A Gift from the Heart- Starry Road Studio

Hello friends!

I was so excited today to receive a large box from one of my dear friends, Karen Totten of Starry Road Studio.

I was sitting on the back porch enjoying some sunshine when Ricky came to the back door to tell me I had received a box. The box stated "fragile glass" on the outside. Ricky had said "You got a box from Karen." I said "You mean Kathy?(assuming the fragile glass box was from her since I receive many a box from her with glass rods for testing). Ricky replied, "No, it's from Karen." Oh YES! I had remembered that Karen did tell me she was sending me some goodies. I was surprised by the size of the box as those of you that know Karen know how tiny her work is. I like to refer to small things I make as "Karen Size" ;)

So Ricky and I sat on our bead together as I carefully opened my box. As I uncovered the air filled plastic from the box a tissue wrapped bowl was FILLED with amazing little treasures!  One by one I pulled each little carefully wrapped bag from inside of the tissue wrapped bowl.

 

Oh WOW!! Mmmm Raven Clay(the black clay), one of my favorites!! Oh just look at the toggle! Oh and the bronze charm! and the patinaed rings!! The toggle.. the heart! Do you see how there is red glaze on a portion of the bead while the rest is left matte black from the bare clay?! So amazing!

I was so excited to finally see first hand Karen's "Clay Dings," inspired by my very own wing dings :D Isn't her interpretation AMAZING?! I just love that her inspiration took her to this amazing new design done "Karen Style"!

 

Here is a photo of our beads together. Karen's "Clay Dings" on the left and my regular size "Wing Ding" on the top and the "Weeny Dings" on the bottom. I owe the idea of "Weeny Dings" to Karen. During one of our many late night Facebook conversations she had asked me if I ever thought about making the "Wing Dings" smaller. OH.. no, I hadn't, but I surely could try!  I just love how we just keep "vollying" inspirations back and forth. 

In this photo is one of my favorite glazes Karen uses called, "Yucatan Green". Karen uses some of her special techniques to give the clay that earthy stone look. They are just so GORGEOUS!

 

As I pulled out each bag I carefully inspected them and passed them to Ricky. Wow, look at all of these gorgeous patinas!!

 

Ooooo look at this color combo! Wow, copper clay charms and some of them patinaed!

 

*dreamy sigh* Ooooo... Wow! Just look at the clay dings, and spirals and she even sent me some chain! Awww Karen knows how much I love the look of patinaed chain and in my favorite colors too! <3

I was just so touched by all of the wonderful little treasures that filled my bowl.

Now for the last part. I carefully pulled out the tissue wrapped bowl and unwrapped it. *GASP* I held the bowl in both of my hands on either side as if I were holding the clay as Karen did when she made it. I looked inside of the bowl at the glaze and how the colors faded from a beautiful minty sea green to the soft creamy tan. I flipped the bowl upside down and admired the bottom of the bowl. I flipped it right side up and gently touched the tiny 3 petaled stamp on the front. My eyes welled and I smiled. 

 

What a wonderful, wonderful surprise :) It really made my day!

 

I was so inspired by Karen's beautiful work that just as I had gotten everything unwrapped and onto my bead table my mind started flooding with ideas. I re-set my kiln program and hopped on my torch to experiment with some new ideas of beads to match all of the wonderful things Karen sent!

Karen, thank you so very much for sending me so many beautiful, beautiful things! I am so thankful to have you as my dear friend. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful conversations we have and all of the inspiration you give me!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

xo Genea