Handmade Buttons. New Ceramic Bird Silhouette Buttons.

I've been having a lot of fun lately working on my ceramic buttons. These ceramic bird buttons http://www.etsy.com/listing/71951090/handmade-buttons-ceramic-bird-silhouette are some of my latest creations. These are on a peachy pink background. I love how they turned out. They're a bit shabby chic and distressed looking. The bird image is fused into the ceramic so it won't come off - it is part of the glaze/glass covering the buttons. I've been experimenting with screen printing, painting and laser transfers as well as other options and am having a blast! The only thing with ceramic buttons is that you have to have patience. You have to make the shape then wait and let it dry which takes several days to a week. You then have to bisque fire so you get the plain button with no glaze. Then you have to glaze and fire and sometimes glaze and fire again depending on how many colours you want and the effect you're going for. This little work of art was fired four times. This means lots of planning in advance and lots of waiting for various stages of firing, drying, glazing, waiting, drying, firing, firing and more waiting. That means no instant gratification with these but I think the wait is worth it.

I'm still continuing on with my resin buttons which make up the majority of Buttons By Robin but I've decided to expand and see what I can come up with. The possibilities are endless and I'm so excited to see what I can come up with. I'm self taught with all of this so am finding my way around the Internet and incorporating other techniques with the formal ceramics techniques. I think that being self taught is a wonderful opportunity to find new ways of doing things because if you don't know you're not supposed to do something you go ahead and try and sometimes you discover something new and exciting. On the other hand sometimes you find out why others before you haven't done it either as it turns into a mess. But that's the fun of experimenting. Have fun with what you do and don't be afraid to experiment a little. Do remember to always be safe though with what you try so if you're not sure its safe don't do it!