A Look Inside My Studio

This is a closer look at the internal structure of this old barn that my husband is restoring.

My studio door enters into a hallway that was once the entrance into the room where the milk was refrigerated (the milkhouse.) My actual studio is in a part of the barn that was once home to some very sweet and lovely Jersey cows.

This is a picture of my AIM 88 kiln. My little workhorse. I also have a larger kiln. I am fortunate that all of kilns are digital. It is a bit of a walk from my house to the barn so it saves me some running back and forth. Much appreciated in the winter.

This is a long counter space that I have for making my clay pieces. It is a great space. I always work standing up and it is just the right height. My husband is so good to me. He does all the carpentry and building work on this barn and my studio. Those things on sticks are some beads and pendants in the process of being glazed.

My studio tour today consists of a number of photos of my work place. Here we have from left to right The door to my studio. My studio is part of an old barn that was built about 1850. I have included photos of the interior of the barn so that you can see the hand hewn beams(last photo on the right). My husband also has a workspace in this barn. The restoration of this barn is a big project and not yet complete. It is a great feeling to be in this space because of its age and the fact that we once milked cows here. From my studio, I look out over pastures that have been in use for over 150 years. Many of the plants that I use to make my ceramic pendants have been growning here for at least that long. I sometimes feels as if I am preserving the history of this farm in my art work. But most of the time I just enjoy looking out on green grass. I grew up out West, and am still in awe of the greeness of this place and the abundance of water. No too far down the fields from this barn is a great river that begins in the Adirondack Mountains and flows[Photo] by here on its way to the St. Lawrence River. And that is another kind of journey that I enjoy watching and partaking of in our chubby canoe.

Open Studio Blog Event 2nd Giveaway

It is at least 2:00 PM and my husband picked a name from the hat and the winner is Lorelei.
For those of you who didn't win this round, your names stay in the hat and I will add any more that show. Good luck to all.




Here is a picture of my 2nd Beads of Clay Open Studio Blog Event Giveaway. This is a ceramic pendant that features the small flowers of a tomato plant. I love the way they radiate into a circle. This is one of my favorites and I am pleased to share it with you. It also comes with a $25.00 gift certificate to my Etsy Store. I hope you are the lucky winner.

Open Studio Blog Event First Giveaway

My first giveaway today is a ceramic pendant of a dill flower gone to seed. It also comes with a $25.oo gift certificate to use in my Etsy shop .You can be the lucky winner by making a comment on my blog about this event or about your favorite fall activities. All the names of commenters will be put into a hat and I will draw one out and announce the winner at 2:00PM.

I look forward to reading your comments. I will be on line so I can answer questions as well. And I will be sure to comment as well. Good luck.

Welcome to The Beads of Clay Open Studio Blog Event

Welcome to the Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog Event. I am excited to be participating today and looking forward to greeting you on my blog. You can talk to me through the comments section of the blog. As a special celebration for today's events, I am giving a 40% discount on any purchase in my Etsy store between 1:00PM and Midnight tonight. I have put each part of today's activities into separate blog posts but I will be keeping up with comments.

This event is about visiting my studio, seeing my creative process and celebrating Fall. I will celebrate with two Giveaways that will be announed by picture postings at 1:15PM and 3:00PM. You can be part of this Giveaway by making a comment on my blog during this event. The first drawing of names from commenters will be at 2:15PM and the second winner will be announced at 3:00PM. So you have two chances to win because I will be putting all the names back in from the first drawing for the second drawing.

By way of introduction, I am a ceramic bead artist. I have been making beads out of clay for about 10 years. I happened into this wonderful art form by chance. I was making macrame jewelry at the time and I couldn't find beads with holes large enough. When I had an opportunity to take a clay class at my friend's gallery Ladies First, I made my first ceramic beads, while the rest of the class was making bowls and tiles. And it has gone on from there.

