Carol's Carousel Classes

NO CLASS THIS WEEK
We have lots of orders to ship out and not enough time. See you next week.

What a nice idea. Better that coasters

TIPS & TRICKS OF THE DAY #1
this is a new feature that will appear on an irregular basis whenever I think of something new that might be helpful to others.

Cutting holes: Our wax melters have holes on the sides or around the base that need to be cut out. Jesse was using a saw tool and I was using a cleaning tool. Duh! We have a whole set of circle cutters in with our other cookie cutters. The smallest fits the size of the larger hole and we found that an icing tip fits the size of the smaller hole. When using cutters, make sure the ware is dry enough to hold its shape but soft enough to cut out. Place your hand or other support behind the section being cut out so the piece doesn't deform.

TIPS & TRICKS OF THE DAY #2
this is a new feature that will appear on an irregular basis whenever I think of something new that might be helpful to others.

Glazing: We have a pair of tongs made especially for dipping ware into a bucket of clear glaze. These would be used primarily by PYOP studios where customers underglaze and they dip everything. Why save for dipping? These also work well to hold a piece you are trying to glaze by hand. Make sure when you grab the piece that one of the tines is not below the side because it makes it difficult to set the piece down. (set on a cookie rack when wet). Paint the inside first holding the dry other shell while doing so.

TIPS & TRICKS OF THE DAY #3
this is a new feature that will appear on an irregular basis whenever I think of something new that might be helpful to others.

Managing thick glazes: The stoneware-look glazes we are using on one melter happen to be very thick. We find it easiest to scrape into a small oval plastic bowl from the dollar store. This allows more room for thinning and stirring. Glaze right out of the bowl, then return any excess glaze to the jar by pouring through the handle at one end.

TIPS & TRICKS OF THE DAY #4
this is a new feature that will appear on an irregular basis whenever I think of something new that might be helpful to others.

Crystal glazes: Been doing this for 53 years and just now realized it is so much easier to apply crystal glazes with the ware upside down. Keeps crystals off the bottom and if they happen to move during application, they move towards the top and not the bottom. Having crystals on or near the bottom can cause drips or feet beyond the ware during firing which have to be painstakingly ground off.

POWER is back on.
See you at 7:30 for
PLAY WITH CLAY

NO POWER ...
NO CLASS...
SORRY.
Unless it comes back on in time

It's NATIONAL LOLLIPOP DAY!
Join us HERE on this PAGE at 7:30
Please note that the GROUP is where I have to post the history lessons and only members can see it. On a PAGE everyone can see it so we are going to try broadcasting from here tonight.