Lots of cat cuddles

As I have mentioned before,  I look through animal pictures on Google to get most of my inspiration.

A few months into the business,  I came across my most used picture. I was looking under the search term "cute animals" and amongst them was this picture of a really cute black and white pair of cats cuddling.  I will share the link rather than the picture as I don't want to infringe anyone'scopywrite.

http://www.redbarninc.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/black-cats-cuddle-cute-heart-Favim.com-418491.jpg

Well you see what I mean,  it screams "you must put me on lots of boxes!  I am definitely the cutest protrail of cats you will ever find ".

With an argument like that,  how could I refuse?

At verious points,  I have made my version of this.  I have also done it with different types of cats.  Mabe one day I will do it with the wild cats too.

Some have found their forever homes and some are waiting hopefullin my shop,  but whatever happens they are never alone.

As a identical twin,  I  dislike my own company.  So, spending forever in a loving cuddle sounds great to me.  

I also volunteeras a cat behaviouralist  (I have studied feline behaviour and psychology), so these boxes are probably the closest to my heart.  

I think I will be making variations for the rest of my career. I will never make a mould though,  I  love freehand sculpting too much. 

The latest decorative boxes (17th September 2016)

These are the latest batch of boxes that I have been making for the past week.  They are all my smallest size.

I decided that I was not going to use the swerly patterned clay that I have used for almost all my boxes.  This was because I had something different in mind. 

You should be able to see that all  (except for the tulip) has picture designs around them.  All except for the clovers where done using the Sutton slice technique.

This is done with rubber stamps.  Instead of putting ink on the raised bit like normal,  I  smear clay in the indented part.  I then use a blade to take the clay back until I can see the rubber of the raised bits and they are clean of clay.  I then stamp the pot.

Because I can't help myself,  I  added tiny crystals into a lot of the designs.  These have to be added after you have stamped the design.

I am going to make one more and then they are off to the oven.

After this,  it's my favourite part;  making the models for the lids.  I am thinking this lot will be getting dragons.

Why I make boxes

Although I make a lot of different home decor items,  my favourite thing to make are decorative boxes.  So,  here is how this came to be.

When I opened my shop,  the first thing that I made was a range of charms.  The big lesson I got from this was that I prefer working on a larger scale.  So, I made a couple of statues.

I enjoyed making the statues far more than the charms,  so I knew that I was on the right track.  The thing that kept coming to mind was "they look good,  but what about a better function?"

The answer came to me on one of the many nights that I am kept awake with pain in various places.  It was silly o clock,  far too early to do more than write myself a note so I didn't forget.  It turns out that this was not needed as my brain was insistent on mulling it over until I finally got to sleep.

Two days later and I was well enough to start claying in bed.  I had worked out that I could make a chest if I cut a rectangular base and made the sides from one long strip.  I  then filled it with uncooked rice,  so that it held its shape.  I  then made a flat lid that I attached tiny hinges and a clasp,  then made the holes for them on the box.  It all got baked and assembled.

I could then put my models on the lid.  I  did 2 commissions and 3 different chests for my shop.

I  was not happy that I could not get straight sides and I didn't like the hinges as I felt they where not as strong as the rest of it.

I then experimented with using a metal pastry cutter in the sides.  It meant that they where smaller,  but they looked perfect.  With this settled,  I turned to the lid.  I decided it was best to go for one that sits on the box and is held in place by a raised band on the underside. 

I had finally found the perfect base for my figures.

I do find it hard when people order a box with nothing on the lid.  It feels like they ordered a blank canvas,  but I am learning to respect the fact that not everyone wants my creative touch.