It's getting to be a lot like

 July out there.
The blueberries are coming in, tomatoes,squash, peaches and all the good things that come with summer.
I am behind by 3 years on a summer garden instead I help my local growers out by buying from them.

On the pottery front. We are working on taking pictures of the new work that is coming from Ms. B. We have tried twice to set up something in the studio and shoot after the sun goes down. The good thing about rebuilding our work space after July 8th 2008 when we had a fire was adding more light in with more windows. The bad thing about all those windows is the reflections they add.
We set up a spot and waited until the sun went down to shoot.
While Mark was using his camera I had my point and shoot.

 We did get some random shoots that were okay, but we are not getting what we really want. We think it comes down to the lens on his camera and are now doing some research on what we could switch to as well as a different back ground. I like the black, but the camera and color off the all black is not working with many of the glazes.
We have always know that we would rather make pots than shoot them. We also know that if you really want a good shoot you hire a professional.  We have done that in the past and it is probably time to take that step again. What we would like is to set up an online store and with that we need a set up that would work all the time for us to shoot and post.
The challenge of selling work in the digital age.

 This glaze on the honey pot is one that has been around and now back again for us. When we were firing in the big gas kiln we could no longer get this to come out for us. In Ms. B it is happy as happy can be. We are slowly putting it on mugs, juice cups and honey pots. Next up is some larger work such as lamps.

Below- yes, that is us with one of our first goats in our makeshift milking contraption that Mark built.
I had a small herd of milk goats that we were raising, but this city girl never learn how to milk a goat. I was up there keeping her from kicking while Mark worked the milking.
I recently found this picture in a box of pictures that Mark's mom had.
A real walk back in time for us, I always wonder where my life would have gone if I had continuing the life of a goat herder. I was making goat cheese in 70's and could not give it away. We loved it, but anytime I tried to share it was a different story. The goats, my girls, are for another day.
Today, it is back to the clay pit.

Oh honey bee, be mine

 Yesterday was honey pot day for me and as I working on the numbers I thought about how we don't always count the lids in our numbers.
 If someone asks you how many pots did you make today, you will tell them I made 15 honey pots. Now, if we are counting the lids as a separate item then if you made 15 bodies and 15 lids in my book of math that is 30 pieces. 
So, I am counting those lids since they were made right along with the honey pots. They are just as important as the bodies, let's stand up for the little guys!

I have tucked away the honey pots with thoughts of making at least another 15. I am still in wonder at a item that has come back into favor along with local honey.
I am a big fan of honey and have been a big fan for many years. I use to make some of my jams with honey. The best tasting was a honey and peach jam. I might have to try that again.
Of course back then honey was not as expensive as it is now.

There was a day several years back when I had a bee keeper come in the shop to ask me if I would sell honey for him. It was local and looked great. He was having a hard time getting anyone to buy it at that time. I asked him how much he need. He asked for 2.00 a pint jar.  I took a case and never did sell it, I tucked it away in my pantry and used every jar.
The other day I bought a jar at the Seagrove Hardware for 10.00. Good increase on the price of honey for the local bee keepers. I hope that by supporting them it keeps them in business.

  Mark is still adding to the mug count, while I am working those honey pots and bowls.

We have some cold days coming this week, possibly a good time to get these all dry and ready for a bisque firing.
Stay warm, I suggest you indulge in some good hot tea with a nice dollop of honey.
Oh, so good.
M 

drying tiles ever so slowly.......

getting off to a new year

Getting in gear for a new year of pots always starts with a long list of the pots that are needed not only for the first firing but for future firings as well. We use many of the filler pots throughout the kiln, they are a good place to start.
I really enjoy making these bottles.
They are just fun for me.

And, they will fit in and around the vases and big pots that Mark is making.

They are also a good size for the many spring flowers that will soon be sprouting up from their winter rest.

Along with the bottles I am throwing jars.
I have started with sugar and honey jars first and plan to head in to some garlic jars next.

Since I am making sugar jars I need to make creamers to go with them.
I enjoy those round little bellies and how the necks flair out to make the spout.
Cute, cute little babies...

A dozen of these will do for now. I always make extra since not everyone wants a creamer to go along with the sugar jars. I sell both cream and sugar sets and just creamers and at times just sugar jars.
There are many times that a set is split apart and sold. I find it is better to be flexible than to try and sell a pot that someone might not use.
I use to think that sets were sets and could only be sold in sets. It was not long before I discovered that many people would prefer to buy only one or two mugs, a jar or a single creamer. So why be a stick in the mud and say no? Heck, it is not like I can't make another creamer or jar.

I have orders for the layered glazes and that has me making more pots without the texture than with the texture. They are easier in many ways since they don't need to be cleaned up too much before they head to the first firing.