I including a schedule of events so that you can pop back and forth between the 17 or so artists that are participating in this event. You can find their live links at the Beads-of-Clay blog .
Here is the scedule: ( I have made a separate blog post for each of the events but your comments will be counted no matter which one you put them on.)

1pm: Individual Artists welcome people to their blog by introducing themselves and announcing any special discount prices in their Etsy store or website.
1:15: Picture posting of 1st giveaway to commenter on your blog post.
2pm: Commenter winner giveaway announced
2:15: Opening up your studio space: Share pictures of your studio
3pm: Picture posting of 2nd giveaway to commenter on your blog post.
3:15pm: Commenter winner giveaway announced
3:30pm: Here are some "Fall" info that we would like to share
4:00 End of event but shoppers can continue with my "sale" prices until Midnight

New Pieces for BOC Open Studio Blog Event

I am spending this morning listing new pieces on my Etsy store to get ready for the BOC Open Studio Tour on Sunday, Oct. 25 from 1:00-4:00PM EST. The pieces will be listed in my store and then the discount price--40% off will be listed early Sunday to be ready for the event. This way if you see something you like you can be ready to pick it out on Sunday at the discounted price. Also, I will be choosinig my giveaways this afternoon and hopefully I will be bloggintg about them later on today.

Here is the most up to date list of participants in this event.

MarshaNealStudio http://www.marshanealstudioblog.blogspot.com/

MaryHardingJewlery http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com/

Chinook Jewelry http://chinookdesigns.blogspot.com/

Diane Hawkey http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/

Marsha Hedrick http://porcelainart.blogspot.com/

Joan Tucker http://offcenterproductions.blogspot.com/

Indian Creek Studios http://pampots.blogspot.com/

Lisa Peters http://lisa-petersart.blogspot.com/

Kristie Roeder http://artisanclay.blogspot.com/

Tracy Isley http://tracyisley.blogspot.com/

Melanie Earthenwood Studio http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/

Winchell Clay Works http://www.winchell-clayworks.com/

Summers Studio http://summersstudio.blogspot.com/

Jessica Sharrah http://jessicasharrah.blogspot.com/

Creative Impressions in Clay http://www.claybuttons.blogspot.com/

EveryHeartCrafts http://everyheartcrafts.blogspot.com/

Donna Kornegay http://blingbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com/

Sharleen Newland http://www.shaterraclaystudio.blogspot.com/.

Here is a picture of some bisque ware pieces that I have been working on to get ready for the Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog event on October 25, 2009 from 1:00-4:00PM EST.
We will be blogging live as we open up our studios and communicate with you through the comments section of our blogs. You will have opportunities to win giveaways from each participating artist by commenting on their blog and having your name go into the hat for the two drawings that will take place during the event. Each artist will also be offering their work at a sale price on their Etsy store or website. You can visit my Etsy store here. Most artists will continue the sale price of their work until Midnight.
I have included a schedule of the event and all the participating artists so that you can navigate around the sites easily. Be sure to mark your calendar for this exciting multi site event, giveaways and sale prices. And what fun it will be to look into the studios of all these artists.


