bowls, bowls, bowls, bowls.....

I'm going to participate in Empty Bowls this year, and am cranking the bowls out.

But, I've been wanting to try making a lidded box the way I saw on a Bill van Gilder video:  http://youtu.be/puaGVoRXHXE.    Making pots with lids is not my forte, and any other way to make a pot with a well-fitting lid sounds pretty dandy to me.   I'd tried this way once about a year ago, but it didn't quite work out.  So, today I was determined.

I'd watched the video a few weeks ago, no problem! I can do that!!
BIG problem!  The steps kinda got tangled up in my mind.  I now have a dopey little bowl sans lid.  'sigh'

I came back into the house and re-watched the darned video.  Ah HA!  A couple of minor flaws in my process.  So, I marched back outside and I "think" I got it right.  It's still pretty wet, I'll post a pic tomorrow.

So, I then threw a couple of pitchers and some more bowls and called it a day.

Ka-BLAMMM!!

Finally got enough greenware completed to fill my kiln.  There are times I think I should've bought a smaller kiln, but I intend to grow into "Killer".

ANYWAY...Finally did a bisque firing, then waited around cleaning anything I could get my hands on, until that magic moment..kiln opening!

The first thing I see is tiny shards of clay.  Then, the biggest bowl I'd ever thrown in  my life blown to pieces!  WHAT?!?, then some sailor words.    After cooling down, I realized I'd set a smaller bowl inside the big one, and it was the little one that blew.  It's been really humid, and I'd brought a lot on pieces inside to dry.  But several pieces were left outside on my shelves to dry, and I think the small bowl was one.  Another downside to having an "outside" studio, no way to really dry stuff.

But, if you look at the bright side, the big bowl contained the blast.  Nothing else was harmed.  So, I  unloaded everything and cleaned up the mess.

Maybe 'Killer' was watching over me?

Workin' and playin' (?)

When the weather in nice enough to go out and throw (no film of ice on my water bucket) I kinda get pissy when someone else wants me to somewhere with them.

Son Sean decided to return the too-small jacket he got for Christmas this past Friday.
And it was a gorgeous day!  I DID NOT want to spend time in a stinky old mall while he returned it and shopped for a new one!  And, since I'm "mom", I apparently know nothing, especially in the  advice-giving department.   Anyway,  3 hours later we left said stinky mall.  By the time we arrived home, the sun was setting on my beautiful day.  Snarl...

Saturday looked to be another beauty!  But DH decided we needed to go to Costco.  So you KNOW by the time we got home AND unpacked, the sun had set on another day.

So, today, it was me, the wheel, the clay,  and the Classic Rock station!  The Stones, Led Zep, and Creedence made up for it all!

Cheers!

Some work, finally!

Yesterday was huge for me.  Literally.  A good friend asked for a ginormous mug.  Bigger than any I'd ever done.  Now, to me, a mug is 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of clay, which is beer stein-size to me.  So here it is, with other stuff.

More like large vase size!  But I bet she'll love it!  The one on the right is a beer stein, and in the middle was my first attempt at a really big mug.  The monster on the left is 8" tall.  Oy VEY!!

I'm starting to accumulate greenware, hoping to fire soon.  

Here's a couple more pics of stuff waiting to get fired.  

Probably by the end of the week I'll have enough for a full load, or even early next week...depending on how the weather holds.  We've had really nice weather lately, it's a pain when the rain or wind (or both) start up.  Ick, ick, ick!

Later...

Cheers!

A new year

Here we are, on the back side of the holidays, I've lost a little momentum.  I have gotten a lot of non-pottery stuff done, finished writing in one journal...

Well, almost done....

...and made a new journal just in time for the new year.

I've been meaning to post pics of my pottery, here's a couple of my early shots.  These are some of my first pots from a year ago....you know, thick walls, wonky and heavy enough to be a door stop. But I'm loving every minute!  I will post my newer stuff soon!

"Pit fire" pots, so unique!

 An early batch of my work

My cat, Peach, decided she liked this hand built Dragon Teapot.

Since my "studio" is on the back porch, my enthusiasm to go work in the cold is, well, low.  My wonderful DH got me a nice big heater for Christmas,  and I think I'll set it up and see how she does.  Gotta get back into the saddle!