Another woman?

Frank N' his Bride

The other woman!

Just friends

If Mark leaves me this guy is not taken.

HAVE a  SAFE and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

storms

It was stormy the last few days- windy and rainy with Tornado warnings.
When I went to bed last night the wind was whipping, the rain was pouring down and I slept like a rock.
Go figure.
I have so much going on I should be awake pacing the floor but I slept.
felt pretty good.
There seem to be a lot of storms in my life right now but the thing about storms is that there is a point they blow over.
Then you get this:

Test for the backsplash:

and just glazing away....
waiting for the next storm...
and fall...

Knock knock-who's there?

Saturday night Mark and I had the fun of sitting with two 5 year old and a 4 year old at a cookout.
The night was filled with knock-knock jokes.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Banana.
Knock-knock.
Who's there?
Orange... it was looking like a long night.
Then at this age your attention span and bad broccoli take over and you are on to the next thing.
It was fun to watch their interactions with one another.
Our future.

We are working along on the gas kiln and the test for the back splash.
I fired my small test kiln yesterday and found that just a few degrees hotter and the glaze I wanted to use goes from a warm, glassy, golden yellow, that I want, to a more subdue green. Oh well- it was not me picking up the wrong brush it is the glaze.
Buggers!
I have other glazes that I can use that will not be so fussy- best go back to them.
Just allow me one minute of whine------ there- I'm done----- moving on now.

Yesterday was wet and a bit cooler.

This sassafras tree has been turning color while so many of our trees have not.
We did go up to Greensboro on Sunday and took some "wares" to the farmers market to sell.
It was not the best show ever but it pays a bill.
We did see that the Hickory trees are putting out a nice show of color and the other trees should be close behind.
I like it if they all turn and drop their leaves.
There was a year the Oaks held on and we had ice in November.
The combination was not good- with oak branches full of leaves that broke off and tried to remove the roof of the house.
So I have my eyes on those oaks.
They are showing just a tad of color.




I have not been able to get blogger to work with me on pictures.
I use to be able to load several at a time and now I spend way too much time trying to get it to even open my pictures.
Then I am back to one at a time.
And that is only if I cross my eyes, hold my tongue right and cuss like a sailor.
Ang has suggested I need to go to one of the new temtpales.
Well, that just takes time I don't have this week or next.
So- I will give it a go later and see if that helps.

Meanwhile! Send out word that the Clay and Blogs show comes down Sunday.
Go right now, jump in the car and go see it!
Also I am going to give a talk about it a week from Friday- more on that later.
Back to work!
M

and another test

You know how it is- you get something in your head and even when you get it wrong.... well where is that nobody to lay the blame on?
I am running another round of test after picking up one twice and not picking up the third glaze once.
Is that as clear as M.U.D.?
I got a glaze coded wrong and ended up with the same color twice when I was trying three different glazes for the grass on the back splash.
Well heck that is why I am testing right?
Back over to load my test kiln for a quick fire.
And those pillow pots came out Fab- pictures later.

Is it just me having TROUBLE with the new way to load pictures?
I hit the button and nothing happens.
I am beginning to take it personally!
Off to load that test kiln.

Testing 1,2,3.....

Before I go hog wild on the back splash I have one round of test to finish up.
Lee and I went over the glazes for the back splash and there are a few I have recently added that we both like.
Now to move them from a 2 inch tile to bigger.
You know how this is -you make a test love it and then throw it on EVERYTHING- only to have it come out of the kiln ... and you look and go- OMG what is that?
Ouch- too bright, too loud too PINK- whatever.
So I wanted to put some combinations of different glazes on larger test to see how they all came together.

I will fire this either tomorrow after Lee comes back and brings some of her work to help me finish loading the top of the kiln.
Or Saturday  just depends on when she gets here.

I have high hope that it will all work.

I added in some pillow pots to help fill the kiln.
I like the new combination of the burgundy-red with the reddish-brown background.