BOC October 25, 2009 Open Studio Fall Theme Schedule of events:
1pm: Individual Artists welcome people to their blog by introducing themselves and announcing any special discount prices in their Etsy store or website.
1:45: Picture posting of 1st giveaway to commenter on your blog post.
2pm: Commenter winner giveaway announced
2:15: Opening up your studio space: Share pictures of your studio
3pm: Picture posting of 2nd giveaway to commenter on your blog post.
3:15pm: Commenter winner giveaway announced
3:30pm: Here are some "Fall" info that we would like to share
4:00 End of event but shoppers can continue with your "sale" prices until Midnight
HERE IS THE UPDATED LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN THIS EVENT.
MarshaNealStudio http://www.marshanealstudioblog.blogspot.com/
MaryHardingJewlery http://www.maryhardingjewelrybeadblog.blogspot.com/
Chinook Jewelry http://chinookdesigns.blogspot.com/
Diane Hawkey http://dianehawkey.blogspot.com/
Marsha Hedrick http://porcelainart.blogspot.com/
Joan Tucker http://offcenterproductions.blogspot.com/
Indian Creek Studios http://pampots.blogspot.com/
Lisa Peters http://lisa-petersart.blogspot.com/
Kristie Roeder http://artisanclay.blogspot.com/
Tracy Isley http://tracyisley.blogspot.com/
Melanie Earthenwood Studio http://earthenwood-beads.blogspot.com/
Winchell Clay Works http://www.winchell-clayworks.com/
Summers Studio http://summersstudio.blogspot.com/
Jessica Sharrah http://jessicasharrah.blogspot.com/
Creative Impressions in Clay http://www.claybuttons.blogspot.com/
EveryHeartCrafts http://everyheartcrafts.blogspot.com/
Donna Kornegay http://blingbeadsandjewelry.blogspot.com/

BOC Open Studio Blog Event

Beads-of-Clay Open Studio Blog Event. Here is a mosaic I made from mosaic maker. I am using it for some promo for this exciting event that is happening next Sunday Oct. 25.
I hope you will join me and all the other artists who are participating. Tomorrow all participating artists will be listed with their blog links so you can travel around this event with ease.

Open Studio Blog Event

Marsha Minutella (owner and artist of Marsha Neal Studio) and Mary Harding invite you to participate in a Fall Open Studio Blog event on Sunday Oct. 25. This event is designed to help Beads-of-Clay members and other "ceramic" clay bead makers promote their work via the internet. All you need to do to participate in the Open Studio event is to sign up by Oct. 14, have a blog, and follow the general format of the event(Marsha Minutella designed this so you know it is going to be good.) If you don't have a blog right now, you can start one so that you can participate. If interested in being a part of this please contact me by email (mary@maryhardingjewelry.com) and please also include your blog web address.We will be promoting this event through our own blogs, the BOC blog and our newsletters. Participants are encouraged to promote the event as well. I look forward to hearing from you.

On our recent vacation in Maine, I visited Freeport for the first time. I had wanted to see the Beadin' Path and L. L. Bean. We went on the rainiest day possible which turned out to be the busiest day as well. That gigantic parking lot at L. L. Bean, which was empty when we arrived very early in the morning, was completely full by 10:30 AM. I had no idea what a nice and cute place Freeport would be. And best of all, I was able to visit the new and expanded Beadin' Path, and what a treat that was. The photo above is of some of the wonderful beads I took home from there. I am working with some of them this morning, which prompted me to get this post written. I had been planning on it for some time.

Those lovely greens and dark burgundy/orange reds are their sea glass, and the teal leaves are lucite. They come in every color imaginable.

In fact the store is wonderfully organized by color for each different category of beads. And well stocked, indeed!! I have more pics that I am saving for my newsletter which should be coming out soon. Meanwhile, I am enjoying a rainy day at home beading.

Use the Muse III

I might use one of my small toggle clasps

and add in some of my terracotta raku beads

My Use the Muse III kit arrived a day ago and here is a picture of the lovely beads that are in it and some of my own creations since you can add all you want from your own stash. The Muse, of course, is not included in the photo. I really like the color palette. And I am a great fan of the Copper plated pieces from Tierra Cast that ArtBeads has contributed. So the kit is really going to be an inspiration for me. I am on my third time participating in Scarlet Lanson's inventive and exciting challenge for beaders. If you are interested in participating you can go to her website and purchase the kit for a very reasonable price. The deadline for getting your kit order in is Monday September 29. Last time they ran out early so if you want to participate you should do it soon. Once you get your kit, you have until Monday October 19, 2009 to submit your photos by email to Scarlet. She includes very specific details on how to do this. I especially like this challenge because it is so well organized and because Scarlet has such good taste in beads. Her picks have been fabulous each time.

