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!!!

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 wrap them for the night so they can dry a little slower. Letting moisture-levels balance out overnight so I can add some accents of colored flashing slips tomorrow! Another batch of mugs for another MUGSHOT MONDAY… and now off to teach class !!!

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!

Just adding some finishing touches on this latest batch of mugs… a few accents of colored flashing slip! If all goes as planned, these slip accents will change colors & get some cool flashing effects in the soda kiln. So for now they can start drying, then off to a bisque firing.

So here they are… wheelthrown on the bottoms, handbuilt on the sides! They still need some refining, trimming & handles… but they’re well on their way to a new batch of “hybrid mugs.” And see how well the patterns & textures from MKM Pottery Tools hold-up even when being manipulated into mugs!!!