Okay, so...I KNOOOOOW I owe y'all a post about my favorite clay projects that I promised you, like, a couple weeks ago. Holy cats, I just looked...I promised that A MONTH ago.
I'm not sure if y'all are aware but I stepped away from my art room on January 31st. Here I thought I was going to have so much time to return to blogging, creating content and all the rest and look at me. LOOK AT ME! I'm a whole month behind on blogging. Sometimes I wonder, how did I find the time before?! I have no clue. Looking to get back to all the things, including providing y'all with that promised blog post, real soon. But, in the mean time...
I painted a jumpsuit! And it was super fun and easy. I thought I'd share the process.
So, here you go:
Now, I found my jumpsuit at the thrift. But if the thrift gods are not in your favor and you just want to get started, I created a whole list of supplies for you right here...including some really cute jumpsuits!
I will say, this did take some time. Especially since I had to build in time for the paint to dry before flipping and painting the other side. The good news is I worked on two other DIYs at the same time (can't wait to share) so I was able to keep myself busy while I waited.
This jumpsuit is super comfy to wear and I'm in LOVE with it. I'm totally tempted to wear it to NAEA next month (who else is going?!) BUT I have a feeling it will be a little too warm in San Antonio for that. ALSO...the problem with jumpsuits is...
When you gotta go to the bathroom! OMG!
Thankfully, I can go to the bathroom when I like now that I'm not currently teaching. Pardon me if this is a little too TMI for you BUT...I know you teachers are sitting there nodding your heads. You know what I mean!
Anyway, I just wanted to share! I hope y'all have a fabulous day and I DO HOPE to be back real soon with more posts.
Well hello there, y'all! It's been a minute...and, if you haven't heard, a lot has happened around here. Like, for instance, me stepping away from teaching art in a classroom setting after doing so for 25 years! I KNOW. CRAZY. All the details on THAT very soon but first...a little something that I've been promising on Instagram for quite some time: a big ole post on all things CLAY.
Let's first cover my supply list of Must-Have's for working with clay:
* TOOTHBRUSHES! I'm so sorry to shout...actually, I'm not. You will thank me later but THIS is what your kids should be using when they slip and score. Buy this set and use them year after year!
* WATER DISHES! This is where we keep our slip. In fact, I use the same set of no-spill cups each year, just add more clay to it. When clay time is over, I let the water evaporate and just leave the dried clay inside. When the new year begins, I just add water and we have insta-slip! Kids dip their brushes here. We also have a set of these just for painting...so I don't have to worry about cleaning them out when we switch from clay to painting!
* DOGGIE DISHES! Okay, so this is an alternative to the no-spill cups. I love these! We use these also when painting. So if the other cups are too much for your budget, try these!
* DOILIES! Since I started shouting, now I just can't stop. I LOVE doilies...in fact, just scroll below and you'll see a ton of my projects features a texture...it's from theses bad boys! You can also find them at your local thrift store and yard sale so be on the look out!
* REUSEABLE TOWELS! Oh man...I cannot tell you how much this saved the MESS in my room this year. Hear me out: I placed a bin of water on each table with a splash of soap and 2 towels. At the end of each art class, the kids used a towel to both clean their hands and the table. This kept the dust mess down! My custodian friend was so happy.
The other items you'll find on my list are the air dry clays I've used in the past. I'm also sharing glaze (which is only used on kiln fire clay). I purchase my clay locally from The Clay Lady. She also sells the clay mats I strongly recommend. If you purchase your clay locally, you'll be supporting local businesses.
And now...on with the show!
Isn't it crazy to think that we are expected to know about all things clay...just cuz we have an art teacherin' degree?! Well, I created a video sharing everything I know about clay. You can catch even more details in this blog post.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to add beautiful color to ceramics without the hassle of a second fire and of the expense of glaze. I'll share a TON of projects in the second installment of this blog post that do not require glaze...and still look amazing. BUT FIRST...
What is Clay is a video I created several years ago to share with my students on the very first day of working with clay. With my 30 minute classes, we watch the videos and then we spend the rest of class just rolling up our sleeves and getting a little messy. It's a great introduction to clay, no matter what the project. Here's a peak at the video:And now...a moment from our sponsor.
Me. I'm the sponsor.
Many of my projects can also be done with air dry clays, either homemade or store-bought. And if you are kiln-less and would like a little more guidance, I wrote a whole book about it! You can find it here.
Okay, y'all. I really thought I could also add all my favorite clay projects also in this blog post BUT...I think I'll save that for the second installment of this series, so stay tuned. Until then, have a good one!
