Get Revved Up for Father's Day!

Father's Day is Sunday June 19th, and although June sounds far away, it's time to start planning out your studio samples and displays to celebrate dear ol' Dad!

Whether your Dad is your super hero, a grill master or king of the road, there are plenty of ways to personalize pottery gifts that match his interests.  For the Dad that's always there to save the day, let him know he's your super hero with a themed beer mug.  For the Grill Master in your life, paint a special Father's Day platter using handprints from everyone in the family.  And for the King of the Road, a race car themed change tray will keep him organized when he's on the go!

Super Hero Beer Mug

This super hero Beer Mug says:

Here's to you, Dear Ol' Dad 

For all the sweat and toil 

For all the times you checked my tires 

and changed my oil

I hope you always know

You are my super hero.  

Cheers!

No need to include a card with Dad's super hero mug.  After it's fired, have everyone in the family write a special message to Dad and sign the mug using Marabu Ceramic Painter Pens.  These pens make it easy for young children (and adults) to write on glazed pottery!

Grill Master Platter

If your Dad is hands-down the best Grill Master, he will really appreciate this #177 Metropolitan Coupe Platter for serving up his tastiest treats.  Personalize this platter by having everyone in the family add their handprints in a different color.

Race Car Change Tray

For Fathers that are always on the go, a race car themed change tray will help keep these busy Dads organized!  For this project, we re-purposed the #1020 Soap Dish into a change tray; It's the perfect size for collecting Dad's odds and ends when he empties his pockets out at night.  Fuse Car Tots around the rim of the tray to add a playful new dimension to this change tray!

Quick Marketing Tip

While you're planning your Father's Day samples and displays for your studio, you will want to incorporate some of these top-selling Father's Day bisque shapes: beer mugs, large platters, frames and business card holders.  Check out all these shapes and more at Bisque Imports.

Mother's Day and Auction Ideas

Mother's Day is May 8th!  Moms work around the clock, so take this special day to give Mom a personalized, hand-painted ceramic gift!  Mother's Day is an optimal time to encourage Dad to bring the kid's in to paint something for Mom!  Give Mom the afternoon off and let the kids create hand-painted ceramic keepsakes for her.

Mom's Escape

Give Mom a mental escape to paradise with this beach inspired Vino Goblet.  We used Duncan Caribbean Sprinkles for the inside of the goblet and Ginger Sprinkles for the sand around the base.  A great trick for creating perfect white lines for the beach ball stripes is to mask off this area with masking tape before applying color!  This simple trick will help your customers create professional looking pieces with ease!  Use a Square Shader Paint Brush from Royal Brush to add the black checkered details around the rim in a few simple strokes.  Then top it all off with a pair of Small Flip Flop Tag-Alongs.  Use Duncan French Dimensions to temporarily hold the flip flops in place during glazing.  Once they are fired, they will be permanently fused to the base of the goblet!  Lastly, a coat of Duncan Pure Brilliance Clear Dipping Glaze will ensure that this beach-inspired Vino Goblet is food-safe!  Cheers!

Easy #1 Mom Frame 

This Small Charleston Frame is super fun and easy to create!  This is a great project for the kids to make for mom.  Select 6 paint colors, grab your EZ Dotz wheel and start creating dots.  If you don't have an EZ Dotz Wheel (you can get one from Bisque Imports) or use the rounded end of a brush handle.  Dip the EZ Dotz or brush handle into paint and dab color onto the bisque.  Once your piece is covered in dots, use Paint Dotters or a small sponge to apply color to the inside and outside rim of the frame to give it a nice finished look.  Finally, paint a #1 Mom and Small Flip Flop Tag-Alongs.  For the #1 Mom Tag-Along, you don't have to paint around each letter.  Simply paint the entire face of the Tag-Along one solid color - yes, you just paint right over the letters.  Let it partially dry, and use the angled-end of a brush handle to scrape away the paint and reveal the letters.  Wow!

Mom's Favorite

Mom won't be able to resist her precious baby's footprints!  This is a plate that she will keep forever.  When her baby's footprints are a size 11, she will cherish the memory of how tiny they used to be.  The Spoleto Plate Collection perfectly frames footprint and handprints!  Use Mom's favorite colors and add a funky border to really personalize this plate for your one-of-a-kind Mom!

These hand-painted gifts from the heart will make priceless memories for Mom!  For more Mother's Day ideas visit our Gallery!

