It’s latest Facebook “trend” going around amongst the potters of the world!!!
Artists showing off their eight favorite tools in their studio. I thought about it for awhile and it was tough to narrow it down. I couldn’t make it JUST eight… so I hope that “collections” of the same tools count as one?!!!

1. My Shimpo VL-Whisper Wheel
2. My Shimpo banding wheel… my first pottery tool “gift” from Mom & Dad
3. My Giffin Grip… one of my best gifts to myself!!!
4. My square plastic bats.
5. My wire tool…. love the rubber loop ends and extra thin wire.
6. My wooden knife… with worn down end from burnishing after trimming.
7. My Sherill Mudtools plastic ribs.
8. Last but surely not least… tool boxes full of my own handmade stamps.

Tonight when I got into the studio, I was greeted by a little brown care package.
And who doesn’t love a good care package?!!! So I opened it up carefully…

Inside I found three adorable little bowls… each a treasure! And a wonderful Thank You note from a “fan” who stopped by my studio over a year ago! Stephanie from South Carolina stopped by my studio in November 2013. I love showing off my studio, sharing ideas and giving people a tour of Lillstreet. Stephanie and her husband got the full tour… and she left with a souvenir mug. Little did I know that Stephanie would appreciate their visit SO much,, that over a year later she’s still thinking about it and felt the need to send me a gift. A wonderful surprise… albeit unnecessary!

Thank You Stephanie… I love your little bowls.
Cute little shapes with wonderful colors… especially the green… oh, and the RED!!!

As always, I’m starting off the New Year with another batch of New Stamps!
It felt great to get back in the studio and to get my hands dirty again!!!

Look who will be starting the New Year with some New Pottery Tools!!!
I couldn’t resist buying myself a couple of these beautiful wooden ribs by Troy Bungart. I first met Troy at NCECA 2014, and now they’re selling his tools in the Lillstreet Gallery.

Merry Christmas to Me!

If you need to get a few of these beauties for yourself… click here for Troy’s ETSY Page.

Another batch of bottles… and a couple new vases today!

Another pile of porcelain reclaim pulled out tonight… plopped onto my plaster bat for some drying time. Maybe tomorrow I can start wedging it up. And then I’ll need to figure out what to make out of it?!

Thanks again to my friend Emily for passing along her dry scraps… I love free clay!!!

I started out today with a lot of stamped cylinders waiting to be trimmed. Both tumblers & mugs… kinda the same at this point, really. The mugs are in the front and will need handles attached. The tumblers are slightly taller and will not have handles. Big difference, huh?!

After “a bit” of trimming, the scraps were piling up.
Sure, some might think it’s just a dirty mess.
I see it as more clay to be reclaimed and used again!!!

Wall

A dozen wall pocket vases. Thrown, stamped & squished on one side.
Drying, then bisque firing. A round of glazing & re-firing. Then we’ll have plenty of vases for people to hang on the walls… or perfect for flowers or a cool pencil cup at your home office desk.

When I got to the studio late this afternoon I found a welcome surprise
of fluorescent lights that actually work!!! Whoo-hoo!!! I can see again…
and wow, take a look at the things I made in the dark?!!!

Tonight was a very productive night.
Not only did I stamp a LOT of cylinders…
I also finished up another batch of oval casseroles & vases.
Stamped, assembled, slip accented & ready to dry… still in “studio darkness.”