The Dirt : Handmade Holiday Plates

Is there anything more rewarding than giving a handmade gift? We don't think so! Make the gift that much more special by imprinting children's hands on a piece of art that will last forever.    

   

For this month's edition of The Dirt, we're bringing you not just one but two great plates that can be easily adapted to any holiday or time of year! With the holidays just around the corner, studios will be bustling with painters looking for inspiration.    

Pssst! Did you know you can print the project PDF's to give your customers ideas? One studio keeps the projects in an inspiration binder. Check out our Technique Sheets area for more project ideas!  

My Christmas Tree

This “Mommy and Me” project is one to cherish. Let the child leave their mark on the plate by decorating the Christmas tree while the parent embellishing the rim of the plate with seasonal rubber stamps.

 

MATERIALS

240 Rim Dinner
957-2 Really Red
9630 Light Kiwi
CN122-8 Bright Kiwi
CN352-8 Dark Kiwi
CN514-8 Dark Briarwood
CN516-8 Sunflower Yellow

 

TOOLS

FAB3602 Old Fashioned Gingerbread
9591 Paint Dotters

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using a large wash brush, paint the child’s hand with Bight Kiwi and firmly stamp into center of plate.

2. Using paint dotters or the rounded end of a paint brush, allow the child to decorate the tree with dots, a base, and a star.

3. Using the Old Fashioned Gingerbread set, start to fill in the rim of the plate. Dip your leaf stamp into the Light Kiwi underglaze cup, and press firmly onto the plate. Make sure you check your paint and pressure on a piece of paper before you begin on your plate.

4. Using the candy cane stamp, dip into an underglaze cup loaded with Really Red. Stamp onto the plate, alternating directions and pressure for a varied look.

5. Go back over the rim of the plate by dipping the leaf stamp into the Dark Kiwi. Overlap with the light kiwi leaves to add dimension.

6. Finish the pattern by dipping the Gingerbread Man stamp into Dark Briarwood.

7. You may wish to add the child’s name with a thin detail brush around the base of the tree.

8. Let dry. Dip in Pure Brilliance Clear Glaze. Fire to Cone 06. 

Nora's Menorah

What has nine lights and ten fingers? This adorable menorah plate, of course! Add an accent rim to make this project pop off the plate! 

 

MATERIALS

240 Rim Dinner
CN042-8 Bright Papaya
CN142-8 Bright Aqua
CN253-8 Dark Black
CN511-8 Sunflower Yellow
CN518-8 Delft Sprinkles
CN519-8 Aqua Sprinkles
CN520-8 Caribbean Sprinkles
CN522-8 Really White Sprinkles

 

TOOLS

Assorted Royal Aqualon Brushes
Detailing Tape
Paper Plate
Scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using a large wash brush, paint the child’s hands with Bright Aqua and firmly stamp into center of plate, making sure to overlap the thumbs.

2. Using a thin round brush, paint simple black strokes to create the shape of the menorah around the handprints.

3. Create candles with a swipe of Sunflower Yellow and Bright Papaya.

4. Begin laying out your rim design by cutting varying strips of detailing tape. Lay them around the rim and smooth them down with the tapered end of a paint brush to prevent from leaks.

5. Once you have your rim design in place, cut a paper plate to fit over the menorah.

6. Start to fill in your sections by alternating Sprinkles colors. We chose not to follow a pattern, but rather to fill in randomly!

7. You may wish to add the child’s name with a thin detail brush around the base of the menorah.

8. Let dry. Dip in Pure Brilliance Clear Glaze. Fire to Cone 06.

As always, there's tons more ideas and inspiration to be found in our Resources area.  Good luck, and enjoy the Holiday season!

Studio Spotlight : Do*It*Yourself Crafts

What do you call a person whose mind never stops conjuring up innovative ideas?  A person that not only thinks of great ideas, but then calls to tell you about the idea so you can benefit from it too.  I call that person Julia McNair. 

All of Julia’s past experiences laid the foundation for her longtime career : owner of Do*It*Yourself Crafts in Birmingham, AL.  The experience she garnered from her work in sports marketing (public relations), retail accounting (inventory management), anthropology studies (history of ceramics), project management for an engineering firm (strategic planning) and even her time working in a bookstore and coffee shop (customer service) have help lay the foundation for the successful business woman she has become.  She is the perfect example of the fact that all experiences are useful ones.