School Auction projects are another way to capture the memories from the school year!  These projects give your studio a chance to show off how creative you can be while helping local schools raise money!

Popcorn Bowl

This bold and colorful #225 Coupe Serving Bowl is a fun and functional school auction project idea.  Each child does three fingerprints using Duncan Concepts colors (2 in Light Ginger and 1 in Light Saffron).  The finger prints should be close together to form a popcorn kernel.  Add each child's name to their popcorn kernel using a Detail Writer Bottle with Medium Tip filled with black Duncan Concepts.  Decorate the outside of the bowl with retro popcorn colors like Really Red, Bright Saffron and Dark Black.  Create professional-looking straight lines using masking tape to cover the areas that will remain white.  Also, you can add several smaller coordinating personal serving bowls to make a complete set. 

For more fabulous school auction ideas visit our School Auction Gallery!

Kisses and Hugs and Pottery I Love

Crank up the love songs on the radio and get in touch with your inner teddy bear this Valentine's Day!  We chose a "Kisses and Hugs" theme for our Valentine's Day samples!  Learn how to create an XO Platter, make your own lip prints and paint a Huggy Salt and Pepper Set.

XO Platter - In the language of lovebirds, X stands for kisses and O means hugs.  Create this kiss-ably-cute dish. 

Lip Smacker Cup - We've all done handprints and footprints, so why not put a twist on it for Valentine's Day with lip prints!  That's right- have your customers paint their lips (warn them not to eat the paint - yuck!) and kiss the rim of this Big Rim Cup.  Create your own lip prints.

 

Huggy Salt and Pepper Shaker Set - Shake things up this Valentine's Day with this incredibly adorable hugging couple.  Create this lovable project.

We created all our Valentine's Day projects this year based on our "Kisses and Hugs" theme, but you can choose your own theme.  Here are some ideas:
1. Love birds - Bird related graphics are trendy right now!
2. Lovely Lace - Create intricately designed pottery in a few easy steps using lace.
3. Love Letters - Use a variety of Bisque Imports Letters to spell out how you're feeling this Valentine's Day.

Kisses and Hugs,
The Bisque Imports Crew

No Bake Marabu Pens

There are things that just make life easier - like hitting every green light on the way to work, having seat warmers, and the automatic shut off feature on coffee makers.  All these conveniences make me smile!  So in the spirit of green light commutes, Bisque Imports is now offering No Bake Marabu Ceramic Painter Pens! Now tell me that doesn't make you smile!  I see you smiling... :)

Shannon Hegger painted this beautiful Christmas Charger and I personalized it with a Red Metallic No Bake Marabu Ceramic Painter Pen.

So here's the scoop:  Bisque Imports is still carrying Marabu Ceramic Painter Pens that you have to bake in your oven for 30 minutes at 340 degrees Fahrenheit.  But now we also offer No Bake pens in regular and metallic colors.  The No Bake pens have a blue teacup on them that distinguishes them from the regular Marabu pens.  After a 24 hour drying time, the no bake paint is dishwasher-safe, but it dries to the touch much faster.  If you make a mistake, use a dab of rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab to remove the paint. 

If you see this blue teacup on your Marabu Ceramic Painter Pens it means they are dishwasher-safe without oven fixation.

Marabu Ceramic Painter Pens are ideal for use in your studio during this time of year.  Pair them with a glazed piece of pottery to create a make-it-take-it option for all those last minute shoppers!  Marabu pens are also ideal for use with signature platters, personalizing custom plates, signing your glass art, or adding last minute details to any glazed pottery or glass art.

I created this glass wreath using a clear glass blank, assorted green scrap glass, red glass rod dots and medium white frit.  After fusing the glass, I used a Gold No Bake Marabu Ceramic Painter Pen to add my initials and a few accent dots.

It's a Miracle

Duncan's Fired Snow is a miracle!  It's snow that doesn't melt in your kiln! This specialty product is now available at Bisque Imports (Item #SY546-4) and is ideal for use during the holiday season and throughout winter!

Fired Snow adds dimensional texture that simulates the look of snow when fired.  It looks like really thick paint before it's fired, but becomes porous during firing giving it a light, fluffy snow-like texture.

How to use Duncan's Fired Snow:

• Use on shelf cone 04 bisque that has been painted and clear glazed.
• Stir Fired Snow well to smooth consistency.  Don't add water.
• Apply 1 or more heavy coats of snow over unfired clear glaze.  
• Fire your piece to cone 06. 
• Water clean up.

