While sharing my textured hand rollers from MKM Pottery Tools in class, one of my Intermediate students tried to make her own version of my “hybrid mugs.” Darcy has been getting some great results by wheelthrowing a cylinder, then rolling a textured pattern on the sides & then cleaning up the rim again on the wheel. Always good to a student take your “inspiration” and then find a way to twist it & make it their own!

In between sunrises & “4×4” show times… I’ve been busy in the studio keeping the new batch of Shamrock Mugs on track. Deadlines are coming quick… but if all goes well, watch for my annual SHAMROCK MUG SALE only on my pottery Facebook page Wednesday evening. More details & photos to come! Mark your calendar!

While all of my focus has been on getting ready for “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” this weekend… I couldnt stop making mugs! Especially when I realized that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner. And you know what that means… SHAMROCK MUGS !!!

So I’ve been making some rings…
making something new & special for next weekend’s “4×4 : FOUR MAKERS” show in Evanston.
Hoping these all come together… slow going one ring at a time!!!

I just took the new hybrid mugs & dipped the sides of them into some colored flashing slip. So much easier & cleaner than trying to plaint it on, while not messing up the textures & patterns. And if all goes as planned, the slips will change to some fun colors with cool flashing effects after being soda-fired!

Just pulled some handles for my latest bath of hybrid mugs. These will set-up for awhile before I start attaching them to the mugs. But not too much… because if they were to dry too much they might crack as I refine the final curves of the handle after attaching… and that would be bad.

Bottoms trimmed… one step closer to becoming “hybrid mugs”!
We just need to add some handles tomorrow!

Taking my textured slabs & turning them into another batch of my “hybrid mugs.” Adding a little handbuilding to the wheelthrown bases. Always fun to play with patterns & textures… made so much easier with textured hand rollers from MKM Pottery Tools.

Time to start attaching to make some new mugs!
Score, slip, attach, repeat… repeat… repeat… and hopefully done before teaching class tonight?!

One step further in the “life” of my hybrid mug production. So tonight I dipped the textured slab portion of the mugs in a thin flashing slip that will change colors when these get soda-fired. The bottom part… the wheelthrown bottoms will remain raw clay for a nice contrast after soda-firing!