Amaryllis

 This probably the last amaryllis to bloom this year.  I bought the bulb on sale just after Christmas.  I'm not sure if I have had this one in the past.

I do have bunch of bulbs that I will probably plant, just to keep them going.

Meanwhile I am enjoying bright blooms on a dull, gray day.

As always, stay safe, and thanks for stopping by.................*s*

Amaryllis

They have taken their own sweet time but finally my amaryllis are blooming.  At least a few are, but  with nothing like the profusion of blooms I had last year.

I think they probably need repotting next fall.

I am forcing Angelique tulips..I used to do this very successfully years ago.  I don't know why I stopped, but it's worth a try.

The flowers that bloom in the spring tra-la!

As always thanks for stoppiing by.........*s*

I'm Still Here!

No!  I did not drop off the face of the earth at the end of January.  I ran out of clay; I have been prepping small amounts so I can get back to making.

Most of my clay is at a stage where it is too stiff to work with, but not completely dried out.  I usually put the entire bag in a cat litter bucket.  Pour water into the bag and into the empty bucket.  After a few days to a week it's ready to use.  Thanks go out out Clay Buddies on Facebook for this one.

The photo below is of all the stuff that has fallen out of bags.  I think talking about prepping clay is about as exciting as watching grass grow.  It needs to be done, but......

It took me a while to figure out why I didn't process enough last summer to get me through the winter.  Then I remembered our caterpillar infestation and the the resulting poop parade.  I usually do all my processing outside, but having clay full of caterpillar crap was/is not at all appealing.

Meanwhile my amaryllis have been in bloom since Christmas.  I planted them at intervals so they wouldn't all bloom at once.  I wish I knew what I did differently to get so many of my old bulbs to bloom!

Below is the last group.  Toes crossed for the beginning of spring bulbs when these finish.

Our weather is being pretty typical for this time of year.  Sun yesterday, sun today. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?  We'll see, grasshopper.......we'll see.

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

Blooming

My amaryllis appears to think it's Christmas in August.  I'm not complaining because I'll take all the flowers I can get this summer, but is it a bit of a surprise!  I love white  flowers and this one is is wonderful.  I didn't do anything special, just have had it one the deck in a shady place and watered it. 

I made this little stegosaurus intending to make it into a whistle.  Life got in the way and by the time I got back to it, it was too dry to become a whistle.  It will make a nice little planter critter.  I'll try another whistle soon.

 We are finally able to enjoy summer.  We lost a good half of it to the unpleasantness of the caterpillars in all their forms.  We could use some rain though.  I think most of the northeast needs rain.

Enjoy the day and, as always, thanks for stopping by.......*s*

Winter?

It's warm enough for a bunch of little moths to be stuck to the windows at night.  'm glad they aren't inside as the cats go crazy trying to catch them!

Meanwhile, Aloysius had to see how well he would fit into the wreath I was decorating to go outside.  He seems to think he's just swell in it!

My amaryllis are starting to bloom.  I got the bulbs at the market which means that they may or may not last to bloom another year.  I pay so little for them that It;s not a worry.  It certainly is pretty to have more flowers blooming in December.

Enjoy the week.

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

Of Roosters And Flamingos And......

 I've been doing a lot of drawing lately.  I start in pencil and switch to ink and wash.  I'm trying out a few newish designs for some plates and platters.  I've done all of these in the past, but have not been comfortable in my execution.  When that happens I've found that the best thing is to go back to the beginning and start with pencil sketches.  I switch to ink and wash because it is the closest thing to the unfired majolica glaze surface I work on.  Later I will roll out some thin white earth slabs and work on them.  The drag when doing brush work on raw clay is much the same as raw glaze.  I may fire a few but most will end up in my slop bucket.

Thank the heavens for the internet.  I can remember a time in the not too distant past when I had to rely on pictures I could find in books.  I still use the printed material, but it's great being able to look a critter in motion.  It's not as good as being there but it does give the feeling for how skeletons work in different species.

The top three drawings are a few of the many I have done in the last few days.  I use paper that is one or two steps above newsprint so I have the freedom to use as much as I need. 

Next are a few of the ink and wash sketches.  This may be my favorite drawing medium.  I don't do many drawings for the sake of drawing these days but when I do it's often ink and wash.  I think I am drawn to the immediacy of it and the fact that I have to work with what I lay down on paper so the medium drives a lot of the drawing.

Meanwhile the amaryllis are blooming like crazy.  I put two bulbs in one pot.  So far I have four blooms, two in progress and one stalk that is just beginning to break its bud.

I don't know what the difference is, but the indoor flowers are giving us quite a show this year!

We're off to the market in a little bit......not my favorite thing...but they have really good sushi, so that will be a reward!

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

Everybody Needs......

A helper cat!

I was photographing a dragon and a fish when Aloysius decided that he would be my assistant.  I have just about finished glazing the dragon some may remember from last summer.  I've started painting the fish.  I'm trying to keep a better record of what my process is.  However, when I get caught in the moment I forget to stop and take pictures.

I sort of think of glazing as the necessary evil of majolica.  The glaze has to be applied evenly without drips and/or brush marks.  I usually scrape any imperfections off with a matte knife or a flexible metal rib.  I then spray the whole thing with hair spray.  Low fire glazes tend to powder and cause brush drag when decorating.  If it's a particularly powdery glaze I will even go so far as to mix a little acrylic medium in the glaze..  I try to be very logical about this but most of the time I just wing it.

There are two important thing to remember:

1. That the bisque has to be absolutely free of dust and grease before glazing.  If stuff has been sitting uncovered I spray it hard with a vinegar and water mix.

2.  Any imperfections that are in the glaze and decoration before firing will be there after firing.  I have had brush hairs show up as thin lines after firing.  

My amaryllis have started blooming.  They are a richer red in the pot.   My camera tend to make reds go a little orange or a little violet.  Most likely it's because I am not terribly camera savvy.

They were supposed to be apple blossom which is a white with pink highlights.  I bought these at Job Lot.  I have a feeling they were there because the boxes were mislabeled.  I can't complain about the price and bulbs were in great shape.  Someday I'll get some other colors.

The weather has warmed up considerably with lots of sun expected over the next week.  Predictions are for mid forties to low fifties, going dow into the mid twenties at night.  The snow is melting and it's quite pleasant when the wind isn't blowing.  I love being in my studio when it's like this.

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