Before Show Preparations and Hurting Hands

This weekend is the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival.  Where everything is garlic, even the ice cream.  So I’m bringing my garlic graters, french butter keepers with garlic flavored butter, and garlic jars.  I guess I’ll bring some mugs and bowls too.

I don’t usually do craft fairs but I’m trying to do more local stuff and have found that diversity is the key to  running a good business.  I’ve also heard this is a good fair.  Too bad the weather is calling for rain…  we shall see.

Does anyone have any suggestions besides rest, (which I am doing today) for hurtin potter’s hands???   My hands have been hurting since building all the new tables and shelves for the studio.  I then did a lot of throwing, and now a lot of glazing. 

Here is a pic of the loaded glaze table.  Lot’s of garlic graters!

 

Split Rim Bowl

Here is a bowl from my collection like the ones in process from the last post.  The glaze settles to a beautiful blue in the split of the rim.

Waiting for the salad.

Pottery in Process

I made some nice serving bowls yesterday.  I will never tire of looking at freshly made pots.  Started glazing today.  Fired a bisque in the the brand new kiln.  Soon I will actually post some pots with glaze on them! 

Ptown and Seals

It’s the first day of Fall… I just had to share these photo’s of our last days of summer at the Cape.  We went to Provincetown, Cape Cod for a couple of days to bike the beautiful dunes of the national seashore.  I really enjoyed the break after the studio renovations, and before the busy season and teaching begins.  What a great get away in September.  Good weather, Gorgeous beaches, and SEALS!

Spending Sunday morning looking at pottery blogs

I just updated my blogroll. I could do more I know, but would be here all day… and it’s gorgeous outside!   The interwoven web of potters just gets larger and larger.  Such a great way for all of us to connect!

Teapots Drying

Getting back into a routine… it feels good to be making pots again!

 

Pictures of Pitcher Making

The last pots I made before the renovations were pitchers.  I feel like there are hardly any pics of pottery lately on my blog so here goes. 

I always made beaked spouted pitchers, just in the past year I began making pulled spouts. Customers seem to like them, and I’m enjoying making them!

I’ve Forgotten How to Make Pots

Well not really… but it has been well over a month since I’ve made a pot.  I’ve become a carpenter, and house painter instead.  I must say the studio looks amazing though.  I am just putting the finishing touches, like re-connecting the wood pellet stove in it’s new spot, and stretching canvas on the new work  tables I built. 

Here are a couple of pics of the newly painted display wall I built, and the cup display being hung.  Oh, and yes there are pots that I actually made!

The Sheffield Guys, the L&L Kiln, and my Subaru

I broke down finally and bought a new kiln.  My L&L Kiln has been amazing for the past ten years, but repairs these past few months were happening all to often for someone who fires a kiln once or twice a week.  So I called Sheffield Pottery and bought a brand spanking new L&L (never thought I would see the day that I would buy a computer kiln. I’ll talk more about that in a later post!)

So I live two hours from Sheffield, and figured I’d save money on shipping and just pick it up in my Subaru.  Well when I pulled up to the warehouse the guys just looked at me… like your clueless lady, you are not getting that crate in there.  Then the words came out of their mouths, “that’s not fitting in there”  I said, “well can’ t we unpack it?” ”Sure”, they said.  They were up for the challenge.  The man who helped me (Bob) was so wonderful,  he showed me how to take the computer panel apart, and how to put the wiring back in place for when I got home.  It was a great lesson for me… now when the first element burns out I will not be intimidated by a computerized kiln!  

We were able to fit the kiln body in one section with the lid, bottom and computer panel towards the front. 

When I got home my son Luke took photos of the unloading and setting up.  Thanks to Gayle, Terri, and Luke for  your help!

 

  

 

New Sneakers and Back to School

Another Year begins… another Happy Dance is done!  

My boys… I love them so, but it’s great to have the routine of school again!

Here they are not wanting their photo taken, as they wait for the bus, (with new sneakers).  Luke is now in 9th grade at the HS!  (I just sent him off to kindergarten.)  Andrew is in 6th grade.