The Smart Cat

Daffodils and....Discoveries

2012-03-09T09:09:00.000-05:00

Spring is on the way. The daffodils started blooming yesterday. Yeaaaaa!

My studio is usable again. I made a couple of mugs and started a turtle and discovered that before I go any further I have got to rethink my studio set-up. I have plenty of shelves but I need to make areas that are cat proof. SO...my latest plan is to switch the stuff I use for handbuilding forms and my other equipment to the shelves that are currently used for wares and vice versa. Sometimes I have a brain block about the most appropriate ways to use a space...old habits die hard.

It's will officially be spring in about a week and a half. Best time to clean! Get the dust out of all the nooks and crannies both real and metaphorical!

Thanks for stopping by......-s-

Time Fugits

2012-03-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

Life has been getting in the way of life.

I finished the little house. I'm going to take it outside and photograph it in the woods later today.

We are enjoying a spell of warm weather. It's supposed to be up in the sixties today...but windy. With any luck we should be able to take the covers off pool and pumps soon. Oh joy.

Aloysius has decided that I am his climbing post/resting stop.....very difficult to write with his nips of love.

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Never Underestimate

2012-02-28T13:27:00.000-05:00

I have two sides of the house more or less finished. I don't usually work in sections like this. I prefer to consider the entire object, but this is so radically different on the other two sides it's almost like two different buildings. I may make the remaining parts a little surreal, or go for a straightforward farmhouse.

I need to think about it.

Never underestimate the power of clean laundry. KikiLaSois and TheFriendlyKitty arrived about a year apart. Friendly is friendly to humans not other kitties so this is a surprise. Once last summer they curled up next to Breezy when she became geriatric, but mostly it's been kitty stink eyes. Yesterday I brought up a basket of unfolded laundry. These two curled up with each other within a half hour. I wonder what will happen when I put the clothes away.

We'll see.....grasshopper....we'll see.

As always, thanks for stopping by...........-s-

A Turtle

2012-02-26T09:15:00.001-05:00

On our one warm day I started getting my real studio ready so I could throw a few things and generally start preparing to move in. Alas, it snowed and then got cold enough to make it uncomfortable to be there.

Temps have been in the thirties with wind. If it gets over forty outside I am willing to use the heater for a few hours to get it into the low sixties......soon, grasshopper, soon.

Instead I glazed and decorated a turtle whistle. I have found that while I can work on several turtles at once, it completely discombobulates me to try to work on say turtles and ladybugs. Live and learn.

I think I'll make some bigger ones come summer.

Turtle Whistle approx. 4"L X 2"H

I found this hibiscus flower in bloom in my sunroom yesterday. They don't usually bloom inside this early. It must be the warm winter and the lights I have rigged....it's hard to say. Suffice it that there are flowers inside. A project for this week is to rearrange the plant shelves so I can start some marigolds. The little yellow ones grow quickly and are great for tucking into bare spaces in the garden....and I like the way they look mixed with curly parsley.

Happy Sunday.......is anybody going to watch the Oscars? Yes, another sign of my nerdiness!

Thanks for stopping by............-s-

LIFE CONTINUES

2012-02-24T08:40:00.000-05:00

Yesterday it was sunny, with no wind and temps in the sixties. This morning we woke up to this. It's been such a warm winter that I never bothered to put the flamingos' hats and scarves on. Yes, making little hats is something to do on winter nights!

The daffodils are next to the south side of the house. It's built on a slab and the flowers in this garden are always early but these will probably bloom on the next warm, sunny day. Crazy weather!

Meanwhile, Aloysius has taken to living among the plants.

Go figure!

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Progress

2012-02-16T13:39:00.001-05:00

I started painting the house, a long slow process as I did not make it with the intention of glazing it. If I ever do more of these I will paint a lot of the areas before adding others. The nice thing about low fire is the options. I could do a lot of work on the green piece, fire, add more color and/or clear glaze and refire with no ill effects. I want this to feel like it has been built by non-professionals who want to brighten up their habitats.

House in Progress

This is, I assume, one of my original sketches, from about 2009, but the numbers I think are the date could be part of my way too cryptic notes to myself.

Original sketch? ca. 2009

I've been experimenting lately with slow rise breads. Basically it's a sour dough, but because it rises with only the sour dough starter it's a long process. The slow rising makes for an excellent flavor. I bake it when fully risen in a heated cast iron pot with the lid on. This makes a good head of steam which gives the loaf it's crunchy crust.

I should have taken a picture of the loaf after I cut it. It's a little tighter than I like but chewy with good flavor and a crispy crust.

What I really need to do is make a clay baker. Perhaps I'll experiment in the spring when going into my studio does not demand the preparation and courage of an arctic expedition!

Thanks for stopping by...............-s-

Hearts

2012-02-14T07:50:00.001-05:00

Almost a Heart

LOVE

Thanks for stopping by.................-s-

LADYBUG & BREAD

2012-02-13T10:34:00.000-05:00

I have started decorating the whistles that I have ben making over the last year. I enjoy doing it a lot, but I find that I can only work for about two hours before I go mentally cross-eyed. The ladybugs are between two and three inches long. Decorating demands very fine brush work and wax to protect the decorated areas. This is the first finished one. I will have some better photos showing the bottoms and tops as a group.....what is the correct name for a bunch of ladybugs?

And now we come to bread. My last attempt at Cuban Bread sort of didn't work out as well as I would have liked. I"m fairly sure it's due two things.

1. I used too much yeast.....a brand that has 5/16 oz. in the envelope instead of 1/4 oz. ( I also stay away from rapid rise yeast.)

2. I added olive oil...not bad in itself, but I should have either cut the water or added more flour.

Berserk Cuban Bread, but still yummy!

Cubam Bread as is should be

Cuban Bread Recipe

5 - 6 Cups flour ( I always used unbleached all purpose King Arthur)

2 pks dry yeast ( should total 1/2 oz.)

1 Tbls. salt

2 Tbls. sugar

21/2 Cups hot water ( about 100 -110)

cornmeal and water

Place 4 Cups flour in a bowl with yeast, salt and sugar. Stir with a whisk to blend. Pour in the water and beat 100 strokes. ( I did this part in my food processor.)