Then again- it is glaze and who knows what will really happen.

Gosh did someone say it is time to put feet up and have a glass of wine.
Sorry- gotta go!
Cheers!
M

Clay and Blogs:Telling a Story

Mark and I went back to Southern Pines to spend some time taking pictures and taking in the pottery in the show.
As most of you know that is a hard thing to do in a room full of people.
When there are people there talk gets in the way of look.
I enjoyed spending time with all the pots and mentally talked to all of them about what I thought I would do with them if I could just take all home with me.

In this display I enjoyed how the display was set up and the colors all played well with one another.
Gary Rith, Peter Gregory,  Jennifer Mecca and Judy Shreve.
Then peeking off to the left you can see some Ron Philbeck.
I have to admit I played with all of them.
Picking them up, turning them all around and just enjoying handling pottery I have seen on line but not in person.
There was a person who came up and just starting talking about how she loved Ron's clothesline pots.
She went on and on about them.
Picking up the cups turning them all around and feeling the handles and weight in her hand.
She was thinking about one for her daughter... I just know she would love one... let's hope she bought one.
 


Then I wandered over to this Michael Kline jug that stood all alone, but was like a greeter to another room.
Doesn't it just have the nicest presence?
This jug said to me, come on in take a look around- but be sure to get back over to me with all my fine decoration running around on my fat belly and up across my shoulders and under my handle.... how could you resist me?

But then- oh- a Kitty Shepherd tile!
Kitty's work with all the detail and layers to it really talks.
The bird with those wonderful feathers!
I will tell you the truth, I took it off the wall.
Yes, I did and ran my fingers over those wonderful colors.

I took more pictures and so did Mark.
I hope to get more up soon.
But meanwhile enjoy looking and better yet take a ride out to see the show.
It will come down by the end of the month and the month is rolling away fast.
Peace,
M

A burst of flavor and a new BFF

Yesterday Mark and I took a drive out in search of fall and even though we found some color we both have the feeling we are being fall deprived.
We really need that cold weather in order for the trees to think, "hey, man it is fall....".
Soon- very soon.
Before we left I had picked some of the Basil that was just hanging on.
I have been grabbing handfuls when I need some but it will not last forever.
It was time to take some in and put it away for that fresh burst of flavor.
I have made pesto many times, but I now like to just chop the Basil and add nothing but olive oil.
Then freeze in TBS.- then when you need some in your sauce or to just brighten ( see I watch and learn from the cooking shows)a soup-just toss one in at the last minute.

Now really you want to know about these two sweet, wonderful tea bowls don't you?
All the blah,blah was just to keep you interested.
The tea bowls were a gift from Hollis.
He was kind and generous to bring one for me and one for Mark.
That is one smart man because who wants to watch two potters arm wrestle or have a big old fat smack down over who gets to use the tea bowl.
We both picked one and mine is perfect.
Now, I am hand washing this guy daily so I can use him daily.
My new BFF.
But Mark walks in the other night to pour a glass of wine and says, "I think you have my tea bowl."
"What??!!" I say as I am chopping veggies with a very sharp knife.
Yes- he thinks I have nabbed his tea bowl.
Now you would think we would be happy with either, which we would, but the reason we have been married FOREVER is we leave each others stuff alone.
Now here is where things could have gone ugly.

But instead I took my tea bowl and turned it to him and said, "do you see that little green glass drip there?"
"Yes", he said.
"This is my tea bowl, I claimed that drip".
Enough said- but I am keeping my eye on him.

Walkabout

Even tho I am past the age for a real walkabout I think I would love one about now.
After years of making pottery and working through the falls like a she devil my mind is really wandering.
My mind would love a trip away.
The beach in October, what a dream that would be.
I love the beach during the off season when the air is nippy and you need a jacket.
The mountains to see all the leaves turn color.
Maybe a little log cabin retreat with a fireplace and some hot tea and a book.....

But alas I find myself working away.

