Another kiln loaded and ready to fire. I popped in the last few pieces just before sneaking off to class. A couple pieces were still a bit damp, so I set the kiln for an extended preheat before it kicks into high gear! Fingers crossed that things dry out during that time.

Kiln Layer #1 – mugs, soap dispensers, miniatures & tiles.

Kiln Layer #2 – wall pocket vases, bowls, miniature vases and tiles.

Kiln Layer #3 – new pie plates and tiles.

Kiln Layer #4 – stamped discs… that will eventually become ikebana flower vases.

Kiln Layer #5 – pie plates, bowls, soap dispensers & a lidded casserole.

Close to the top, but still a smidge of room. If only I had planned a little differently… I’m sure I could have squeezed even more in here!!!

I’ve had a LOT of bowls under wraps waiting to get to the leatherhard stage.
Today was the day for detailing.
Stamping… stamping… attachments… and even more stamping!

Bowl #1 –

Bowl #2 –

Bowl #3 –

Bowl #4 –

Bowl #5 –

Bowl #6 –

Bowl #7 –

Bowl #8 –

Bowl #9 –

Bowl #10 –

Bowl #11 –

Bowl #12 –

And here’s a few of the stamps that did all the work today…

And now the bowls are all stamped & detailed… and waiting to be trimmed.

As they dried up a bit more… I tackled each one and trimmed the bottoms of them all. So now they’re all drying and preparing for their upcoming bisque firing!

A couple days ago I was trying to use up some partial bags of clay. Trying to clean up my studio a bit. So I was throwing some more mugs and the clay seemed a little weird. Not like the stoneware-feeling that I’m used to. It wasn’t until I was trimming & adding handles that it even crossed my mind that the partial bag of clay was porcelain?! So here’s my first batch of porcelain mugs ever! Not quite as tough as I had always thought porcelain would be… glad I didn’t know!!!

Sure, “Pie Day” may have passed over a week ago… but after that wonderful, crust-filled holiday, and a special request from my friend & incredible glass artist Amy Lemaire, I’ve decided to make some new pie plates!!! Here’s the first batch – stamped & trimmed.

Stamped. Trimmed. Handled. Slip accented. Drying…
and just in time for Mugshot Mondays on Facebook!!!

After a very “sweet” breakfast with Taylor and the rest of my family, I decided to go into the studio to take advantage of my “syrup-sugar high.” I was a little unfocused on what to start with… so you know that when that happens I pretty much always make MUGS!!! So I started with a dozen – and went on from there!

After getting some great response & comments about the fluted bowl I made from my class demo, I decided I might want to capitalize on that and make more!!!

I love how the shaped bowls line up and make a great pattern as a group. The negative space between the bowls are almost as much fun as the bowls themselves?!!!

This morning I stamped & stamped & stamped… and stamped some more.
Round & round I went stamping the inner rings AND the outer rings!

Now they’re all stamped and laid out on a plastic grid to help them dry more evenly… and hopefully prevent them from warping. The idea is that they can dry from both sides at the same time – hence the lack of warping!

Tonight I loaded my first bisque of the New Year. I’m trying to get a couple pieces done quickly so I needed to bisque… yet my normal kilns were already being loaded & fired by someone else. So I had to go with a slightly smaller electric kiln than normal.

Kiln Layer #1 – mugs

Kiln Layer #2 – berry bowls, mugs & oil lamps.

Kiln Layer #3 – more mugs, more berry bowls, more tiles & some new stamps.

Kiln Layer #4 – a couple last mugs, berry bowls and a lot of plates to go with the berry bowls!

Well, the kiln may be smaller… so I really needed to pack it tight ALL THE WAY to the top!!! As long as the lid still closes, right???

So I went back into the studio today hoping to find that my lightbulbs had been replaced.
Sadly, not so much. So it was another day of working “in the dark” with my little task lights. Ike did stop by to check on the bulbs, and he found out that they’re currently out of replacements. So he needs to order more… and I need to wait. Great… just great.

Twenty balls of clay… twenty berry bowl plates coming soon.

Almost done… only one more to go!
And finding that throwing in the dark is somehow more relaxing. Who knew???

Under cover of darkness, I finished throwing the small plates.

I putzed around for awhile, and then realized that that they were drying up pretty quickly. So I decided to do some decorative fluting on the edges before I wrapped them up for the night.

While I was working tonight, the fluorescent ceiling lights in my studio began to flicker. Kind of an irritating strobe-like effect. It went on for about 20 minutes. But then, all of a sudden, they went out all together.

So there I was trying to finish trimming & drilling holes in my newest batch of berry bowls… in darkness!!! It was pretty tough working in the small “spotlight” from my table-top task lighting. Good thing my power drill is cordless & battery-operated!!!