Knead in remaining flour one half cup at a time. Knead for about 8 minutes until the dough is shiny and elastic.

Placed dough in oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 15 minutes. Dough will double in bulk.

While dough is rising, grease and sprinkle corn meal on cookie sheet. Boil water.

Punch dough down, divide in two, form into balls and place on cookie sheet.

Pour boiling water into a flat pan placed rack two spaces below the baking rack. I put mine on the floor of the oven.

Slash the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife. Spray or brush with water. Place loaves in the middle of the oven.

Turn oven on to 400 degrees. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn temp down to 375 and bake another 15 minutes. Timing starts when the loaves are placed in the cold oven and the temp is set.

You should have crusty loaves that sound hollow when thumped. Don't worry if they are stuck together they break apart easily. Let cool for as long as you can resist cutting. I heat my bread knife when I slice hot bread; it cuts down on tearing.

This bread should be eaten quickly as it goes stale within a day or so. However, it makes great toast, French toast, strata, bread pudding....anything that calls for stale bread.

Please feel free to ask questions.......bon appetit!

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Award

2012-02-08T11:17:00.006-05:00

WOW!

I just was nominated for/won the

VERSATILE BLOGGER AWARD

Many, many thanks to Cat at Cat's Ceramics. Click on the link to see all the neat stuff she does, especially her glazes.

This is one of the things I am enjoying about blogging. There are connections made around the world. Cat is in Sussex, England; I am in southern Rhode Island, USA....and am becoming part of a whole new (to me) world of potters and their work.

There are THREE THINGS I am supposed to do.

ONE: Thank the award giver and link back to them.

THANK YOU CAT!

www.catsceramics.co.uk

TWO: Nominate/award newly discovered bloggers. I see others nominating anywhere from five to fifteen. Since I have only been doing this since September all blogs are new to me. Here are five of my favorites. My decisions were based on drawing names I do have to leave some blogs for others.

Dan Finnegan: danfinneganpottery....wood-fired and salt glazed stoneware

Tracey Broome: The Fifth Floor......a journal in clay....cool barns and buildings incorporating dolls and other found objects.

Cooking With Gas: Cooking With Gas.....pottery and life in Seagrove, N.C.

Linda Starr: Bue Starr Gallery....pinch and slab built shrines, buildings and pots

Lorraine Young:Lorraine Young Potter.....terra cotta animals and people with their own stories

THREE: seven things few or nobody knows about you

Here Goes!

1. My grandmother taught me to knit and crochet when I was seven.

2. I started sewing when I was eleven and began designing when I was fifteen.

3. I was an acting major my first round of college.

4. I have been an obsessive nerd over Lord of the Rings (book and now movie) since 1966.

5. I love keeping up with the Volvo Ocean Race, but am terrified of blue water sailing

6. The first time I did pottery was in 1966. I did it for about three months, moved and always thought of it as a jog in my life until twenty years later, when I wondered why I ever stopped.

7. I still have the very first pot I ever made.

There you have it....again thanks to Cat

Update: Went over to theVBA site and found out a few things.

1. Yes, it is supposed to be fifteen, but you are also supposed to take your time and put in the blogs you want to get into the world...so I am going to post in groups of five.

2. You can download the VBA thingie at VBA....see above.

Tiles and Bread

2012-02-06T12:16:00.000-05:00

I've been working on these tiles to fix what is in danger of becoming a leak in the bottom edge of the shower. I made the originals way too thin, so I have been using them to figure spacing and designs. Since it's a shower I think I am going to go with the sea life theme. Once these are fired we we will probably use them as coasters and hot pads.

I am also getting ready to make tiles for a wood stove surround. I'm tired of looking at Wonderboard! I'm going to make and fire all the tiles......then start designing. I'm looking a lot a tile stoves and all.

This is a new (to me) bread recipe. It's called Cuban bread.....must be from Cuba? It's quick and easy to make.....the main rising takes place in the oven while it's heating to temp. A pan of hot water in the bottom of the oven and a spray of water just before it goes in makes a nice crusty loaf. It's basically a simple white bread with a fine crumb. It's nice to have something that goes from start to finish in about an hour and a half. I've been doing a lot with long, slow rise sourdoughs so this is a good fall back loaf. I think there are a lot of possibilities here. The only the drawback is that it isn't a keeper so it needs to be eaten quickly. It does make great toast and bread crumbs

It's sunny and almost 50 out....off to cut down some trees!

Thanks for stopping by................-s-

Cat Rules

2012-02-04T17:35:00.000-05:00

I saw a version of this many years ago. It pretty well describes my life with the furballs!

Happy Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by........-s-

Mundane Stuff

2012-02-01T17:55:00.001-05:00

I finished this yesterday.....another platter/pasta dish. The pencil marks will burn out and it should have a clean, slightly off-white background. Sometimes I get carried away with the number of colors I use and the pots become too busy. With this one I limited myself to three colors, poppy red, celeste green with a little orange for the poppy highlights, and of course black for the outline, but I don't consider black a color here....all Mason stains; the poppy and orange are zirconium encapsulated, so they are food safe.

platter 16&1/2"

Today has been all mundane studio stuff.....wedging clay.....sorting glazes and colors.....cleaning up my decorating area. I am not big on cleaning except at my decorating table. I have to be obsessively tidy there. Contaminating stains gets expensive!

Sunny and in the 60's today. The poor goldfish out in the fish pond are totally confused! Supposed to get colder tomorrow......Groundhog Day!

Thanks for stopping by..........-s-

Speaking of Back Burners & Godzilla

2012-01-28T13:41:00.000-05:00

With bows to Linda and Tracey I knew this house was floating around on my shelves. After reading Linda's post today I went on a search and found it.

It was inspired by a Christopher Priest novel Inverted World. The idea was to make a bunch of buildings, faintly medieval in aspect on wheeled platforms. I bisqued it with no intention of glazing to keep it from kitty destruction.

And for Gary......

Godzilla turtle has been living in the garden since last summer. It's a combination of a cement turtle my sister gave me ten years ago after her son's dog bit two of the legs off. The head came off much later. The Godzilla head is all that is left of a Godzilla toy Proge had when he was small. The head at various times has had flames coming out of his mouth and head, spikes and fangs, to name two of many incarnations.

