Handles pulled by hand & gently looped over so they can start to set-up a bit. I like them to be malleable, and yet not sticky & squishy when I start to attach them. And by looping them over this way, I can establish 90% of the handle’s curve before they start to set-up… so I won’t be bending “drier” clay too far later!

New clay nuggets… kinda looking like a mini-Stonehenge... getting ready to pull some handles for my latest batch of mugs!

Okay, so I know that this little “mug-orange-mug trio” is the result of a little kiln incident where they got fused together during our Lillstreet Throwdown class… so sorry Tracy!

But I will say… it makes me so happy to see them still on Tracy’s shelves at Lillstreet. And the number of people who stop by and actually touch the orange to see if it’s real… only to find out it was made out of clay… and then the surprise when the two mugs lift up with it when they grab the orange!!! So funny!!!

MAKING MORE MUGS!
Lots of stamping done… before I can trim & add handles tomorrow!

So I’ve been doing a little stamping today… making more mugs with a bunch more stamping!!! So I thought it might be fun to show-off the before & after… and the stamps that did most of the work!

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 –

So for now, they’re wrapped up under plastic… waiting to be trimmed & handled on another day!

What better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than sharing cotton candy with a friend?!

Another barn… that has seen better times!

A few years ago, I went to Colfax with friends to meet sculptor Robert Cumpston at his home & tour his workshop. That was when I was “introduced” to his work… basically building life-sized animals out of rusty farm machinery parts & pieces… and you know how I LOVE rusty metal. \

While I now have quite a Cumpston collection at home, I thought I would pedal through “downtown” Colfax (one street, maybe a dozen buildings?) to see more of his work as I had heard that after his passing, a few of his pieces were donated to the town of Colfax to honor one of their most talented residents. I was hoping for more… as I only found a giraffe and a greyhound!

Blue skies & barns… pedaling along Old Route 66 yesterday!

One of the many cool things about Route 66 is the number of wacky & crazy things you’ll find along the way… the Wigwam Hotel, Cadillac Ranch, and many more further out west. But yesterday I found THIS little bit of wackiness right in Lexington, Illinois. A large elephant sculpture made out a bunch of random parts & pieces! Sadly, there was no description or explanation… just a fun photo-shoot with an elephant! Now that doesn’t happen every day…

BLOG POST UPDATE :
So here’s a LINK… my friend Tracy found this tidbit.
Apparently Lexington artist Kasey Wells hauled this crazy-looking scrap metal elephant around the USA in 2020 in a failed attempt to become President of the United States.

Who knew?!