Little sister, making pots and glazing tiles

These two jars could be related.
 Mark is making a few jars and playing with shape and design.He is using a white stoneware body. There are a couple of thoughts on glazing, but let me get back to you on those.

We both seem to have a lot of different things going. I am working on tiles, and glazing pots.
The same but different.
When I start any new glaze combination, or tile, I need to commit the glazing to my memory bank. That is what I have been working on lately and it goes like this; what glaze goes first, what glaze works on top and what glaze works better under, and will this make a good liner glaze and if so, what works best with it.
I find it helps to think with a pencil in hand. I write directly on the pot. The pencil line or note will burn away during the firing. I write on pot bottoms if I remember before I apply wax. Otherwise right on the pot works too. I do make notes as well and if it is a test piece I write that note with black stain or pencil that is made of a stain that can I can read later.

We have been working off and on with a variety of test for the cone 10 gas kiln and the cone 6 electric fired kiln, since glazes can look alike in the bucket we have added a new way to identify the cone 6 from the cone 10 glazes. I know, if you have read this far stay with me it's really quite easy.  We bought some very bright pink duct tape to placed on the lid and on the bucket where we can write the name of the glaze and cone 6. This is important because uncovered glazes can look the same no matter if you are using 6 or 10 glazes. A quick look at the side of the bucket can save you a surprise later. Although, I have made some surprises that look great and were added to our mix. I have also figure out a mistake and had to wash 3 boards of pots. Wash, dry, reglaze equals frustration for that lost of time. Lesson learned.

Here are two of the tiles that I was glazing this morning.
It made me think that one was the big sister and the small one little sister.

I am also playing with a new camera that is one a different phone.
So here is Happy, the giraffe, I hope he makes you smile.

Don't forget the spring kiln opening in April.
We hope to see you here.

Yesterday was a slow Sunday.....

 The other day Mark went out to check on some smoke that was coming our way. It was coming from the direction of a neighbor who does not have the best judgement on burning.
It was about 2 years ago that during one of his spring burns the fire got away from him and blew up an old car on his property. The explosion and billowing black smoke did make us a bit nervous that he could burn down the woods between us and him. We thought it might be best to go over and check the smoke out.

While Mark was walking over to check on the smoke he walked right up on these deer antlers.
It is so rare to find these in a pair that we think they were dropped the night before or even early that same morning.In all the years we have lived here this was the first ones we have seen.
Antlers are a source of good calcium for the critters and are usually carried away or chewed on by the time you do find them.
Mark cleaned them up and now the conversation is what to do with them?
I am voting hat rack while he tried to talk me into a chandler. Uh, I don't think so.
 

 On Sunday I was making some granola and remembered this trick that I had learned many years ago and thought I would share it with you.
I always buy bulk almonds and when using them in granola and some other dishes they need to be blanched. All you do is get some water to boil and throw them in for about a minute or two.
Then put cold water on them to cool.
When cooled you just pinch the skins and out pops the almond. 

I like to dry them off a bit by tossing them in the warming oven that is waiting for the granola. Preheat your oven to 250.

It has been awhile since we were on the granola kick but we are back at it.
It is so easy and taste much better than any store bought I have ever had. The store bought is just too sweet.

I start with 4 cups of good old fashion oats. Then I add about 1 TBS. cinnamon and a hit of allspice.
Then I add 2 cups of any variety of nuts.

Walnuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and wheat germ can be added.
This round had walnuts, pecans, almonds and sunflower seeds.
After you have at least 6 cups of dry you will need at least 1 cup of wet.
I use 1/4 cup of oil and then I add honey, molasses and maple syrup to measure 3/4 to 1 cup.

Honey, I use good local, is my base with about 1 TBS. good vanilla, about 2 TBS molasses and then top with good maple syrup.
Beat it well and then pour on top of oats and stir like crazy to coat the dry.

Put the whole mess on a large cookie sheet and toast 15 minutes, stir, 10 minutes, stir, 10 more minutes stir and then add dried fruit. I use a combo of raisins and dried cranberries. You want to put the fruit in for only about 10 minutes or it will burn. ( don't like fruit don't use it, don't like raisins use what you do like, this is not rocket science.)
 Let the granola cool about 2 hours before you put it in a glass jar or something that will keep it air tight.
Then just enjoy.

Late Sunday afternoon I spotted this Osprey feasting on a fish while sitting in a tree close to the pond.

I thought for sure he would be gone before I could find Mark and tell him but he was there for about 30 minutes eating away.

This was the best picture we could get from a distance. A minute after this was taken he/she was gone.

We will be loading tomorrow after a few delays. I will get some pictures as we load.

Soon new pots will be on the shelf.
Yes!
M

A trick worth stealing

Here you go ANG- a trick worth stealing from Jim- Sofia's Dad.
 And- hey- I really do like puppies..........
Check yesterday's post for details.
 

It was a moment of insanity

What was I thinking?

I am mother of the groom- all I needed to do was to get a dress and secure a place for the rehearsal dinner.

I did get my dress.

And as of Monday, thought we had a place for the dinner.

The woman who should have put us on the books did not.

Yep- less then 2 weeks out I found out I had 50 people and food for 50 people and no room to put them in.

And- this is a Hampton Inn, I expected more. Maybe that was the problem- I expected them, her, to act professionally and I found out that was not her style.

The first red flag should have been the unreturned emails back in January.Then the unreturned phone call - and then the unreturned email.

But I went on anyway- like a lost puppy- and continue to hound her until she returned an email.I thought I had her and the room.

She failed to write us in the book and then went on to book the room for someone else-

They offered us the lobby----------------

with a clean up fee----------------------

We declined and are now moving rooms else where.

Hampton Inn- I expected better.

