Creativity Confessions

Trend Alert: White Hot Ceramics

2011-03-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Simplistic, elegant white ceramics are a huge trend for spring! We've noticed them popping up at all of our favorite stores, including West Elm, Anthropologie, and Etsy. Many of these simplistic pieces include a sweet message or poetry either stamped or painted onto them. I am LOVING this unexpected detail!

This adorable "Musings Bowl" is from poet and ceramicist Kylie Johnson's collection for Anthropologie. I love the combination of meaningful words against delicate ceramics.

This ring bearer bowl from Paloma's Nest is another beautiful example of how well ceramics and meaningful phrases can be combined.

Pigeon Toe specializes in creating heirlooms for the modern home. I love the unexpected pop of color inside these tumblers.

Even mainstream West Elm is adopting this white hot trend. I love the fun, whimsy spin they add to the trend.

While all of the above pieces are amazing, they can also be a bit pricey. Why not create something just as fabulous yourself?! Our new Duncan Oh Four Bisque Organic Vases would look GORGEOUS painted in our White Satin Glaze.

It's never been so easy to be on trend! Your friends will be so impressed by your chic new home decor accents, and even more so when they realize you made them yourself!

New Year, New Duncan Oh Four Bisque!

2011-01-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Happy 2011! I realize this is a bit late, but I feel like I'm just beginning to crawl out of the holiday fog. To me, it's still Christmas until the 12th day of Christmas (which was last Thursday). No judgement, please. After that it takes me a few days to take down the decorations and get over my post-holiday blues. But here I am! I'm done mourning the Christmas lights and wonderful smelling Christmas tree, and I'm ready to get on with 2011. 2010 was a great year (largely due to the birth of my wonderful niece Sophie) but I have a feeling 2011 is going to be even better!

2011's off to a great start here at iLoveToCreate with 24 new Duncan Oh Four Bisque Designs! Here's a look at some of my favorite new designs:

New Cupcake Bank, Cupcake Cookie Jar, and Cupcake Dinner Plate

New Chef Soup Bowl, Chef Sandwich Plate, and Chef Soup and Cracker Mug

Everyone knows I have a small obsession with cupcakes, so of course I LOVE these three new designs. I may be biased because I helped design them, but I know you're going to love them too! I can't wait to paint a "Happy Birthday Sophie!" plate. My Mom has a birthday plate that she made at Color Cafe a loooooong time ago, and she still brings it out for all of our birthdays. I always feel so special when I'm eating off the birthday girl plate! I also love the additions to the Chef Collection. Aren't they clever?! I can't wait to use the Chef Soup Bowl and Sandwich plate. On a wintry day nothing tastes better than grilled cheese and tomato soup. Mmmm now I'm hungry... Make sure to visit ilovetocreate.com to check out all 24 new Duncan Oh Four Bisque designs and to learn how to create the above projects and all the others featured in the new bisque brochure!

My Favorite Time of Year

2010-12-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

The holiday season is without a doubt my favorite time of year! Yes, I'm that annoying person that starts listening to Christmas music as soon as Halloween is over, and I'm not the least bit ashamed. I love the traditions that come with the holiday season. Here are a few of my favorites:

Spending Time with Family

(this picture was taken in Hawaii awhile ago, but it's still a cute shot of some of my favorite people)

Holiday Drinks from Starbucks (especially Gingerbread Lattes!)

Baking Cookies with my Family

(image via Sunflower Baking)

Enjoying Warm Holiday Drinks while Walking Down Christmas Tree Lane

(this is my brother-in-law Chase showing off how it's done)

Watching Holiday Movies

and a new tradition.... painting cute gifts!

I love this Peppermint Swirl project! Wouldn't it make the cutest hostess gift? Just add a few holiday cookies and you're good to go! I feel like I'm always struggling to find a festive, personalized gift for all the holiday parties I attend. And it looks so easy, even I could do it! Visit ilovetocreate.com for all the project details and instructions. You can also learn how to make a cute cake stand to display goodies at your own holiday party! Happy Holiday painting!

Sweet Baby Sophie!

2010-11-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

In this post a few months back I shared with you the exciting news that I would soon be an aunt! I also showed off the super cute onesies we made at my sister Sarah's baby shower using Scribbles Dimensional Fabric Paint. Well, I'm now an auntie to sweet baby Sophie! She's tiny and precious, and I'm so in love with her. When she was a week old my sister decided to have a little photo shoot to show off the onesies everyone made. Sophie was a good sport and made it through quite a few of them!

And here she is on her four week birthday!

It's crazy to see how much bigger she looks after just three weeks. She's probably going to outgrow those onesies pretty fast, so I better tap into my creative side asap and whip her up some new ones! I'm thinkin' she'd like a cute tie-dye onesie, like the ones made by Kristina over at Diapers.Deadlines.DIY!

We Love to Create!

2010-10-26T14:48:00.000-07:00

One of the best things about working at iLoveToCreate is that everyone once and awhile you get to let loose and just play! Friday was one of those days. At our monthly Sales & Marketing meeting we discussed a little business, and then we all got to paint our new Duncan Oh Four Bisque Travel Cup with Removable Silicone Sleeve & Lid! Not a bad way to finish off the work week, right?! Here's our entire team showing off their creative sides:

Here I am hard at work!

And here's a few of the finished pieces...

I can't wait to use my Travel Cup tomorrow! It will definitely spice up my boring morning coffee!

Ceramic Flashback

2010-09-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

Last night I had dinner at my grandparent's house and for some reason we started looking at pictures that nobody had paid attention to for years. I was checking out a picture from my high school graduation when I heard Ammy (my grandma) say, "Oh look! Here's one of you being creative!". Clearly these pictures frames hadn't been updated in forever because this beauty dates all the way back to 1998:

Have you stopped laughing yet? OK good. Even though it's TOTALLY embarrassing, I just had to share. Obviously the picture's not great, but can you see what I'm painting with? For you Duncan die hards it's easy to tell those are Concepts underglazes! In fact if you look even closer, you can tell I'm painting THIS jumbo latte mug I blogged about over a year ago! All I can say is thank goodness we switched to this beautiful new label...

...and thank goodness I don't wear my hair like that anymore!