We think of ourselves as the Elves around here.
We hope that what we are making will make its way onto someone Christmas, Wedding, Hanuka, or  Kwanzaa gift list.
So we hang here during the fall dreaming about the places we would like to be.
A driving trip up the east coast.
A plane trip to California.
Don't the all sound good!

But we will stay here like the elves and walk out everyday looking at our trees and waiting for that burst of color that should be here soon.

Pots are being made, kilns are firing  and I think I can find a cup of hot tea.
Might take a drive or walk today and keep looking for fall.

Saturday in mid October

This month is flying past me and I have so many thing I need to catch up on.
One of those things are a few blog awards I have been given but I have not found the time to place them on the blog.
This one came in yesterday, I think, and I have posted it up.
Now to find those other ones.......
Pots are being made, tiles are being glazed and fall is here.
I am heading out to see if I can find some fall color.
More later.
M

Guess who's back!

There was a whole lot going on the past few months and I had to box up the Giraffe back splash and just not think about it.
On Monday I asked the handiest of man that works around here to help me(?) set up a place to put out all the tiles.
He and I came up with a plan and then he being the handiest man I know set to work to make it happen.
Well- there she is- well except the boarder tiles.
I have two more to carve, the forgotten two that I almost missed, and the others are drying.
Yesterday I had a conference with Lee about glazes.
We have added a few more glaze colors and I needed her keen judgment on where and what glazes we have decided to use.
That is done and now it is wait until the boarder are finished and then... and then the fun begins.
I am just a tad nervous about the glaze and firing.
This is it, fingers, knees and toes crossed when I go into this one.

 Just a few earrings from the last gas kiln.
I make these as fillers and as you know there are tons of work that go into the small stuff- enough to make a person crazy.
Well, we had someone take, steal, a whole box from our gallery.
It was a small box about 2 inches high and about 10 inches across.
Yet, it held a lot of earrings.
If for some reason you see any earring show up on etsy, ebay or a local show that look like they were made by me shoot me an email.
And to the person who took them... no nice words for you.

A Tuesday in October

First off , as I resurface, I want to thank Tom Starland of Carolina Arts Unleashed who was our media sponsor for the show Clay and Blogs: Telling a Story.
Tom went recently to view the show and did a very nice write up with some great pictures.
You should go read the article here. 
Tom and his wife Linda are those people who work very hard behind the scenes.
They in many ways make our lives easier.
If you get the information to them in a timely manner- they do all they can to get the word out there.
Thank you Tom and Linda!

There was a service for Jay tonight and we could not get there.
Instead my sister Leslie went to represent the family.
Instead we raised a glass to brother Jay tonight and had our own memorial service.
Safe passage......

And today we just worked.
We did what most potters do daily.
We took balls of clay and they hit the wheel heads.
I spun out on sugar jars and bowls.
While Mark worked on big bowls, Mugs and Pitchers.

There were moments when all you heard were the wheels and the thwack!
music.....

I walked by the mushroom logs on my way into the house and guess what ended up on the stove.

 All in all a good fall day.
I am looking forward to another one tomorrow.
Cheers,
M

Monday

 I wanted to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and comments here and on facebook.

I will be back to posting about pottery soon.

Meanwhile I have a few family issues that still take front stage.

Below is something Judy Shreve sent to me and I wanted to share.

 

 

A ship sails and I stand watching till she fades on the horizon and someone at my side says 'she is gone.'

Gone where? Gone from my sight that is all;

she is just as large as when I saw her. The diminished size and total loss of sight is in me, not in her, 

and just at the moment when someone says, 'she is gone,' 

there are others who are watching her coming, and other voices take up a glad shout, 

''There she comes!'

And that is dying.

 

 

Brother Jay March 12, 1949 - October 9, 2010

My brother Jay was the oldest of the 5 kids.
My parents had 5 kids in under 6 years.
Our nickname was the frantic five.
A house full of legs, arms, heads and friends.
Jay did everything first as it should be and was the keeper of stories about the family and things that we did not always remember.

