I HAVE been busy!

So I did get in to the local small show at Hurkamp Park. The date is May 15 and 16. Because it is my first, I am a bit anxious. Not because of the show itself (I love to talk with strangers.) but because of all the preparation. So I have been working hard in the studio. These slipped mugs are on a new type of clay. I have been looking for a redder, cone 6, clay. I like the color but the amount of grog makes the clay stiff to throw. I have tendonitis in my right hand and this clay really aggrevates it. Bummer. So for now I will stick with smaller pieces, and keep looking for another alternative. Maybe when I have my own kiln one day I will experiment with the low fire earthenware like I have been wanting to...


I also have been throwing alot of my standard clay that will take the blue/green combination of glazes. I'll have some of those to show you in a couple of days. I hope!

Watch this!

Especially if you are a knitter!

Lack of planning

Each day I get up about 6:30. I feed the dog and leave to drive Greg to the train station at 7:08 (any later and we wont make it, we have it down to the minute!) Back home by 7:20 I read the paper, check the blogs (while watching the squirrels out the window over my desk in the living room...) and eventually hit the floor for a session of yoga stretching. IF I'm LUCKY I don't fall asleep. Then Layla gets her walk (if SHE'S lucky) before I eat my breakfast and head to the studio.


That sounds well planned.....what isn't is the fact that I FORGET MY CAMERA EVERY DAY. I am getting frustrated with myself. I can only beg photo shots from friends so often...When I do remember to bring it there is nothing new to show.


So here is what has been going on (but without the pictures.): a tile mirror project for the Patron Show in May. (I WILL have pictures of that thanks to Elizabeth) banks nearly completed and a mess of mugs of a new VERY RED clay I am trying for my slipware work. At home I finished the doubleweave blanket I (may have) mentioned earlier. Also for the Patron Show. (No pictures of the process because of pure laziness on that one). All this interspersed with articles for the Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild newsletter.

First Friday tonight.

I promise to do better. I hate posts without pictures. But no post is worse right??

Signs of Spring....

Well, maybe not technically but arent "new" sheep a sign of warmer weather to come?

I like making these banks. I throw the body as a closed form (they are slowly getting lighter, though closing the buggers is still hit and miss...) and then add the rest. I usually make them from my buff clay and make their legs and faces black. Give the whole thing a coat of clear glaze. This time, since I have been experimenting with slip, I've used a brown clay with the white slip and will leave their faces and legs au natural.

I always have to make at least one cow! (This one is as of yet unfinished....my husband interrupted me with a text message that he was on an early train home from work, so I dropped the tools, covered the cow and we ended up at a local bar for a quick St Patty's day Guinness with fish and chips....) Cows always are more work since I cant seem to complete one without an udder....that will come later of felted wool....stay tuned!

Show pics

One of my goals this year (besides this blog) is to finally to do some actual shows. They don't have to be major events, just something to get my toe in the pond, teach me the ropes and motivate me to do the work. In Fredericksburg we have a smallish show in May, that happens to coincide with the Marine Corps Half Marathon that is now sponsored by this small town. Plus this particular show is in the Park just around the corner from LibertyTown! If I forget something I can always run back and get it....How's that for an easy first show attempt!

Fortunately the show is very low key. So I have attempted to take my pictures for application myself. I KNOW they are not great but hope they are adequate for this particular event. I have already been promised by a certain person that he will help me for the more serious event I'd like to try for in Williamsburg in the Fall.


I'm required to send three pictures, to include one of my set up. So the first one and probably the third and sixth will go. (I know the mug is too blurry, but I really love that mug. Only I can take blurry pictures with a tripod!)

Glazed pots and disappointment

A few of the leaves all glazed and ready to sell.

Here are a couple of the small bowls. I am unhappy with the way the glaze turned out. The large bowl is an earlier piece and you can see the nice overlap of glazes. This is a combination that I use regularly, but this time in the smaller bowls it crawled considerably. I am NOT happy. I still have a lot to learn about glaze chemistry and behaviors. I HATE chemistry (the only reason I stuck with it in high school was because it was the good looking teacher's first year...) So when this happens to my standard colors it is really discouraging to me. In fact cleaning the house today felt more satisfying then going to back to the studio!

Fortunately SOME of the bowls are fine....

50 inches and counting....little pots.

I think this picture says it all. Is 50 inches enough???



Finally walked into the studio and ended up throwing these little pitchers. Im always trying to think of small less expensive items to make. I attended too many craft shows where I could afford NOTHING. I like to keep that in mind.


These are my little $10 bowls. I have 32 done and will work on more. They are big sellers and I want to be well stocked for the two shows I am hoping for....