Pigs and Whistles

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!