I started working on the next batch of cat dishes. I’ve implemented a number of process improvements, and I thought I’d gotten the total hands-on time per dish down to one hour, forty minutes… but then, I picked up the first half from the glaze kiln. The results were not quite as expected. Read More
Pottery Process
Secret Project Update: Off to the Kiln (Final Round)
The final clear gloss has been applied, and now it’s off to the kiln again. Please send your very best thoughts, prayers, and good-karma wishes for a successful final firing! Read More
Secret Project Update: Five Weeks of Glazing
While I’ve been waiting for my website theme template issues to get resolved by the developer, I was busy working on my Secret Project. I had to build the platter three times due to various misfortunes, but the third time was the charm. It came out of bisque kiln intact and was waiting on my shelf July 4th. I’ve been working on the glazing ever since. Read More
Studio Improvement Project: Slab Roller Table
I’ve been wanting to buy a professional-grade slab roller for some time, and I finally did that in June. If you want to see how I built a rolling table for my slab roller by myself by repurposing a stainless steel tool cart, take a look at this photo gallery. I’m so proud of myself! Read More
Sometimes Sh*t Happens: This is Why We Test
As an artist who sells things they make to the public, I feel I have an obligation to take some basic quality control measures with the things I sell. I want to be able to state with confidence that each piece can perform to the standards I am advertising, such as dishwasher safe and oven safe. Read More
Tool Bucket: Final Views
My new dragon tool bucket made it out of the glaze kiln, and whoa! I was blown away. I had tried a new combination of glazes based on some photos posted in a Facebook glaze group, but that vase was smooth. My tool bucket is heavily textured with dragons and I wondered if that would affect the final outcome. I do believe it did. Read More
Tool Bucket Update: Glazing
My new tool bucket project made it safely out of bisque and today was glazing day! I saw some really interesting photos of pieces that had been glazed using a particular combination, and I wanted to see how that combo would look on the tool bucket. Read More
Upping the Ante: Final Results
It was so exciting to finally pick up this berry basket and underplate combo from my pottery studio on Sunday, because it is gorgeous! I’ll be posting it for sale in my Etsy shop this weekend. Just need to pick up some berries from the farmer’s market for the photo shoot and we’ll call it a wrap. Read More
Secret Project Update: Rounds 2 & 3
For the benefit of those who are following the saga of my supposedly doomed to fail secret project, here is another update. We are now on round three, and counting. Read More
Ain’t No Cure for the Reclaim Blues
My five gallon bucket of bone dry clay bits has been building up in my home studio since I first started my pottery classes three years ago, and it’s now overflowing. It’s time to reclaim that clay so I can make beautiful things with it! Read More