Wire Decorators

Do your stencil and stamp designs leave a little to be desired? If you've looked for easier tools with better results, you're not alone! These wire decorator tools are great for getting the look you want with much less effort. We were excited to try these after a few of our customers recommended them to us. And what a great recommendation that was! Once we got started, we were able to create this beautiful platter in no time.

Each kit comes with a set of directions and a tin for your paint. Simply select the shape you want, dip into your paint tin, and stamp onto the piece! Make sure to dip your tool back into the paint between each application. It's also important to keep a thick layer of paint in your tin, so that the tool picks up an even amount. (Tip: in order to waste less paint, let the tins dry once you're done and create paint chips!)

We think these tool will be great for beginners and seasoned artists alike, since the possibilities and combinations are endless. The kits come with nine different shapes that you can mix and match to create patterns or shapes. We had a lot of fun with this project, and it was super simple! 

Hydrangea Haven

Your customers will love this sweetly springy platter!

Materials

177 Metropolitan Coupe Platter 
CN112-8 Bright Delft 
CN121-8 Light Nautical 
CN182-8 Bright Kiwi 
CN202-8 Bright Grey 
CN244-8 Really White 
CN263-8 Dark Grape 
CN342-8 Bright Pink 
CN505-8 Neon Green

Tools

KDS13 Decorator Set 1

9599 Hydra Art Sponge

9630 Detail Writer Bottle
9636 Medium Writer Tip

R2850-4 Royal Aqualon Fan Brush No. 4

RAQUA144 Assorted Royal Aqualon Brushes

1.   Lightly wipe ware with a damp sponge to prepare surface for painting.

2.   Layer CN244 and CN112 and CN121 on your palette. Dip a fan brush into the paint mixture, making sure to keep the colors separate. Spread in long horizontal strokes across the platter to create a sky. Remember to frequently refresh the paints to keep the colors distinct.

3.   Apply a quick coat of CN505 with a fan brush along the bottom of your platter. Create details in the grass with a quick light stroke of CN182.

4.   Using your square spiral wire tool, create butterflies with CN342, CN263 and CN262. Add lines and dots in alternating colors. Then, create the small butterflies with the diamond Kemper tool. 

5.   Dip the spiral tool into CN342. Start creating the shape of your hydrangea, dipping the tool into the paint between each application. Let CN342 dry for about ten minutes and start your second layer with CN262. Once that layer has dried, add a final layer of CN244 with your spiral tool to blend the colors.

6.   Use a Detail Writer filled with CN202 to fill in the shape of the flowers. 

7.   Add stems to your flowers using CN505 with CN182 accents.Alternate the leaf wire tool on either side of the stem.

8.   Let dry. Dip in Pure Brilliance Clear Glaze and fire to cone 06.

 We hope you enjoy this project! While you're at it, make sure to check out our improved Resources area with tons of Technique Sheets!

Happy painting :)  

Studio Spotlight: Bisque Imports Studio Advisory Board

 

Pictured from Left: Stephanie Magennis, Trisha King, Hillary Moulliet, Katie Yallaly, Shana Bridges, Julia McNair

I love working on a team. Hearing other people’s opinions and ideas is refreshing and helps the entire organization move forward together. Listening to our customers and acting on what they say is even better!

Earlier this year, the Bisque Imports Crew invited six of our customers to become the inaugural Studio Advisory Board. They graciously agreed to join us for a two-day discussion about how Bisque Imports can be a better partner to our customers and better member of the industry at large. Since they share the same values and passion for the industry as we do the guidance these studio owners gave us has been of utmost importance and value as we move forward. We asked for their feedback and boy did we get it! These savvy studio owners know what they want and were collectively a great voice of inspiration and to us. They challenged us to look at the way we present our products, gave us direction in product design and helped us understand what is really important to our customers. We have already begun implementing many of their suggestions and are working diligently to fulfill the items on their wish lists. It was really a fun meeting and we enjoyed the opportunity to get to know each other better personally and professionally.

The people within our industry are such a great resource! I have not seen other industries share as much as paint-your-own pottery studios and am always pleased to hear from any customer that calls with ideas, comments and constructive criticism. As our mission statement indicates: Bisque Imports exists to make our customers, company and industry successful through determination, creativity and passion.

Thank you to our Studio Advisory Board for sharing your time, ideas and passion for the industry with us!

Stephanie Magennis
Ceramics In The City
Denver, CO
http://www.ceramicsinthecity.com/

Trisha King
The Royal Brush
Columbia, TN
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Royal-Brush/115943734430?sk=info

Hillary Moulliet
Art Space Studio
Charlotte, NC
http://www.artspacestudio.com/

Katie Yallaly
Doing Dishes
Jacksonville, FL
http://www.doingdishes.com/#!

