Can't make it to the Holiday Show today or tomorrow? You're in luck! Take some time to browse the gallery below and, if you see something you like, feel free to place an order! We can't guarantee that specific item will still be available (although it can't hurt to ask!), but we are happy to duplicate items if we can.Click twice for a large picture.
2009 Holiday Handcraft Show: A Preview
This upcoming weekend is the 2009 Holiday Handcraft Show featuring Jean Elton art, dinnerware, and ornaments. Not quite sold yet on coming? Here are some pictures to help convince you!
Out of the Kiln
Yesterday we did a glaze firing in our gas kiln. Unloading a glaze firing is always a highlight for me. I love to see how the colors come out and to see all of our hard work pay off in a beautiful finished product. This firing went up to 2100 degrees Fahrenheit and takes a full 24 hours to reach that and then cool back down. Because I am too impatient to allow it to cool all the way, we usually open it at 375 degrees. This is OK to do and does not affect the glazes, but you do have to be careful when unloading at this temperature. The pieces are very hot! I wanted to share the experience with you, so below you will see a gallery of me unloading the kiln and the pieces as they come out.
Make sure to check back next week when we give you a picture preview of the upcoming Christmas show! You'll see some familiar art work on display.
Another special feature...
We all know how beautiful the ornaments have turned out to be, but did you know they can also be personalized?
Just use a fine point Sharpie to write your personalized note on the back. It can be anything from a simple "to/from" note to a short message for your loved one. More ideas:
- Use them as gift tags to top presents
- Give them as gifts to teachers, students, employees, and other friends
- Give them as your yearly Christmas ornament to your children
- They also make great stocking stuffers!
The prices range from $2.75 to $4.25, so order yours today!
"I've been happy with everything else you've done."
Around this time of year, Jean Elton receives some orders for Christmas gifts from busy professionals looking to purchase gifts for their employees, clients, or customers. One such professional said the following, after placing an order for the Jean Elton tri-oval dishes:
I'm excited about the plate also, but then again, I've been happy with everything else you've done. I love the fact that I can give my clients a piece of art by a local artisan. I believe in buying things close to home and supporting my neighbors.
A Corporate Gift: Making of the Mug
In the following video, you will see Lois Barker starting the process of making a mug. You will see a piece of clay pressed almost instantly into the mug's shape. At the end of the video, you will see a mug that has already had the handle attached and is ready for a bisque firing. Enjoy!If you're interested in learning more about the RAM press, keep checking back on this blog for a behind-the-scenes look at all the various machines and equipment used at Jean Elton Studio.
2009 Holiday Handcraft Show
Saturday, December 5th - 10-4pmSunday, December 6th - 12-3pmEmail here for location
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Presented by Jean Elton Studio and GalleryLois BarkerKathy SackettAmy Willers
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Hand Made OrnamentsSpecialty Table Top ItemsHand Painted GlasswareTable LinensHandcrafted JewelryHoliday Sweets and TreatsTablescape designs and decorating ideas
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Sip some cider or have a glass of wineBrowse one of a kind beautifully designed piecesAs you check off your Christmas Gift List.
And here they are!
I have had so much fun with the Christmas ornaments, from finding all the fun cookie cutter shapes to adding the color and the glitter at the end! All the Jean Elton artists have been involved in the painting, so we have a variety of personalities showing through in all the ornaments. Some are very precise and well measured, some are whimsical, and some are very modern.In the pictures below you will see the final steps of making the ornaments as well as the finished product. ( Just to warn you, you will be tempted to eat some decorated sugar cookies after viewing!) You will see the painting of each individual ornament, the glaze firing, the spraying (which adds a bit of a sheen), and finally adding just a touch of glitter.Thank you for keeping up with us here at Jean Elton! Please check back in a week or so for information on where the Christmas ornaments will be sold.
Ornament Update
As you may remember, JE artists Kathy and Lois were hard at work on their Christmas ornaments. They rolled the clay into large slabs, used cookie cutters to create tons of fun shapes, used straws to add holes to each ornament, stamped each shape with the Jean Elton logo, and once they dried, they were each cleaned up around the edges.
Next, they were fired in the bisque firing. How did the bisque turn out? See the pictures after the jump.
The ornaments were fired in the electric kiln, as seen above.
In a bisque firing (or the first firing), the pieces can be stacked on top of each other.
The electric kiln was stacked full of shelves like this with piles and piles of ornaments.
If ornaments aren't given enough time to dry before firing,they will break in the kiln, as seen here.
Here, Lois is unloading the kiln by removing the shelves.They are very heavy!
Finally, the bottom of the kiln and the last of the ornaments to unload.
The ornaments are stacked according to their shape and put into boxes.They are now ready to paint!
Around the House
Jean Elton has three distinct lines of pottery: dinnerware, giftware, and designer. The dinnerware and giftware can be customized to suit your tastes and reproduced as many times as you would like. The designer line of Jean Elton pottery are unique pieces of art created by Jean Elton artists. However, did you know that the Jean Elton dinnerware and giftware can be used as art around your home, too? Take a look at the gallery after the jump for examples of dinnerware and giftware as home decor (click for larger picture).