Godzilla Turtle

There's sun and 50 F.,,,,,and we have fish activity. Enjoy the day.

Thanks for stopping by.........-s-

Another Test

2012-01-27T16:27:00.001-05:00

The bowl is a test of stains on a glaze I have not used for years. It's somewhere between a majolica gloss and a semi-matt. What I cannot remember is what the stains look like on the glaze. All majolica glazes are not created equal. Some are better used with colorants.....some need to be left alone. The design is to see how different elements work......this is only a test!

stains on WOM Majolica

The petunias and impatiens are in the south window of my sun room. It's such a bleak, gray day that I need some harbingers of spring!

Have a good week end. Thanks for stopping by..........-s-

Helper Cat

2012-01-24T18:14:00.001-05:00

KikiLaSois decided to help me out....I'm not sure if she is warming the piece so the stains go on easily or trying out as a very large brush. I turn my back for a minute and this is what goes on. At least the pot is bisqued and the glaze is dry. Such is not always the case!

Thanks for stopping by............-s-

The Snow Angel

2012-01-20T10:21:00.000-05:00

We had about 1/2 inch of snow last night so this morning Aloysius ran outside to make snow angels on the deck. We try to appreciate his happiness as it is about the most/only angelic thing he does. I thought he had broken my speakers this morning.....fortunately it was just a disconnected wire. All the critturs stopped chewing cords after I rubbed tea tree oil on them. Small mercies.

It was 52 F. yesterday morning...this morning it was 22......it's been a strange winter. Off to the market to buy cat food and people food.

Happy Weekend! Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Decoration Evolution

2012-01-17T18:28:00.000-05:00

This is a test...both with the glaze and the designs. The glaze is a slightly matte white with a little rutile added to take away the extreme white that occurs in some majolica whites. The small amount of rutile (about .0025) gives it more the look of a leaded glaze or paint.

I sized the glaze with an odorless hair spray and drew the designs in pencil. I like pencil because it's easy to erase and it burns out in the firing.

The designs are lightly drawn because I wanted to be able to make corrections and adjustments easily.

I used a brush to erase three of the fish and drew in two poppies. Normally I don't mix designs, but this is just a way to see if the designs and colors still work.

This is when I start to lay in color. I am using Mason Stains mixed 50/50 with Frit 3124, the principal frit in my glaze. I start with my lightest and work to the darkest or most intense colors.

Most of the colors have been put in. They will fire to the colors shown but will be more vibrant.

Below is the finished bowl. The poppies are highlighted on the folded petals with an orange blended into the base color. It doesn't come through in the photo but the big fish has a lot of red and yellow stippling to give it some interest. I spray the whole thing with hairspray and outline with a black mixed with a little wax so it doesn't smear. Black is impossible to get rid if once it smears.

Now it's just a question of firing with toes crossed......probably in a few weeks.

Thanks for stopping by...............-s-

More Dragons

2012-01-11T11:57:00.000-05:00

This is Morkaleb the dragon in Dragonsbane by Barbara Hambly. It's the first Story Plate I did, over thirty years ago. I did this in porcelain and had to think a lot about using colors that would not burn out. A short time later I began working totally with majolica.

Morkaleb

The story I was thinking of yesterday was my misremebered version of a story by E. Nesbit, 'The Dragon Tamers' in The Book of Dragons. It can be downloaded for free over on Gutenberg Press. Her writing has an early twentieth century British sensibility about it. It's easy to see that she influenced later fantasy writers.

I want to say thank you again to all of you have posted offering kind thoughts for my good health. The antibiotics are beginning to kick in....though they are tiring by their nature.....we'll see, grasshopper, we'll see.

Thanks for stopping by.....-s-

IT'S ALWAYS SUMTHIN' !

2012-01-10T09:34:00.000-05:00

And life goes on....I have just been diagnosed with ear/sinus infection and Lyme Disease. Oh joy! Having been through many bouts of Lyme I know my stamina will be down. The antibiotics will do their job but they take a lot out of me in the process.....lots of acidophilus is in my future!

Fortunately, when we took the Christmas tree down Proge helped me set up a space for decorating stuff. I know I will not have the energy for a few weeks at least to be making pots, and whistles....but I should be able to decorate. I can take frequent breaks if I need to; plus it is warm.

I am working by an eastern window, which I have not done before. The morning light will be interesting. I use artificial light to supplement but natural light is extremely important to me. It probably has something to with working without electricity for many years. I still don't like using color with electrics as my only light source.

Upstairs Decorating Alcove

Here we have the Dumpster Duo with dragons. They sort of look like dragons themselves. Somewhere I read a story about dragons being tamed with milk, losing their scales and being cats underneath.

KikiLaSois and Aloysius

As always thanks for stopping by.......................-s-

Platter

2012-01-06T09:52:00.001-05:00

A large (for me) platter/pasta dish/ bird feeder finally glazed. The design is pale because it's blue....and blue can become overpowering very quickly. Hopefully the background will keep the wash effect. The poppies are in a turquoise blue with navy and delft highlights.

There's nothing like experimenting on something other than test pieces. There's only so much experimentation that I can do on test bowls and other pieces. At some point the real pieces become so precious that I freeze when it comes to putting brush to pot. The only way I have found to solve this is to plunge in and do it.

It's become cold enough in my studio to make working there very uncomfortable. I'm rethinking when/where/how I work. I'm moving a glaze area upstairs this week end. Sitting and painting gets cold! On days when I can warm my studio up to about sixty I will hand build and throw. Sixty sounds cold but with a heater going and moving around it's plenty warm for working. I just make sure to keep my feet warm!

It's supposed to be in the fifties tomorrow......this has been a most strange winter.

Enjoy the week end.....thanks for stopping by.......-s-

Twelfth Night

2012-01-05T10:13:00.000-05:00

Twelfth Night

Old Christmas is past,

Twelve tide is the last,

And we bid you adieu,

Great joy to the new.

There is a tradition, at least here in southern RI, that Twelfth Night is a Feast of Fools where master and servants change places. Our local very fine chorus always does a Twelfth Night celebration somewhat like the Christmas Revels, a perfect way to say farewell to the season. And, yes, the days are beginning to lengthen.

