03 January 2010

"what i did on my vacation"


kate mckinnon's full-firing technique seems to make a REALLY strong ring. in both cases, i made the bands, fired them flat and bent them around a mandrel. for the ferny one, i made a half-circle and pressed the band ends into a thick square of fresh wet clay. when it was dry i VERY CAREFULLY sanded the edges of the square and then fired the whole she-bang at 1650 for 2 hours. sturdy as can be. the starburst band came all the way around to make a circle. i wrapped fresh clay around the join and then attached a dried square set with a sunstone. fired for 1470 for 45 minutes, ithink...whatever the pmc+ slow program setting is. seems sturdy, but it's a bit too small for me, so i have to find someone else to test-wear.


unfinished. showing wire positioning.


back of pendant with clasp (just out of the kiln).

my new camera is taking some LOVELY photos(the camera takes them, i don't, yet!)....as i'm struggling to learn about white balance, exposure, shutter speed, aperature and iso.....all of the things that determine how lovely your photos are...

2 comments:

Barb Fernald said...

Holly I really like the new work. The rings look great. I might have to give some a try. I wonder if you could stretch the sunstone ring just a little by hammering it on a ring mandrel? (The shank, not the part with the stone!)
The pendant is gorgeous! I'm paying close attention to everyone's clasps. That's my big goal. Make my own. Still in mid-clean up of my studio. What a pit!

holly kellogg said...

i was thinking i might leave the sunstone ring as it is and then post it on etsy with a range of sizes, thinking i could hammer it to the correct size when someone bought it....
that clasp is kinda little...it's so hard for me to use my "precious" resources on a CLASP...but the nicest one i made was the big one for the sunstone necklace (SB loser) this summer...
i was inspired to make that pebble mold by yours!
is everyone gone now? just you and bruce home?