Summer Recap!

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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

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!