More Tips and Techniques:

• You can use a variety of tools to apply the snow including a palette knife, brush, sponge, ice cream stick or squeeze bottle.  I used the angled end of a brush handle to apply Snow to Roxy, then used my finger to smooth it over.
• Apply it up to 3/4 inches thick for extra dimension!
• Snow may move slightly during firing.
• Fired Snow can simulate more than just snow; use it for ocean foam, clouds, etc.

Duncan's Fired Snow captures the billowy magic of snow for your wintertime inspired projects!

Out of the Box Idea

This "Carrots for Reindeer" plate was created using #5727 Light Bulb Tag-Alongs in an out-of-the-box way!  Tag-Alongs don't always have to be what they seem.  In this sample, I painted the Light Bulbs as carrots and reindeer ears!  Remember to stretch you imagination and think out side of the box!

Rubbing Alcohol Technique

Create unique patterns in your ceramic glaze using rubbing alcohol. From water droplets on flat surfaces to interesting drips on vertical pieces, the rubbing alcohol technique is an easy way to create intricate patterns that appear like magic!

Materials We Used

Bisque: 700 Small Cone Vase, 140 Cereal Bowl

Duncan Colors: CN505-8 Neon Green,
CN302-8 Bright Caribbean, CN253-8 Dark Black,
PB26399 Pure Brilliance Clear Dipping Glaze
Tools: Damp Sponge, R2845-8 Aqualon Ultimate
Fan Brush, Rubbing Alcohol, R2250-4 Aqualon Round
Paint Brush

Instructions

1. Wipe off bisque with a damp sponge to remove any dust.

2. Apply a base coat of color using a fan brush for even coverage over a large area. We chose Neon Green and Bright Caribbean. It is important to choose a base coat color that is lighter than your top coat. Let dry.

3. While your base coat is drying, prepare your top coat by mixing the color of your choice with water to a thin wash consistency. We used a wash of Dark Black for our top coat.

4. Apply color wash in small sections because it is important that the top coat is still wet when you apply the rubbing alcohol.

5. Immediately add a drop of rubbing alcohol to the outside rim of the bisque using a round brush. The rubbing alcohol drop will repel the top layer of color and create a drip pattern.

6. Continue applying the wash and alcohol drips in sections till you are satisfied with the pattern created.

7. Let your artwork dry.

8. Apply a coat of Pure Brilliance clear dipping glaze and fire to cone 06 to finish your ceramic masterpiece.
 
The Rubbing Alcohol Technique is a great idea for summer camps and year-round workshops.  Start by introducing this technique as a kid's summer camp project.  Gather the campers around and watch their faces in amazement as the rubbing alcohol magically forms patterns in wet paint!  Visit http://www.bisqueimports.com/ for a printable worksheet on this technique and to order your bisque and brush supplies for this project.

Bisque Pendant Light Kits

Bisque Pendant Lights are an ideal way to add a personal touch to your home or studio decor while using the bisque and color that you work with every day. To create these Pendant Lights, we used a Flower Pot in an innovative way. Simply flipping it upside down turns your everyday Flower Pot into an attractive lamp shade for your pendant light.

MATERIALS WE USED:

Bisque: #615 Flower Pot

Duncan Colors: #CN511-8 Sunflower Yellow,
#CN512-8 Green Apple, #CN302-8 Bright Caribbean,
#CN122-8 Bright Nautical, #CN232-8 Bright Briarwood,
#CN253-8 Black

Tools: Pendant Light Kit, #ST332 1-1/8” Diamond Drill Bit, Drill, Sponge, Detail Brushes, Craft Yarn, Scissors, Tape
 
INSTRUCTIONS:
 
1. Drill a hole in the bottom of your Flower Pot using a 1-1/8” drill bit.
 
2. Clean off the Flower Pot with a damp sponge to remove dust from drilling.

3. Sponge base color(s) on your Flower Pot.

4. Wrap your pot with craft yarn. Tape yarn to the inside of your pot to get started. Wrap yarn tightly. Tape the end of your yarn in place on the inside of the your Flower Pot.

5. Sponge over the yarn with colors that are darker than your base color(s). If desired, use a fan brush to add splatters.

6. Unwrap or cut the yarn off to reveal your design. If desired, use detail brushes to add finishing touches.

7. Fire and hang using one of Bisque Imports easy-to-install Pendant Light Kits.