Working out the details

 Custom order on a house number tile.

We are open, mask are required, if you want an appointment let us know.

Stay well. 

House Tile

 I need to keep records of these house tiles since no 2 are alike.

 I like to base them on the customer and what they like.

This one is based on the wildflowers that grow around us in the late summer. I double & triple check the numbers. Those have to be correct.

Just a few of the tiles from the past firing. 

We are still open by appointment you can call, email us and we will be ready for you.

Stay safe!

M&M

Rabbits

 I have always enjoyed the top rabbit and decided that I needed to add this other rabbit to my tiles.

He's fat and looks like he would enjoy a good love squeeze. I am now working on a tile that has 2 of the new rabbits looking at the moon from different sides of the tile.

So near and yet so far.

The new one makes me think of the distance of love and how we can not just jump in the car and see our loved ones right now.  I will post them soon.

Be safe, be well, wash your hands, wear the mask, do your part, vote.

we are still here!

More when I get a minute!

Rain makes sunshine

 I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Then again neither does days of rain. What does make sense is how quickly you can forget the rain and all your troubles when the sun comes out.
We started out our day with no power, we ended our day with plentiful sun and warmth. The gratitude you feel as you walk in sunshine can not be explained, just absorbed.
What I noticed as we walked were small creatures happy that we had some sun.
We saw turtles piled on the banks at the zoo, even turtles need some sun to make them happy. I saw squirrels hanging in the nooks of trees getting their fill of sun. After endless rain we all wanted our fill. The cows were happy, we were happy, sun and power restored all in one day.

 At the zoo the trees were blooming red.
Look below at the turtles sunning.
Then look up -clouds!
Pretty clouds. The clouds were filled with animals, kings, faces, all drifting off for other places. I love a good cloud watch as the weather clears off. You see such things that can never be repeated.

 I am heading out to the studio this morning to finish some work I started weeks ago. I feel as if I an on a short ledge making yet another decision about the pottery, the school and what comes next.

Wish me luck,
M

One month down

Here we are already one month down in the new year. Where that time goes nobody knows, weather, hibernation, the lag after Christmas.
We are heading into the next month and with that we are making a few changes.
We will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
You can always get to us by email and, or phone to set up an appointment to see us. Most likely we are just here working away.

I am going back to the school to teach an extra day while we look for a new director for the Pottery program at MCC Troy NC.
It's a grand opportunity for someone who would like to teach and run the program. We have a wonderful program up and running, classes are full. We are going to add at least one more evening class, we are busy! I am sure the position will be advertised soon. When it is I will post it here.

I did just deliver about 20 tiles to a show that will open next month at the Greenhill in Greensboro.
More about that later.
Meanwhile, I have been baking bread, making granola again.
Yum, Yum.
I love this bread that was shared with me a few years back by a fellow blogger.

Cuban Bread

5-6 cups flour

2 packs dry yeast (scant 2 TBS.)

1 TBS.salt

2 TBS.sugar 

2 & 1/2 cups hot water (about 100-105 F.)

Place 4 Cups Flour in a large bowl with Yeast, Salt, and Sugar.

 Mix with a whisk to blend dry ingredients.  (I use 1 cup of whole wheat flour)

 Pour water in a large bowl or mixer, add the flour mixture about 1 cup at a time and beat 100 Strokes. (I use my kitchenaid mixer)

Add in remaining flour 1/4 Cup at a time.

 I add flour in the bowl until it gets to just this side of sticky- or is pulling away from bowl, and then I toss out and knead in more if it is too sticky.

Note: someday it takes all the flour and other days it does not.

Place dough in bowl that has been rubbed with oil, cover with towel.

 Let it rise in a warm place for 15 minutes until it is double.

Grease pans and sprinkle with cornmeal.

Boil about 2 cups of water and have ready to place in a pan on the bottom of the oven.

Punch dough down.

 Divide in two and form into loaves.

 I make rounds

 Slash the tops and spray or brush with water.

Place loaves on the middle rack of a Cold Oven.

 Turn oven to 400 F. and bake for one half hour (30 minutes).

 Reduce oven temp to 375 F,turn loaves, and bake for another 15 minutes.

Timing starts when the oven is turned on.  Interior temp should be about 215 F.

Place on rack to cool.

 This bread is made to be eaten the day it's made, but I have found that it makes excellent toast the next day and will last several days as a good slicing bread.

 We use this for sandwiches and toast.

 This has become my lazy bread it is quick and tasty. 

Cheers folks! Here comes February! 

Just some Red

 Not much news except there is sunshine out there!
Have a wonderful day.
M

A taste of spring in winter

6x6, more like 61/4

 We did get over to unload the kiln the other day. It took some careful steps with ice on the ground. I am much more aware that I do not want either of us to take a spill.

I was overall happy with the tiles. I always see what I could have done better first. Then I have to tell myself to set it all aside and sleep on it, look with fresh eyes, note issues and move ahead.

