Bite?

I just came in from cutting this Swiss chard that we will add to tonight's dinner.
I have noticed that someone has been enjoying some bites out of or even stripping off a leaf over several nights. It took me several days to realize we must have a slug coming in the garden. I don't mind as long as they stick to one leaf but you know how that goes. First they taste, then they have to "share" the good news and next thing you know all their friends have moved in to share the bounty and we will be left with the shredded and tattered leftovers.
We are now planning how best to invite them to an all night party and not have them leave.

You know the if you play you have to pay.
Well after taking 4 days off to see family the week-end before we had to ignore all things going on around us and get the big kiln glazed and ready to load.

We just put our heads down and do it.

Nothing left but the loading and firing.

Mark is involved in another project so it will be Thursday before we load and Friday before we fire.
Meanwhile I am still galzing.
I moved back to the electric kiln and have a load there I am working on.
Stay tune- more bites later.
cheers,
M

A time of reflection Lee's Tiles

A time of reflection Lee's Tiles

I glazed  and fired the last of Lee's tile last week and just wanted to share them before they left for homes all over the place.
I have some left from other firings that she glazed that I might post up.
I have to sell all her work to settle her Estate.
Sad to see them go but I am happy to know that are going to homes with people who will enjoy them.
She would have loved that.
Happy week-end and be safe!
M

Promises, promises.

I know I promised you talk for yesterday, but boy howdy it was busy around here.
I did get two bisque kilns loaded and one is firing right now as we speak.
I have to tell you I love, love, love the new computer kiln. I know its best not to become too trusting and we do check on it as soon as we are up.
Are you on?
Doing your thing?
Turning yourself up?
Well, you are a good boy aren't you?
If they made kiln biscuits I would give this kiln one and pet its hot little head.
Ah...... we are making fast friends.
I have found that this kiln loads differently then the old one. It is not as wide inside and a tad taller. It makes me pull up a step stool to reach the bottom and I have to use the shelves differently. It does not want to let me span the shelves and with the more narrow inside I made the mistake of putting two half together in the bottom and it was hard to get them out. I also use to start with 6 inches at the bottom. Now I have a 9 inch brick down there. It makes it easier to get the shelves in and out- in case you have not noticed I am short or vertically challenged.
Plus I understand that at this stage of the game I will not get taller but shorter as the years move along.
 Life is funny that way.
Oh, the kiln- anyway it chugs along on its on and we are getting spoiled fast.
About the cone 6 firing.
I am using a variety of commercial glazes that I started testing before I did the Giraffe back splash last year. I also have a few glazes that I mix. I use the commercial glazes in the flowers and the pour on the mix glazes as background color.
One, the Amber glaze, that I used I stole right off Fetishghost's blog.


I am using a red clay body so I found this has to go on pretty thin or it becomes a green almost teadust color. Not that I don't like that it just covers too much of the stamping or detail if it is too thick.

Not a great picture sorry- but I have to learn how to shoot that Amber glaze. It is more tricky then the matte yellow.

These are extruded and I started making them one day when I was bored with butter dishes. I thought they would be quick and you can laugh now because then they needed feet and then they needed some carving and then they needed... you get the picture. Nothing is fast about clay work.
I carve each panel different so all 4 sides have something going on.
Then dry, sand (wearing a mask) bisque, and layer in the glaze, wax, pour background and fire cone 6.
I think I have spent about an hour glazing and waxing the design before I pour the background glaze.
That is that moment where I think I am going back to one glaze no carving pots and you know I am lying.
These things will whisper in my brain again and the next thing you know they will have to come out.

Best get cracking there is so much to catch up on after a few days off playing with family.
So more talk later.
I promise!
M

Cone 6

Pictures first -talk later!

Party time!

Excuse me but it was the GRAND baby's birthday!
Back to pots on Monday!
Cheers,
M

stage two of the lamps and the witness protection service

Just after I was out shooting pictures of the lamps Mark was in behind me to carve them.
Lovely, they will make great lamps for someone and stay tune for the final stages of bisque and glaze.
These needed handles, so I was told.
Makes me think they are in the pottery protection service.
Name, rank and serial number please.
Or hats- maybe they just need a hat.

I have spent a few days on glaze...........................................mind numbing at times and frustrating at times and then all the sudden done!

I have my small electric kiln working away today with tiles, butter trays, tea caddies and odd vases.