Sarah's Baby Shower

2010-09-20T15:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you may remember this post about my older sister Sarah's wedding in May of 2009. Well, come October I'll have a beautiful niece! A few weekends ago my Mom, sister Libby, friend Valerie and I threw Sarah a baby shower. We were all so excited and loved celebrating with family, candy, cupcakes, good food, brightly colored poms, beautiful flowers, and of course, presents! Here are a few pictures from the day (isn't my sister the prettiest pregnant woman ever?!):

Valerie, Mom, Sarah, Libby, and Me

Libby and I with our cousins Lea and Vida

I was obsessed with these poms!

All pink Candy Bar

Instead of playing games, we had the crafty idea of having everyone decorate a onesie for Sarah. What did we decorate them with, you ask? Scribbles Dimensional Fabric Paint, of course! Here's all the goods sitting on my desk a few days before the shower:

I went a little overboard, but with so many fabulous colors to choose from, I really had no choice! Everyone had so much fun decorating their onesie. And who knew we had such a creative bunch?! Here are some of my favorites:

My cousin Lea with one of her many creations

My Aunt Veronica with her witty onesie

After everyone was done we hung the onesies up to dry on a clothesline outside. Doesn't it look cute?! I couldn't have been happier with how everything turned out. Now I just need it to be October already!!

Sprinkles, and Travel Mugs, and Ice Cream Dishes... Oh My!

2010-09-09T15:08:00.000-07:00

These two projects have been my babies, and I'm so excited to finally share them with you! If you check out ilovetocreate.com you'll notice we've released 26 exciting new Duncan Oh Four Bisque designs!! I personally helped choose and design each of these pieces, so I hope you love them as much as I do. Check out the new Travel Collection and Tea Party Collection below. What's not to love, right?! People in the office have literally be camped outside my cube BEGGING for samples of these new pieces! Yes, I'm talking to you, Lauren. I had no idea the power that would come with this position!

This is just a sneak peak of the great new designs we have in stock! Visit ilovetocreate.com or click here to download the new bisque brochure and check them out for yourself.

Everyone knows how much I love cupcakes, so of course I had to develop a line called Concepts Sprinkles! We took 12 of our most popular Concepts underglazes and added sprinkles of fun to them! The 12 new colors are:

CN 514 Straw Sprinkles

CN 515 Neon Orange Sprinkles

CN 516 Really Red Sprinkles

CN 517 Purple Sprinkles

CN 518 Delft Sprinkles

CN 519 Aqua Sprinkles

CN 520 Caribbean Sprinkles

CN 521 Kiwi Sprinkles

CN 522 Really White Sprinkles

CN 523 Ginger Sprinkles

CN 524 Briarwood Sprinkles

CN 525 Black Sprinkles

I love how Concepts Sprinkles can spice up a boring project! And they're super easy to use! Check out this cute cupcake plate I made at CCSA:

Everyone at the show had a blast trying out our new product! For those of you that are a little more advanced than me (hello, that's all of you), visit ilovetocreate.com to learn how you can create other awesome projects with Concepts Sprinkles, like Dessert First.

Summer Recap!

2010-08-06T09:57:00.001-07:00

As summer's wrapping up, I decided it was about time I return to my blog and update you all on what I've been up to! No, I haven't forgotten about this lovely blog. I've just been a busy girl, not that it's any excuse! So where have I been, you ask? Well, a pictures worth a thousand words, so let me show you!

In early July I visited my sister Libby in Rochester, New York. Being the die hard Harry Potter fans we are, we traveled to Toronto, CA to see this amazing exhibit. They had tons of costumes, props, and even sets used in the Harry Potter movies. Yes, we're huge dorks, and yes, we were in heaven! We even got to see Cedric Diggory's Quidditch robes!! For those of you who are perplexed by my excitement, in the fourth Harry Potter movie The Goblet of Fire, Cedric Diggory was played by a little known actor by the name of Robert Pattinson! That's right ladies, I was but a few feet away from clothing actually worn by Edward Cullen (swoon!). Here's a picture of Libby and I outside the exhibit:

Next I traveled to Aptos, California to spend some time with my boyfriend's family at the beach. We had a great time, although the best part might have been escaping the 100

degree Fresno heat! Here's a picture of all of us:

Mixed in with all the fun and traveling has been quite a bit of work! But lucky for me, that's pretty fun, too. One of my favorite things about my job is being on iLoveToCreate's Trendspotter Team. You can see the results of our trendspotting here at ilovetocreate.com. Below is a report written by our "Trend Master", Jen:

Jen writes, "The fashion industry has been inspired by ink-blots and mirror imagery for spring/summer 2010. The theory behind the Rorschach ink-blot test, created by Herman Rorschach, is that the test taker's spontaneous or unrehearsed responses reveal deep secrets or significant information about the taker's personality or innermost thoughts." The Rorschach trend isn't just for the fashion industry! Check out the awesome Enchantment vase below:

Isn't it beautiful?! This vase was created using CR20088 Blueberry Ice and CR20089 Raspberry ice from our most recent Crystals Glazes release! Visit ilovetocreate.com to find out how to create other cool Rorschach projects, like the Blots of Fun dinner plate!

10 New Crystals Glazes and Modern Brass!

2010-07-08T15:07:00.000-07:00

It's so much fun when we can give our customers something we KNOW (and have heard over and over again) they want! Earlier this month we released six brand new Crystals Glazes and four reformulated, nontoxic favorites from our old leaded Crystaltone line. We also introduced the loooooong awaited Modern Brass, a nontoxic replacement for the leaded Antique Bronze and Antique Brass! Check them out:

CR 922

Eruption

CR 923
Raspberry Lemonade

CR 924

Wildflower Bouquet

CR 925

Independence Day

CR 926
Sandy Beach

CR 927
Hawaiian Sand

CR 20075
Dalmatian

CR 20088
Blueberry Ice

CR 20089

Raspberry Ice

CR 20091

Harvest Time

SY 1026

Modern Brass

I love to create with Crystals Glazes because it's SO easy. The random nature means there's no "messing up" - even a beginner like me can figure it out! Our amazing designer Suzie dreamed up beautiful pieces to show off these new glazes! See the lovely Harmony project below, and visit ilovetocreate.com for more inspiring projects!

Alice in Ceramic-Land

2010-05-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

If you pop over to ilovetocreate.com and check out the Media & Trends section, you'll find Jen's most recent Trendspot:

In this month's Trendspot, Jen notes "During periods of recession and depression, people often choose to escape their fears through blissful fantasy, futuristic sci-fi and dark romance." Three obvious examples of the Fantasy & Escapism trend are the massive popularity of Avatar, The Twilight Series, and Alice and Wonderland. Why not add a little fantasy to your own reality?! There's no better way than with this whimsy "The Grin That's In" plate!

