The Magic of Raku

For hundreds of years the raku style of creating and firing pottery has lead to a wealth of unique, hand formed pieces. The magic of raku is revealed after the second firing when the artist scrubs off the soot revealing the completed piece. This traditional art form is continued at WildfirePottery on zibbet where Sarah lovingly forms each of her art works by hand. Second generation to the pottery craft, Sarah uses her talents in the realm of artistic expression with her love of nature's abundance to produce a delightful array of animals. Penguins, puffins, starfish, playful seals, and fun owl rattles are waiting to be discovered in her shop.

If you haven't seen enough puffins, stop by her second zibbet shop, Theartfulbadger, for a selection of buttons and greeting cards. I do like her Celtic designs.

Sarah fires up the kiln in Canada, ships internationally, can be found on Facebook, and also maintains an etsy shop. You will find more of her charming sculptures on her website, and a very well done video will give you a peek in her studio as she explains her creative process. If you would like to hear this multi-talented lady fiddle away, check out this CBC television spot. My husband is a luthier, and the community Sarah lives in sounds amazing.

Broken Vintage China is Reborn

I never would have thought that a broken dish could look so lovely, but here is a remarkable artist who has not given up on shattered cups and saucers. Laura has a wonderful Etsy shop, dishfunctionldesigns, where you will find true one-of-a-kind jewelry made from the china designs of years past. I was noticing how plain my dinner plates look in comparison to the lovely patterns she has in her shop.

Laura hand-cuts and shapes each broken piece of china into a shape that best displays the vintage pattern. She then creates a custom lead free silver-tin alloy bezel, making each piece a unique treasure. Browse her selection of necklaces, pendants, earrings, and charms to see if you recognize any of the delightful china patterns. Her artistic pieces of jewelry are perfect for the woman who enjoys a special flair with matchless vintage beauty.

If a piece of your grandma's china has accidentally broken, save the pieces! Laura can make unique pieces of jewelry from the shards, and they can be given to family members as an heirloom remembrance of their loved one.

Laura brings life back to broken china in Pennsylvania and ships internationally. You can also find her on Facebook or on her website. Thank you Laura for showing us that with the skill of a craftsman, thoughtful ingenuity, and resourceful creativity - recycling really works!