Another....

I've been making another balloon vessel.  This one is a pitcher.  I wrapped the clay in stages and let it set up enough to continue.  The most difficult part was placing the feet.  I'm still not satisfied with them as I don't think they reflect the general nature of the pot.  Perhaps some texture of some sort on feet and the handle would make it more coherent.  I do like the spout.  It has the same folded quality as the body of the pitcher.  One thing about hand building is that I have to be aware of the interiors.  Odd little folds and bumps can totally screw up the pouring function.  There's nothing quite like thinking you are going to pour a stream and ending up with a water fall!

 

The ballon allows a nice soft pillow for the rim to rest upon.  The feet would sink into the body if I were to dry it right side up.  In the bottom picture the ballon has deflated a bit, but still supports the body.  I took the balloon out after I put the handle on, but before I started working on the rim and spout.         I poked holes in the ballon and let it deflate slowly.  I'm not sure that this is important as the clay is leather hard at this point.  I'm also not sure that it's necessary to wrap the ballon in tissue paper.  There are large portions where the paper tore and it didn't seem to make a difference.

I have a a few more started that are a little smaller so I can experiment with feet, handles whatever.  

When I did my list of stuff for the Sunshine Award I substituted Favorite Dessert for Facebook/Twitter.  I don't do either because it doesn't have any application to my life.  I feel no need to share what I had for breakfast or what line I am standing in.  I suppose if I ever get serious about selling again, it's something I should consider.  Although I think the time would be better spent in making stuff.

I think creativity is for the most part a solitary occupation.  Talking or writing too much can remove the magic.  Once I get an idea going, I want input.  That's when I have found this blog invaluable.  It's not quite the same as looking at the actual object, but it's a pretty close second.

By the way my favorite dessert this week is ice cream and cookies.  I am contemplating making a pineapple right side up cake.....don't ask!

It's going up to the eighties today.  I need to get some plants in before it gets too hot.

Thanks for stopping by.............*s*

Talk about brain farts! (See Kings Creek Pottery.)  I forgot to put in the photo of the pot with the balloon in it.  Can I blame the dog and cats deciding to go bug-f#*k?  Doesn't the balloon look cosy nestled in the clay?

Enjoy the day...........*s*

An Award

Lori Buff at Future Relics Pottery has been so kind as to give me the Sunshine Award.

Sunshine Award is a kind of chain letter spreading good will and good cheer.  The rules are to answer ten questions.  From what I have seen on other blogs these are fluid.  If you don't like the questions, make up your own.

We also have to name and link to ten blogs.  If you feel to much pressure to participate just say so.  But remember you don't have to do it immediately!  It's supposed to be fun not boot camp!

In no particular order:

Mountain House Studios
Meesh's Pottery
Peter's Pottery
Elna-Sudden
JB FlowersandVeg
Anna's Ceramics
BarnBarroch Pottery
Tracey Broome Pottery
Paine Falls Pottery
Lorraine Young Pottery

And the questions:

Favorite Color:  Today it's violet...yesterday hot pink
Favorite Animal:  Cat-Dog.....with a secret passion for Flamingoes
Favorite Drink:  Tea...I'm thankful it's legal
Favorite Dessert:  Ice Cream and Cookies
Book or Movies:  Books...but again there is film that I adore
Passions:  Clay, Gardening, Tea and most recently Opera
Giving or Receiving Presents:  Giving, because the delight is so rewarding.  Receiving because it's fun
Favorite Day:  The Summer Solstice
Favorite Flower(s):  Fuchsias, Columbine, Lilies....almost anything that blooms.

I subbed dessert for Facebook/Twitter because I don't do either.

I know there is supposed to be the sunflower download, but I am terrible at downloading.

Sunny...a good day for pottery and planting!

Thanks for stopping by...........*s*

Farewell to a Subspecies

Lonesome George, the very last Pinta Island Tortoise in the world died .  It's sad to watch a species become extinct, particularly when it is due to human intervention.

You will live on in our memories, Lonesome big guy!

More about more stuff later.

Thanks for stoping by........*s*

Take a Break

This little phoebe has the right idea.  Relax!  She's sitting on the nest she built in the crook of the downspout on the north side of the house.  I only took the one photo as I didn't want to scare her.  Although they are quite bold and I don't think they scare very easily! 

It's another hot day.  I took the pool filter apart to clean it, also weed whacked around the planters where it's difficult to mow.  I did my outside work in the shade before 9:30AM.  Right now I am taking a tea break and writing this on the deck.  Later I'll go down to my studio which is the ground floor, on a slab so it stays pretty cool.

Happy first day of summer.

Thanks for stopping by.............*s*

Summer Solstice.....or

SILLY BALOON MUGS

I have finally figured out how to make mugs using balloon as a form.  The trick is to use big balloons and only blow them up a bit.....DUH!  I left the seams showing on the exteriors and put the little feet on at different angles.  Part of me wants them to be very straight up and down, but I am liking more and more the ones that are tilted.  I have enough to experiment with different methods.  Also may go in a slightly different direction with my decorations.  The ideas are flowing.  Now the thing to do is to get stuff into order so I can have some idea of how to get where I want to go.

I have to finish the rims and give each a final going over for stability, clay crumbs etc.  

We'll see, grasshopper......well see....

THE DEER ATE MY HOSTAS!

I have five hostas in planters along the driveway.  They are supposed to look like this.

Instead four of the five look like this.  Notice that they ate just the leaves not the stems.  The night before they ate all the buds off a day lily out in the woods and a bunch of violets.....no big deal but I did sprinkle ground chili peppers all over the area.  It never dawned on me that they would attack the hostas.  Silly me, I should know better!  I think the fifth one survived when Winter went out late at night.  The really galling thing is that the violets growing in the planters were completely ignored.  Why eat violets when there is this tasty salad?

