DECAL APPLICATION:

Applying the decal to the inside of the lamp is a bit tricky. Prepare a bowl of hot water large enough to allow the back of the jar to rest in the water, but not fall in. You do not want the water inside of the jar. The water will heat the jar enough to allow you to form the decal to the curved surface. In a separate bowl, place the decal in very warm water. When the decal begins to unroll, remove it from the water and set in onto a piece of towel to absorb the excess water. Work quickly to place the decal inside of the jar. You must be extra careful when using heat to soften the decal. It becomes so soft that it will stretch, and is almost sticky. It takes patience, but it can be done. Use a damp sponge and decal squeegee to remove all the air and water from under the decal. Let dry and fire to cone 015 (1479F/804C).
FIRED GOLD:
Use a liner brush that has been reserved just for fired gold. Apply Liquid Bright Gold to all the detail lines of the flowers and leaves. Let dry and fire to cone 019 (1261F/683C).
LUSTER:
Use a Sable Luster brush to apply Mother-of Pearl to the entire outside of the jar and base. Stipple the Mother-of-Pearl to achieve a very nice finished effect. Fire again to cone 020 (1175F/635C).
FINISHING TOUCHES:
Glue the lamp to the base. When dry, wire with a snap in socket. Glue doves to the outer edge of the lamp opening. Position some fiber fill (non-flammable) in the bottom of the lamp to resemble clouds. Sprinkle light with Dazzle Dust sparkling flakes.
Plug it in, turn it on, and sit back and enjoy the results of your work. I am sure you will agree, it was well worth the extra effort.

HEAVENLY DAY CARE
NIGHT LIGHT

This piece is a lot of fun to do. If you do your own pouring, allow the greenware to stay in the mold overnight. When you remove the pieces from the molds, attach the lid to the jar. If you order the piece from a studio, ask to pick it up in a "leather hard" stage, with the lid attached. This will allow you to do the cutting and carving with the fewest amounts of problems.
GREENWARE PREPARATION:
Start by deciding where, and how large you would like your opening to be. The opening should be large enough to allow the decal to show clearly. Leave enough at the base of the jar to conceal the small light you will insert. Sketch a few flowers around the edges of the proposed opening. If you are not comfortable doing free-hand, use any suitable floral pattern and light trace onto the damp greenware. Use a sgraffito tool to outline all the flowers and to add detail to the petals and leaves. Once satisfied with your flower pattern, carefully use a sharp greenware knife to cut the opening to your piece. Use a silk sponge to soften any rough lines of the sgraffito work and to smooth the cut edges. After the piece has dried, remove the seam lines, lightly sand and wipe the entire piece down with a damp sponge. Make a hole in the bottom of the jar and in the base large enough for a snap in light fixture. Make sure the holes line up.Clean the greenware doves in the usual manner. Use a detail brush to paint the eyes with Black translucent underglaze. Apply Yellow to the beaks. Lightly airbrush Royal Blue translucent underglaze around the edges of the sgraffito work. Fire all pieces to cone 03 (2014F/1101C).
GLAZE APPLICATION:
Use masking tape to seal the hole on the bottom of the jar. Pour slightly thinned Clear glaze into the piece and roll to cover the entire inside surface. Allow the excess glaze to drain, and wipe off any drips with a damp sponge. Allow to dry thoroughly. Use tracing paper and trace around the outside edge of the decal you will be using. Cut out the tracing and position it on the inside of the jar where the decal will be placed. Use a pencil to lightly trace around this pattern. Using your decal colors as a guide, place a small amount of translucent underglaze for each color onto a glazed tile or pallet. Use a silk sponge, (pinch between your fingers to use only a small area), and sponge the appropriate colors around the outside of the penciled circle. Apply these colors right over the fried Clear glaze. When the decal is applied later, this will help blend the background colors around the decal to create a fully painted illusion. Use a glaze brush to apply 2 coats of Royal Danish glaze to the outside of the jar and base. Apply 2 coats of Transparent Satin glaze to the doves. Stilt each piece and fire to cone 06 (1830F/999C)