Now to the good part.

The people at the B&B where the wedding will be called another B&B and they are taking our 50 people and our catered dinner.

NC Barbecue with the trimmings!

They are setting us up with tables and chairs at their pool area.

We have even booked into their B&B for the weekend.

( insert cheers here!)

Now the other insanity- we booked a show for this upcoming weekend.

Yea, I know- we thought we could make it.

I contacted the Rosedale yesterday and let them know we would not be there.

The director called me laughing.

She said," you thought you could do a show the weekend before a wedding???????"

Yea- I did- but we will not be there.

So apologies to anyone who planned to see us there- we will be here and open.

So come on by.

Mark is working on the mudbox- putting the wood together.

About that warranty

After the fire Mark rebuilt my mud box , but had to put off rebuilding his own. This week seemed like a good time to take the Brent apart and give it a go.
First he has striped off the plastic top which covers the metal top.




Then he cut down the aluminum wheel head collar, which holds the splash pan in place.
Ouch- there goes the warranty!






Then again these wheels are past the warranty time since they are both well over 20 years old- one close to 30- ouch! where did the time go?





Next step will be to fit the wheel head to the floor pan.
So stay tune- I will post more pictures as he goes along.
Meanwhile he is trimming and carving up some nice lamps along with getting the new kiln in place.
It is great to have A.D.D.-that way you are always on to the next task.

Me- I have wedding tiles cooking along in my little test kiln and I am throwing filler pots.

No, really tell us what happened....

We are pulling out an old kiln and replacing it. While we are doing this I thought this is a good time to snap a shot of the pulley system Mark set up for the kiln lid.
"Why" you are asking- and I am sure your first thought is "ease of opening the kiln." Makes sense does it not.
But then you do not live with me-
Mark set this up on the kilns after I managed to knock the kiln lid on myself while loading it one day.
I had been loading bisque kilns for 20 years at the time. ( it's been about 7 years ago)
I was all the way in the bottom when I realized I had bumped the arm holding the lid up.
I tried to come quickly out of the kiln to avoid being slammed by all the weight.
As I came out the lid hit me in the face.
Fortunately for me I was wearing my reading glasses on the tip of my nose.
They saved me from a broken nose.
The lid hit my glasses and then raked down my face. It was not something I would wish on anyone.
Mark was in the other room with his arm in a glaze bucket- 30 gal. He came running in to find me in the floor with my hands on my face. I was sure something was broken and thought I could hold it togeher by holding my face...........
All I could say is to him was; it's bad, take me to the emergency room.
( something he has heard more then once from me...)
He said to let him see and when I did he said- OMG! Well, that was encouraging.

I won't belabor the details. I saw a doctor, went to the health department for a shot and was bruise from under my eyes to below my neck.
Of course I looked as if someone had beat me black and blue.
And, the women at the health department keep saying- "No, Really- tell us what really happened. "

This is why Mark set the kilns up for easy open and took off the arms, which had no safety on them.
We are getting ready to install a new L&L.
As things look the lid appears to be more safe then our old one.
Then again- should I trust them??
Or is it me-






After all how often are you really using this???!!

A burn at the kiln

Several years ago Mark and I read about putting soy sauce on burns. We have used this for several minor kitchen burns and once when I was helping a group.
I burned myself by picking up a pitcher, by the handle, which was straight out of the kiln and about 300 degrees.
So last night as Mark was checking the kiln his ungloved hand was exposed to flame which shot out of the kiln catching the tips of his fingers. He immediately ran to the house for the soy sauce. He put some in a plastic container and put his fingers in. Then we put in ice.
I went out with him to help shut the kiln down.
We then made the decision of if he should go to the emergency room. We decided to keep it on ice and soy sauce.
What looked like it could be a rather bad burn with blisters on the tips of the fingers, turned into just raised white spots. Two of the fingers you can not tell. The other two and mostly the pinkie are white looking but no blisters.
This has worked for us twice.
Soy Sauce- maybe it works because of the salt factor- who knows but it has worked for us.
Note Mark has fired this kiln since 1986 this is the first burn- pretty good I think!

A note about liquid nail

Well- for the past three years we have used liquid nail with no problems- BUT- now I am having trouble with it setting up. The wall pockets and tiles that I used liquid nail with are still not set up and yesterday when I hung one up in the studio it came off the wood and broke- I would suggest finding something better and more stable to use.
I am not sure what I will use- but I am planning to take the other pocket and tile apart- clean and try another product.
Darn liquid nail!

Potters tools or where have all the plungers gone?

I know we all have those tools we find valuable to our job. I thought I would show you our favorite tools for keeping our glazes stirred while dipping pots.
It has become harder to find these plungers- now they are too fancy with an extra cuppy thingy at the bottom- these old fashion plain ones are better.
Wax the handles or put a sealer on them-paint works well too. Then drill some holes. They will keep your glaze nicely mixed.

And while we are at it- how about that long Allen wrench which you are not using? Works great for a test batch of glaze- and if you think this is great you should have seen my father- in-law use a cordless drill with a beaters to the mixer to mash potatoes one year when the mixer died- I will have to find those pictures....

Trimming a large pot in a bucket-

Hi Ben- this is what we do when we have a large pot- we cut pipe insulation to go around the edge of a bucket, which can be bought at your local friendly hardware store. The size of bucket can be bigger for a bigger pot- this one is a 3 gal., you can use a 5 gal if you need to.
It something takes two of us to maneuver the pot in place- or take it out when it is a very large pot.
Place the bucket on the wheel and hold it in place using your giffin grip.
Then place the pot inside the bucket- being held in by the insulation.
You can then trim up the sides and bottom of the pot.
This - of course is not a green pot, but all I could grab as an example.
Cheers!