This is the story of lighting the Carousel Creations Studio.

There was a single ceiling light in the center of the room. One that matches the other three in the game room. This was on the switch with the first game-room light and the other two are operated by a switch at the other end of the game room.  Obviously this single light was not going to be enough for painting.

The first thing we tried was torch lights in the four corners of the room. Even though they were three-way bulbs and gave lots of light to the room, it was not shining on what we were trying to paint. We needed task lighting.

So Alice brought over a floor lamp–the kind with the swing-out arm so you can focus the light where needed. Carol brought two more down from the living room and also one of those three-bullet lights on a pole. So how to plug them in? We ended up with a cord reel in the middle of the room with lamp cords all over the place.  This was not too bad when the tables were pushed together in the middle of the room, but a real nuisance when they were separated.

Our son Jimmy got us some florescent ceiling lights–the kind you use in a drop ceiling. And we had a drop ceiling. But that was in the “old” classroom which became the mud room where we pour and store the molds. The “new” classroom has finished ceilings so Jim wanted to build some boxes to house the lights.

Then Carol said it would be really nice to have the lights up for her birthday party. So with several all-night sessions in the wood shop, and an all-day installation by son Joe and his wife Vanessa… WE HAVE LIGHTS!  (You might want to bring your sunglasses. LOL)

Are you a gnome lover? Do you have trouble passing them by in the garden center? We had a family reunion in 2013 and one of our games was to guess how many gnomes were in the yard. The answer? Thirty one! But that was before we got the molds.

Now you can come and make your own garden gnomes. (And now I have to make sixteen more.) Use whatever colors work best in your space. Follow the link Garden Gnomes to see the pictures. This little guy is the only Medium-size Gnome that we have. He is 9″ long.

There is a set of eight Flower Pot Gnomes that look great stuck into your pots or sitting on a windowsill.  Mine are sitting on the dividers of our bay window in the living room. (Seven dwarfs + Suzie, the girl + Snow White).

The Garden Gnomes are about 17″ tall and we have five of them. They are huge molds and we will only pour them  upon request. Besides, they won’t fit on our bisque shelves except on the very top.

Odds and ends include ornaments and wind chimes. Some of these tiny gnomes  will also work in your fairy garden.  If you happen to drive by the house, you will only see our gnomes (and other items we have made) in the front yard.  All of the store-bought items were sent to the back yard.

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!

So come to our home and make your own gnome.

Yesterday we talked about Fairies and Fairy Gardens. So today I want to focus on the bigger gardens, and bigger things to put in them. Last year we got out the mold for pur Garden Frog.  About 12″ long this guy is a huge frog. Paint him in natural colors or use a crystal glaze for a unique finish. He could either sit on dry land in your garden or in shallow water in your pond. Glaze inside and out if used in the water. We have a nice turtle as well and you will find him sitting out front in our rose garden.

The ceramic squirrels we have are a bit bigger than the real squirrels around here.  The one sitting up is 9″ tall and the one standing is 10″ long. They can be found in the front garden along with the ones that scamper from tree to tree.  There is also a life-sized chipmunk to keep them company.

We have a whole family of realistic rabbits. (And also real ones. To tell the difference see if they move. LOL)  The large rabbit looking left is 15″ and the standing rabbit is 12″.  Their three bunnies are each about 6″ and are already outside in the front garden.

Other molds include a mama raccoon and a baby raccoon, a mama fox and her “fox kit,” and deer in various sizes.  Many of these have not yet been poured and there are multiple molds to each, so hopefully all the parts are there. Unlike the life-size critters  mentioned above, these are smaller in stature.

Even the kids can make  these critters. We had several successful workshops last year with homeschool kids, 4-H kids, and “kids” from the MRDD workshop.  We will start to pour these next week but make sure to call ahead and order what you want. They are pretty good-size pieces and we do not have the shelf space to keep many on hand.

Check out the album Woodland Animals to see the pictures .  For some reason the program is not letting me insert any pictures today.  Or better yet, come on over and check out our gardens for yourself!

Carousel Creations
Where having fun is why we come!

So why not come to class , bring the kids along, and make some critters for your garden?

Good Morning! And what a bright sunshiny day it is!  Almost makes me want to go out and play in the dirt. Alas, I need to go play in the mud instead!  But you can play in the dirt!  Why not join the new craze of building Fairy Gardens?  Here are a few ceramic figures to help you get started.

First, our new set of Three Fairies. (The mold actually says pixies but I don’t know the difference, do you?)   I am not real happy with how they turned out but at least I can show you what they look like.

As shown in the photo, one is a shelf sitter but you could set her on a bench or rock in your garden.  One is lying down with her feet up behind her, and one is sitting with her feet out in front of her. They are each about 4″ x 6″.

We also have some fairy houses you could  use in a container garden.

