Category Archives: clay

urchins on the fridge

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Over the last few days (lots of days) I’ve been working on some sea urchin ideas. First I finished a painting I’d started ages ago… then I made some clay fridge magnets.

Here is a closer up of the urchin painting… a mix of acrylic, watercolour and newsprint on canvas paper. As yet unframed.

And here is a closer up of the magnets. I’ll be selling these guys in sets of 3, I began by thinking I’d make them 3 of the same, then thought it might be more fun to sell them in sets of 3 different ones.

These were made by rolling out the clay and cutting the circles using a little plastic shot glass. Of course, as they dried they buckled a bit but hey… nothing in nature is perfect, right?

I added some great little magnets to the back (Neodymium magnets – the same type I used on the little fish stones I made a few years ago – you can see those holding up the paper).

I personally hate dislike weak magnets that can barely hold up a postcard, so I love these guys. Tiny but mighty.

Anyhow, the weather continues to be hot, but at least we have some wind today… The Cyclades are well known as being the ‘windy islands’, and the wind is both a blessing and a curse. On days like this it’s a blessing cause at least the air is moving around so you don’t just melt into a puddle.

The downside is that the beaches closest to me are in the face of the northern winds, which means the beaches are messy (the waves bring out seaweed and any plastic crap people throw into the sea) and rough. I don’t like rough beaches; I prefer to swim where the surface is like that of a swimming pool… spoilt rotten I am!

Still, at least the breeze going through my house means I don’t need the air-conditioning on today.

z

fish fish fish!

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Yes, I did one of my famous disappearing acts again. However, I have been creating… now and then… not constantly… but trying to…

These fish were a kind of commission/inspriation. A friend wanted to buy some fish to add to her collection of ceramic fish for her wall, so I had a play with some air-dry clay and papier mâché pulp.

This is how the pulp ones started…

And this is them finished.

I love the way the little puffer fish turned out. But he’s pretty delicate… the spikes were hard to make AND keep from breaking while he dried…

I had a go at some flatter/simpler fish, made by cutting shapes out of air-dry clay. This time finishing them in a ‘different way’… ie not fish-like at all.

I decided I like the flower one best so I’ve made a few more of those. They’ll be on my FB Junk4Joy page soon. I decided against hanging them in a group so they each have their own little hook now, and they can be placed on the wall like flying ducks were placed back in the 50s…

I had a little clay left over, I made these fun little brooch fish. I mean, I had the brooch pins already, so why not?

If you see anything on my FB page or in any of the videos I share (not nearly often enough) that you’re interested in, please let me know. I do sell stuff and am happy to ship anywhere.

Life has been pretty busy. What with grooming and trying to keep up with everyone socially, swimming as often as I can manage, etc. I started water aerobics classes early morning 3 days a week and love it. I really need to force myself to get up the same time every morning and just swim. It’s so quiet at that time and usually not windy… ideal beach time for someone like me who hates the sun and the heat.

(So why live in Greece you ask? Well, it’s a long story!)

I’m still missing my little shadow (Lainee) a lot but having dogs to groom, and sometimes look after, helps… I get kisses and cuddles, so I don’t feel so ’empty’.

And I’ll soon be looking after a senior dog I groom cause his old lady mom is having health issues. I really hope she recovers quickly… and can come back to him. As much as I love him, I’m not ready for another senior dog…

z

working with clay

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So, although I’m on a ‘holiday from my usual life’, I have done a little bit of creative work.

First was a big fail. I had some old sheets given to me, very stiff, thick sheets, no longer usable cause they were ripped or worn. I had planned to make shopping bags out of them, stamp them with Junk4Joy and other designs and just have fun with them, giving them as gifts to people who bought my art.

Unfortunately, it ain’t happening. The fabric is way too stiff to work on my sewing machine. I was having all kinds of problems with it so I did what any other self respecting crafter/artist would do – I gave up. It’s not worth the effort and frustration.

And since my thing is recycling, I refuse to buy fabric to make bags. If I’m going to BUY anything, I may as well buy readymade bags! I mean why the hassle of sewing when I can just buy and stamp/paint? Well, cost for one thing. I have to look at the cost of plain cotton bags I can get in Greece. Then decide if it’s worth it.

So I just went on with the other project I brought up to the dog sitting job to work on: sculpture.

