Pottery. Photography. And All Things Handmade.
Glazing is not my favorite part of the pottery process but when my pieces come out of the kiln, glazing is well worth the effort! Most of my pieces have two different glazes applied giving the pottery one color on the inside and another color on the outside. This process involves a combination of pouring... Continue Reading →
Though the calendar says it is autumn, Mother Nature says otherwise! I am thrilled by the warm dry autumn days because I can continue to throw pots on my back porch! Most recently, I have been working on plates. I have been using a certain mid-fire cone 6 clay for over 10 years and... Continue Reading →
I have been doing a lot of throwing lately thanks to the good weather we have had this summer. I am currently working on new inventory for my Etsy store including mugs, platters and larger pet bowls! By the end of September 2017, I will start adding the new inventory to my shop. For updates,... Continue Reading →
I have been using 112 brown clay for over ten years and have never experienced the problems with grog as I have this year. The particle size of the grog seems unusually large causing a lot of damage and heartbreak. 😦 Looks like I will be looking for a new clay. Save
UPDATE: 24 Hours Later! Delicious! Family says 'not quite Claussen but close!" In other words, they are a hit! Taking a short break from pottery today to make pickles. I do not like canning in the late summer because, well, it's just too hot! So I have been searching for "easy" refrigerator pickle recipes and... Continue Reading →
Glazed Bottoms or Bare Naked Bottoms? These are my newest pieces: free formed shaped bowls made from a slab of clay slumped over a plaster mold. They are becoming my favorite to make; however, when it comes to glazing I cannot decide whether to glaze the bottoms or leave them bare and naked. Which do... Continue Reading →
Opening the kiln after a glaze firing is pretty exciting. It is as if it where Christmas! I was very pleased with these glaze results minus a few minor clay and glazing technique glitches which I won't talk about yet. Right now, I'm am enjoying these colors . . . eye candy for the potter!... Continue Reading →
I am getting ready for my 2nd glaze firing. I am trying to be more meticulous about the glazing process and spread it out over a few days rather than do it ALL in one day. When I try to do ALL in one day, I grow tired and very impatient which is not a... Continue Reading →
Best of summer!
When given lemons . . . . . .make lemonade! Save
This year's throwing season seems to be going well! Very minimal mistakes plus,thanks to learning about an alternative way to take large pots off the bat, I have been able to throw larger pieces: plates, serving bowls, platters and pet bowls! To date, I have thrown over 35 pieces since Memorial Day! 😀 Unfortunately, I'm... Continue Reading →
One reoccurring problem I have had was making large pet dishes (7+ inches or larger in diameter). In almost every single instance, I would ruin the pet dish when taking it off the bat. I had some extra time over the winter to research alternative ways of taking large pots off of the bat. I... Continue Reading →
Well, this is a first! Apparently one of our cats took refuge in my drying box . . .on a bowl! LOL
Okay, yes. The title of this post is a little dramatic but are not snakes dramatic when you are not expecting them. So, I'm blissfully throwing pots on my back porch today when I notice our cat following something through the yard. I didn't think anything too much about it because, after all, it is... Continue Reading →
We had so much fun at the pottery supply store this week! So many wonderful and pretty things to look at including a huge turquoise ceramic bowl filled with MKM small circular wooden stamps. The wooden stamp filled bowl was right at our grandson's reach. He relished the feel and look of each and every... Continue Reading →
This is an annual move from the basement to the back porch. Luckily, this year I didn't have too many loads to lug up the stairs (12 steps). My pottery wheel stayed under wraps on the back porch over the winter. I was happy to unwrap it, clean it off and set it up! So... Continue Reading →
Over the winter, my thoughts turn to solving pottery problems, learning about new ideas and techniques. One reoccurring problem I have had was making large pet dishes (8 inches or larger in diameter). In almost every single instance, I would ruin the pet dish when taking it off the bat. It wasn't until I had... Continue Reading →
We have had a terrible cold and flu season. So much coughing and so much mucus (TMI, I know but still . . . so much!). This past week has been fairly mild so we went on a walk to look for signs of spring. Looking forward to planting our peas around Saint Patrick's Day... Continue Reading →
Back Porch Studio 