Hello from the blustery and snowy arctic tundra! Okay. Maybe not THE arctic tundra but from my back porch. Brrrr! Though it is winter, I have been playing in the mud inside where it is warm. I am looking forward to sharing with you my latest clay projects. Happy Friday!!!
The calendar says it is October but summer is still here! Temperatures in the 90’s. Shadows growing longer. Warm breeze. Dragon flies dart about. My eyes and soul can not get enough of the these clear blue skies and white puffy clouds. And falling to sleep to the sound of crickets and katydids in October … More Look Up
I learned a lot about shooting the moon. The Harvest Moon illuminated night sky the weekend of September 13, 2019. So, I grabbed my camera and tripod. The sky was not 100% clear on Friday night but thought the clouds added drama. I was disappointed, however, to see that my photographs were not as … More Shooting The Moon
I usually don’t complain about the weather unless it is cold. I do not like being cold. If it is below 70 degrees, that’s it. I’m complaining. This spring, however, I find myself complaining about the lack of sun light. Over the winter, I yearned for bright spring sunny days but so far we have … More A View From My Back Porch
After much thought, reading, note-taking and collaboration with fellow potters, I think I have discovered the reason why I have had pin holes. #1: The glazes were too thick. So early spring, I adjusted my glazes. The result was perfect on two of the three clay bodies. #2: It is a particular clay-body. After talking … More News! Not Breaking but News . . .
I’m a list maker and note taker. I make lists of things “To Do” otherwise things will not get done such as exercise, make doctor’s appointment, and laundry. I also make “To Do” lists for pottery such as prepare test tiles, reclaim clay, make handles and buy more clay. I make lists for items I need … More A Note To Myself
It may seem as if I am hibernating after the holidays. Goodness knows, I certainly feel as if I could! January and February are quickly becoming my favorite months of the year; a respite from the hustle and bustle of the holidays. A time to relax and rejuvenate – change of pace. It may look … More Hibernating, Not
What!? I haven’t posted since October 22nd?! 😱 Well, happy December! We flew through Halloween! Then Thanksgiving happened in the blink of an eye. Now, December is upon us as well snow . . . . . .and baking season. Cookies, breads and pies are not the only things baking this month. I have a few more … More Merry & Bright
I’ve never seen a summer go by so fast in all my life! Due to the falling temperature, I brought my wheel into the garage from my back porch because I am NOT DONE throwing things! You see, my back porch is not an enclosed porch. It has a roof but no walls. It is … More End of Throwing Season
Over the past few months the need for a shallow cat dish became apparent. Miss Kitty,17 years young, refused to eat out of her regular cat bowl. I thought it was her food but learned it was her food dish. She developed whisker stress. Whiskers are extremely sensitive, and when a food bowl is too … More Necessity is the Mother of Invention
It was a crisp November day. I loaded the kiln for the last time of the 2017 throwing season. Flipped the switch on the kiln expecting the glaze firing to take 10 to 12 hours. When 10 hours passed, I suspected something was wrong. The results of the longest glaze firing ever . . . … More 22 Hours Later
New glaze combos. Trusty favorites with a new twist. Unearthed and revived old glazes that I haven’t used in years. So, that is what the glaze is going on around here!
I am happily throwing things . . . on my pottery wheel! View this post on Instagram A post shared by Back Porch Studio (@pauline_backporchstudio) This throwing season, I am focusing on mugs and pet dishes. Not only are they fun to make, they are my best sellers.
I made another box but with feet! When I made the first one, I intened it to be a planter but it didn’t have drainage hole or feet to ensure airflow and drainage. Happy feet! Happy Friday!
Having a slab roller really simplifies things and conserves my energy verses a rolling pin! I was thinking about making this a succulent planter! However, I may need to rethink its design. A planter needs a pot with a drainage hole or feet to ensure better airflow. This box doesn’t have either one. So, what … More Taking A Stab At Slabs
I have been working on nesting bowls this week. Each bowl is made from a slab of clay draped over clay molds I made last winter. It has taken me several tries to work out all the kinks in the process. The third time worked like a charm! After these air dry, they will undergo … More New Project: Nesting Bowls
Just when I was ready to throw in the towel early this month due to groggy clay , I decided to talk to the folks at my local pottery supply store to see if they could recommend a new clay body similar to what I had been using for over ten years. I am SO happy … More New Clay! Great Things!
Work. What is work? What does it mean? Save Save
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 … More Summer Not Yet Over!
I have been putting off making mugs because I have struggled so with making handles. It has been FIVE years since I made a mug. Well, I wanted to start making them again but wanted to learn whether or not there was a tool available for making handles verses pulling them by hand from a … More There’s A Tool For That!
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