Dawn Whitehand: Visual Artist
madeit
Busy Day in the Studio
I am LOVING my newly renovated studio!! I just want to work in here the time!! It is so welcoming & cozy and warm….
So today I unloaded and reloaded the kiln and turned it on! (still have to make a kiln god for the new kiln)
Then I prepared clay for throwing on the wheel – I have a custom order to make from my MADEIT shop – ant proof pet bowls, which were made specifically for the customer’s small cats, therefore they are shallow. This design would also be great for little dogs and maybe rabbits and other small pets. The order was for four bowls, so I made six to be on the safe side…. if they all turn out well the extra two may end up in my ETSY shop!
While throwing in this style I decided to experiment with a new design…. chip n dip anyone, or maybe cheese and crackers?
Next I experimented with rings to get a firmer grip on shrinkage. I have alot of custom ring requests, so I figured it was time to work out my shrinkage rates so that I don’t have to make surplus rings to chance the right size! This method usually produces the right size and the surplus can always be listed in my ETSY shop, but I thought I would like to have more of a “formula” in place. By now it was edging toward “wine time” LOL
Can’t wait to get back into the studio tomorrow – which will involve teaching and glaze making 🙂
See you then!
Shop Small this Christmas and Support Handmade
Next Saturday, 28th November, is shop small Saturday. This is a great opportunity to do some Christmas shopping and support small business at the same time. And if you buy from a maker you are also purchasing a unique gift that is sustainable and has been made with care, rather than a mass produced product from a department store.
I have a great range of gifts in both my ETSY and MADEIT stores to suit foodies, jewellery lovers, men and women, teachers gifts, hostess gifts, and custom orders are welcome.
As well as Saturday being Small Business Saturday, Friday is Black Friday (the Friday before Thanksgiving, which we don’t do here in Australia, but Etsy is an International platform so I am joining the fun) and Monday is Cyber Monday – what a mouthfull!
So to celebrate this weekend shopping extravaganza I have a coupon code giving a 10% discount in my #ETSY store
Christmas is looming though so cut off order dates are listed below 🙂
Also enjoy a slide show of some gift ideas for you, your family and friends.
Sunday Studio Visit – bits and pieces
Today my little dog Eddy is not well – he has been unwell now for three days, so I am a bit concerned – therefore I have not been doing much this weekend ‘business’ wise. 
I have begun thinking about beginning some marketing for Christmas – yes Christmas!! And listing some new Christmas items in my ETSY & MADEIT shops.
Prior to that though, if you live in Australia and some other countries, it is Fathers Day. Here in Australia it is the first Sunday in September – the 6th.
I have lots of ready to ship gifts in my stores from unisex jewellery, original art gift cards, foodie tableware and coffee mugs. I also have gift certificates if you are stuck on what to give as a gift.
Hope everyone has had a great weekend and see you midweek (hopefully) 🙂
Mother Day is May 10th
Mothers Day is only a couple of weeks away and what better than to give mum something special, something unique and handmade…
My MADEIT store has a wide range of homewares from coffee mugs to trinket boxes to foodie gifts, and my ETSY store also has these items plus jewellery and original art gift cards.
AND if you use the coupon MOTHERSDAY15 at checkout you’ll receive a 10% discount!
My advise – order as soon as possible to ensure delivery prior to the big day 🙂
www.etsy.com/shop/deedeedeesigns
Here’s are few more special gifts you can purchase for mum 🙂
Sunday Studio Visit: Bits & Pieces
I am a little late for this Sunday’s post – my son and his girlfriend came to visit (& are still visiting). I took pics of what I was working on on Sunday and began my draft post, but didn’t get it finished – so here it is 🙂
Today I am finished off more custom orders for ceramic yarn bowls! I just can’t seem to make them fast enough! I have never managed to list one in either my ETSY or MADEIT stores because they sell before I can get that far. Whenever I have a custom order I always make a couple of extras – but they sell before I can get them in the shops!
I think they are popular because they are larger than what is currently available online. The custom orders always come through as wanting to fit the large balls of wool in them, so the extras I make go like hotcakes too!
I have also been playing with product photography today. My product photography to date has been on plain white backgrounds. This occurred because Etsy used to have front page treasuries, and to be featured on the front page was great publicity and helped drive traffic to your store. Treasuries with consistent backgrounds were often chosen for the front page, so most shops created their images using plain light backgrounds to increase their chances of being featured. But, Etsy no longer have front pages, so I have decided to experiment with introducing some styling to my images, to make then – hopefully – more appealing.
So, thats about it for this Sunday …. have a great week 🙂
By the way I also have a couple of specials in my shop:
Use coupon VALENTINE at checkout in my MADEIT store for 10% off storewide till February 15th.
