Thursday, March 25, 2010

Yesterday I went for a glorious long hike through a state park near my house. It was perfect! Hiking is something that renews me and boy did I need it after all the hours I've put in lately from getting this show ready on top of working my 50+ hr/week day job. I went on a hunt for spring. And the second I found it (in the form of a flowering tree), my camera died. Go figure. Next time, it will be the sketchbook for me. I need some new ideas.

I think I'm taking next week off from potting partly because my tools haven't arrived yet (remember? I lost my whole tool box) and partly because I want to renew my creative juices. Something about sketching outside helps my ideas grow so tonight as it rains and storms very loudy outside, I've been dreaming of hikes.
Next monday, it's off to Hal Scott Preserve for me. There's a 5 miles trail I have to check out! Well, goodnight all. I have to get up in 4 hours so I really should be getting to sleep.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Kiln is done firing! Reached a hard cone 9 and seemed to get some good reduction. Don't have much else to write about. Just excited to see my pots and happy that for better or worse, all the work of it is done. I will post pictures sometime this weekend before I ship them out to NJ on Monday. Sorry for the boring post. I promise more pictures than words next time (don't those seem to be the best anyways?).

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The big glazing day was yesterday....here's a few quick shots:

That blue one in front is my new slip color with my new design ideas. I drew a flower pattern and then flipped it and turned it inside out so it's the same pattern but the mirror/inside out image on the four corners (if that makes sense!).

This top shot is just the insides glazed and the bottom picture is the outsides sprayed also. I love spraying the glaze on the outsides because with my carving it gives the pattern a very subtle texture. The insides I prefer to be dipped or poured because when my clear is thicker, it turns slightly blue instead of just being clear. Funny how those little tiny details can make such a difference!

Tomorrow is my firing! And since I'm not actually in charge of firing the kiln, I don't want to be anywhere near the studio. I'm going to Wekiva Springs in a little town outside where I live in Orlando, Fl. I'm gonna bring my I-pod and a book, lay in the sun and relax! If only it was just a little warmer outside I may go for a dip in the springs. The water is 72 year round (it's where the manatees go in the winter) so maybe I will bring my wading shoes!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Just finished with all my "wet work" today and thanks to my blowdryer and boxfan, they are all sitting on the bisque shelf ready to be fired off tomorrow.
The last few days have been a bit stressful trying to get all my decorating done. I wasn't behind until Monday when I left the studio with my bag of ceramics tool on the roof of my car. Sadly, they were not there when I got home.

Never realized how much I heart my wire stylus. It is by far my favorite tool! Sorry for the very large graphic, I was too lazy to take a picture of mine (yes, I had to run out and get a new one right away) and this is the only picture I could find online that actually showed the tip clearly enough to see the tool. So anyways, the last two days I had my day job and couldn't get out to Bennet's so I tried to make my own. Theoretically, it seemed like it would be an easy thing to do. Best $2.55 I've spent in a long time!


This weekend will be bisquing and glazing and then next week I will have my glaze firing. Will post some pictures of the finished pieces as soon as I can! Am really excited about some of the new designs I've been doing. Well, cheerio and happy potting!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Today:

--threw 6 1lb. cups
--threw 4 2lb. bowls
--threw 2 2lb. batter bowls

--slipped and inlayed underglaze on large salad bowl
-- decorated 4 plates
--decorated 4 tumblers
--handled 8 mugs

Altogether, a pretty productive day! I think I'm actually ahead of schedule. How often does that happen? It's pretty much because I haven't had a moment away from clay (or my "other" job) in the past two weeks. Next week will be my last week of wet work for this show (assuming I don't get behind!). Wish me luck!



Tuesday, March 9, 2010

New Teapots

I am in the middle of pottery making mayham. There's a lifestyle gallery in New Jersey that wants to sell my work so I'm trying to make them up the requested amount of inventory. About $1000 worth. These pics are from my teapots:






As you can see, there's a few changes since the last time I made teapots. My knob is different and I have a new stamp. I hope they like them (and sell well)!