I had started these figures months ago. Months and months ago when I was really into sculpture. (I go through phases as anyone who knows me knows.)

I had begun two cats, one sitting and one walking. When they’re finished I can share the start of the project, but for now this is where they’re at currently.

Of course, there have to be naked ladies. I really do love my ‘nekkid’ ladies.

If you remember, the naked ladies are made from recycled dishwashing liquid bottles. The cats, like the dogs, are made from toilet roll or hand roll cardboard, wire, foil and whatever I need to create the shape. They are then built up with a homemade papier mâché pulp and finished off with air dry clay.

They take a long time to make as I have to do one layer at a time allow for drying in between. But I do love getting my hands dirty! I majored in Printmaking at Art School… Inky black hands were the go for years.

Between working on the sculptures and failing at the sewing project, I spend time cuddling with the dogs, taking them out for short walks on the hill around the house, soak in the view, and, for the last couple of days, hiding inside from the cold STRONG wind. sheesh. Its windy out there. This morning I had to search and rescue outdoor furniture from the hillside.

Since its Greek Easter tomorrow and I’m joining the family for lunch, I’ve made a trifle as my contribution. Its currently cooling and soaking up the mastiha liqueur I put in it. Yum. A slightly alcoholic dessert, nothing like the one I made one Christmas in Tasmania where I soaked the cake in Cointreau, then added some in the jelly… Whoa.

Other than that, I’ve been thinking about/stressing over my plans and prioritizing what I have to do moving into the future.

I don’t recommend it.

In fact, I escaped into watching some Queer Eye for the Straight Guy episodes last night. Something easy to watch, not demanding at all!

Monday the homeowners return and I can go back to my own home and hectic life.

z

lamp resurrected

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A friend of mine sent me a photo of his lamp. He’d knocked it over and wondered if I could do anything with it, since we both belong to groups about recycling and not buying new.

I said bring it over and I’ll have a look.

I had envisaged a japanese gold fix Kintsugi but more than halfway through glueing pieces I discovered there a couple of large pieces missing.

I had to rethink it. I had to make up the missing pieces somehow. I used air dry clay but it looked awful. So, I started to play with it. And this is what I came up with.

An octopus is now holding the lamp together. You can’t actually see him cause he’s inside, but his tentacles come out of the ‘holes’ and wrap around the base.

I hope he likes it when he sees it!

Meanwhile Lainee is doing great but the news isn’t good. The lump they removed in Syros at the vet hospital was malignant. I don’t have the details yet, what type of cancer it was, but they recommend I let her recouperate from this surgery completely and take her back to remove the entire row on mammary glands on the other side too. There are lumps there as well. Tiny ones, but since the big one was malignant they don’t think I should take the chance of leaving and watching them.

I guess I wait to get the full biopsy report and do some research. I want her happy and healthy and if that means another surgery, then I’ll do it. I’d rather do it now, before she gets any older… She’s 12 now and if any of the other lumps begin to go ‘bad’ she won’t have to face surgery at 13 or 14. I want her to live to be a very old lady.

Meanwhile I’m waiting to hear back from the doctor in Athens regarding my stent removal. And waiting to hear about my job this summer. And generally just waiting. Seems lately there’s a lot of waiting involved in life.

z

all quiet on the island front – lockdown 2 day 39

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Eric says Hi. He’s generally a great kitten, he has his insane moments but thankfully they’re not too bad. He enjoys his ‘playstation’ so I’m not getting claws and pounces too much. I’m waiting for the teens to strike though. I’ve been warned about them. Hopefully he’ll survive them in one piece. He already knows the look and sound of the spray water bottle!

Lainee has had her xray (all clear) and a second opinion. I’m probably going to have to do another test for her heart, but the first vet said it was simply a riskier surgery due to her murmur which the second said she could barely hear. So its up to me basically. If I’m willing to risk it either vet will do surgery. I’ve risked it before on my dogs and I will again cause this has to be done. I won’t risk her getting cancer from these growths. So its just a matter of deciding on vet 1 (who removed her teeth) or vet 2 (that my friend swears is the best) and booking it. I will decide tomorrow and make the appointment.

Is it just me or do others feel guilty when getting a second opinion?