I love the devious grin, and the use of Pantone's 2010 Color of the Year, Turquoise! I'm especially partial to it since it's also the official color of Duncan! Enjoy this whimsical treat, and make sure to check the Trendspot each month to stay up-to-date on all the biggest trends!

Introducing Renaissance Glazes™ Color Break Series!

2010-04-30T12:56:00.000-07:00

I gave you a sneak peek of this release last month, and now I'm so excited to officially announce 8 new additions to the Renaissance Glazes family! Reinvent your artistic passion as you experiment with this new line of Duncan Glazes! Specially formulated for cone 5-6 firing, the Renaissance Glazes Color Break series writes poetry with color on stoneware and porcelain in the greenware or bisque stages. These 8 new colors are available in 8-oz. jars. Like all Renaissance Glazes, they are nontoxic, food safe, and overglaze compatible!

RG 709 Spiced Cream

RG 710 Buff Clay

RG 711 Burnt Apricot

RG 712 Smoked Cinnamon

RG 713 Spiced Cream

RG 714 Pistachio Nut

RG 715 Heirloom Blue

RG 716 Henna

I LOVE the vibrant colors and the unique iron breaks! No two pieces will ever be the same. Visit your favorite Duncan Distributor to pick up these colors and start creating today!

Off to Philly!

2010-03-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Monday morning, at an UNGODLY hour, the iLoveToCreate Ceramic Arts team will head out to Philadelphia for the NCECA Conference. NCECA stands for National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts. NCECA "promotes and improves the ceramic arts through education, community-building, research, and creative inspiration." I'm so excited about the amazing artists we'll be featuring in our booth! Musette Young created these beautiful pieces using two of our NEW Renaissance Glazes. Enjoy the sneak peak, and check back for more information on this new release SOON!

I am BEYOND excited about the other artist we'll be featuring, Natalya Sots. Natalya is an artist originally from Pavlodar, Kazakhstan, but she now lives in Chicago's suburb of Shaumburg. I am in LOVE with her whimsy style. It's so fun, and so on trend. Can't you just imagine Johnny Depp drinking from one of these at the Mad Hatter's tea party?!

I can't believe these masterpieces were created with OUR products! Natalya loves to use a combination of Cover-Coat and Envision Glazes in her designs. You can learn more about Natalya at ilovetocreate.com, and purchase her work from her Etsy Shop. If you're in Philadelphia next week, make sure to stop by the iLoveToCreate booth at NCECA to see these amazing pieces (and of course all our other great products!)

Introducing 6 New Additions to the Concepts Earth Tones Series!

2010-03-12T09:19:00.000-08:00

I told you we've been busy little bees here at iLoveToCreate, and I promise I wasn't lying! I'm so excited to finally be able to announce one of the exciting things we've been working on, six new additions to the Concepts Earth Tones series! Come home to creativity with these six classic additions! Whether you're experimenting with popular trends or creating a future heirloom, discover the harmonious blend of bold color and stunning simplicity in each Mother Nature-inspired shade. With Concepts Earth Tones, you can put your imagination to work with color that'll never go out of style. The six new colors are:

CN 508 Chutney Spice

CN 509 Paprika Red

CN 510 Earthen Moss

CN 511 Sunflower Yellow

CN 512 Green Apple

CN 513 Deep Berry

Visit ilovetocreate.com to learn how you can create with these six vibrant new colors! Here's a preview of some of the awesome projects:

Tribal Leaves

Sunny Day

Brilliant Blossom

Pick up a paintbrush and fall in love with these new Concepts Earth Tones today!

Trend Alert: Deco Rose

2010-03-01T10:12:00.000-08:00

Spring has sprung early this year! Debuting in fashion in summer 2009, the Deco Rose trend is still going strong and has already made its way to home decor! This trend is in full bloom at all my favorite places to shop. Check out a few of my favorites styles:

Full Bouquet Clip / Anthropologie

Rose-Is-A-Rose Headband / Anthropologie

Tissue Rosette Bouquet Tee / J.Crew

Rose Floating Candles / Pottery Barn

Tea Rose Duvet Cover / Urban Outfitters

We're always on top of the trends here at iLoveToCreate, so of course our designers were all over the Deco Rose trend! Who wouldn't love to create a springy project during this bleak winter weather?! At www.ilovetocreate.com we'll make it easy for you to create this awesome Graffiti Rose tee...

...and this beautiful Little Red Classic Coupe Dinner Plate!

Our iLoveToCreate designers don't just follow the trends, sometimes they're way ahead of them! Now is the perfect time to create on of my all-time favorite projects, the Crystal Rose Charger!
Spring into creativity with any of these trendy Deco Rose projects!

Anything Goes Graffiti!

2010-02-08T16:10:00.000-08:00

Who says tagging is only for walls?! Urbanize your dinnerware collection with this awesome project from iLoveToCreate! I love the clever combination of Tulip Fashion Graffiti Stencils and Concepts Underglazes for Bisque and Majolica! This dinnerware set is a must-have for any crafty city girl! I can't wait to try it out myself. It's been awhile since I've tackled a ceramic project, so check back to see how I do!

The creative minds at iLoveToCreate aren't the only ones taking graffiti off the streets and into the kitchen. Check out these AMAZING plates created by Donegan Designs. The collection "consists of a series of manipulated images taken from the urban environment."

You can see many more images at donegandesigns.com. I love the thought of combing the ancient art of Ceramics with modern day graffiti art! Who would have ever thought these two could come together? Create your own graffiti plates using the Duncan Oh Four Bisque Coupe Dinner Plate, Concepts Underglazes, and Mask 'n Peel!

January, where did you go?!

2010-01-27T15:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged since December 29th. I can't believe December 29th was over a month ago. Where has the time gone?! We've been busy little bees here at iLoveToCreate, and I promise you there are LOTS of exciting things coming in 2010! Besides working on these exciting new projects, the iLoveToCreate team has also been doing a lot of traveling. Two weekends ago the team headed to Anaheim for the CHA Consumer and Trade shows. We had a huge booth showcasing all of our products, and the amazing things you can create with them. My favorite piece by far was this beauty:This dyed velet dress was created entirely from Tulip products! Isn't it amazing?! To see pictures of more cool things from CHA pop over to The Trend Spot!