Shana Bridges
Sunshine Glaze
Southlake, TX
http://www.sunshineglaze.com/

Julia McNair
Do It Yourself Crafts
Birmingham, AL
http://doityourselfcrafts.com/

Do what you love, love what you do!

-Crista

New Glass Bits Blog

Hello friends! We've got a new glass project for you! Head over to our Glass Bits Blog to check out the Nifty Name Plaque Project. http://bit.ly/oSMFTc

From now on, all project ideas and blog content will be located here, so you're in the right place! Chris will still be bringing us all the best advice on glass fusing, and Crista will serve up the studio spotlight, while I'll bring you everything in between! Now it's one blog with three times the content. Sounds pretty sweet to us.

We're working away on tons of great things that will soon be coming down the pipeline, straight into your studio. Stay tuned!

A Letter From a Friend

 We recently received an email from one of our favorite people. She needs our help, and you can help too! Ready? Okay. Read on!

"Greeting from Afghanistan!

Hey Ladies  & Gentlemen! Remember me?  Amanda from Hearts of Clay, but now I’m Amanda from Afghanistan….well, temporarily anyhow. I think everyone knows that I sold my beloved PYOP for the fun & excitement of an 1-year, all expenses paid trip to the mountains of Afg, thanks to the great US Army.  Well, we are having a fun time here, as much as can be had.  But, the reason I am emailing…..

Once a week I volunteer at hospital here on base that treats sick & injured Afghan men, woman, and children.  Well, when I say volunteer, what I really mean is I go hang out with the kids, read, play school-yard games, and assist with a small literacy program.  You know, kinda what we do in our studios, but with armed guards, and no glazing afterwards.  These children have really touched my heart and I want to do everything I can to make a difference and make their world a little brighter. 

This is where I need your help.  I need used children’s shoes.  So I am asking you to consider having a shoe drive this summer at your studio.

FAQs:

Why used shoes? Over the 10 years, there have been several shoe drives such as the one I am trying to have, and new American shoes have been found their way to the market to get sold.  Used shoes won’t sell at the market, so the kids get to keep them.  Yes, this is a sad fact of their way of life.

Why Aug 4^th? Its my husband’s birthday. Other than that, no real reason, your studio can pick whatever date is convenient for you.  We will set aside a date approx 2 weeks after all the shipments come in to hand out the shoes,  and we will have pictures of the happy kids & their shoes!

Why do these children not have shoes?  Well, the Taliban is a fundamentalist Islamic group that, once they took over Afg, banned women from working outside the home.  So, when most the male members of the families died in the last 30 years of war, women have very little means to provide for their children.  Any money earned goes towards food. 

OK, I have shoes….where do I send them?

Amanda Kane

228^th TTSB

BAF

APO, AE 09354

Thank you so much for your help, and I hope you choice to take on this small project that will have a lasting impact on these children for years. "

 

 

Your Summer Camp Domination Station

 

 Now that summer is in full blast (just like your air conditioners, if your weather is anything like ours!) you may be looking for some tips and ideas to refresh your summer camp program.

You've probably hosted a few sessions by now, and are just now getting a feel for what works and what doesn't. Let's face it: hosting a group of kids every day of the week while keeping them interested and inspired isn't the easiest job. After five years of running the summer camp program with one of my close coworkers, I certainly understand how camp can be: even when you know what you're doing! Few studio tasks are as challenging and rewarding at the same time. We don't want your camp experience to just be “okay”, we want to see your programs flourish! 

So we thought we'd give you a few pointers, and would love to hear your feedback. What works for you? What doesn't?

We'll start with some ideas on how to gain interest for your camps. Tips won't be of any help if you don't have campers, now will they?

1. Print flyers explaining the program with prices and times.
2. Staple camp information to each customer receipt and make sure your employees are knowledgeable about your programs.
3. Offer two-for-one or sibling discounts when parents sign up two campers. Promote any specials you have in your email list!
4. Switch up your curriculum each week to encourage parents to sign up their children for multiple sessions.
5. Dedicate a shelf in your store to displaying the latest and greatest camp artwork. This will get the conversation going and raise interest in your programs!

Phew. Now that you've gotten them signed up, what are you going to do with them? Without further ado, we present:

OUR TESTED, TRIED, TRUE AND TOP TEN TRICKS TO ROCKING SUMMER CAMP.