New Toggles Still warm from the Kiln

I just got these toggles out of the kiln a few minutes ago. Oh, the small kiln I have is such a pleasure to use.
Some of these are on their way to new homes and some will be on my Etsy store by Monday.

And speaking of my Etsy store. My Labor Day sale was a great success. I want to thank all of you who looked and purchased. It was my first sale and it was such fun I will try one again. Again many thanks to all of you.

40% off Labor Day Weekend Sale in My Etsy Shop

I have been adding new pieces to my Etsy shop for my 40% off Sale through Labor Day. Every piece in the shop is marked down 40% and the prices you see reflect this discount. I hope you will stop by and see what I have. I will be adding pieces again tomorrow and on Labor Day. These pics are of some of the pieces I have just finished adding.

Large Thistle Pendant with Sterling Silver Bail

Victorian Vase Style Pendant

Green Square Beads

And there is much more.

Thank you to all of you who have already visited and picked out your favorites.

MaryHardingJewelry and MarshaNealStudio Etsy Sales Today

LABOR DAY WEEKEND SALE ON MaryHarding's ETSY SHOP
and my friend Marsha Minutella's MarshaNealStudio Etsy Shop

We are both in the mood for a sale and want to make room for new work that will be coming soon in our shops. I hope you will stop over and join us in our exciting discounts for this very special weekend that honors all our labors.

40% off the listed price will go into effect at Noon Thursday Sept. 3 and continue until 12Midnight on Labor Day Monday, Sept. 7th . Prices listed will reflect the 40% off sale.

For example, the Vintage Heart above is now listed at $12.00. Once the sale begins it will be only $7.20.

Here are the rest of the price breaks you will see:

$30.00 will be $18.00

$28.00 will be $16.80

$26.00 will be $15.60

$24.00 will be $14.40

$22.00 will be $13.20

$20.00 will be $12.00

$18.00 will be $10.80

All sales will be shipped out on Tuesday, September 8, 2009.

New on Etsy

Ceramic Pendant

Young oak leaves pendant

Fused glass ring on Sterling silver plate band and bezel

Vintage ceramic heart pendant

Fused glass ring


I am planning a 40% off of all my ceramic pieces on my Etsy Shop for the Labor Day Weekend beginning on Thursday, Sept. 3th through Tuesday Sept. 8th. I will have all the prices marked down by sometime on Thursday and will issue you a revised invoice if you get there before the prices are marked down on Thursday. The new fused glass rings are the only pieces that won't be marked down. Happy Shopping!!

Ceramic Family Time

My family has been visiting. My son, his wife and two children. We have been having fun with clay.

Their oldest child age 7 made the happy figure below. We are trying a smooth white stoneware clay (Laguna). My first time with this clay as I mentioned in a previous post. Here is a picture of a grape leaf from out garden pressed into the clay and pushed into a paper bowl for a mold.

I have an ancient kick wheel which they also have been trying out. The youngest asks: "Can we do pottery now." He made a small bowl.

I love this press bowl my son and daughter-in-law made from a giant brussel sprout leaf.

We always have a great time when they are here.

Lots of small toggles

Recently I rounded up a bunch of my small toggles and took a picture of them. They are clasped with a hammered copper bar I have purchased from ArtBeads or Fusion Beads. This weekend I have been trying out a smooth white stoneware clay with my family that is visiting. We have been making slump plates and bowls and I am trying it out with my small pendants. It is lovely and smooth and very nice to work with. Hope that it holds detail after the firings.

Looking for the Sun

When I first took this photo a few days ago, I called it Looking for the Sun. It was an overcast day and this was my lone sunflower that was in bloom. Miraculously, since that day, the sun has begun to shine. Yesterday we had a full day without rain, and more are predicted. I think five in a row. That will be a record. We have had rain almost every day, since June 25. I am very excited about the chance to go swimming and feel warm day and night.