This past weekend the Duncan team was off to the IADCCT Convention in Las Vegas! As you may recall from my previous post, IADCCT stands for International Association of Duncan Certified Ceramic Teachers. They are a wonderful group of people, and I had such a great time getting to know many of them! It's always so nice when I can finally put a face to the names I see everyday. Here are a few pictures from the weekend. This year's theme was Ceramic Carnivale!

You may see a familiar face in that last picture. It's Musette Young, one of the stars of our iLoveToCreate ad campaign!These people are all SO passionate about Duncan products and ceramics. It was so much fun to watch them doing what they do best! A special THANK YOU to Duncan Ambassador Ingrid King for teaching the Duncan class, and to her daughter Sophia Kingsley for helping with the class. I'd say it was a huge hit! Thanks again to everyone who attended, and I look forward to seeing you all next year!

Santa, Come Back!

2009-12-29T09:59:00.000-08:00

If you're anything like me, you're in a slight post-Christmas daze/depression. Even though I started counting down to Christmas months ago, it still feels like it came and went too fast! I feel a little bit lost without any presents to wrap or cookies to bake. I'm still watching Love Actually, Elf, and The Holiday. I've piled up all my Christmas presents and I just stare at them, reliving the wonderful feeling of opening them on Christmas morning. I don't even want to use them yet, because then Christmas is REALLY over. Pathetic, right? Don't worry, I'm well aware. Thankfully, iLoveToCreate is here to help me find MUCH better ways to pass the time. Over at ilovetocreate.com they have a Project of the Day feature. Each day a new project is posted. These cute projects help me stay in the Christmas spirit, and at least I'll have something to show for my hours spent pining over Christmas! How cute is this:

Who doesn't love a Snuggie?! They were the IT gift this year. Personalize your Snuggie with Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Fashion Designs™ and Tulip® 3D Fashion Paint . I can't wait to curl up in mine by the fire as I listen to Christmas music and stare lovingly at the Christmas tree. And does it get any cuter than these Wonky Penguins?

I don't think so. I think this is the most creative use of the Duncan Oh Four Bisque Chopstick Holder I've ever seen! And here's a bonus, these aren't technically Christmas decorations, so you can let them stay around a little longer. You can find these and a ton of other great projects under the Project of the Day section at ilovetocreate.com. Let's make this years Christmas depression a productive one! It's never too early to get a start on next year. I mean, it's only 361 days away... :)

A Summery Treat for a Cold Winters Night!

2009-12-11T10:56:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's only 13 days till Christmas! Hard to believe, I know. Still searching for the perfect gift for that special someone? Look no further, I have the cutest idea that's particularly special because it was made by YOU!
Even your lactose intolerant relatives will love appreciate these lovely ceramic ice cream cones! These particular cones were created by NYC artist Virginia Sin. Cute as they are, why pay $18 a cone when you can create a set yourself for much less?! Our Duncan Oh Four Bisque Ice Cream Cone Box is even cooler because you can use it to serve ice cream, or the box can be used to store all your toppings! Customize the box with favorite colors, or to get the same matte look as Virginia, just paint the box with nontoxic, food safe SN352. Anyone will love this adorable reminder of summer during the cold winter months. How cute would they look with a scoop of red peppermint ice cream on top?! Mmm my mouths watering just at the thought. Still need a few more ideas for everyone else on your Christmas list? Check out www.ilovetocreate.com for TONS of easy DIY gift ideas!

i LOVE to create with Renaissance Glazes!

2009-11-23T16:00:00.000-08:00

First off, I have to apologize for being a bad ceramist. I feel like there's been so much going on here at iLoveToCreate, I haven't blogged about ceramics for awhile. Luckily I can FINALLY share a super exciting new line of mid-range glazes with you! We've been working on this one for a long time, and I'm SO excited to finally present to you...

The wonder and mystery of the Old World come alive with Duncan Renaissance Glazes, a premier mid-range glaze that modernizes art history on multiple clay bodies. The line of eight unique glaze colors provides limitless opportunities to embrace the rustic, ancient, historical and artistic perspectives of the 16th century... all with the ease of application that the Duncan Ceramic Arts brand is known for. Here are the beautiful eight new colors:

RG 701 Vintage Blue

RG 702 Antique Celadon

RG 703 Rustic Mustard

RG 704 Shino Cream

RG 705 Bronze Patina

RG 706 Frosted Brick

RG 707 Deep Sea Treasure

RG 708 Pastel Peach

Aren't they beautiful?! I love them because they're so different from anything else out there right now! Check out "Seascape" created by Duncan Ambassador Musette Young:

Musette says, "The glaze applies like a dream, and works well with Concepts design work underneath. The glazes also work great in multiple combinations with one another!" Contact your Duncan Distributor to get your Renaissance Glazes today! Just consider these an early present from Santa :) I'm going to give them a whirl myself. This will be my first experience with mid-range glazes, so stay tuned!

We Love To Create!

2009-11-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Even though Halloween is long gone, and my Christmas countdown has begun (44 days!), I have to show you some of the costumes my fellow iLoveToCreate-ers came up with! Here's a particularly witty costume the Internet Marketing team created: A little Tulip® Fabric Spray Paint™ , Tulip® Soft Fabric Paint™ and a pig mask and you can be the H1N1 virus, too! Here's the Swell Designer (Alexa) dressed up as Octomom:Pretty dead-on, right? I LOVE the big wax lips. Here's Sean, who looks so good as a girl it's a little scary!
And finally, after a lot of this......and a lot of this...

we have me, Smurfette!

I felt pretty silly parading around the office in this outfit, but it's fun to mix it up every once and a while! Now it's time to move on to my favorite time of the year!! I think I'm going to have my family over for a Color Bazaar party. Wouldn't it be so fun to have everyone make their own ornament for our family tree? Look how beautiful this Christmas ornament is:
It still amazes me how beautifully rich the color is! Click HERE to learn how you can make this ornament, or lots of other cool objects, yourself!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday my family gathered together for dinner and some pumpkin carving. I can't remember the last time I carved a pumpkin. It was messy, but SO much fun! I don't usually get that into Halloween, but as I told you last week, this year I'm feeling the holiday spirit early, and I'm loving it! Here's my pumpkin:I've mentioned before how creative my sisters are. Here's my younger sister Libby tackling her Polka Dot Pumpkin:Here's the group shot of all of them finished and lit! You see can see some family members are more creative than others! And by others, I mean me.
Quite the collection, huh? Are you having a hard time getting into the Halloween spirit? Visit ilovetocreate.com for some quick and easy project ideas! We'll help take your house from boring to bloodcurdling in no time! I especially love this creepy project by Pattiewack:I'm such a wimp, I'd probably be too freaked out to drink out of them! There's lots of fun costumes around the office today. Check back next week to see my favorites, and to check out how my smurf costume turned out! Happy Halloween everyone!