Anyway, today has been a very low key day. Its been blowing a gale out there since yesterday which makes being outdoors rather unpleasant so I’ve stuck inside and done a few bits of clay work. I was longing for a day spent at home. For some reason I’ve been really tired and even fell asleep on the couch while watching TV. Probably cause I’m going to bed later and later and Eric insists on waking me up at 7.30 every morning.

The big flat thing to the left will be a fish eventually (once I decide what the scales will be made of) and the dog in the back is on the last stretch. Right now his ears are drying.

I put together 2 of the small houses I made to hold tea lights. They’re crooked as all getout, but I like ’em. Now to make one more and set them up to live on my coffee table or bookcase or somewhere, if I can find the room…

I’ve been putting off painting though I’ve been thinking about it. I have some boards prepared and some paintings I started that need finishing. I really should get onto that but I need to build up to it. Meanwhile I ordered more clay online. I’m on my last block. Air dry again of course. For the time being.

Now the big question remains… What should I have for dinner? I made some pasta sauce with a bit of bacon and tomato for lunch/dinner last night. I can make more pasta and have the leftover sauce. Or I can have a salad before the cucumber I bought goes entirely rotten*…

Oh such big decisions!

z

*What are vegetables? They’re those things we select carefully, squeezing and inspecting each one in order to chose the best ones, then let them slowly die in our refridgerator.

fun with clay – lockdown 2 day 33

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I’ve been working on the odd little bowl or dish for a while now, making some with the different air dry clays I bought, letting a them dry so I can move them from my drying spot (under the air conditioner) to make space for another lot.

Time to share the finished ones. Starting with a few I stamped writing onto.

Life is like a box of chocolates.
I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance – Garth Brooks “The Dance”.

One I stamped and painted on:

Plenty of fish – comes with a little fish. You can’t really tell in the photo but this is a cement coloured clay.

Something more ‘arty’ and weird:

A nose, cause, well… why not?

Something I just painted on.

A little pocket to hang from the wall to hold… something.

And something a bit different.

A mended heart.

Its been fun working with clay. Trying different things. Air dry clay is nothing like the fired stuff, but its still fun to work with and its so much easier all round. If (when) I decide to work with ‘real’ clay I’ll have to buy it in a big bag, buy some glazes and then find a place willing to fire my work for me.

Let’s not think about the mess of working clay in my living room!

Its a lot more work than bashing something up on the kitchen table and letting it dry on the bookcase.

Anyway, time to get back to my dogs…

z

a little pottery – lockdown 2 day 25

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Since I bought some air dry clay to fine tune my dog sculptures, I figured I may as well have a go at making other stuff with it just to see how it dries and what I can do with it.

I had a little look on Pinterest and got some ideas to try out and made a few small dishes…

Cats, they seem to be very popular on Pinterest…

A rough little lace plate…

A fish, not a dish but an incense holder…

And one bowl you’ll see again later when I finish it.

Other than that I’ve been busy. No surprise there.

I got a vacuum cleaner today, something you wouldn’t think you’d need on a greek island with all the tiled floors, but once you get a rug… Not to mention that apparently you need a vacuum cleaner in summer too as its almost impossible to sweep up the dust and sand without the wind scattering it.

Of course I haven’t used it yet. I’ll save that for tomorrow!

I’d been out shopping for mom and myself today, picking up stuff (including the vacuum cleaner) so by the time I got home all I wanted to do was sit and work for a while.

And wash the mess of rope I picked up off the road. (But thats another story.)

Then eat a late lunch and finish watching season 3 of Zoo. Not so sure about that series anymore. It started out great, all about animals attacking humans, then it got into some pretty way out wacky genetics and mutating stuff, but its ventured into implausibility and sci-fi territory now. Still, I’m attached to the characters now and will watch the next season if (and when) it comes out.

…I wonder what’s happening with The Walking Dead… Anyone know if there’s another season out or coming?

Anyway, I have a dog waiting for me on the table. Not Lainee. She’s quite content. I took her for a long ride in the car today and then a run on the beach. She’s had her dinner and is currently curled up on the couch.

Eric is around here somewhere… not sure where… I can’t hear him or see him.

Hmm. Its quiet. Too quiet… It reminds me of a little poem I read somewhere many years ago:

More frightening than a storm or a riot
Is a bunch of kids
Which is suddenly quiet.

Better go check what he’s up to.

Later!

z