Just finishing up another batch of ornaments for my next bisque kiln. They’re stamped, detailed, and accented with colored slips… dried and ready to go!

My latest batch of wheelthrown ornments now have caps & rings. Next up tomorrow… some colored slip accents before bisque firing. Then some “holiday magic” with flashing effects in my upcoming soda kiln. Getting them ready for my Holiday Home Show the weekend before Thanksgiving!

Today I tackled my holiday ornaments. They were all thrown on the wheel and were ready to be trimmed. So I took of some of the “bulk” with a fettling knife before actually trimming.

I LOVE MY GIFFIN GRIP!!!
I don’t know how I would do these without it?!
I think every potter should have one!!! You’ll wonder how you ever got by without one!

Anyways, I “float” the ornaments on the posts of the Giffin Grip. It closes in and holds the ornaments pretty firmly for trimming. For a quick trimming video, click here to go to my Facebook page.

A lot of ornaments… a lot of trimming…

After awhile thyey were all trimmed. Next up, I need to add some handbuilt caps & rings to the tops. But that’s for another day. So for now they’re back under wraps.

Started another batch of wheelthrown ceramic ornaments today…
even though I haven’t quite finished the first batch yet.
Taught my class tonight how to throw ornaments as well.

Summer is over…
So I guess tonight was a good night to start making Christmas ornaments.

They’re thrown off-the-hump. When they stiffen up a bit, I’ll stamp them, trim them, slip paint them and add a hanging hoop where the “squishy” part is.

Another holiday “photo” greeting… this time from a Facebook Fan in Utah.
And proud new owner of a Fire When Ready Pottery Mug from the
“Happy December Online Sale.” Thanks for sharing Scott!!!

“Hi Gary – Enjoying some Christmas coffee in my new favorite mug as the snow falls here in Utah. And if you look close you’ll see last year’s ornament hanging from the tree. Thanks for your blog – it is informative and inspirational. Happy Holidays.”    – Scott

Today is my MUD & METAL Holiday Home Show from 10am-6pm.
Anyone who enters the front door of my condo already singing a Christmas Carol can have their choice of a FREE ceramic Christmas ornament! I have several styles to choose from. Each more festive than the next. All worthy of a holiday sing-a-long.

Just finished adding wire hoops to the last of my ornaments during the Lillstreet Studio Holiday Open House. One more thing checked off the To-Do-List. Still more things on “the list” than I would like at this point. Next…

Sure, I “should have been” home getting ready & finishing up everything on my To-Do-List before tomorrow’s Holiday Home Show. Instead, I decided to go to the Ceramics Showcase in Evanston to visit a few of My Talented Friends!!! How could I pass up the chance to see so many great pots in one place… made by some pretty terrific people!!! Friends like Cory McCrory, Roberta Polfus, Delores Fortuna, Amy Higgason, Nancy Gardner & Mary Dye… plus even more!

So, here’s the deal…
AFTER you come to my Holiday Home Show, you can go to this Ceramic Showcase.
But only AFTER you come to my place first…   got it?
Sure they all make beautiful pots as well… but come to my place first!…  deal?!

And of course I can’t leave empty-handed. So I had to snatch-up a new Christmas ornament by Cory McCrory…

As well as another cup to add to my already overflowing Mug Collection. This beauty was made by Nancy Gardner. I’ve been coveting from afar for a few years. This time I decided to dive in… choose from several sweet ones… to come out with this wonderfully whimsical, delightfully painted and perfectly pinched pot.

And then after all of THIS fun… then I had to go to the Holiday Opening Night Party at Lillstreet Art Center. Again… “should be” getting ready for my own Holiday Home Show. But duty calls…

Next up on the to-do list?…
Adding wire hanging hoops to my latest batch of wheelthrown ornaments.

Why does it seem that my ‘project list’ is getting longer instead of shorter?!