It's (almost!) the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

2009-10-21T10:13:00.000-07:00

Fall is finally here! Last night as I was leaving my parent's house it was so cold I could see my breathe. All I could think was one thing...the holidays are finally here!!! My boyfriend quickly reminded me I was getting a little ahead of myself. Before I can start thinking about Thanksgiving dinner and what I want for Christmas, we need to get through Halloween. So, now I've decided to focus all my festive energy on Halloween. Here's what I'm going to be:
I haven't worked out all the details yet, but I know there will be quite a bit of Royal Blue Tulip Permanent Fabric Dye involved. Not feeling festive this year? Visit ilovetocreate.com for fun and easy projects that'll get you in the spooky spirit in no time! The Spooky Smiles Plate is a cute way to display all those treats your ghosts and goblins love to nibble on!

I didn't realize how much I liked Satin Glazes until I saw this plate in person. Check them out! There's plenty of other cool Halloween projects and costume ideas at ilovetocreate.com. I love these Twilight-inspired tees (Team Edward!) and this super cute Boo Buffet! Somehow you can never have enough candy corns! If you need EVEN MORE Halloween inspiration, pop over the Swell Designer's blog. She's posted a TON of Halloween projects. Seriously, more Halloween projects then you ever thought possible! There's definitely something for everyone. Here's one of my faves:

Happy Holidays everyone!

Ceramists in Training

2009-10-09T11:13:00.000-07:00

These are my favorite little cousins, Risa, Lea, and Vida. I know you’re not supposed to pick favorites, but with personalities even cuter than their little faces and trendy outfits, it’s hard not too. Ssshhh, don’t tell the others.

The girls took a ceramics class earlier this summer, and their Mom, my Aunt Ver and the mistress over at the Nesting Ground, sent me this picture of a plate made by Lea.

She’s only 7 people, and already way more talented than me! She molded the organic shape of the plate herself, and then used shells to form the flower petals. Super cute, right? The sweet design perfectly matches her sweet little self. My aunt wasn't sure, but I like to think she used Cover-Coat or E-Z Strokes to paint her design. I wish I could tell you the name of girls’ teacher, but my aunt couldn't remember and no website exists. The teacher’s a true artist who couldn't make a living doing her art, so now she gives classes out of a studio in her garage on the side. My aunt used the word “studio” lightly, as no attempt was made to make it look like a class or a workshop. It was literally just a garage. How cool is that?! I’m sure Indie artists have taken quite a hit in this economy, as people cut back on luxuries such as art. I love that this artist is capitalizing on the DIY movement, and at the same time sharing her love of ceramics with eager young students like my cousins. The girls are coming to visit this weekend, so I’m hoping these budding artists can give me a few pointers! That is if we’re not all in a food coma after our visit to the big, big, big, big, BIG Fresno Fair...

i LOVE to create with Color Bazaar!

2009-09-30T09:57:00.000-07:00

It's been so hard for me to keep quiet about my FAVORITE new program, Color Bazaar! Finally, after a long and painful wait, I can tell you all about it! As I mentioned in my CCSA Recap, Color Bazaar is an innovative color process that transforms ordinary objects into a treasure. Color Bazaar gives bare surfaces a vibrant and magical personality with an easy-to-master technique designed for every skill level. With Color Bazaar, anyone can create a beautiful piece of art. Yes, even me! This program is SO easy and SO fun, I just love it. Here's how it works:

First, you choose your object and pigments. I went with Sapphire, Amethyst, Gunmetal, and Onyx.

Next, you pour a small amount of Sparkle Fuse adhesive into your object, and roll it around until it completely coats the inside.

You then drain the excess Sparkle Fuse. This step is SUPER important. I left my object for a minute or two to make sure I got it all out.

Next I scooped my pigments into the object using the Pigment Spoon (not pictured), and shook and turned my object until the pigment covered the entire inside of the surface. Here's my object halfway through...

...and here's the finished project!

As my last step I embellished with Tulip Glam-It-Up PDA, and hung it proudly outside my cube. As you can see, I have quite a collection forming!

I promise, anyone can be successful with Color Bazaar! Everyone at iLoveToCreate has fallen in love! Look at all these objects I stole from my co-workers:

Aren't they so pretty?! So do I have you convinced? Want to learn more about Color Bazaar?! Visit www.ilovetocreate.com for all the details!

All about Inspiria - cirque du CCSA!

2009-09-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

After a crazy four days, we clicked our heels and made it safely home from Kansas! We had SO much fun at Inspiria - cirque du CCSA! CCSA stands for Contemporary Ceramic Studios Association. This was my first time attending their annual convention, and it was an AMAZING time. I might be a little biased, but I have to say our iLoveToCreate booth blew the competition out of the water! Thank you to Alyson, Mandy, Pattiewack, Michelle, Sam and everyone else for all their hardwork! Here's some pictures:

Beginning to setup the booth on Friday

It's coming together!

Finally done and we're ready to go! Here's the Crafy Chica demoing our Duncan Make It Take It! It was a super cool project using our Duncan Oh Four Bisque Slant Star Box, Concepts, and sand!

One of the MOST exciting parts of the convention was that we FINALLY got introduce Color Bazaar!

Color Bazaar is an innovative color process that transforms an ordinary object into a treasure! Here's Traci Bautista demoing our exciting new program to excited Studio owners!

Color Bazaar makes it easy to experience creativity and the excitement of personal accomplishment! Here's Larry Duncan and the Crafty Chica showing off their treasures!

Here's some pictures of Valerie and Dean showing customers what the iLoveToCreate booth is all about!

My favorite part of the booth was our Duncan Oh Four Bisque Seasonal Blooms Collection painted with Concepts. This picture hardly does them justice, but aren't they gorgeous?!

I also loved our Color Bazaar wall. Check it out:

Well, that it's for now folks! Thank to you everyone at cirque du CCSA who stopped by our booth and tried out our products. It was so nice to meet all of you! See you next year in Reno!

Tune into Inspired at Home and Dippin' Dean!

