hey, Assbutt!" because it makes me giggle like a thirteen-year-old kid

But there's other, not so happy, news. Etsy is being a collective, corporate, dickbag, with imminent changes to come on April 11th and how it will affect my shop.

Despite soaring revenues Etsy has made lately -transaction fees are going UP 30%. That makes this April 11 fee hike an increase of 85% within five years. (I literally got $8 for a $50 cup, recently. I'm sure you can see why this isn't a sustainable business model.)

On top of the transaction fees I must pay a flat listing fee, payment processing fees, and other service fees, including a 12 percent advertising commission each time a customer comes to my shop and makes a purchase from an ad placed by Etsy — a program anyone making more than $10,000 a year is required to join.
This means after April 11th I'll be adjusting my prices accordingly. I'll also be searching for a different online outlet for my work, one which is more sustainable for me and makes my work more affordable for my customers.

If you have something in your cart- or was thinking of buying, from my shop or anyone else's...I would do it now. Thank you, as always, for your support.

New Needful Things!

 

At last! The ShellHawk's Creations Etsy shop is getting updated! Some jack-o'-lanterns, some other cups, and finally, the Supernatural cups!

The last firing got more good results and only a few imperfect ones, which are in the shop at a discount. They're not all in, yet, so keep an eye out in the next week or so.

The shoulder injury I suffered earlier this year really set my schedule back, but I still managed to get a few things (over a hundred, I think) done. I really had a thing for cups, mugs and tankards this summer. Don't ask why, because I have no idea!

In other news, the Open House went really well! Totally worth the time, effort, and lost sleep!

Everything skeleton was gone! Bowl and mugs! And it really made me so happy that the kind woman from the ceramics studio bought four of my jack-o'-lanterns to take to Canada as gifts for her friends. It's incredibly satisfying, knowing my creations are going to loved ones!

I'm resting my shoulder for now, but soon, I'll be back at it. I'll be pushing through the holidays, stocking up on my Halloween things to apply for shows happening next years. It feels like a triumph to be doing what I do best and making my fans happy!