Good Health and Joy to All in 2012!

As always, thanks for stopping by.............-s-

Tests and Pizza

2012-01-02T09:10:00.000-05:00

Testing, testing, testing......I'm doing some blue on white or very pale blue backgrounds. The blue poppies are in turquoise blue with indigo on a white ground. I have some other blues I want to try in combinations. I find it works much better for me if I do designs rather than strips of color. Changes can occur when they are layered and and blended. Color also changes depending on the carrying medium for the stains I use.

I'm not totally happy with the rim. It feels a little bare. A simple line design may solve the problem.

The bowl is an attempt at dogs. I haven't done much with canines; they have an entirely different anatomy from cats. One of the joys of google is the ease of finding photos and descriptions of animal anatomies. There is a lot of drawing in my future concerning dogs. I keep looking at the bowl. Most of them look more like odd cats and bears than dogs.

I always have pieces around that are not good for anything but tests. If I like them I use them at home. If, after a few months, I still dislike them, I photograph them and turn them into drive way fill. Terra cotta is great for filling ruts.

BIG NIGHT pizza......so named after the movie Big Night and a wonderful pasta enclosed dish of many ingredients. We do it as a kind of homage for special occasions. Layers of goodies of choice with cheese and herbs.

Top layer of fresh mozzarella

Covered and ready to bake

Out of the oven and out of the pan.....four inch deep cast iron. It has to cool for about twenty minutes so as not to cause painful burns. We ate it before I thought to take a photo of the cut cross section.......it was delicious!

Thanks for stopping by, reading and commenting.............-s-

2012

2012-01-01T08:19:00.000-05:00

HARES AND RABBITS !

The Boar's Head

2011-12-27T07:07:00.000-05:00

The Boar's Head

The boar's head in hand bear I

Bedecked with bay and rosemary

And I pray you my masters be merry,

Quod estes in convivio.

This boar's head is a prototype for a whistle and needs a lot of work. The herb wreath overpowers the head. His expression also needs work. In spite of the tusks he looks too happy. Back to the studio!

Another pecan pie. I finally got the recipe working the way I want it to.....got rid of the Karo. And I am happy with my crust. Cold, cold, cold makes for good crust!

Thanks for stopping by..............-s-

The Christmas Dragon

2011-12-25T06:48:00.000-05:00

May the Christmas Dragon bring you all that you have wished for.

Peace and Joy on this Merriest of Days.

thank you for stopping by...........smartcat and friends and relations.

Catfish Love

2011-12-24T08:24:00.000-05:00

I bought this little guy when the ACC show was still at the Big E in Springfield, Ma. Unfortunately I've managed to lose all the info on the artist who made it. (Anybody?)

He gets decorated with the seasons and has brought much pleasure over the years.

Merriment and Joy to All!

Thanks for stopping by........-s-

The Shortest Day

2011-12-22T16:48:00.001-05:00

The Shortest Day

And so the shortest day came and the year died,

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the trees;

They hung their homes with evergreens;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive.

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, revelling,

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - listen!

All the long echoes sing the same delight,

This Shortest Day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, feast, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And now so do we, here, now,

This year and every year,

Welcome Yule!

Susan Cooper

Bring torches and horns and drums...sound the sun awake......a joyful and happy Season Of Peace to all.

Thank you for following, reading, commenting, and stopping by....-s-

Bringing Home the Tree

2011-12-20T11:52:00.000-05:00

We had to buy a new tree this year. Our old rooted tree suffered a lot of winter kill last year after we put it out on the deck. It will survive nicely and recover its shape with a few years of being in the ground. Meanwhile, this year we have a rooted spruce. We really brought it home in the back of the 4-runner Red Rabbit), but, really, I think it looks more festive to have a tree on top of the vehicle.

The car is a little whistle. I think if I do them in paper clay I might be able to make them light enough to hang as an ornament. This is planning in terms of next year. This year the joy has been to be able to return to working with clay and all it entails.

Red Rabbit Hauling a Tree.

Joys of the season. Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

A Pottery Cat?

2011-12-14T13:29:00.000-05:00

Aloysius loves climbing into buckets, trash cans, paper baskets....you name it. Yesterday I was mixing glaze in a deep trash pail, much like the one below. He has gotten into the habit of jumping onto my shoulders and peering down into whatever I am doing. If It looks particularly interesting he will try to help.

Needless to say he is not allowed in the studio. Yesterday he jumped up looked and decided to jump in......who knows what goes on in the 'brain' of a cat? I caught him by his tail....he was pretty pissed off, but not like he would have been if he had gone in. The imagined sight of a cat in glaze does have it moments. The mess that would result has nothing going for it.

Kitty in a Trash Can

I'm trying to keep a step by step record of glazing and decorating a bowl. This has a Mazerine Blue wash as a start. The rim will probably end up darker. My rule is to work from light to dark. Blues are impossible to get off a glaze, but are easily covered by a darker blue. The drips will be rubbed a bit to blend and will be incorporated into the design.

The test bowl is just that. It has a cracked rim so it isn't good for anything. When I am working with washes I like to try them out on tests. It's too easy to get a wash too dark. I'll use this for color density and brush strokes.

15 1/2" platter with blue wash

8" test bowl with blue wash

I am only showing this example but I generally work on several pieces at once. Everything needs time to dry between steps. The further along I get in decoration the more I concentrate on one pot at a time.

I need to go outside and do some more Christmas greenery, if I go back into my studio I will encourage disaster.

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Stuff

2011-12-13T12:20:00.002-05:00

I'm feeling slightly more disorganized than usual this morning. Early morning is usually studio time for me; instead I took my car in to have the muffler replaced. Hopefully that's all it is. I wanted to wait until January to take it in, but it had gotten so loud that I was embarrassed to drive it. And, believe me when I say it, that is LOUD!