2009-09-03T12:12:00.000-07:00

Inspired at Home with Tiffany Windsor is a creative lifestyle program that treats listeners to lively conversation including creative tips, project ideas, product reviews and creative lifestyle interviews. In case you didn't know, Tiffany is the daughter of America's favorite "Tacky" lady, Aleene Jackson. Yes, THAT Aleene, as in Aleene's Original Tacky Glue! This weekend's program with feature Ceramic guru (and my boss!) Dean Saether!
Dean has been involved in ceramics since childhood. He used Duncan Ceramic Arts products for the first time when he was 7 years old, and hasn't stopped since! His love of ceramics eventually led him to employment at Duncan Enterprises (now iLoveToCreate), where he has worked for 17 years! Dean is truly an expert in the field of ceramics. He's also an all-around fun guy, so I know this will be a great segment! Dean and Tiffany will talk about how iLoveToCreate and the Duncan Ceramic Arts brand has made the ancient art of ceramics accessible to people with varying levels of creativity and ability by providing the products and education to guide their success! Tune in and post your thoughts here!

She's Creative! Part Two

2009-08-28T06:48:00.001-07:00

So awhile back I shared a dark Creativity Confession with you, my faithful followers. The truth is, once upon a time, I was creative. I wonder to myself, what happened? Was there some event that utterly convinced me I had no creative bones in my body? As I got older was it no longer cool to ride my bike to Color Cafe? I guess I'll have to do a little more soul searching before I can reveal the answer to that one! In the meantime, I'll continue to post evidence of my past glory days. I'm finding it is SO much fun to stumble upon these ceramic pieces I haven't thought about in years! Here's my latest discovery, which, as you can see, is circa 1998:

Call me crazy, but I don't think that's half bad! I was clearly partial to the French Dimensions and Concepts back in those days. I still am, actually, with a new love of Crystals Glazes! For this project I used FD 258 Pure White, as well as CN 261 Light Grape, CN 041 Light Papaya, CN 061 Light Salsa, Cn 181 Light Kiwi, CN 121 Light Nautical, CN 123 Dark Nautical, and CN 142 Bright Aqua. Wouldn't it be so fun to try to do this project now?! I'm totally inspired to give it a try! Stay tuned to see how it turns out. Until then, I'm going to keep digging around my parents' house to see what else I can find. Do you guys have any long forgotten ceramic pieces laying around? Send me pictures and I'll share them with everyone! Happy hunting!

Interview with Ceramic Superstar Suzie Shinseki

2009-08-20T08:22:00.000-07:00

iLoveToCreate, a Duncan Enterprises Company is known by many as "the most creative company in the world"! We got this name in large part due to our AMAZING team of designers. These people are so creative, it's ca-razy! All of our ceramic pieces are designed by Suzie Shinseki. Check her out in our Duncan ad!

I asked Suzie a few questions so all of you could get to know our celebrity a little better!

So Suzie, how old were you when you first started doing ceramics? I was in my 50s!

Really?! So what drew you to the Ceramic Arts? It was the other way around - Ceramics drew me. I was introduced to ceramics in my first position at iLoveToCreate (then Duncan Enterprises) as Color Tile Technician. It was my job to learn about ceramics and cleaning greenware, and to paint small tiles using our product. Today we have so much more product!

I bet! Speaking of Duncan product, what's your favorite product to create with, and why? If I had time to do anything of my own, my product of choice would be E-Z Stroke™ Translucent Underglazes, Concepts® Underglazes, and other products (like Crystals™ Glazes) t0 add interest in areas. My background is in Fine Arts and illustrative work, and these two products lend themselves to achieving the details and capturing the realism in a piece.

What's a typical day like for you? Give us the inside scoop on being an iLoveToCreate designer! A typical day as an iLoveToCreate designer? Let's see... I start off the day at the computer checking e-mails and our computer system for my daily tasks. From there, it's juggling the jobs and taking on the most urgent. My tasks may range from one end of the spectrum to the other, so it can be challenging!

It's true! I've seen you go from designing a ceramic piece to sewing an apron, all in one day. I know it's probably tough to choose, but what's your favorite piece you've created? I think my favorite would be a piece I created with E-Z Stroke™ Translucent Underglazes many years ago!

Any words of wisdom you can pass on to aspiring ceramists? The only thing I can say (and I apply to myself, as well) is to do what you enjoy and keep at it. Keep painting and creating...you can only get better each time and learn!

A big thank you to Suzie for taking time out of her busy day to chat with us!

Every Cube Needs Some Flair

2009-08-12T13:57:00.000-07:00

While 80's inspired trends like bleached jeans and neon pops of color rule Back-To-School this year, I'm still into last years skull trend. I might be a little over skulls on clothing, but I'm definitely loving this Paul Frank Skurvy bike and this Skull bow from Tarina Tarantino's new City Girl Collection and this super cute Babydoll Skull plaque! It's been awhile since I've done a project, and I've been wanting to try out the X-Treme Dimensions™ line, so this project seemed perfect! Plus my cubicle at work could use a little flair. I'm the only person at iLoveToCreate who's cube isn't plastered with projects! Here's my finished project, proudly displayed outside my cube:So cute! My only disappointment is that the black ran a bit. Oops, I guess I was a little too anxious to brush on my Pure Brilliance! If I were to do this project over, I would definitely let it dry a little longer, and also sponge on my first coat of Pure Brilliance, and then brush on my second coat. One other issue I encountered was that my X-Treme Dimensions™ were pretty old, so they had thickened and were hard to squeeze out of the bottle. Luckily this problem has a quick fix! I just added a few drops of Duncan Thin 'n Shade, stirred it into the X-Treme Dimensions™, and they worked perfectly! It was totally worth the extra work. The multi-colored specks (you can see them better in the professional photo) give the piece such a cool effect! So this is what people see now when they walk into my cubicle. Pretty intimidating, right?! Yea, I'm hard core :)

Some people get all the talent...

2009-08-06T13:22:00.000-07:00

In my early blogging days, I told you all about the IADCCT regional and the 50 Duncan Certified Ceramic Teachers that took iLoveToCreate by storm. As a thank you to iLoveToCreate for hosting the event, Arlene Smith and the Southern Stars chapter of IADCCT presented this beautiful quilt to Larry Duncan. Check it out:
These people are amazing ceramists AND quilters?! Not fair! I’m working on developing just ONE creative talent! This quilt is not only beautiful, but it has special meaning to the iLoveToCreate team, as every square contains a picture of something Duncan related. If you look closely, you can see pictures of Erma Duncan, the Duncan family, pictures from the IADCCT regional, and the Duncan University logo. Thank you SO much to Arlene and all the members of the Southern Stars chapter. The quilt is such an amazing gift, and we’re working on finding the perfect place to display it so that all iLoveToCreate team members can enjoy it!

