Snowing outside… but stamping inside! Spent some time in the studio stamping these two vases that I made during my Monday night class demo for “throwing taller.” Sure, I coulda’ left them smooth… but what fun would THAT be?!!!

After trimming, I sat down and threw a bunch of small drip plates for the latest batch of berry bowls! So does anyone else find that they’re extra-productive when there’s a snowstorm approaching and want to get home before it hits?!

Trimming a couple large bowls today before the snow!
Smooth & crisp ribbons of clay just peel right off
with my DiamondCore Trimming Tools!

So here are some new berry bowls…
next up, some little drip plates to go under them!

After Monday night’s class demo with a power drill… yesterday I cleaned-up the insides of my new berry bowls. The drill is quick & clean, but it leaves these burrs hanging out inside. The good thing is that when they dry up a bit, they simply brush away easily. I also take a green scrub pad to smooth out any edges, and then use a wooden tool to refine any of the holes that need some smoothing.

After my class demo last night, Christine stepped up to give it a try. She “struggled” a bit with the spontaneity of it all… not having a plan as she picked up the drill. But my MKM Decorating Discs helped with new “insta-plan” as she pulled the trigger on the power drill.

Last night in our pottery class we tackled drilling holes in some berry bowls… and what better way than with a POWER DRILL?! Who doesn’t like mixing pottery & power tools???

Just finishing up another batch of mugs before teaching class tonight. These are the new mugs with the NEW STAMPS!!! Pretty excited to move them along through the process so I can see them glazed & finished. Not sure I can wait… so there’s a “pretty good chance” I’ll be making more before we see these results!

I started the New Year by making a batch of new stamps…
much like every New Year! Kind of a New Year ritual for me!!!
It’s always fun to have a few new patterns to use as I start ramping up production in the studio. Gotta start getting ready for the Summer Art Fair Season!!! Gotta make more mugs, more bowls, more vases, more… more… more…

Oh wait…

I guess we still don’t even know if there will even BE art fairs this summer or not??? Fingers crossed…

Anyway… moving forward regardless… here are some new mugs-to-be after stamping the cylinders with some of my new stamps!!

Mug #1 –

Mug #2 –

Mug #3 –

Mug #4 –

Mug #5 –

Mug #6 –

Mug #7 –

Mug #8

Mug #9 –

Mug #10 –

Mug #11 –

Mug #12 –

Mug #13 –

Mug #14 –

And for now they’re back under plastic waiting for me to come back to trim the bottoms and add some handles! Overall, I’m pretty pleased with most of the new stamps… there are still more that I didn’t get to test in this round. Maybe next time?!…

Repeat…. repeat… REPEAT.
Attaching handles and making mugs!!!

And now that they’re all done, they’re going back under plastic for the night. I like to think that the moisture levels between the mug and the handles can even out a bit before I unwrap them to let them start drying. I also want to add some colored flashing slip accents to a few of them for an upcoming soda kiln firing!