The Friendly Kitty

This is The Friendly Kitty the third feline member of our gang. Unlike the Dumpster Duo she found us. She hung out around Proge's studio door for months. He would feed her kibble and set up a shelter outside. We weren't sure that she wasn't a stray. We put up pictures and a note in the lost and found pets column of local papers.....nothing. One cold sleety, snowy night Proge found her outside the door and decided that she was now our cat. She had ice in her fur and a lump of ice the size of a lemon in the end of her tail. Proge started calling her The Friendly Kitty because she was so affectionate. Later, when she started coming upstairs we discovered that the friendliness was reserved for the humans and dog.....other cats, not so much. She has become more tolerant over time and at times will curl up with Kiki. We refer to her as QueenCat as she is has a crown between her ears and has a real princess attitude!

Aloysius & Kiki contemplating Squirrel Nutkin and Friends

Aloysius and Kiki will sit by the door for hours contemplating squirrel dinner. The will leak out the door given any opportunity. Then we have to run around and catch them. There is too much danger for pets to be loose in the woods. Coyotes, fisher cats (which have no relation to cats) you name it; we have it.

Not much to do with clay today. I'm headed down to the studio to mix up a glaze so I can think about painting.

Happy day.........thanks for stopping by..........-s-

Kitty Creamers & Wildlife

2011-12-11T09:23:00.001-05:00

Sunday morning, looking out on the deck, watching the squirrels gobble up the bird seed. This is what happens when there is no dog around. I have nothing against wildlife; there is a cuteness factor I'll admit to. I would just like the squirrels in particular to stay away from the house. They can be amazingly destructive. I think I'm going to give in and buy some goat food to feed them away from the house. It has worked before!.......we'll see. grasshopper.....we'll see.

Still and all it's a sunny, if cold, day and I am listening to Baroque in Boston. I look out into the woods and see chipmunks n the stone wall. Mama doe with her two babies are behind the wall.

Kitty Creamers

I seem to tell stories even when I am not thinking about them. I made these for my guys as an experiment to see if I could make a two tablespoon mark for their morning milk. I put two tablespoons rice in them and marked it with a pencil. I can get the proportions right because I know this clay body. It's easier to after a bisque because there is no shrinkage between bisque and glaze. Then I painted the ring freehand with black stain. The kitty designs were an afterthought to see how the line would work as a framing device. I once fired these using Spectrum Majolica White. I have some luck with once firing with commercial glazes, as long as I am only glazing one surface. Normally I use a glaze I got from Linda Arbuckle. It has a richness that isn't found in even the best commercial glazes.

The Dumpster Duo....Aloysius & Kiki LaSois

These are two of the three little culprits that live with us. I call them the dumpster duo because, even though we got them six months apart they were both living in dumpsters when they were rescued. Aloysius was the last one to come in. He and Kiki bonded within a few weeks, something I have never seen in adult cats. They have become a lot needier since BreezytheDog died.

Here is one of the little bandits....cute, huh? Aloysius wants to go 'play' with them.

We're going to finish stacking wood today. As long as it's not wet it's nice to get outside for a few hours even in cold weather.

Thank you for stopping by. Happy Sunday...........-s-

Bread and a Whistle

2011-12-07T14:00:00.001-05:00

This is the filled bread after we cut it.

It's quite easy to make. You can use any flavorful yeast dough, but I use my own variation on Italian Feather Bread from Beard on Bread.

Mix: 1 pack yeast with 1/2 C. warm water & 1 Tblsp. honey. Let Proof

Add: 1 & 1/4 C. warm water, 1/3 C. olive oil, 1-2 tsp. salt. Mix well

Add: 5 1/2 - 6 1/2 C. flour. The dough will be soft and sticky. Keep hands and board well floured. Knead in enough flour to make dough easy to handle. Knead for a few more minutes.

Or put it all in a food processor and you are done.

Let the dough rest a few minutes. Depending on how much filling you have cut it in half or use it all. I usually err on the side of caution and use the whole thing, then trim when I have the filling in place. Roll the dough out into an oblong. It should be about as thin as pizza dough.

I use just about anything for filling. This one had 3/4 lb. sausage a bag of spinach an onion, 4 small potatoes and 2 eggs. I precook everything and drain it well. Season as desired. You should have at least 6 Cups of filling. (Save the drained juice to throw into soup.) Beat the eggs and mix them into the filling. (Sometimes I save some egg to brush on top.) It makes a gloppy mess. Mix it up and place it down the center of the length of the dough. I trim the dough at this point if I have too much on the sides.

You can pull the sides up and fold them like a package. Cut some steam vents.

I like to make five or six slashes on each side. Pull the ends of the dough up and over the filling and tuck in. Alternate folding the strips over to make a pretty braid.

Let rise about thirty minutes. It shouldn't be too risen. Brush on the egg, if desired, just before baking. Bake at 400 for about 40 minutes. I turn it half way through baking. I generally check the internal temp with a quick read thermometer. It should be about 200. Let it cool for a few minutes before cutting.

I bake on my bread tile which I place on a rimmed cookie sheet. There always seems to be leakage somewhere.

The rest of the dough can be formed into a loaf or buns. Let rise until doubled in size. Bake until interior temp reaches 200.

ENJOY !

Beach Lady Whistle

I found this little lady when I was searching for some Santas a few days ago.

I think of these as harbingers of summer, and yes I will be overjoyed when the trees leaf out again. I miss the light as much as the warmth. The sun is going down about 4:10 today.

I made a group of these in memory of all the ladies in my childhood who used to sit in their chairs on the sand by the boardwalk. The chatter and gossip was nonstop. The skin is not right. They were so tan from years of sitting in the sun that they were like well preserved leather.

More rain today. After the drought of last year I never thought I would get tired of rain, but......there you are!

Thanks for stopping by...........-s-

Birds of a Feather

2011-12-06T16:31:00.002-05:00

Birds of a feather

Flock together,

As do pigs and swine.

Rats and mice

Will have their choice,

So shall I have mine.

Multi tasking is not a good idea in my case. I just managed to erase the best part of this posting. Live and learn!

I'm posting this little bird whistle as near life size to give an idea of detail. The color is good. I'm still working on taking decent photos. I have to find a new photographer for portfolio work. (My old guy died.) The hardest part is reflection......practice will make perfect.....I hope.

Small Bird Whistle about 4"x2 1/2"

I'm really pleased with how the glazed stuff came through this firing. I have finally managed to find a wax resist I like...batik wax thinned to brushing consistency with odorless turpentine. By the time I finish most of the object is waxed....colors smearing is always a problem.