1. Schedule your camp with your other customers  in mind. It helps to have camp in either a time or place that will minimize it's impact on your other customers. Try starting camps an hour before you open in the morning, or host them in a private room or out of the way table. Whatever you can do to keep the group contained will benefit your other business tremendously.
2. Start the week by playing a few introductory games with the kids. If they feel more comfortable with you and the other campers, I guarantee it will make your job easier! When the kids can interact, they'll be more excited and involved with the projects. Go around the table and ask names, grades, and a funky fact. Don't forget to include yourself! (Campers love to hear that you're in "30^th grade" ;))
3. After getting to know the kids a little bit, you'll be able to give more personal and helpful instruction. But sometimes, two or four hands just isn't enough. Ask the campers who wants to be your “helper” for the day. Sounds crazy, but I promise you'll get some volunteers! The kids will feel special getting to go behind the counter to wash palettes and spray the table to clean up. This works really well when you're stretched to your limit!
4. Have a few small prizes for the kids. Sometimes, we'd offer a lollipop or a silly band to the best behaved camper that day. But my favorite game of all is “I Spy a Magic Scrap”. After messy cutting, painting, or mosaic projects, fix your eye on a single piece of paper or blob of paint. Then, tell the children that they have 2-3 minutes to clean up. Whoever cleans the spot you picked out gets a prize. Kids get really excited about this game and it will do wonders for the strenuous transitions between projects!
5. Try to avoid down time however possible. The last thing you need is a hyper group of kids running around the studio! Plan a few “filler” projects to do with the kids should one of your projects finish early, or if all the kids are working at different paces. Some of my go tos are: Origami Fortune Tellers  7-up (or 3-up, if you don't have many campers!) or Perler Bead projects  that you can make into magnets for an easy Make and Take on the last day of camp. We even painted a hang man and tic-tac-toe game on one of our 8'' tiles for campers to use with dry erase markers.
6. Engage with your parents, too. If you notice a child is having trouble, ask if the parents have any ideas. Open lines of communication will make the parents feel more at ease (and much more likely to spread the word about your fabulous program to friends)
7. Have your kids decorate their own camp bags on the first day. (Make sure their name is prominent and easy to read!) That way, as projects finish throughout the week, you can stuff them into their bags. On the last day, they'll have their projects all in one place and ready to go! Easy-peasy.
8. A fun project for the last day of camp: have your kids make thank you cards for their parents. I like to teach them how to make pop-up cards with messages inside. The parents will really appreciate the extra thought.
9. Make sure you have parents fill out basic information on their children, including doctor's numbers, emergency contacts and any allergies that they may have. You never want to be in a situation where you don't have this info!
10. And finally, the number one most important thing you can possibly know about managing summer camps: PLAN! Plan, plan, plan. NOTHING will replace forethought and insight into your campers' and studio's needs. Have a well thought out (but incredibly flexible!) schedule made up before the first day of camp. It's always a good idea to stay one step ahead of the camp. While the children work on one project, get started setting up for the other so you can quickly transition once they're finished. If possible, set the projects up at different tables so once the kids are done they can just switch over and leave clean up for later. Nothing creates chaos faster than rushing to catch up with the schedule. You can recycle the flow from week to week, and by the end of the summer, you'll be a time management pro and a camp counselor champion all in one!
    
    
    Woohoo! Now you've got ten more butt-kicking tools in your toolbox. The next time that first camper walks in your studio door--you'll be ready!
    
    
    
    

Ice Cream Party

We all stay really busy around here, so not everyone gets a chance to paint. We've got a fun new promotion coming up, so we took the opportunity to get everyone into the studio to paint, as well as have a little ice cream party!

Everyone chose their bowls, picked out some colors and went over techniques. Then the crew got to work! We had a blast painting together...it was really fun to see everyone's different styles come out, as well as our similarities!

Two weeks later, we got together and had an ice cream party to use our freshly fired bowls. It was delicious and a great way to break up a Friday.

Among the most popular tools were our
Paint dotters
Detail writers
Decorating wheels

Lots of people used bright, summery Duncan paints like 505, 302 and 511. The Really White Sprinkles were used as well, and they ended up looking a lot like the real thing!

This could be a great project for your summer camps. You could paint the bowls on the first day and have them fired in time for a little end of the week party!

Here are a few photos of our finished products. You can check out more on our Flickr.

Coffee For a Cause

When we heard that one of our customers is raising money for their adoption through an organization named Just Love Coffee, we jumped at the chance to spread the  word.

The organization lets families set up accounts which donate a portion of the proceeds to their fund. Just yesterday, we bought the "African Skies" and "Hello Sunshine" blend. We're excited about the new treat, but more importantly, we're excited that our simple purchase is going toward the Roberts' adoption fund.

You can help too! For the same price as your normal grocery store coffee, you can visit the site, do a little shopping, and enter "Roberts" in the beneficiary line. Voila! Within minutes you'll have fresh coffee beans on the way and at the same time, be helping this sweet family.


We truly believe that communities are capable of wonderful things when they work together. Why not use our crafty crew to benefit people in need? Here are a few ideas to spread the word even further:

1. Repost this blog or our Facebook status to your site

2. Buy some bags for your Dad, Grandpa or Hubby this weekend

3. Order a few items from the site to sell in your studio

4. Post a link to Just Love Coffee on your studio website

We like win-win situations, who doesn't? It's pretty simple. Buy beans, help a family. Thanks for your help. We're so grateful for the opportunity to support others.