And while we’re selling mugs online today, I’ve been in the studio waxing bottoms and glazing a kiln full for this weekend’s Second Holiday Home Show! Shelves will be replenished, shlepping sale will be restocked, and a lot of new pots fresh from the kiln!!!

Bottoms are trimmed and hand-signed.
I love the look of everything at this stage. Especially the smooth crispness of porcelain!

I was hoping to squeeze in one last cone six kiln before this weekend. But it looks like I can’t quite stop “making” and switch to “glazing”?!!! So these stamped porcelain dishes might need to wait for the second Home Show?!!!

This morning started early with some stamping of the porcelain cylinders. Then some trimming… and then handles needed to be attached. So the afternoon was a porcelain process. A little more fidgety than stoneware… but still went pretty smoothly.

I started with nugget cubes of wedged porcelain. I don’t measure things…
I just “guess”, and hope, that each cube will be enough clay for the handle.

Then I take each piece and “slam it” against the table repeatedly. Rotating the piece each time until it becomes a carrot shaped wedge of clay.

Then I pull my handles the old-fashioned way. A bit of water. A lot of friction. And a slight childhood memory of milking cows by my Grandfather’s place in Missouri. As I finish pulling each handle, I like to flip it into a curve shape and set it up on itself. I let them sit like this until the clay sets up a bit. When they are no longer sticky, I can start attaching them.

To attach the handles, it’s a lot of “scratching & attaching.” Always careful not to squish or mis-shape the cup as I’m attaching them. Making sure the handle looks proportionate to the cylinder. And that the attachment is secure and clean. Soon enough… another dozen porcelain mugs!!!

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Here’s a sad example of what can happen when you’re rushing work & sleep-deprived at the same time. Keep in mind there’s always a chance you may “forget” to dip the bottom half in the glaze bucket before putting it in the kiln. And here I thought it was so easy wiping the glaze off the bottom foot ring… now I know why. Dang. Would’ve been nice, right???

Anyone else have a good “sleep-deprived” pottery story to share?!

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For me, kiln firing days are always filled with studio cleaning & projects… or in my case today, glazing another whole kiln full for a cone six firing tomorrow! Pots are waxed & drying… let the glaze dipping commence!

Green wax you may ask?… nope. Not really. It comes as a clear wax which is always a little tough to see when you wax your pots. But add a few drops of food coloring and it will be a LOT easier to see!!!

Huge congratulations to one of my favorite teachers ever!!! Steven Young Lee and his new gallery show at the Renwick Gallery in Washington DC. Amazing pots. Fantastic artist. Incredible teacher. Thank you Steven for sharing your art, knowledge & passion with the rest of us!

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Looks like someone has some trimming to do tonight…