I used to make filled breads all the time then somehow I got out of the habit. I had a bunch of stuff I wanted to use up......sausage, spinach, an onion, mushrooms, a couple of potatoes. It was delicious!

It's supposed to get cold tonight. So far December has been more like late September. There are violets blooming around the fish pond. We've had a few little fires since Thanksgiving, more for the comfort than anything else. At this rate we should have a nice head start on next year. However, with New England weather it's a bad idea to count your chickens before they're hatched. It could get cold and snowy and stay that way into spring.

We're starting to get the Christmas stuff out and up. I don't like to start too early because I enjoy celebrating from the Solstice through Twelfth Night. Having no sectarian beliefs I enjoy celebrating a Season of Peace and Light. Especially light, it gets dark a little after 4:00 PM.

As always thank you for stopping by.............s-

Glazing......Reglazing

2011-12-01T18:08:00.000-05:00

Start as usual with the helper cat, Who never gives up in his efforts to assist. Curiosity does not have any bad affect on this guy.....just makes him more curious.

Aloysius, the helper cat

Even good helper cats get tired

It's difficult to see from the top shelf that the reindeer and birds are all stilted. I use wire stilts with sharp points that break off easily. They leave small points that are ground down with a touch of a diamond tip Dremel. I couldn't fit the reindeer in the rest of the kiln so I tucked it in on top. If this were anything but a prototype I would have fired it upright, but then I would have had enough of the same animals to load at least half a shelf.

Fired kiln, top shelf

Majolica glazes are stable which is a good thing because it's possible to do intricate designs and know they wont't move. It's also possible to take glaze down to a sixteenth of an inch above the base of the pot. The difficult thing is that the firing does nothing to enhance a glaze.

Reindeer

Reindeer on stilts

I shot the reindeer on his side to give an idea of how I stilt. Use enough for odd pieces and use the correct size for the piece.

Because I bisque and fire at ^04 and because the glaze is so stable I do refire if there are minor flaws in the pot. I just brush glaze on the spots I want to work on. There is no problem with the glaze adhering because it's all at ^04.

I did have some luck with reglazing ^6 when I was still teaching. I thickened the glaze by letting it settle and drawing off some of the water. I also would heat the pot...in the oven, under a high intensity bulb or even a paint stripper. I always fired on a piece of scrap kiln shelf or a fired slab made from the same body as the pot. Firing at anything above majolica temperatures was always a crap shoot.

Sometimes the magic works; sometimes it doesn't.

Big Mama

2011-11-29T09:47:00.000-05:00

The top shelf of Big Mama is loaded with glazed odds and ends....and a few mugs I am refiring because the interiors weren't terrific. An added benefit to working at ^04 is that it's possible to refire work successfully. The only things I don't refire are plates, clocks....items that have a wide base sitting on the shelf. The risk of cracking isn't worth it.

Toes crossed that all goes well.

Top shelf, loaded and ready to go.

One face of the wood pile....it goes back

Two cords of wood were delivered on Sunday....I always forget just how big the pile is. Now the fun of stacking begins. It's worth it because we stack close to the door....much more accessible and easy when the snow falls. Although with El Nino we could end up with mostly rain.

I think today will be Clean the Studio Day! When I start a new cycle I like to make a fresh start and it gives me thinking time......about clay.....and keeping the #*!! squirrels out of the feeders!

Pies and Platters and..........

2011-11-27T08:02:00.000-05:00

Sunday morning in the sun room with plants, tea and Bach on the computer. Definitely the best way to start the day.

It's the time of year for pies, although I must say it feels more like September than late November. This is the tart I made for Thanksgiving. It was delicious and easy to make. Proge (son) did his turkey grill magic. We cooked enough for many, but we freeze a lot for future easy meals. One of my mottos appears to be, 'Anything worth doing, is worth doing to excess!'

apple tart

The kiln is almost loaded just have to load the top shelf. I have a blank ring at the top, which adds needed height when I do sculpture. As long as I have at least one ring of elements in the top and put a shelf over the very top just below the rim it goes up to temperature very well.

another platter

This platter may be a disaster in waiting. I had to do some repairs on the rim. It should be okay, but who knows what whim the kiln gods will indulge in?

still blooming

I took this photo on Thanksgiving Day. Mums will bloom until a heavy frost or until they have no more buds. Makes me very glad indeed that I don't live any further north.

Time to go check the turkey soup and go buy the papers and milk.

Happy Sunday!

Happiness Is...........

2011-11-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

Happiness is a new battery in my MacBook. I was completely crazed by my track pad going berserk. I had visions of cat hair in the pad and having to take the thing apart....major overhaul. Such was not the case; the battery was gone. I got three and a half years out of it so I'm not complaining. Not a cheap fix but a lot better than what I was envisioning!

16 1/2 " platter/pasta bowl

Sometimes what appears to be disaster turns out to be serendipity. I've been remaking the bowls/platters/birdbaths the cats broke. I have never been happy with my rims, they were okay but sort of blah. Somewhere I got the idea of trying to do more of a tube for the rim. It may have come from looking at medieval head dresses or from watching Lord of the Rings again ( and yes, I admit it I am a complete Tolkien nerd......getting older means you care very little about who thinks you are a geek, nerd, weirdo.) I use a bird bath for my form which gives me a sturdy support when I do the rim. The knots are where I joined the clay. I probably would have put them in anyway to break up the rim a little. My hand built things never have the symmetry of thrown pieces, instead I push it a little further so it becomes intentional.

I started out calling these pasta or calamari bowls but they are a nice size for carving a smallish bird. We put a twelve lb. turkey in one last year.

I may throw a few of one of my basic forms tomorrow. I have one that I use for a honey pot, garlic holder, string holder what have you. I like it when I can make one shape work in different ways. I usually throw in groups of three, five something prime. I find the odd numbers keep me a little on edge and more aware of what I am doing.

The yard clean up continues; we have wood coming this week end. We are reasonably well organized for a change.

Raining again today. It's supposed to get cold tonight, possible snow. It starts getting dark too early. I came in around 2:30, thought it was 4:00!

Supper tonight is going to be something involving pork short ribs, onions and apples.......we'll see, grasshopper, we'll see.