And here is Winter looking like butter won't melt in her mouth after digging three Winter sized holes in the yard.

This first day of summer is being escorted in by a heat wave.  It's supposed to be up in the nineties today and tomorrow at least, with high humidity accompanying the temp.  Personally, I thrive in this weather, but then I can take frequent breaks, sip iced drinks and sit in the shade....and of course there is a huge difference between heat in the city and heat in the country.

Enjoy the Solstice.

Thanks for stopping by............*s*

Time Flies

Where is June going?  I can't believe we are more than halfway through the month.

A Happy Father's Day to all the Daddies out there!  I hope you all get a day of fun and surprises!

I've spent most of the week decorating glazed unfired work.  The turtle is a little different from what I usually do as he is up on his legs getting ready to explore!  I generally do turtles and tortoises with their legs and head just showing.  He's a prototype all the way around so he has a new batch of a glaze I used to use a lot. 

I always decorate the bottoms of my animals.  This one is fairly simple.  Some times I do complete little paintings of an environment, or divide it into sections.

I also made cookies, well bars really.  My Nanu used to make these as raisin sandwich treats.  I use various dried fruits for the filling so I call them oatmeal sandwich treats.  They are sort of an early version of a granola bar and quite yummy! 

I also did another slow rise sour dough bread.  I've stopped calling them experiments because I know the ins and outs of rising etc.  I made this one with a cup of Greek yogurt added.  Has a nice flavor, especially with tomatoes, lettuce and mayonnaise.  I think it needs a little more salt.  I want that balance between enhanced flavor and salt being the dominant note.

Pool work today.  We've had so much rain that everything is turning green, including the pond and the pool....not so good.

Have a relaxed sunday.

Thanks for stopping by..............*s*

Cleaning or............

Where does it all come from?  Another rainy day so I've been rearranging my studio to make it easier to set up for glaze decoration.  I used to do all that in back where I have my kilns,  but most of that has turned into storage.  I must admit that it's much nicer to work in front where I can look out onto the garden and pond.  Finding a way to set up an area that isn't a hassle has been the problem.  Think I have figured it out.

The bowl is one of several I did of angel's trumpets about fifteen years ago.  This was the first one...the later ones had a more natural, flowery feel to them.   I like keeping my prototypes for my own use.  It let's me see how much abuse my stuff can take!

 To see the real thing go over to Linda"s blog.  She has some wonderful photos of pretty pink ones.

Off to pick up the chain saws and take Winter to see Dr. Mike for her last Lyme shot!

Thanks for stopping by...................*s*

How Many Legs Should a Dragon Have?

As everyone can see by the question I am showing my deeply essential nerdiness here.  In reality  earthly dragons should be shown as having two legs and wings.  Think bats, their wings resemble long webbed fingers.  However I have always worked on the assumption that dragons are not evolved from any animal on Earth, but from someplace else.  Read REAmDe by Neal Stephenson for the best explanation of Other Matter  and how its works.  He put into words what has always been my instinct. In Game of Thrones the dragons have two legs, but their wings look like they almost function as hands.  It will be interesting to see how they approach a kill.  And speaking of dragons what was up with Avatar having the humanoids be the only life form on the planet with four legs, arms?  Just give me an explanation other than six legs/arms being too creepy for audiences.

Of course Chinese dragons get around all this by having no wings, period!  But they have colors depending on what they guard and toes....numbered by how high they are.  As I recall a five toed dragon is only for the emperor.....and they I think they are called Long.  Tea with a dragon anyone?

This little riff was brought on when I built the dragon yesterday and this morning.  I was glazing when I just wanted to make this guy.  Eventually they will be whistles.  I have figured that the whistle part has to made when I get the initial figure closed in, before legs, feet, wings etc.  I considered scales, but given the way I decorate I feel that scales would only get in the way.

The sun finally came out enough to dry everything off yesterday.  Proge mowed while I stayed inside due to allergies.

We are so glad the weather is warm.  The dryer belt broke a few days ago.  This is when we start hanging clothes to dry anyway.  I'm  just so pleased and grateful that it isn't winter.

Enjoy the day.

Thanks for stopping by..............*s*

Fish Gotta Swim!

We had another one and a half to two inches of rain yesterday.  It was so wet the frogs were hopping around in the grass.  I have no complaints when I hear of some of the fires that are happening elsewhere in the country.  We live on the edge of several thousand acres of state management area, so fire in a dry season is a constant worry.

The fishy fellow below is a prototype.  I make small fish whistle and paint a lot of fish on my pots so when I was asked for a big fish what could I say?  I have several more in the works.  It's been enjoyable to make larger versions of the small whistles I have been making.

The poppies are, rather were, starting to bloom.  I shot this one before the rain.  The blooms are so fragile that the rain really beats them up.  And the wet has led to more fungus. Hopefully there will be a few more blooms.  I think I'm going to transplant them out into the yard with the day lilies.  Some will most likely continue in their original place.  Poppies need only a small piece of root to put out a new plant.

Winter was very happy to have the sun come out this morning.  She loves to zoom around the yard with her favorite squeaky toy.  The easiest thing is to let her come into frame and then shoot, as she moves so quickly.   I didn't think a little dog could be so fast.  We've decided her breed is Long Legged Corgi!

I've been doing a lot of glazing in the last 24 hrs.  The hardest thing is waiting for the glaze to dry so I can size it and start the designs.  I have bunch of stuff under the heat lamps.  Working on soft glaze leads to disaster.

Time to go get the papers.  Happy day to all.

Thanks for stopping by..............*s*