The NorthWesternBelle

Hand-drawn mandala designs are my favorite way to decorate clay Hey, y'all! My first batch of mandala plates came out of the kiln last week, and I am so pleased with them. There were seven dishes and two ring cones in this latest batch, and they are all for sale! As of the original publishing of this post (Feb 2018), I haven't listed them on Etsy yet, but that'll happen soon. So, if you want to scoop one or more of  these beauties up for $18 a piece* beforehand (free domestic shipping!), details about ordering are at the end of this post. Rings not included. Blue #1: *This one is $15, due to the lack of mandala design Blue #2 Blue #3, deeper than the other two. The Celedon blue turned out really well on all three of these dishes this go round. It has been very thin lately, so I was careful to get two solid coats on, and well into those carving lines. Clear #1 Clear #2 Simple clear glaze never fails to disappoint on these hand-carved mandala...

Until August 31, 2014 you can get 15% off any of the several crocodile bags currently available from TheNorthWesternBelle on Etsy using Coupon Code CROCODILE at checkout. Various colors, sizes and fibers available! Small, Turquoise & Brown Super Soft Acrylic Small, Turquoise & Brown w/Rose Super Soft Acrylic Medium, Passion Fruit Peruvian Wool Large, Red Yellow & Black Acrylic Pink, Green & Eggshell Soft Acrylic Shoulder Bag in Pink, Green & Eggshell Soft Acrylic You can also use the code to get 15% of a custom-made Crocodile Bag! Custom orders are generally processed within seven business days, depending on the availability of your desired colors and fiber. Thanks for looking, Loves! Always Yours, The NWB

Today is the last day to take advantage of Coupon Code VINTAGE0617 for 25% off all vintage afghans on Etsy! Act fast to get any of these great afghans at ridiculously low prices! Thanks for looking, loves! Always Yours, TheNWB

Anybody else feel a little (or a lot) anti social before the morning's first hot beverage has been consumed? I've never really been addicted to anything, but on the days that I don't get at least one cup of coffee I'm bound to be a little edgy. It's science, folks. So, when I decided to make custom hand-lettered mugs, these were the first two things that came to my head: This about sums up how I feel about mornings.  Classic Mean Girls reference: You Can't Sit With Us! These great glass markers have been cured in an oven so both mugs are completely dishwasher safe! You can get them now on Etsy! Thanks for looking, loves! Always Yours, TheNWB

While fiber and clay are my main mediums of choice, every now and then I'm inspired to paint. I haven't had any formal training, which bothers me, but I can't seem to resist the urge to put pigment to paper when the inspiration hits. I've worked a lot with acrylics in the past, and some oils (they require a lot of clean up that I don't particularly care for), but my experience with watercolor is pretty limited. I've been obsessing over watercolor tattoos, of late, and I really think the medium is ripe for exploration. So, I gave it a shot while the boys were still sleeping last weekend. This is probably my favorite of the bunch. The splatter effect probably should have been put down first, but whatever. This is not my first painted jelly fish; I did one in acrylic paint for my son's room before he was born. It is, however, the first watercolor jellyfish I've ever attempted. And it turned out okay. Certainly there will be more to come. This is ...