Check Out The New Website

I'm so very excited to announce my website is now up and running.  An incredibly talented friend of mine has just finished creating the new site and has managed to convert all my blog posts to the new location and I love the way it looks.

Here's where to find the website:   www.debbiecrothers.com

I'll still be blogging on a regular basis but will be doing this directly from the new site.  I'll also be creating some new tutorials which will be available to purchase through the website as well.  I'll also make sure to get the free YouTube videos included as well (that's on my to do list).

The new tutorial Kato Liquid Clay and So Much More is finished and now available for purchase. You can find the tutorial here:

http://www.debbiecrothers.com/product/curing-kato-liquid-clay-and-so-much-more-with-debbie-crothers


I must say a huge thanks to Rachel Weaver for her amazing skills in creating the website.
Thank you Rachel.

So I guess, I'll sign off from here and see you on the new platform.

Bye for now.

"Crab Claw", "Sticks" and So Much More....

Studio day today and I was like a mad woman possessed!! haha what a day - it was incredible - I got so much achieved.

First up I decided to pull apart a couple of pieces I had made and wasn't quite happy with - time for a revamp! I pulled them apart, grabbed out some other components I thought might work, put everything on the table and started...I was in a good headspace to get these done today hahaha.

I have to tell you the story of this one actually.  My son is a fisherman and quite often comes home with all sorts of "oceany goodies".  He went crabbing one day and came home with an enormous crab with gobsmackingly beautiful nippers. Of course they had to be mine!!  I always knew I wanted to incorporate this large nipper into a piece somewhere along the line so today was the day.  It took a while to get the balance right and I pulled it apart quite a few times.  I'm fairly happy with this combination but it may get pulled apart again yet - not sure.  I was happy to be able to use the nipper though.

Next was the Swellegant sticks.  I had a beautiful piece of driftwood hubby had given me that I wanted to incorporate into a piece so thought it may work perfectly with some of the swellegant sticks.  I decided to create some carved cone beads to encase the sticks (never done those before) and was quite happy with the combination.  These two necklaces will be in my collection - I love them both.  Definately my style.

My next job was to create some pieces to use as samples for my upcoming Kato Liquid Clay and Heat Gun Tutorial.  I used lots of different surface treatments here to show how liquid clay will cover them all beautifully.  If you would like to be included in my newsletter contact list to receive special notification of when the tutorial will be available, please let me know.

Next job...I'm a machine today hahaha.
I've been working on lots and lots of veneers lately with a huge range of surface treatments.  I thought it was time to start documenting how I make them.  I have a few process journals in my studio and everything I do gets written down.  That way if I'm revisiting a technique three years down the track I will remember what to do and what "not" to do.  It's a great way of keeping track of everything.

lots of veneers that fill my work space

sample pieces baked and ready to document

and what a great little storage keeper for my veneers.  This is a pastry container I picked up at a fete on the weekend and it's just perfect.

I also played around with a couple more variations on the swellegant veneers and was so happy with these two.  They'll get documented tomorrow now!

And the last thing I did today was unpack and stir (gently) all my new Kato liquid clay colours.  I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to play with these but I'm sooooooooo excited about it.

I sure hope you all had a great day - I certainly did.  See you next Tuesday. xx

Brisbane Workshops March 2017

Soooooo excited to be going to Brisbane next year.  It'll be a triple whammy for me.  Not only will I get to meet some awesome clayers I've only ever chatted to online, I'll also get to catch up with a couple of old friends (no they're not old, I've just known them for a while)  PLUS I get to see my gorgeous son who is now living in Brisbane.

So today's studio day I actually decided to sort out the workshop content for Brissy.  It can be a lengthy process actually by the time you sort out what the project will be, experiment so you know it's going to work, create samples, create advertising flyer, tools and materials list, student notes and my notes - phew - it can take a while that's for sure so it's been a full on day.

Let's just hope everyone is happy with what I've got planned.
I can tell you the workshops are going to be held on Sunday 12 and Monday 13 March, 2017. More info to come out soon.

Here's just a few sneak peak pics.  This is the first day - Bootylishus Beads!!

This is the second workshop planned for Monday 13 March.  Pebeo and Polymer - I looooooove this class and absolutely love everything you can do with this paint.  This one is so much fun that's for sure.

 I thought I would just share these as well as I finally got around to taking some pics of these ones.  Swellegant sticks - these will be included in the new tutorial (which I have to get sorted very very soon!!)

Swellegant Veneers and Other Bits!

I've had a fun couple of days in the studio and thought I would pop all the pics here so you can check them all out.  These veneers are all experimental using Christi's range of Swellegant Metal Coatings (which I am totally in love with now by the way).  I can't give too much away because I'll be working on a tutorial soon to show you exactly how I've been using the Swellegant products so mum's the word for now but all will be revealed soon.

Let's just check out the pics shall we.

Uuugghhhh...I Hate Finishing Pieces Off!!!

Ok it's official...I've decided I really hate finishing things off.  I love making components and beads and all sorts of bits that go together but I really struggle when it comes to the "making it up" stage. I'm sure there are a few who know what I'm talking about because I've seen many a conversation stating exactly that :)

Today was studio day (Tuesday of course) so I thought right....time to get stuck into putting some of these things together (mind you I had pieces all over the studio - I totally should have taken a pic first).  As I got into it I had boxes of wire, chain, cording, beads, findings...oh my gosh....literally everywhere.  It wasn't a pretty sight (well it was actually - I do love all that stuff).  Sometimes it just doesn't work and I'm simply not in the mood and I should have realised that right at the beginning when things started to go wrong!!  I should have packed it all away then and just played with clay but I didn't...I persisted and after the whole day all I got done was 3 pieces.  I did have to make up some additional BIG BEADS but they didn't take long....it was the putting together...oh my gosh...you can sense my frustration can't you!! hahaha

Ok I'll show you the first two that I was quite happy with.

Now I'll show you the one that I struggled with over and over.  I've realised there are at least 3 things majorly wrong with this piece but I'm so not ready to try and make another one.  I wonder if you know what I don't like?

and of course I had to play with the leftovers today - I made a little crackle bowl.