Morning Light

2011-11-11T09:06:00.000-05:00

Most of the trees have dropped their leaves. Some oaks will not drop until the end of winter; I wonder the why of that. The beech trees are the last to drop their leaves. I love the way the sun shines through and turns the light gold. Light in the woods changes from hour to hour.

It's hard to believe that we are going into mid November. Since our bit of ice and snow and frost, we have had days ranging from low 50's to low 70's. I want to take advantage of these late fall days; winter could start any day now.

Kiln loading is continuing slowly but surely. I had a small accident concerning cats sleeping in green platters. Gee, if they're going to destroy my pots at least they could hang around log enough for me to take a few pictures.

I'll make two new ones and finish decorating some stuff I was going let go this firing. One of the advantages of working at ^04 is that I can fire clay and bisque together.

Off to decorate and make goats, deer, and Lil' Sebastian.

Remembrance and thanks to all the veterans who have served the USA.

Happy week end to all.

Mugs and Cups

2011-11-06T09:52:00.000-05:00

I forgot to mention on yesterday's post: There's a wonderful cup/mug show up at http://claylink.com/zen/. There's lots of interesting stuff there....take a look.

Visitors and Found Stuff

2011-11-05T13:11:00.000-04:00

Looked out the window around 4:30 P.M. yesterday afternoon and found mother and babies having dinner. One of the babies is behind his mother the other is out of frame eating the artemisia. This is what happens when there is no dog at home. It doesn't take them long to figure things out.

These guys are not in the least shy. I took the photo at a distance of 25-35 ft. through the window. Mom saw me, looked up could almost hear "Oh....it's you." and returned to grazing. They wandered off a few minutes later.

Afternoon visitors

So of course, I had to find a deer I had ready to glaze and do my own riff on a ruminant.

I have been doing a lot of clean-up in the yard. I found this old bird feeder under a pile of junk. It must be from the early 80's when I became pretty serious about clay, but before I began working exclusively in low fire. That is a ^6 clay and glaze and it has my old style of signing my name. I did not use my usual design style until I pots I was able to look in the eye.

I think I may try a few of these. As I recall they were pretty simple to build. Originally there was a clay loop for hanging; that needs changing. It will sit quite nicely on the deck rail this winter.

I made this whistle as a test piece when I did an animal building workshop with Pat Uchill Simons about five years ago. This is another ^6 clay body that I fired up to temp to see what it would do.

Originally I just thought of him as 'the old man', then I started seeing some images of The Green Man and decided to paint him as such. If I were making a true green man I would do the leaves in relief.

I should be able to fire the kiln in the next week or so. I made some platters/bird baths that I am letting dry.

I'm starting to get back into the idea of selling my stuff.

BOO!

2011-10-31T09:08:00.000-04:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

NOT What I Had Planned On!

2011-10-30T09:32:00.000-04:00

Rain all day yesterday, sleet at night, then snow! It's not much compared to what has fallen up north; just enough to be a nuisance!

The light is strange. We are getting a winter morning reflection of snow and ice with leaves on the trees. Until the last two nights we have had nothing approaching a frost; many leaves have not changed yet. Suppose to be down in the twenties tonight.....oh joy!

We had to break down and start the old wood stove. I am so glad that we decided to wait to replace it until we have finished with 'Dumpster Days'.

I had planned to start with some thoughts on flying pigs. I know his wing/body ratio looks as though he won't achieve lift off. My justification is The Bumblebee!

Pigasus

I've been seeing pigs everywhere lately. Is it the promise of bacon, the silly season, or both?

Pigs and Whistles

2011-10-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

Many years ago I made lots of piggy banks, then stopped for some reason lost in the mists of time. I think I grew tired of fussing with them. These two little guys will have stoppers on the bottom. I loved the funny little noses, but it took me a while to figure out how to get a coin opening into them.

When I was little I had a bank that didn't have any coin opening. I used to lie on the bed with a dinner knife and tip coins out of the slot. It made the savings that much sweeter!

two piggy banks

Last spring when I felt like I had no new ideas left in me I came up with a year long project to get me going again. The idea is to make a different animal whistle each week. By the end of the year I will, hopefully, have fifty-two different animals in various sizes and shapes.

It has not always worked out as I had wanted it to, but I have kept going. At last count I was about six weeks behind. I'll probably keep going until I am at the magic fifty-two. There have been a few deviations from the original plan. I made strawberries at the height of strawberry season and little peppers when I was putting up pepper lights on the deck. I am easily influenced after all!

All these little guys are, or will be decorated on their bottoms. I have good luck firing on stilts.

unfired bird whistles

unfired bunny whistles

seahorse whistles

whistles in the bottom of the kiln

These are plain whistles that have one tone. I may try ocarinas and/or flutes at some future date, but that is another kettle of fish, or whistles as the case may be. There are some incredibly beautiful clay instruments being made; I don't want to get ahead of myself.

On a more mundane note, we just had a fifteen yard dumpster delivered. It feels so good to get rid of out and out trash!

Happy Birthday, J.F. May you have many more dances round the sun!

Happy Monday to all!

Vinca, Violets...........and a Pig!

2011-10-18T10:09:00.000-04:00

The seasons have gone a little crazy this fall. Vinca and violets are early spring flowers. It's strange to walk around the yard and see them blooming at this time of year. The little marigold grew from seed in a dead flower head. I'll probably take it up and winter it inside, along with some petunias....summer does not have to end with summer.

We had a young buck in the woods on the north side of the house yesterday. His antlers are his first. He's not terribly shy, rather cautious. He probably grew up in the woods behind the house. I almost managed a picture of him, but he spooked when the sun reflected off my glasses.

Mamas leave their babies in our woods because they seemed to have figured out that the dog would protect them. Breezy had an overhead run of about 200 ft. The babies knew how close they could get without being in any danger. Imagine a fawn nibbling tree shoots and Breezy woofing and completely puzzled.

vinca

violet

sport marigold

This little piggy bank was my husband's (P.) when he was a little boy. It may have been his father's too. Alas, all is lost now to history. I love having this little guy in my studio. He has such charm.