I am guilty of taking a left on a sharp curve instead of staying straight on a path. I am always rethinking the background of the tiles. I jump back and forth and sometimes I just jump off the deep in and try something else. I don't want those areas to take over the tile just to add to or sit quietly in the back part of the design. 

6x6 more like 61/4

It is always a process.

I tucked this one in a frame because that is another thought that I have, framing some of the tiles.

I always come back from that just wondering if it is what I want to do.
I can make a tile and then let someone decide how they want it to be used, framed or not. I like both.
Still mulling this one...

When I am choosing color I will quickly go red. I like red, I like the pop of color. We are in the age of gray walls, red loves gray walls.
But, this yellow combination has grabbed me lately. Oh, I am smitten with the yellows and greens. They are bright and cheery.

8x8, plus

 True confession on the tile on the bottom, I think I got carried away by the dragonflies...too many?
 Or, not enough!?

We are still waiting to be safe from ice on the driveway and will be closed another day.
Thursday I head over to teach, let's melt this stuff today, please. I will leave it up to Mark to open tomorrow  while I am gone. We should be open on Friday and Saturday.
Put Seagrove on your list of places to visit. I would be happy to point you to places to stay, eat or have a drink.
Stop in!

Looking for Rainbows

We have now been through the middle of 2 hurricanes that came through our area. The first one bought us buckets of rain, the second one brought in the wonders of wind.
One of the granddaughters asked me why we had a hurricane, do we need them? I thought about that and my thoughts are no, we don't need them, but we have no control over them.
They are nature making its own path, cutting rivers where there should be none, moving sand, making change.
 It has been devastating for many folks who have lost all that they have in the world.
How do you come back?
I worry that some of them never will.
I hope after this last storm that we have a break coming for the many that need to start over.
We are once again cleaning up debris, cutting and dumping the small trees that came down.
It has tossed us into the land of behind, behind on everything.
I sometimes think I should just let this year rest, put it to bed and let it wake up slowly next year.
We are working when we can, as we can, and if you need us we are here.

 Share a little love today, tell someone you care.

October 2018

It was time

 It was time to get down to some dusting in the shop. We live on a long dirt road and if you know dirt roads you know they can be dusty. We have had a lot of rain the past week which can bring down the dust making it a good time to spruce things up.
Our sales shop, "gallery", is not really big, but even a small space needs to get a dusting now and again.
I don't even want to tell you about chasing out the spiders.
It looked nice, shiny, and clean enough to share.
I am back on tiles while Mark is throwing pots to help fill out the kiln.
Tomorrow I am back in the classroom my one day a week at the college. I did enjoy the summer off, it gave me more days of focus, time to put in a flower garden, and time to chase some butterflies.
Fall is coming, come out and see us!
Cheers!

Tiles

I have worked on a number of tiles this summer and now is the time to get those ready to hang.
I use a simple d-ring on the back of the 3x6 it works great to make them ready to hang.
I find that most people prefer having something ready to go.
All they will need to do is pick a spot, put in a nail or screw and hang.

I like to let them sit at least 24 hours for the glue and d-ring to set up.

I already have 2 more round of tiles rolled to add to these.
This round has more of the 6x6 and a few larger ones as well.
The hard part is decided what to put on them.
Sometimes I just enjoy letting myself draw all over the tile and go for it.
Other times I hold myself to things I think I need to make.

Here is one of the tiles that I played with last round.
Of, course I see things I might change on the next round.
I have been watching the dragonflies dart all over the pond they are really busy right now.
I have seen many butterflies making their rounds through the yard as well.
I planted some flowers just for them to enjoy, I am watching to see if they lay a few eggs here and there.

Keep your eye out for those sheep, they are always getting out.
Sh, don't tell the farmer......
Stay cool out there, it's hot.
m

LongLeaf Film Festival

I am heading out to unload the rest of these out of the kiln today.
Fingers crossed!
Later,
M

Tiles and those crazy small items.

 I was pretty pleased with the firing for the last bit of tiles. I am always trying something new because that is just how the brain works.
And, I am always trying something new because I don't pay attention to the glazes and pick up the wrong glaze. The wings on the dragonfly below were in one glaze, and, then, just like magic, I picked up the wrong glaze and covered it with another glaze.
Well, let's just see what it does.
I like it. Can I repeat it? Maybe.

 The reason I take so many pictures is to remind me to remember what I did.
I can't remember why I walked into a room any more. When I go to glaze I start thinking again, maybe thinking too much. There are times you just need that inner voice to go silent.

The small tiles below I have made and glazed in the past usually using several glazes. This time I was under a time limit and just tossed them in a single glaze. I like them as well and I think they would be great as an accent in a bath or kitchen.

Here are more of those bits.
Buttons, and things that hang.
I just make them, you need to come do something with them.

More soon!
M