So I spent part of the day today stamping my latest batch of cylinders destined to become MUGS!!! You know they’re my favorite thing to make… and my “default” if I don’t have a real plan going into the studio! So it was a good day… lots of stamping… lots of patterns… lots of FUN!!!

And making it a little “extra” fun… these are the first cylinders that I’ve stamped using the new batch of stamps I made a couple weeks ago! It’s always fun to see what patterns they actually make after bisque firing… both as single stamps, as well as in multiple repetitions!

Mug A

Mug B

Mug C

Mug D

Mug E

Mug F

Mug G

Mug H

Mug I

Mug J

Mug K

Mug L

Mug K

And for now they’re all under wraps for the night. I hope to get them trimmed tomorrow… and quite possible get some handles on them too!!!

Stamping up another batch of small cups & tea bowls.
Adding texture as my Holiday Home Show is just two weeks away!!!

MY HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS : Saturday, November 23rd & Sunday, November 24th

Last night in class, one of my students was making a masterpiece of her own… stamping a shallow bowl with one of her own handmade stamps and adding final touches with the side of a paintbrush to add a bit of texture around the outer rim. I feel like a “proud papa”!!!

Another batch of cylinders on their way to becoming MUGS!!!
Of course they needed to be stamped… soon to be trimmed and have their handles
attached. Until then… they’re just kinda pretty cylinders!!!

Cylinder #1 –

Cylinder #2 –

Cylinder #3 –

Cylinder #4 –

Cylinder #5 –

Cylinder #6 –

Cylinder #7 –

Cylinder #8 –

Cylinder #9 –

Cylinder #10 –

Cylinder #11 –

Cylinder #12 –

Another night of stamping. Another night of making mugs… my favorite.
Lots of stamping. Lots of patterns. Lots of repetition!!!
So now they’re stamped… tomorrow I plan on adding handles & colored flashing slip!

Mug One

Mug Two

Mug Three

Mug Four

Mug Five

Mug Six

Mug Seven

Mug Eight

Mug Nine

Mug Ten … whoops, I forgot to get a shot of the stamps???

Mug Eleven … again, really???…  I forgot to get a shot of the stamps again???

And then to make matters even worse… I forgot to take photos of Mug Twelve all together!!!

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So after choosing their favorite tile, and getting their FREE BONUS CYLINDER…
let the surface decoration inspiration challenge begin! How to translate their first “tile” design onto a round cylinder form??? And here’s what they came up with…

Donna

Susan

Jacob

Molly

Claire

Dave

Tatiana

And then our TOP TWO winners!!!

Taylor

Ryan …who got huge kudos for tackling a carved project like this WITHOUT any sharp tools!!!

And then they thought they were done… happy to be done with that ONE TOOL.
But they weren’t. There was still one more trick up my sleeve!

Not to be outdone… when Michelle saw Allison stamping her plate in class,
she decided to go for it too!!! It was a great night of stamping fun for my students
in class Tuesday night! Allison & Michelle have the bug… it’s a slippery-slope
down that stamping hole. Get ready for a sweet ride!

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Tuesday night in my Wheelthrowing Class, one of my returning students needed a way to decorate her plate… and decided to tackle stamping of the rim. Wonder where she got THAT idea?!… and I wonder where this stamping-prodigy has been hiding all this time? Allison’s plate turned out BEAUTIFULLY!!! I think she might be onto something here…

Another night working with “dramatic task lighting” in my studio…
only benefit being that the photos have great contrast to show off the stamped textures!!!
So here’s a sneak peek at the “before & after” on another stoneware platter…
and the tools that made the textures & patterns!

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And if you want to see how I prefer to make a SUPER bowl…
click here for a stamping process video on my YouTube Channel.
But if you want to see some teaser photos first…