With a sky full of clouds this morning, I kind of wondered if we would even get to see the sun at all today?! And then the colors started… and didn’t stop until the AMAZING sky show was complete!!! It was another early start to the day, and well worth every minute. Anyone looking out a half hour later would have seen nothing but gray clouds for the rest of the morning!

Another plate. Another stamp.
Just added a textured rim around this dinner plate!

In one of my classes, a student asked if they could borrow my stamps… and I said “no”… but I’ll show you how to make some of your own! I happened to have some of my MKM Pottery Tools with me in class, so we rolled some slabs, textured them with the handrollers… and then cut out sections of the pattern. We attached little nugget handles on the back, and then bisque-fired them. They now work as stamps… and they all had a great time in class “making their own stamps!!!

It was already Day Three of my Wheelthrowing Camp this week… and the kids are having a great time getting all gloopy & gloppy! And I must admit… I am too… as I LOVE SUMMER CAMP!!!

With just a “LITTLE” time between summer camp & teaching my beginning wheel class tonight, I thought it would be the perfect time to throw a bunch of “LITTLE” pots!

I had thrown a large platter for a class demo… and then it “lived under plastic” for a bit too long, getting too dry to stamp. So I gave it to my friend & former student to work her magic on. Kristen has been doing wonderful carving techniques on her pots, but mostly smaller mugs & bowls. I thought it might be fun to challenge her with a larger surface to decorate. And she did NOT disappoint!!! The platter looks AMAZING with her beautiful carvings all around the rim. It’s now back in my studio and I need to figure out where to go from here. To glaze or soda-fire, that is the question…

Check-out more of Kristen’s amazing work on Instagram… @kayhoceramics

My cousin Kim was outside enjoying her garden… and decided to take a few blooms to enjoy inside as well. Good thing she had one of my flat textured ikebana vases to put them in… using the small pin frog inside to prop-up the flowers! Thanks for sharing your beautiful garden Kim!

Today’s the day!!! My Summer Camp “tour of duty” begins today… and continues through Labor Day! This year I will be doing mostly wheelthrowing camps with the kids, as many of the extra-fun “specialty” camps were not offered this year at Lillstreet. We still have Chess Camp at the very end of summer, but sadly, no super huge sculptures this summer!!! mwah, mwah, mwah…

After the “surprise” rain this afternoon… it was back into the studio to do a little more platter stamping. Changing a plain wheelthrown platter into a decoratively textured platter. All with just one handmade clay stamp pressed in over & over & over again!

So I was just out for an afternoon bike ride along the lake… gentle clouds, breezy, nice. But then… seemingly out of nowhere, the winds went crazy, the clouds went dark & the temperature dropped quickly!!! I even saw little pop-up sailboats racing back to safety… only to see three of them capsize from the wind. Luckily, they were all well-trained and got them back up quickly. So… I turned around, got drizzled on twice & picked up my pace racing home. I just got home LITERALLY three minutes before the sky opened up & the rain started coming down!!! Whew!!!