You can’t help but like Julia McNair.  She’s not afraid to try something new and when she does it is always well-thought and she has every detail covered.  Plus, she has that southern charm that we all love.

So with all of that varied experience, how did Julia end up in the paint-your-own pottery industry?  After a management change in a job that she once loved, Julia found herself ready for a change of her own.  While considering her options (law school being one), she found herself crafting.  Her ultimate decision was to open her own crafting business that included both scrapbooking and rubber stamping but also offered a variety of crafting options.  She had painted pottery before but didn’t intend to include that in her store line up.  However, as a few local studios started to close, Julia decided to dedicate a 4’ section of her studio to pottery painting.   As the interest in different craft offerings changed throughout the years, Julia responded accordingly.  She brought in more of what worked and got rid of what didn’t.  She was wise to listen to her customers and to pay attention to what they want.  Today, she has a studio full of pottery, plus glass fusing, silver clay, tie-dye and mosaics.  Clay is also becoming a bigger part of the studio’s repertoire.  And if I know Julia, which I do, it will be a success!

A self-described dilettante, Julia truly enjoys trying lots of things.  She is not afraid to experiment and enjoys the process of creating a plan from start to finish.  One of her gifts is that she is good at helping customers.  Not just in a customer service way, but helping them realize that they can create something themselves.  When someone enters her studio and says, “I can’t paint.” – Julia’s response is, “Neither can I.”  Julia helps to demystify the process to a reluctant customer, which is pretty powerful. We could all use a little of that!

Having owned her studio for 12 ½ years Julia has seen a lot of growth in the industry.  Her favorite thing about our little world is how much peers help each other.  She loves that her fellow studio owners operate under the understanding that every good idea they have can be enhanced by someone else.  The willingness to share ideas is evident when you see a group of studios together.  Julia loves attending PYOP events and watching and listening to studio owners.  They truly love what they do and want the best for their colleagues – not just themselves.  Her philosophy is that anything she can do to help the industry helps her – even if it doesn’t directly affect her.  As Julia says, “In the end the circle comes around.”

 

In the same way studio owners enjoy watching their peers succeed, they relish in providing a positive experience for their customers.  Julia loves that her store is a part of so many people’s memories.  “Every Christmas hundreds of gifts are unwrapped that were made with our help,” said Julia.  “My biggest honor is helping people make things that they cherish.” 

So what are Julia’s secrets of success?  She’s empathetic.  She’s able to understand what the customer is looking for by truly listening to them and by paying attention to what they aren’t saying.  In addition to being a business woman she is a mom.  She is able to look at her business from the perspective of a parent coming in and is able to provide what her customers really want. 

The team at Do*It*Yourself Crafts has a system in place that keeps things going so that Julia doesn’t have to micromanage the store.  She knows that things are being taken care of and that the staff follows the plan.  This assurance allows her time to figure out what she will do next.  What type of event or program she’s going to implement or what her next new product launch will be.  What greater gift to a growing business than a leader that is free to lead!

When asked what advice she would share with fellow studio owners, Julia recommended that companies have web presence and maintain it.  “Be sure to keep your event calendar and website updated!  People want to see what’s new.   Engage your customers by using social media, but be sure to expand beyond that horizon.  Not all of your customers are tuned in to the magic of Facebook so be sure to meet them where they are.  I think the biggest lesson of all is to listen to you customers.  Doing so is vital to growing your business and giving customers what they want or don’t want.  Listen and respond accordingly.”

Julia is passionate about her business and our industry.  Owning your own studio is one of those jobs people dream about and Julia encourages every studio owner to enjoy what they do.  Sure, times can be tough and not all days are sunny, but the life of a studio owner is rewarding beyond compare. 

Do what you love, love what you do!

Crista

Halloween 2011 Project Ideas

Halloweentime is almost here! Are you ready for it in your studio? Customers are going to be looking for a great new piece, so make sure you update your samples from year to year! Feeling a little less than inspired? BI's got you covered.

Our glass guru, Chris, just posted a brand new project over on the Glass Bits Blog. Check it out! 

For those looking for a new bisque sample, we've also just posted a fun handprint plate that's sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Enjoy this fun time in your studios. Here's to boo-tiful creations!