The picture on the left is the Nibble Nook House that I painted last year. The little mouse sitting in the foreground is supposed to be on a swing that hangs from the mushroom tower on the right. Unfortunately, his brother was glued on first and then he wouldn’t fit. Catalog pictures also show the Nibble Nook House with bunnies.

On the right is the Mushroom House.  It comes with two small mushrooms in the same style, and is shown with soft bunnies on a soft base. You can place it directly into your garden without the base if you like, and use it with or without the bunnies.

This Cute Little Fawn is only 3″ long and would look really cute in your garden as well.  We have a large selection of small animal figures including forest animals, bunnies, frogs, turtles, more mushrooms, and so on.

And then there are the Christmas Village houses and accessories that fairy gardeners often incorporate into their works of art. Besides houses, there is a covered bridge, a stone wall, a picket fence, an outhouse, a fruit stand, a lighthouse, farm animals, cars, people, and on and on. Just use your imagination and you will have enough pieces to make several fairy gardens.

In our shed sits a red washtub we bought to use for cold drinks at picnics. (But we have coolers for that.) I am thinking it would be much more useful as a container garden! So look for it next time you come by!

We are Carousel Creations
Where Having FUN is Why We Come!

So why not come on over and get started on your own miniature garden?

Week of June 26th to July 1st 

Sun June 26th & Thurs June 30th @ 1:00
Mon June 27th, Thurs June 30th, Fri July 1st @ 6:30

Please note that this workshop was rescheduled
from the dates on the original workshop poster.

We picked up three NEW molds at Weaver’s that we are pouring for this workshop:

The first is an Historic Flags of the U.S. plate.  The flags are around the rim of the plate and this can be a utility piece if done in underglazes. It will make a nice serving plate for your holiday picnic.

The next is a bicentennial plate of the historic fife and drum picture. The years 1776-1976 are on the bottom.  Even though we are way past the bicentennial, this is a lovely tribute to hang on your wall. Beautiful if done in acrylic stains. Or you could use other techniques.  However, the nature of the piece does not lend it to be used for serving food (open back, raised design).

Last, is a Liberty Bell plate. It is a large plain bell that could be decorated as a Christmas bell but we are doing ours as a Liberty Bell for the Fourth of July. Again, utility pieces need to be done in underglazes.  This piece will make a nice serving dish.

So besides getting the clowns ready for my BIRTHDAY PARTY this Sunday, I have started to paint the samples for Celebrate America.  We will try to have a few of each on the shelf but you should order what you want just to make sure it is available. Make sure to make a reservation for the time that best suits your schedule. Kids can come, too!

Carousel Creations
Where Having FUN is Why We Come!

Make sure to  put Celebrate America Week on your calendar.
If the picnic is not at your house, you can make a nice hostess gift.

This is the name of our next DATE NIGHT, Saturday, June 25th at 6:30. Last month our Date Night was a big success and we would like to make it a monthly event if there is enough interest. There is an “event” on the Facebook page where you can sign up or just message me.  Date Nights are intended for young couples–teens and young adults–but older couples are also welcome. The cost is $25 per couple for the featured item. But you can choose to make something else, if you prefer.

This is a silkscreen workshop done with Concepts underglazes on bisque. This is a picture of the actual dragon silkscreen since I have not yet completed the sample piece.  It has six different dragons  and you can choose the night of the event.

This is the “bugs” silkscreen which includes the dragonfly but also an assortment of other bugs and butterflies. I am thinking the guys probably want to do the dragons and the gals the dragonflies and butterflies, but I have been know to be wrong in assuming things.

Silkscreens can be applied to any plain piece. You are only limited by the size of the silkscreen and the size of the piece. For example, cups, bowls, plates, flower pots, watering cans, plaques, vases….   I will have a supply of plates on the shelf but if you want something else you need to order it at least a week in advance.

First the pattern is transferred using black underglaze, then you add color where you want it with a single coat of concepts.  You can freehand other designs and sponge on background or border colors to make your piece look more complete.

Here is a child’s plate setting ready to be glazed and fired.  Your pieces will look like this when you are finished but the colors will pop after the clear glaze is applied and they are fired.

In case you are single (or he just doesn’t want to come) you can learn to silkscreen at any of our open classes. Monday, Thursday, and Friday evenings at 6:30. Make sure to call ahead and tell us you are coming.

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN it why we come!

So let’s make it a date!
(And it’s a pretty cheap date compared to something like dinner and a movie!)

Last year I turned 70, retired, and revived our long-loved Ceramic Studio. I am a teacher by  profession so now I am teaching old friends and new friends how to relax, forget the kids, the job, and the problems, and just focus on painting something. We started doing ceramics in 1970 and have taught in Salem and Mineral Ridge and even obtained a Duncan Products Certification. More recently we took about a twenty year break from ceramics because my job took up too much time. So here we are: pouring molds, cleaning greenware, and sharing our love of ceramics with others. 

