Hiatus Over

Back from my break!  Now to start blogging again!

Below is a new style mug I have been working on.  I make it in two parts, which gets tricky.  The top and bottom have to be well sealed. A mug that leaks is better called a watering can.

There are changes and things I want to add, but this is a start.

Now to get it through the firing!

We'll see, grasshopper.....  

Spring appears to be finally here to stay.  It took it's own sweet time!  I am going to divide the white white bleeding heart when It finishes blooming.  I put it in several years ago as a small plants and it has grown.  Perennials need to be broken up once in a while to keep them healthy.

I like to plant pansies in containers because it's easy to switch them out.  Lat year I kept them going for the better part of the summer by moving them into deep shade.

I've been cleaning up the pool in preparation to opening it.  We have to install the new pump and inlet and outlet.  We put the new liner in last year.  It's like having a new pool!

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

Mugshot Monday

When you contribute to Indegogo, Kickstarter etc. you get neat things!  This pretty mug arrived from Lina at Good Dirt LA before Thanksgiving.

I enjoy the connection that I feel when I drink from a mug made by the person whose campaign I contributed to.

Sunny but chilly today?  How about where you live?

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

Muggy Monday

This is a mug I made last fall.  I enjoy doing the angel trumpet flowers.  They provide a lot of ideas for improvisation!

Another snowy day here!  I have ordered a new camera.  My old one finally bit the dust!  I just hope the FedEx truck can make the delivery!

Enjoy the day and stay warm........or cool, as the case may be!

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

Monday

I do enjoy handbuilding over and around balloons.  I think I have shown this mug in many guises, but here it's as finished as it is going to be.

I'm trying different handles and feet.  I have some clay rolled out to try some mugs with small feet.  I will probably make three.  Three feet good, (easier to stabilize) four feet not so much!  There also needs to be some sort of stabilizer at the handle base.  Otherwise the cup tends to fall onto the handle when filled with liquid.  NOT a great selling point!  I like the idea of this handle but not the execution.  Practice!

I used Spectrum 799 Majolica white, three coasts brushed on.  In the second picture there is a detail of what happens when the glaze is applied too thickly.  Because the glaze is so stabile I could repair and refire.  I'm not going to bother as this is a test mug.

The dark green is a mix of Mason Hemlock and Florentine mixed with paste to give it an opaque look.  The rest of the design is mason stains mixed with frit.

The interior is glazed with a clear that is not really clear.  I mix a little Mason red-brown into the clear glaze.  It's just enough color to prevent the milky quality clears tend to have over terra cotta.

It's a bit warmer today, supposed to reach the forties today!  Wow!  The studio will  be warm enough to work in,,,,,HURRAH!  If it's cold and the sun is out, or if the temp is fortyish, with my extra heater it's quite nice to work there.  Anything over 62F. inside is entirely workable.  Grey and cold forget about it.  Pottery is supposed to be enjoyable not martyrdom.

Enjoy the week ahead.  The sun seems to be coming up a bit earlier; spring and summer will happen!

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

Monday Mug

This is the prototype mug I made back when I became slightly nauseated at the mawkish sayings that were appearing on mugs and other items.  This one reads Scratch One Sweet Bird of Youth!  Yes, that is a bird in his/her mouth.  I don't think I have any Catch the Bluebird of Happiness around.  You can use your imagination for that one!

Reactions were always at the extreme, either people thought it was hysterical or that I was a severely cynical person for making these!

A Happy Birthday shout out to Meesh (a.k.a. Michele Hastings)!  Have a great day or week, because birthdays should be celebrated over several days!

Enjoy your day.

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

Mermaid Mug

I've been going over stuff I have made in the last year or so.  This 10 oz. mug has the handle on the corner opposite the one shown, which forces the user to drink from the corner.  My handles are very plain and utilitarian.  There's nothing wrong with them, but nothing that adds to the mug either.  I originally left the terra cotta exposed to represent the earth when I was working with plants designs about a zillion years ago.  I think I am going to experiment with taking the glaze down the bottom.  One of the benefits of working in low fire is that the glazes are so stable that i can go down to within a hair line of the base.

I posted this one on Facebook/ Mugshot Mondays.  There are lots of terrific mugs and cups there.  The only problem I have is the strange way Facebook posts, which seems to be completely random.  

We have had several days of real spring weather.  The pool is almost full;  I'll probably set up the pump and filter tomorrow.  Of course it's way too cold to even think of swimming, but it always makes me feel like summer is coming when I open the pool.  This also gives me time to work on it so I don't go nuts when the weather gets warm.

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

UHHH.....What day is it?

I lost track of the time....rather days.  I spent most of Sunday thinking it was Saturday.  It wasn't until  I was dropping pots off for our sale that I realized, or rather was informed, that it was Sunday.

That's what happens when you get busy as the proverbial bee.  

I did a firing (one of the best I've ever had) which included the prototypes I've been working on, because I always have to complicate busy times by working on something new....it makes life fun.

I'm very pleased with the cupcake stand.  I just have to figure out a better way to attach the legs.  I think  they need to be exactly the same moisture and pliability.

Speaking of feet I do hope that everyone will pop over to Gary's Blog and take a look at his take on feet!

Suddenly I am having problems uploading photos.  This is a new one for me....I'm not sure what is going on, but it's difficult to talk about things that can't be seen.

Fifth time is the charm....finally got it to post.

I made this mug around a balloon.  I was working with wet clay and wanted to get an idea into reality.  It needs a couple of points opposite the handle for balance and stability, and the rim needs to be nicer.

With this I think I may have a solution to using a clear glaze over terra cotta.  Generally I don't like them as they always cloud somewhere on the pot.  This time I added a small amount of Mason 6131 Titanium to Spectrum Clear 700.  Commercial glazes work on terra cotta greenware, but I will be experimenting with my studio glazes.  That ought to keep me busy in the dark of winter.

We are having a gray day which will turn to rain later today and most of tomorrow.  It's going to be lots of snow further north.  I hope everyone will stay safe and think twice about traveling in bad weather.

We are doing two feasts this year.  On The Day we are having dinner with friends next door.  This is a gift, as the sale opens on Friday at 10:00 AM.  I am working that day as we have had trouble getting people to work.  I still question the wisdom of opening on Friday.  I think we could open Saturday and use Small Business Saturday to our advantage......Friday evening could be a special grand opening.

It's time to go meet the day and go out into the world....which means going to the market.  We are doing most of our shopping at a locally owned store.  (three stores does make a chain) I did some careful comparisons and if I buy staples such as animal food and such from the big markets (Walmart is not the cheapest place around!) I don't spend more than a dollar over shopping at Stop & Shop ......aaaaannnnnnd....I don't feel like I need roller skates to get around the place!

Stay warm dry and safe to enjoy a most Happy Thanksgiving!

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