Use coupon WANDARRAHSFRIEND at checkout in my ETSY for 15% off storewide till the end of February.
Sunday Studio Visit – Valentines Day
It has been a while since my last Sunday Studio Visit – Christmas and the New Year and holidays threw me completely out of routine!! But I plan to get back on track as of now – famous last words!
During the past week I have been preparing for Valentines Day – I did leave it a bit late, it seems that no sooner is Christmas marketing over than Valentines marketing has to begin – its just a bit hectic for me at times…
But I have been trying to create and list new jewellery items in my ETSY shop and have been rejigging some of my MADE IT shop items to reflect intimate Valentines dinners with unique handmade tableware. I still have more new items to add which I will continue over the next few days.
In the ETSY shop this includes lots of unisex jewellery, as well as designs specifically for her. I also have unique original art gift cards which are ideal for framing after gift giving.
And to top it all off I have a Valentines special in both of my shops – use coupon code VALENTINE at checkout to receive 10% off storewide.
So, without further ado, here are some pics of some of the handmade gorgeousness you can give this Valentines Day 🙂
Boxing Day Sale
I have lots of new products to add to my ETSY and MADEIT stores in the New Year, so I need to make room for them.
To this end I am having a Boxing Day Sale in both stores beginning at 12.01am on the 26th December and ending at midnight – Australian time. Both stored will have 15% off storewide including FREE shipping Australia wide and very reasonable international shipping.
Use the coupon code boxingdaysale at checkout in both stores to activate your discount.
Until then have a great Christmas 🙂
Give Handmade at Christmas : Last Minute Gift Guide
Christmas is fast approaching and if you live in Australia you can still place an order in my ETSY or MADEIT stores within the week and receive your gift before Christmas. if you live outside of Australia you can place an order, but won’t get it before Christmas – instead I can express post a gift card to you with details and an image of what your gift is for the person receiving which you can write a xmas message in and place under the tree.
While it is too late for custom orders, I have lots of ready to ship products available – products that people who love to give handmade unique quality, and those that love to receive the same, will love.
My MadeIt store is stocked with handmade unique tableware and my Etsy store has handmade tableware, jewellery, buttons and original art greeting cards.
Not sure what to give as a gift? I have gift certificates available in both of my stores – if you would like a different amount than I have listed simply message me and I will create a custom listing.
Below is an example of one of the pages from each of my shops …. explore, and happy shopping 🙂
Sunday Studio Visit – Xmas Stuff
In the lead up to Christmas it is becoming hectic – there are custom orders, but also dinner and BBQ invitations left, right and centre! This weekend has been one of those weekends, so there has not been much action in the studio. Today I did manage to load the kiln for a bisque firing for my student classes, as I do usually intend to have all the student work through by the end of the year, which can be a huge task!
Apart from that I am participating in a couple of ETSY team promotions, which involves helping promote other team shops, while they in turn help promote your shop – and all shops have universal coupon code for discounts in their shops. I am participating in an Etsy Meet & Tweet and a Strategic Team for Success promotion. (see below for further xmas shopping info)
I have a 10% discount in my shop for both teams, plus shipping is FREE Australia wide, and I do keep international shipping reasonable use coupon code spst4u or blackfriday14 both till December 3rd at checkout.
I also have a discount in my MADEIT shop – enter merrychristmas at checkout for a 10% discount storewide! And shipping is FREE throughout Australia!
So that is it for today in the studio…. happy Christmas shopping 🙂
Sunday Studio Visit – Custom Orders
Today in the studio I am firing the kiln …. it is a student firing full of stoneware works.
While the kiln has been bubbling away, I am putting finishing touches to some custom orders I have received through both my ETSY and MADEIT shops.
Custom orders occur if a buyer likes a certain product but want it in a different colour, or if a customer wants something specifically made for them.
Today, for example I finished a custom order on MADEIT where the customer liked a tapas setting but preferred a different colour…
It is fun making custom orders, but can be at times scary when it comes to ceramics – there are so many variables. But (knock on wood) I do tend to have a low attrition rate. When I make custom orders I tend to make two of the item in case there is cracking, warping or a glaze fault, and if both products pass muster (which they usually do) the spare gets listed in my shop. If not, the ‘second’ ends up in my own kitchen, much to the pleasure of my partner – who does 90% of the cooking!
As well as finishing the custom orders I also made a couple of handbuilt vessels – since I was rolling out clay anyway – one vessel will be part of my MADE BY NATURE series, and the other was a little experiment…. just for fun!
So, I will leave you with some pictures of the custom orders I finished off today 🙂
If in Australia you have until December 12th to place an order which you should receive before Christmas…. international orders should be placed by December 5th. Orders can be placed after this date, but there is no guarantee they will reach their destination before Christmas.
This work by Dawn Whitehand is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.