Have you heard?!

2009-07-28T15:01:00.000-07:00

Duncan Enterprises is changing its name to iLoveToCreate™, a Duncan Enterprises Company!

It is with great pride that we announce, on July 25, 2009, Duncan Enterprises will begin doing business as iLoveToCreate™, a Duncan Enterprises Company. Nothing else about our company is changing - just the name!

What began with one woman, Erma Duncan, wishing to share her passion of ceramic arts with others, has become an entire company of team members and associates, all dedicated to sharing the love of creativity with the world. In January of 2009 www.ilovetocreate.com was launched, igniting consumers' creativity, regardless of their product of choice, brand preference or consumer type. With the successful website launch has come the exciting opportunity to embrace change, and on July 25, 2009, we will begin doing business as iLoveToCreate™, a Duncan Enterprises Company.

On the ceramic side, we see this as an exciting opportunity to strengthen the Duncan brand. The Duncan logo and brand will now be dedicated exclusively to the Ceramic Arts business. We're excited about the future as iLoveToCreate™ strives to explore new avenues of creativity for it's core brands, Duncan® Ceramic Arts, Tulip® Fashion Art, Aleene's® Crafting Adhesives, Crafty Chica™ and ilovetocreate.com™.

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A Creativity Confession

2009-07-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

My faithful followers, I have to admit that I haven't been 100% truthful with you. I didn't lie, but I haven't been as forthcoming as I could have been about my creative past. While it's true ballet has always been my art of choice, I did spend a few good summers at a local contemporary studio called Color Cafe. Those days were years ago, though, and mostly forgotten until I stumbled upon the evidence at my parents' house yesterday. Check out these beauties... Notice I even made sure to take pictures of my initials for all you skeptics! I actually remember using Concepts and French Dimensions to paint these pieces! I think the box was painted with CN Bright Aqua, CN 181 Light Kiwi, CN 062 Bright Salsa, and maybe CN 032 Bright Butternut? The box definitely has FD 270 French Deflt, and maybe CN 171 Light Kelp, CN 112 Bright Delft, and CN 261 Light Purple. I think it's so funny that the summer before my Freshman year, when I was dreaming of becoming a professional ballerina, I was actually using the products I would someday be helping to develop and market! Funny how life works out, huh? Not that these pieces are anything to brag about, but they're a fun reminder of how Duncan products have touched the lives of even us "uncreative" ones!

The Trendy Ceramist

2009-07-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday, my friend Jen from The Trend Spot publishes an in-house newsletter that looks at emerging trends. This week she examined the huge resurgence of Michael Jackson inspired trends. She discussed how Michael Jackson may become larger in death than he was in life, and predicted we may be seeing a lot more crystal gloves, military-style jackets, and high-water pants as a tribute to the "King of Pop". At Duncan Enterprises, we often rely on Jen to keep our new products on trend. It made me think, could there be any place for Michael Jackson in ceramics? It seemed unlikely, but boy was I wrong....

Some quick-thinking ceramist hopped right on that trend, and for only $3.25 on eBay this Michael Jackson ceramic bust can be yours! But once again, why buy it when you can make it?! For all you talented people, simply sculpt yourself a bust and paint with OS Opaque Acrylics! And who knows, if the trend really takes off, we might just be seeing "King of Pop" shaped Duncan Oh Four Bisque in the near future! Only kidding people... I hope.

I love to create...

2009-07-02T14:39:00.001-07:00

cupcakes! I've discussed before my love of cupcakes, especially Sprinkles Cupcakes! For our 4th of July potluck at work today, I decided I had to make Sprinkles Red Velvet cupcakes. They are AMAZING, and with their white cream cheese frosting, and some blueberries on top, they make the perfect 4th of July treat. All I needed was some Sprinkles Cupcake Mix and my handy cupcake carrier, and I was good to go. Feeling very domestic, I took my time, making sure I did everything perfectly. Once I finished frosting and arranging the blueberries, I carefully placed the cupcakes into the cupcake carrier, went to put on the lid, and realized....they didn't fit. I was devastated! I had just spent two hours making these cupcakes, and now I was going to have to squish them together and ruin everthing! Luckily, working at Duncan doesn't just encourage artistic creativity, but it encourages you to think more creatively as well! I am proud to present to you my new cupcake transportation device:

As you can see, I used four wine corks to add height. I no longer had to worry about the frosting getting smeared everywhere! I then wrapped the entire thing in saran wrap. It kept the wine corks in place, and prevented the cupcakes from getting stale. I was so impressed. Here they are, safely delivered to work:

Not a blueberry out of place! Not to toot my own horn, but I've been getting rave reviews from my co-workers. I might just have a new career in cupcakes :)

Welcome to a "World of Creativity"

2009-07-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

I have been dying to talk about the exciting things going on here at Duncan, and finally the day is here! Duncan Enterprises is proud to announce 7 New Duncan University Courses! World of Creativity is a series of courses featuring animals from the seven different continents. Travel the world with Duncan as we take you from the jungles of South America to the glaciers of Antarctica. Isn’t that such a cool idea for a series?! And it gets even better. For the first time ever, students who complete all seven courses will earn a bonus credit for a total of 8 credits toward their Duncan University Awards! Check out these AMAZING pieces using a wide variety of product lines and techniques:

North America

Winged Wonder

South America

Rainbow in the Jungle

Antarctica

Emperor of the Arctic

Plus the Special Bonus Project...

An Arctic Tail

Asia

Underwater Excursion

Europe

Wintertime in the Wild

Austrailia

Looking for Leaves

Africa

Spotted Savannah

The participant supply list can be found on the Duncan University page of www.ilovetocreate.com. Contact your local Duncan Ambassador to sign up for this amazing series! Aren’t sure who the Duncan Ambassador is in your area? Use the easy Ambassador Locator tool on www.ilovetocreate.com, and contact them today! Leave me comments about your favorite projects, I'd love to hear your feedback!

