Okay, so not everything was a treasure…
one ornament jumped off its stilts and fused onto a tile, and another tile
got a “huge glop of lovin” from the kiln! Oh well… it’s just clay!

I had a wonderful kiln unloading tonight.

Always a fun treasure hunt finding new beauties as you unload layer by layer, shelf by shelf.

It might have been my quickest unloading yet?!… including all of the glamorous tasks that no one really thinks about. Packing into crates. Scraping shelves. Organizing bricks. Kiln washing shelves. Cleaning the firebox. Sweeping the floor. Taking out the garbage. Packing my car. Shlepping everything up three flights of stairs to my condo. You know, all that fun stuff. At least I have some beautiful pots to show for it… all getting ready for THIS weekend’s big sale!!!

WHOO-HOO!!! Huge congratulations to my friend Pam Walden who crossed the Finish Line just minutes ago in her first IRONMAN triathlon. Her time was 16:05… yes, that’s 16 hours!!! Good time for a long day with a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 run. Crazy, right?! She’s a stud… and I must admit that I’m kinda jealous right now. Just a tiny bit. Way to go Pammy!!!

I was greeted this morning by the bricked up kiln…
just as I had left it a few mere hours ago.

I started firing early this morning and it all seemed to go like clockwork throughout the day. Body reduction around lunch time. Glaze reduction at the top temps as I was getting ready to mix the soda mixture.

I did a LOT of busy-work tasks in my studio during the day as it was firing. I cleaned, I mopped, I glazed my class demo pots, and I blogged. Around dinner time, the cones were going down quickly and it was time to add the soda mixture. It’s a combination of soda bicarbonate, soda ash, whiting and wood chips. Mixed with water to make it kind of an oatmealy-texture. It goes in through the two ports in the side fireboxes. After adding the soda, the flames are shooting out the portals as you replace the brick. Very fun!!!

So now the kiln has reached top temperature and I have turned it off. It will cool all day tomorrow & Monday. I will unload it Monday evening to see what kind of treasures may be inside. A lot I hope?!!!

The back stack of the soda kiln gets loaded first. I tried putting the bottles a little lower than normal. Usually the taller pieces go on the top shelf. But I don’t want them to get “blasted” with soda, so I’m experimenting by putting them a layer lower… and leaving 1-1/5 shelves of tiles on the top.

Once it’s all the way up to the arch, then you can start the two front shelves which typically load together. Again, trying to keep the bottles a little more “protected” than the top shelf “blast zone.”

And some of you have asked how I fire my Christmas ornaments. Well, I make a little tripod and then balance them upside down. This is what they looked like as they were waiting to be loaded in with the rest of the pots.

Once completed, the front of the kiln is closed up with bricks. One by one, all the way to the top. Burners on for about 15 minutes as I clean up. Then its OFF for the evening as I rush home for a few hours of sleep – and then back again early tomorrow to get it started!!!

Well, I finally finished glazing & wadding and made the big trek downstairs with my studio glaze cart. It seems to work pretty well – an almost full cart makes a full soda kiln.

Safe downstairs with my “really-should-be-patented” brilliant use of masking tape as “seat belts” for the pots during their bumpy ride downstairs on the freight elevator. It has saved many a pot over the years as they tip over & try to roll away. Saved by the masking tape!!!

Now for the loading to commence…

Well, the “instant” tiles I made on Tuesday before class turned out just fine. Surprisingly flat after the bisque firing… none of warping or cracking that I was dreading. The textures pop even more when I add temoku into the stamps. Lets hope that they stay as flat and un-warped when they come out of the soda kiln too?!

Looks like it’s going to be a long day of glazing, wadding and loading for my soda kiln firing tomorrow!!! I unloaded my last bisque kiln this morning and now have another large batch of mugs to glaze!

I’ve also been working on my holiday ornaments adding some glaze details. Still a lot of other pots waiting for their chance to take a “dip” in the glaze too! It’s going to be a LONG night!!!

After condo meeting this evening, it was too late to get into the studio to continue glazing. Instead, I finished up labeling & stamping postcards for my Holiday Home Show. It’s just over a week away… gotta get ’em in the mail first thing tomorrow!!!

And for those who might not get a “real” postcard, here’s what they look like…

You’re more than welcome, and always invited to join us. It’s my BIGGEST show of the entire year. With pottery in every room of my condo, food & drink in the kitchen, holiday decorations everywhere, and the ever-popular “Tired Of Shlepping Sale” on the back porch!!!

If you want the exact specifics and address details. just shoot me a quick e-mail and I’ll give you the scoop. It’s next weekend… always the weekend before Thanksgiving!!!

Tonight the glazing continued with some of my new bottles. I’m pretty excited about these new shapes, and the possibilities of random groupings & sets. I’m pretty excited to see them come out of the the soda firing next Monday night!