Last year I had a Birthday Party with family and friends to celebrate the big seven-o. So this year it’s 71, an uneventful number, at best. I decided to have a ceramic event to celebrate. So here’s the deal–it’s NEXT SUNDAY, one week from today.

• FREE ceramic painting lesson
• FREE Make-It-Take-It Ornament
• FREE punch & cupcakes
• INFO on workshops, classes, and parties
• COUPONS for free lessons
• CLOWN SALE–$5.00 to paint one at the party
• DOOR PRIZE drawing for a larger clown (finished)
• BIRTHDAY CLUB registration

Please come and bring your friends and family. Everyone can paint. The studio is in the basement but we are wheelchair accessible.  The best way to let people know about our studio is through you, our friends and family.

Here are a few of the CLOWNS that will be available. Some of them are banks.

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!

So come have some fun at my birthday party.

This is a workshop I designed in answer to some comments that were made at one of the group sessions.  Now that school is out would you and/or your kids be interested in learning more about the whole process of slip-cast ceramics ?  It is a 4-week class in which you get to do the following:

1. pour molds
2. clean greenware
3. load the kiln
4. use acrylic paints
5. use underglazes
6. use clear glaze
7. use semi-translucent glaze
8. use crystal glaze

Featured are our Goshen Road molds: Cute Kitty, Mandy Mouse, & Scotty Puppy.

It will take several sessions to complete one piece, and we will be working on at least two pieces each time. Thus, it is essential that you attend every class. However, if you must miss a class we can schedule a make-up time for you. The cost is $40.00 and that gets you 4 classes and at least 4 pieces. I have scheduled a workshop series beginning tomorrow for 4 Saturdays in June at 10:00 a.m. but that may not be the best time for everyone.

What I need to know:

1. Is anyone interested?
2. What day of the week suits your schedule?
3. What time of day suits your schedule best?

I would like to have a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 8 in each class. Please comment here or send a PM on Facebook.

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!

So why not come and learn what we do behind the scenes?

Today we talk about a Duncan underglaze product that is designed to use on bisque, called “Concepts”.  If you are familiar with Duncan products you may remember Cover Coats, underglazes to use on greenware. They are still available although we do not have them in our studio right now. Many of you have been using acrylics to paint decorative pieces. But what to do on utility pieces, such as cups and plates, that must be glazed? Concepts is your answer.

This product has a unique characteristic–one coat looks a little streaky, or a little like watercolors. This is how you add color to silkscreen designs. Black Concepts is used first to apply the design, then one coat of color. For solid coverage, such as on handles, use three coats. I painted this child’s place setting of plate, bowl, and cup using Cutesy Animals silkscreens. Then I added color to the animals with Concepts. And finally I added some grass under each animal, a few colorful flowers, and a sponged rim on each piece. They will be much more brilliant when glazed and fired. Oh, I almost forgot to say because you can’t see it in this view, but we added the child’s name on the back of the cup.

I also used Concepts to paint these clown cups (for my Birthday Party) and these Klingon mugs (for a Star Trek friend). They need to be glazed and fired and the Klingon mugs will get red glaze on the inside. Designs on both clowns and Klingons are things I found searching the internet, which I saved and sized to fit. They were transferred to the bisque using clay carbon.

AS you see, you can paint anything you like on plain pieces. The next workshop we are having using underglazes is a brush workshop called Magical Butterflies. Butterfly Day happens to fall on Father’s Day this year so the workshop will be on Thursday, June 16th instead of Sunday. Two sessions are being offered–1:00 to 4:00 and 6:30 to 9:30. The workshop is only $20 and you get to keep the brush! We hope that you will join us. Please remember to register so that we have enough seating and have time to pour enough plates.

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!

Why not come join us for the Magical Butterflies Workshop?

The Warneke Family had a busy weekend with our last grandchild’s graduation party on Saturday, the actual graduation ceremony and dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Sunday, and a family Memorial Day picnic on Monday. And in between all those events we manage to do three pourings and now have two full tables of greenware to clean. We have fairies (pixies) in three positions, roly polys for the father’s day workshop Saturday, bears for the baby shower, Christmas bears for orders, clowns for my birthday party, and also started on the ornaments & magnets for  the birthday party.

Next pour will be Ziggy & Droogie big bugs, VW bug (campers are on the shelf), God Bless America plates and plaques, plain plates for the Magical Butterflies workshop, and things people have ordered (rabbits, frog, soft trees, horses, Indians, canisters, etc.)

Watch for upcoming Workshops:
Saturday @ 10 Learn to Pour & More
Saturday @ 1 Father’s Day Workshop
Sunday, June 12th My Birthday Party FREE
Thursday, June 17th @ 1 & 6:30 Magical Butterflies
Wednesday, June 22nd Kids Krafts Big Bugs @ 6:30
Saturday, June 24th Date Night Garden Critters

Carousel Creations
Where having FUN is why we come!