Student Work

These are photos of student work from my recent Fused Glass Jewelry class at the Thousand Islands Craft School at the Handweaving Museum in Clayton, NY. Students were taught how to make a pendant with a hidden slide, earrings, pendants with bails and bracelets. I did all of the firing, and assembling of the jewelry after the class in my studio. It only takes about an hour to fire the pieces but way too many hours to cool to finish during the class time. Class was 4 hours. I have attended a class where the firing was done during the class but it was a 6 hour class and very little time was available for making the pieces. Teaching the hidden slide takes up quite a bit of time and I like to give students time to try out different designs and look at all the glass.

Here are two examples of the hidden slide and one of the bracelets. All the students did beautiful work.

Earrings and a pendant with a cold fused (glued on) bail. I love the thick rubber cord with some of these larger pendants.

Begin at the Ending

My daisy toggle clasp was chosen as a finalist for the BeadStyle Magazine clasp challenge. I was totally surprised by this honor. Now the 6 finalists are up for a vote. You can see all of them on page 52 of the current issue of Beadstyle Magazine. (September)

You can vote for your favorite (through September 1) at BeadStyleMag.com/challenge!

You can see my Daisy toggle clasp on my website.

Lots of Littles

These are some small toggles and charms that I glazed up a few days ago. I am still struggling with the toggle bar and have been using ones I have purchased from Fusion Beads. But in the back of my mind I am hatching a plan to try making some with the new Copprclay. Just have to get up my courage to commit to the expense of the extra equipment needed for firing them. I have the kiln but you need a stainless steel pan and some charcoal.

Work in Progress

A friend wanted these lovage beads for a bracelet class she is going to take. I made a section for her to see how they will look. I wasn't sure how square beads would be but I am pleasantly surprised.

A Winner Again!!!

I had no idea that I had won such an incredible assortment of Green Girl Studios charms when Andrew Thornton contacted me. In fact I didn't really know what the Giveaway was when I entered. I just wanted to make a suggestion and an offer to promote Cynthia Thornton's book Enchanted Adornments. And then a few days later, when I was in the middle of a blog giveaway winning streak these lovelies arrived in the mail. I just had to post a photo of them. And I am sure they will show up in my next newsletter as well. Way before the book is available for me to write a review. Thank you so much Cynthia and Andrew.

I'm The Winner!!!

I just found out that I won the beautiful bracelet above from the RoundRabbit giveaway. I am so excited to own this beautiful bracelet. I can't believe that I am so lucky. Thank you Nancy for having this wonderful giveaway. I'll be hanging out at the P. O. waiting for it to arrive!!

Classes at the Thousand Island Craft School

This is the type of Right Angle Weave bracelet we will be making. Everyone's will be unique

Some examples of fused glass pendants I've made to give students ideas

Some of the stitches on my RAW step by step directions sheet that I made

I have been busy this last week preparing for my annual teaching day at the Thousand Islands Craft School in Clayton, NY. This year I am offering Fused Glass Jewelry Making and a Right Angle Weave Bracelet Class. I have spent a lot of time making a RAW step by step photo display for the bracelet I am teaching. It has come out well thanks to Picasa and Open Office. Great programs if you have not yet discovered them. I hope to have these directions ready for a PDF downloadable ebook before too long.

New Bracelets with Toggles

Bracelet made with wood beads, my raku and ceramic toggle. I have entered it into the ArtBeadScene July contest.
Wire wrapped square wooden beads, my ceramic toggle clasp
White wood beads, my raku and ceramic toggle clasp

My ceramic beads, and ceramic toggle clasp, metal spacer beads

New Work

Here is a newly created Maple Wings circular pendant with a slightly different coloring.
I have been working on some new ceramic pendants. Here is one I really like of some young oak leaves. It is so interesting that these just formed leaves look more like feathers than the image we have of oak leaves. This pendant does not have a hole in it. It could be a cabochon or I was thinking of affixing a bail to it. I wanted to see what it looked like first without a hole.

These have been added to my webstore for purchase here.