I've been thinking a lot lately about what influences me. Obviously I have favorite artists in many disciplines, but what else? Books have a huge influence on me. The fact that I have been reading a lot of cyberpunk lately has become part of my background ambience. (WOW! Does that sound arty or what?) Music also worms its way into what passes for my brain. Graceland still has an ability to affect me. Movies sometimes but not as much......uh, but Lord of the Rings both book and film has strongly influenced the design of the pond and a lot of our landscaping. .

Time to go talk to banks and insurance people and schedule a dumpster. Where does stuff come from?

Summer's End

2011-10-16T19:16:00.000-04:00

Halfway through October and we are having Indian Summer. The garden is thriving in a late summer bloom, which is much appreciated as May and June were so wet that everything rotted as it was planted. We covered the fish pond with the leaf net because the leaves are starting to fall, sassafras in particular, a tree for which I can find little or no use. At first we worried about the frogs getting caught on top of the net, but they seem to come out for the sun and go back under in the late afternoon.

I am getting the sun room ready for bringing plants inside. Wintering over so-called 'summer' plants helps me get through the winter.......not my favorite time of year.

I got a new shipment of tea last week. I love opening the new bags, touching, smelling and tasting the new varieties and old friends I've ordered. If you drink a lot of it, I totally recommend buying loose tea from a good company. I would become totally poverty stricken if I were to on quality tea bags from the market!

Two new teapots.

I love to alter forms. Remember the Gilbert and Sullivan song? "Things are seldom what they seem. Skim milk masquerades as cream." These two started life as thrown forms which I start altering as soon as they are set up a little. Trimming, spouts, lids, handles are all added at a soft leather stage. (Without
getting too hung up in definitions 'soft leather' for me is like the leather in a comfortable pair of shoes, not as pliable as glove leather, but not close to belt leather.) The first pot is from the idea of Aladdin's lamp. Could a djinn come out the spout? Perhaps tea is the djinn.

The second one is based on the goonie birds. Yes, there they are in the background.

I have all sorts of teapots, some functional, some decorative. However, there is something in me that has to make my teapots functional. These two will not hold much more than a mug full, but they should work. We'll see, Grasshopper, we'll see....

And a Happy Birthday to Steve Reich. At seventy-five he is still going strong composing, performing inspiring younger artists to stretch their boundaries. A nice example to a woman of 'a certain age'!

Memory.......and transformations

2011-10-04T10:21:00.000-04:00

Breezy January 1998-September 2011

Our wonderful doggie died quietly at home on Friday evening. She will be missed.

pufferfish and cat

frog and turtle

mouse, pig and penguin

duck and swan

These are some of the whistles I make from the closed forms I throw. N., the friend who taught me how to make whistles, always hand built hers. I threw basic shapes as a way of informing my work without copying hers. N. told me quite bluntly I was nuts, but I think there is something to be said for my approach. It has given me a way of approaching my work from a different perspective. Whistles are also a little homage to N. as she died several years ago. She always encouraged me to keep going.

teapot survivor

Not for nothing have I labeled this 'teapot survivor'. I managed to knock the knob off the lid, screw up the spout so it resembled a corkscrew and, to top things off Aloysius (kitty) knocked it off the shelf when I was trying to photograph it. Fortunately it landed in a pile of plastic and it was leather hard so it was possible to pound it back into shape. The lid is still a little off, and the other side has echoes of a dent. After those misadventures I think the poor thing deserves to be fired.

tufted titmouse

This little guy has been hanging our by the fishpond. I think he is enjoying the benefits of all the plants that are going to seed.

I need to start paying more attention to my photographs. I have used them only for my own reference up until now, but that is changing.

The sun has come out after another rainy night. I am going to walk around the garden before going into my studio. Happy day!

Moonflowers and Mugs

2011-09-28T16:33:00.000-04:00

Found this blooming late yesterday afternoon. Moonflowers are a night blooming flower so I need to pay attention. After our 'hurricane' and rain I didn't think I would get any blossoms at all.

The morning glories came back too. The wind was strong enough to blow all the more mature buds off the vine. A nice surprise to say the least.

Everything was planted late due to a cold, wet june. No worries about the well this winter!

I've been thinking about mugs lately. They hold a special place for me; I think because they are the only item I make that actually touches my lips. I use my own mugs for the most part. Many reasons, 1.) They are usually seconds so I don't shed tears when the cats have been drinking crazy juice. 2.)Over time I get a feel for my interaction with them. How does the lip feel against my mouth? How difficult, or easy is it to use? Is the handle right? How does the tea look in the mug? Does it work visually? I try not to get too compulsive......

Put together my first teapot in about ten years. Like bike riding I didn't forget how to do it, but it was a wobbly experience. I probably won't bother to fire it, but more will come.

Time Fugits

2011-09-20T12:34:00.000-04:00

Wow! It has been so long since I've thrown anything that it's a wonder the mice haven't taken up residence in my wheel.

I threw these little forms last night. They are the basis for mice, penguins, pigs and any other animal I can think up.

The larger form wanted to be a small teapot. I like to cut my clay while it is still pretty wet, thus the lid. I will wait until it's a soft leather stage to begin working on it.

I've been trying to throw a little heavier than I usually do. I use Miller #25 a fritted terra cotta. The frit makes it possible to throw thin. Sometimes a good thing, sometimes not.

Question: How do you discourage Helper Cats from helping?

What I Do

2011-09-08T09:17:00.000-04:00

thrown and altered gravy boat

bunny whistle

gossiping goony birds

boot whistle

frog whistle

art nouveau mugs, after Mucha

All my work is in terra cotta painted on raw glaze with stains.

Why majolica?

2011-09-06T13:55:00.000-04:00

I think it started with my Nanu's teapot. She had many, but this one was majolica, made in Italy around the turn of the 19th-20th century. I would look at it and wonder how they did it. Fast forward approximately forty years later to a majolica workshop given by a grad student at R.I.C. I went home, pulled Nanu's teapot out of storage and aha, "I can do that!"

I am a fauve at heart. I love the colors I can achieve with Majolica, the feel of my brush on raw glaze, and the risk of having one chance to get it right.

This blog will be a work in progress. I decided to start posting because I am fully capable of losing myself in dithering.

EVERYTHING CHANGES!