The ones with texture get sanded and then a good blowing off before they are placed in the kiln.
On Monday we had a very warm day before the cold front came through.
I took advantage of that warm day to be outside sanding pots for the bisque kiln.
That kiln fired yesterday and today we will be opening up the first bisque kiln of the year.
We are off to a good start for the coming year.
Today it is cold, with no snow on the ground, we are out to finish yesterday's pots.
Cheers,
M

Labor

We were able to take off over the week-end for some family time with our son and his wife.

Today our plan is to load a kiln and I am back on the pots that need waxing.
I thought I would post some of the planned shelves for you to see, giving you an idea of the variety of pots that fill a shelf.
Each of the boards on the ware-cart is a planned shelf.
You can see that the various shapes and heights.
This helps get some heat around everything.

It also takes out the guess work on loading.
Although, I am known to rearrange if I see that we need to open up an area or close it down a bit.
After all, one should never feel that they can not mix it up even when you think there is a set plan.
My favorite loads are when I get every planned pot in the kiln.
It is like having your cash drawer come out to the penny.
The majority of the time there will be a few of the pots left over.
Those are sat aside to be planned into the next round.
Better get on it,
M

Yes, we do stil make pots

Oh, yes, there are some pots being made in the studio.

This is a wee mug that some of my good customers have been asking for.
I always thought they were for those folks that just wanted a small cup of coffee.
I was informed and enlighten to the fact that they are the perfect mug for your after work, before dinner cocktail.
They are not too big, have a steady flat bottom and a handle if you need to hang on, and help keep your drink cold.
Hey, I'm in!

The wee coffeee cup is not just for coffee anymore.

More honey pots?
Well, yes.

I know that there are more folks interested in the goodness of local honey and they need a honey pot.
And, if not, it can also be filled with jam or sugar.
Like the coffee/cocktail mug, whatever you want to fill it with is up to you.
I am just the maker.

Mark, on the other hand is making beer/cider/hot chocolate/water/tea/cocktail mugs and pitchers/these also look fabulous holding a bunch of flowers .

You girls need some handles.
I know, I just feel so incomplete without them......
It's like going to a party without getting your hair done.










Today's pond picture should be called glass.
Look at how smooth this looks.
What a joy.
Back to those pots.
M

Getting ready for spring

 There are times spent in the studio where we are just making the production. No bells, no whistles just working on the production line that helps fill the kiln and helps pay the bills.

I use to start every round of throwing with mugs, sugar jars and honey pots. Honey pots fell out of favor and I took them off the list. With the increase of local honey I have brought them back.
Plus, you don't want them for honey I am sure they would work for another need.









 Oil Lamps are an item we have made since we started.
 They have evolved over the years but this one is the all time customer favorite.
I keep a few in the house for those times when we lose electricity or when I just want a light on the table.
We had some friends over a few weeks ago and just as we sat down to eat the power went out.
Mark and I both went for the oil lamps. We ended up having a great dinner by lamp light. In fact we were all disappointed when the lights came back on.

 We like using the time in the studio during January and February to try and get ahead on some of this items. Mugs, bowls, jars and such. piling these things up is like banking some bisque ware.
Then when we get ready to load there are plenty of things to chose from.

Don't you just love those drips?
I think that it is drips like those that keep me coming back.

What are your go to items that you  need to go in every kiln load?
Do they stay the same or do you shake things up? Have they changed over the years?



Mark is putting on Coffee.
Need a cup?
M

Quick!

before they run away!
Pots!

 I was going to take some pictures of Mark while he was carving these lamps.
But-turn my back and they are done.

I walked to the house and when I came back they were finished.
Now, don't get the idea that he is so talented and fabulous that he whipped out the design in 5 minutes or less, it was me walking away to do something here at the house and not getting back to the studio in time.
There are things happening out there right behind my back.

I love the one on the right. (But don't tell the one on the left... I like him as well, really I do.)

 Look at me all fat and full where I should be.


Today I had to take a trip to see my dentist.
It seems I lost a bit of a filling and I was sure it was going to be bad news. I had rehearsed over and over in my head what I was going to say if he pronounced for me another root canal.
I was going to say- pull it out, I don't want it.
Instead he came in and said," so you broke a tooth".
"No", I said, "I just lost a bit of filling".
Well let's just look and see.
( here is where I was ready for the worse.)
Looks like you lost a bit of filling and everything looks good.
Let me just seal it up for you.
He did.
As I left to pay he said, "No charge, Merry Christmas".
Yahoo- I smiled all the way home.
  

Honey pots.....

just waiting for some good local honey to fill them up!

It made me think of those random acts of kindness that we do for someone and how it feels to both give and receive.

M