Jay was a father of two- and is survived by a son James Rutledge Henderson who lives in Norfolk Va.
and a Daughter Gabrielle Felicia De Courey of Tazewell Va .
He was a lawyer by trade and a pottery lover and collector.
He is survived by his wife Leslie Carol Henderson, her sons and a granddaughter.
Three cats and his faithful companion Jax.


The family will miss him deeply.
I want to thank so many of you for the thoughts, prayers and well wishes over the past months.
And as Jay would say-
Peace,
M

March 12, 1949 - October 9, 2010

Breathing

Every year I look at the pods of the Trumpet Vine and think there should be a way to cast these and make a necklace out of the pods.
I always pick a few and look at them over and over again before I walk away or toss them aside.
Nature.
How do you reproduce something that nature does so well?
There are potters who have the ability do do such things and I always envied their ability to get the idea from their head to their hands and to the finished item.
Then you can hold and turn in your hands and look with wonder.
Gee, I wonder how they.....

I am back in the studio after a break in the work cycle with all the goings and comings and the show.
It was wonderful and I am ready for a bit of clay.
Yesterday their was something waiting for me at every turn.
Plates to trim, bowls to fix, jars to finish and tiles to carve.
Bisque to unload and earrings to finish.
Me thinks the elves were sleeping on the job.
Then again how can I complain when I get to wake up and walk across my yard to go to work?

And I get to look at this.....

So inspiration.
There is plenty there I just need to look.

new worker

Look at the sweetness of this tiny little pot.
It is made by some sort of wasp.
It showed up on the back of our open closed sign a week or so ago.
Tiny sweet with great lines.
Now how do I get this guy to do production?

A whirlwind of activity

I am still "in" recovery mode. The past few weeks with the deadline on the Clay and Blogs show just about put me under the bus.
But- big but---- BUT all things considered it went real well.
As you can see from the potters who posted pictures we had a great turn out for the opening.
Red dots appeared here and there with some folks standing guard as their spouse went in search of the person with the power of the dots.
We started the week off before the opening with our friends Linda and Gary Starr.
They drove all the way fro Florida to be here.
The Starr's' took advantage of their time by going out to the potters, the NC Zoo, attending a lunch and learn with Ron Philbeck and going to see Tracey over in Chapel Hill.
They are working their way back home, but not before leaving Mark and I with this fun vase of Linda's, which is sitting on the mantel nestled between 3 old bottles from JB Cole on one side and two Donna Craven on the other side.
Thanks Linda!

We also could not resist this tea bowl from the show.
I picked it up.
Walked away.
Mark picked it up walked away.
I picked it up- he took it from me and then I said- you better go find a dot.
Now let's see who gets to use it first when we get it home!
We might have to find some more to add to this one!

After the opening I rode back to our house with Hollis and Dee.
Which was a good thing- we live way out in the middle of nowhere and finding it in the dark can be tricky.
On Saturday I spent some time "dragging" Hollis and Dee to the potteries.
I picked folks that were firing kilns if I could.
It was fun to get out and see the potters and a great time to visit.
There were many wood kilns going last week.
I have to tell you this whole thing was fun.
It was a pleasure to have worked with all the potters.
A pleasure to have had the chance to know many better.
And a real pleasure to see the pots.
Thank you all!
But a big old Thank you to this guy- he truly has always had my back.

Herding cats

I know you all want to see more pictures of the pots and here is what I am going to do.
I need to go back to the gallery when there are no distractions.
No potters-
No wine.......
and no spinach dip!
Then I can take my time to take pictures of all the work.
I had the best time taking Linda, Gary, Hollis and Dee out to visit with Seagrove potters, view work talk and see many kilns.
Fortunately there were several potters who were firing.
It was great to stop in and see many wood kilns being feed.
Of course my favorite was watching Mr. Ken feeding the kiln.

no words just some pictures-