In early May I had an email from a friend and fellow potter of Hollis out in Cape Cod.
Gail Turner of Millstone Pottery would be traveling to North Carolina to visit her friend Lee and they would spend a day in Seagrove visiting the area potters and would love to come by.
We had a terrific visit and talk came easy for us all.
I felt I had known Gail, Lee and her husband ( who was kind enough to come along!) all my life- you know the feeling.
I had this when I met Hollis, Dan, Hannah, Angela and Tracey as well.
Some where on another planet in a place far away we have been connected before.
Is it the clay?
Or is it that common language that we all have with the work we do?
Mark and I have been very lucky to have met many potters from all over the USA and the world and we find we do have that common language even if we do not all speak the same language.
It makes me feel we are some how all related like one big disjointed family living all over the planet.
We plan to continue this journey of pottery and hope to one day soon show up in Cape Cod and follow the pottery trail they have up there.
Gail was kind enough to leave me with a book and map that both Mark and I have been reading over- road trip going through our heads- how quick can you pack a bag I think....
I have a few things to take care of but I do think a trip to the Cod needs to be on my list.
After all now that I have "family' there how can they turn me away?!
Whoops- time to check on the kiln!
M

Making lamps and then there is a bowl

Mark has been a busy elf working on many different lamp shapes.

He started off just making our standard egg shape and then something else stepped in and the next thing you know those eggs had taken a twist.
These are small accent lamps that stand under 9 inches before the shade is put on.

I have several in our house that I really like for those spots that need a little light.

He moved from the small lamps over into some larger ones.
And, again, the standard egg shape has taken on a new look.

It will be interesting to see how these work out in the kiln.
New shapes to play with!

Then I found this quiet bowl sitting along with the lamps.
This bowl feels so soft and quiet to me.
I loved the shape and the swirl in the bottom.
More of these would be nice.
I could see filling this up with some of my spring salads or a nice summer pasta dish.




We keep working on filling up the gas kiln and I think we might be there soon.
I have moved over to glazing tiles while I wait for stoneware pots to dry.
Never a dull moment around here.

Most days I could use an extra hour or three to get it all done.

Then again my old bones tell me when it is time to step away and do something else.
This spring has been a wet one for us and I heard the other day it is called a blackberry summer. I gather that the meaning is that the cool days with lots of rain are going to make for some killer blackberries this summer.
We are keeping our eyes out on a few areas that hold promise for berries.
It has been many summers since I have made blackberry jelly, but it could be on the list for this year.
I have two rounds of strawberry jam put away and I know Mark would go for some blackberry.
I do know that you just can not compare real jam or jelly to what is out there in the store.
It is a bad day when we are out of the homemade stuff here.
Makes for sad toast in the mornings.....:(

The magnolia trees are also very happy with the wet, cool spring.
Cheers!
M

Knock-Knock who's there?

ME!
I did not know that blogger had taken  a very long lunch break that seem to have slipped into serveral days.
I thought it was me!
Of, course if I had been paying attention I might have noticed.
Seems I am living in my own little world.
And as long as it is my world let me take one more break from the pottery life I lead to wish my number one child HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Happy Birthday Joel!

Cheers!
It was a good thing I had you when I was 13!
Next year I am telling everone I had you when I was 12!
Love,
The rents

Sweet gift from over the seas, birds and dreams

When Doug, Hannah and Angela were here last month they brought over some great gifts for many of us and I was presented with three very lovely gifts.
The tile of the bird was from Doug- marvelous and goes perfect in the kitchen.

Then from Ang- this sweet tile goes perfect in the front room of the house- how did she know?

And just look at this sweet creamer (jug) from Hannah- it is keeping company on the mantle

On mother's day we went and meet up with our son and his wife.
Later I noticed there was more then the usual poop from the birds who are nesting on the carport.
I snapped a picture to get a closer look and when I looked at it on the computer I noticed not the usual 3 babies we have had the last two years but 5!
Now that is a load of babies to feed.
One has been pushed out of the nest and I think we will see some flight soon.
But goodness the mess.
I have some clean up to do.
Food in- food out.

After my dream about Lee I decided to do an embroidery piece using the colors from the dream.
I have about 5 of these small pieces done and now I have to do something with them.
Hummmm
But- today pots!
Work is calling.
M

I'm late, I'm late for a very important date!

Like Alice down the rabbit hole I am moving along at a speed that has me reeling.
So very much going on and some of which might just put you all in a deep sleep.
So instead I will just say Happy Mother's day because with out the mother's we would not be here.

my mother

A new mother, daughter Anna and Mara

Me as a new mother with son Joel 1976

Mark's mother- a great grandmother

And I could go on- but I am late!