A Trend to Dye For

2009-06-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

I like to consider myself a pretty trendy, stylish girl. Maybe not as much as Fashion Girl, but I try! This summer I’m all about tie-dye. Here are a few of my favorite tie-dye looks:
In this economy, why buy tie-dye if you can make it?? Duncan’s got you covered with Tulip® One-Step Fashion DyeTM! Check out www.ilovetocreate.com for some super cute tie-dye projects. But why stop there? Extend the trend to your home with this awesome A Plateful of Peace project!
I’ve wanted to try this project for awhile, but I was kind of intimidated by the shaving cream technique. With a confidence boost from my past projects, I decided to go for it! Here I am rolling the plate on the shaving cream mound:
And here’s the final project:
I know, I know, not too impressive. But for a beginner, I'll take it! Duncan definitely makes it "easy to experience Creativity and the excitement of personal accomplishment", but this one takes a little bit of skill, as well. Here's a few tips to my fellow beginners: this project requires A LOT of shaving cream, and A LOT of color. Make your shaving cream mound pretty high and at least as wide as your plate. Next, don't be scared to dribble on a good amount of color! I think that should do the trick. Even though this project wasn't as big of a success as my last, I still think it’s a super cool. This whole journey is about learning. And now I've learned never to be shy with a bottle of shaving cream! I'm going to try this project again, because I still love the idea of a set of tie-dye, peace sign plates. Stay tuned!

Clumsy ceramists (like me) beware…

2009-06-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

A few blogs back I mentioned how the term “raku” might as well have been pig latin (or real latin!) to my non-ceramist ears. But guess what people? I’m learning! Here’s what I know so far: Raku firing is a super cool process that first involves firing pottery or bisque in a kiln to about 1900º Fahrenheit. The ware is then removed from the kiln with long tongs, and put into a container with combustible material, such as sawdust, newspaper, or leaves. When the ware hits the material, it ignites! Here’s a picture:

The container is then covered, cutting off the oxygen supply. The chemical reaction between the burning material and the glaze on the ware creates awesome and unpredictable effects on the surface of the pottery. I’m sure more experienced ceramists could give you a lot more detail, but there’s my basic understanding! Not bad for a beginner, right? The results of raku firing are unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. Here are some AWESOME pieces done by Duncan Ambassador Musette Young on our new Duncan O4 Bisque Tribal Vases:

Aren’t they so cool? As much as I’d love to try it, I have to admit raku firing isn’t for accident-prone people like myself. Madi + a newspaper-filled inferno = Incredibly Dangerous Situation for Everyone Involved! I guess I’ll just have to stick to my cupcake projects for now.

Mouthwatering Creativity

2009-06-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have an obsession. I’ve tried to fight it, but let me tell you, it’s not going well. One whiff of that delicious smell and all traces of self-restraint vanish. What could it be, you ask? I’m talking about Sprinkles Cupcakes. Prepare for an intense mouthwatering experience…You’re welcome! Unfortunately for me, I’m smack-dab in the middle of Wedding Season, and these bridesmaid dresses better fit! Luckily, Duncan is here to save the day!
This “Strawberry Delight” project is a fun and easy way to feed my sweet tooth, without all the calories! What could be better than that?! I have to add that this is a momentous occasion for me because it’s the first time I’ll be doing a ceramic project on my own! I’ve been dying to use the new Earth & Sky Series Crystals Glazes. I just hope I do them justice! Here’s a few pictures, just to prove I did the project all on my own.

Drum roll please….. The final product!

Not too shabby! I had prepared myself for disaster, but I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out. I had considered myself a lost cause in the creativity department, but I’m gradually realizing Duncan really does “make it easy to experience creativity and the excitement of personal accomplishment!” Trust me, if I can do it, so can you! Check out all kinds of awesome projects using the new Earth & Sky Series Crystals Glazes at www.ilovetocreate.com. Now if only you had a cool job like mine where they paid you to do this… :)

Not only are they creative...

2009-06-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned before how creative my sisters are, but I forgot to mention how incredibly beautiful they are, as well. My older sister got married in Santa Barbara this weekend, and I just had to post a picture.As we were planning this wedding, my Mom threw out the idea of me painting chargers for the reception. I might be working on this creativity thing, but 180 bisque chargers?! Not quite there yet, Mom!

IADCC-wha??

2009-06-01T13:11:00.000-07:00

So, all of you “outsiders” may not realize Duncan Enterprises has its own secret language. It’s a language of cryptic acronyms that has taken me quite some time to crack. After flash cards and late night cram sessions (joking!), I now speak them fluently. One such “secret” acronym is IADCCT. What is IADCCT, you ask? Well, let me tell you. IADCCT stands for International Association of Duncan Certified Ceramic Teachers. A few weekends ago, around 50 Duncan Certified Teachers took Duncan Enterprises by storm for a three day IADCCT convention. Many of these people have been teaching Duncan University classes since before I was born! Needless to say, I was the black sheep in this group of amazingly talented people. Discussions revolved around “banding” and “raku” and a ton of other foreign ceramic terms. Turns out ceramists have their own secret language, too! Even though many of their conversations went over my head, the IADCCT members embraced me with open arms (literally! Apparently ceramists are big huggers), and offered kind words of encouragement as I told them about my planned journey into the world of ceramics. I showed them the pieces I’d made with David Hoff, and they all complimented me on how good my brushstrokes looked! Here’s some pictures from the weekend:

Soon I’ll attempt to paint a piece on my own. I have a feeling those brushstrokes won’t look so good when I don’t have a Duncan Certified Teacher standing over my shoulder! I would LOVE to be able to do this awesome Creativity Squared project, but I think I’m getting a little ahead of myself. For all your more talented people out there, check out how cool it is:

New Kid in Town

2009-05-21T14:49:00.000-07:00

So when I started at Duncan Enterprises, my first thought was “How did I get this job?!” I looked around at the abundance of creativity, and knew I was WAY out of my league. Creative ideas literally pour out of everyone at Duncan, and all I could say was, “What’s bisque again?” I soon learned their secret. At Duncan, “We make it easy to experience creativity and the excitement of personal accomplishment.” I hadn’t painted anything since I was in the seventh grade, and my Mom had helped me with any art project since then, so I was pretty confident that there was no making it “easy to experience creativity” for me. I headed off to Ceramic training with David Hoff prepared to totally embarrass myself. I cringed as I prepared to see my pieces after firing, but look!
I’m creative! And on my first try, who would have thought? Certainly not my Mom or sisters, who over the years have had some good laughs at the expense of my stick figures. Check me out! Thanks to David I now know all about Duncan Oh Four Bisque . Ok maybe not ALL about it, but I’ll get there! Move over Ceramic Diva, there’s a new kid in town :)