Good thing I’ve been making more of my textured square vases…
because the ones used for Patti’s centerpieces pretty much cleaned me out!
So I’ve made another batch of them… this time in three sizes!!!

So I’ve been making more, adding flashing slip details and setting them out to dry. I decided to dry them on plastic grid for better air-flow, as well as some tile “weights” on the tops to keep them from warping or twisting as they dry. Not an exact science… but it can’t hurt, right?

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My latest batch of goopey reclaim clay has finally settled up after about a week on the plaster bat. So today I pounded it up a bit with just a smidge of wedging. Full wedging will take place when I’m actually ready to use the clay. Until then it will be bagged up for storage. Storage of FREE CLAY that is!!!

But it seems to never fail, that as soon as I finish up with one batch of reclaimed clay…
it’s already time to start the next batch! So here are some dried scraps ready to go.

And I pulverize them as fine as possible with a rolling pin before putting them into my reclaim bin. Once the clay is in the bin, I add enough water to cover the clay scraps. I let it sit for a few weeks with some occasional stirring & mixing up. Eventually the clay slakes down, the water evaporates and I’m ready to pull out the reconstituted clay onto my large plaster bat… and another cycle begins…

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So, I’m trying to get my act together quickly…
as I still have a LOT of glazing to do…
and I need to load the soda kiln tonight for tomorrow’s firing!

Still inlaying glaze into the stamped textures. Once it dries, I’ll wipe it out so the dark temoku glaze only stays in the stamped recesses. A light glaze over, some wadding, and they’ll all be ready to go. If only it were really that easy?!

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Spinning. Trimming. Make my feet look so much better!
Gotta love that Giffin Grip!

After scooping out another huge batch of hydrated reclaim clay, I just finished pulverizing another batch of dry clay to start the process all over again!

Finishing up some flower pots for some quick-drying & bisque firing. Stoneware with ochre and some colored flashing slips for my soda firing next weekend… and drip trays to boot.

Hoping to have them all ready for the Schaumburg Prairie Arts Festival in two weeks!

Another batch of cylinders are trimmed and ready to become mugs! Yep, the “quadrant-ed” ones!!! So I start by cutting small blocks of clay, and then begin my slamming them down and rotating until I get this compressed “carrot” shape. One for each mug…. and usually one extra “just in case” something happens along the way!

Then I pull my handles the traditional way. Holding the “carrot” in my left hand and pulling it long with a bit of water and friction. Eventually you’ll get a strap of clay – a portion of which will become the handle. I like to flip mine over into a loop so they can set-up close to the shape they will become.

After a good amount of scoring & slipping, handles are attached and we now have MUGS!!!
I like to keep my mugs covered with plastic overnight so the moisture levels between cylinder & handle can balance out a bit. No need to rush them to drying after all of the work you’ve put into them already… what’s one more night if it helps keep your handles from cracking off?

So now they’re all “assembled”… and waiting for some colored flashing slip accents!

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