New Work in Process and Hodgepodge

I know it has been a long while since I posted, but there has been a lot going on around here!

These pictures show my process in making a bowl and a vase, one step at a time. Start at the bottom and work your way up: first I wedge the clay which means I get all the bubbles out which is impossible, but you have to try :-). Then I roll out the clay just like dough. Next photo shows the clay being formed into the bowl, this take some time and a wee bit of effort to get it all even and the right thinness, then I cut away the excess clay. After it sets for a while I lift the clay out by the cheesecloth that keeps the clay from sticking to the bowl, this is the tricky part because if you do it too soon you may ruin the form. after I remove it from the bowl the real work begins, I have to smooth it out and get rid of all signs of the cheesecloth unless I am making a bowl which shows the texture, then I just smooth out the inside. I also made a vase with the coil method, the third photo shows the last coil (clay rolled up into a small cylinder shapes) being applied. The coil method is by far the slowest method, you have to attach each coil and smooth it out. The last three photos are of the pieces after I painted them with underglaze. Then I clear glazed parts of them (not shown) and they are now being fired in the kiln. I wanted to show you the finished pieces, but I won't get the fired pieces back until Tuesday and I did not want to wait that long, so this will be a two part post.

In other news: Many of you have sent me emails of concern because of the fires raging around Taos. It was touch and go when the fires were threatening Los Alamos where the government has labs that contain deadly toxic chemicals, but they have the fires under control now and I think all will be well soon. The smoke has been awful, and I am sad for the forest and all the animals, but we are still here :-).

Also update about my dog Zeus. He is amazing. His legs are getting weaker and I know we are lucky if we have the weekend, but I never know with him as he keeps rallying. Everyday is a gift and I know that.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and a Happy 4Th of July. XOXO

More New Stuff

This is the last of my vases and also a plate. Plates are hard if you are doing porcelain, they warp when they get fired, this one is the third try and it did pretty good except the red underglaze bubbled, so I will be using this plate and not selling it, but I thought I would show it to you anyway. The vase and plate are a part of my "Circus Series" I am sure after I paint paintings for a while, I will return to making these. The vase is small at 2"x 1 1/2".

I had a long and busy day, so that's it for now. Happy Wednesday! XOXO

Vase Love and a Thank You!

I just got some new porcelain pieces out of the kiln and instead of showing them all a once I decided to show you one at time. This little 2 1/2" x 2" vase is my favorite and I am debating rather I want to put it in my ETSY shop or keep it :-).

When I returned home from my trip and opened my PO box I had a lovely surprise from Lori, she sent me 3 of her wonderful photo cards and these beautiful feathers for my feather vases. Thank you Lori, you are a darling doll.

Happy Thursday! XOXO

P.S. Blogger just decided to space this post weirdly (is that a word? It is now :-).

Hodge Podge and a Winner of the Give Away

Happy Birthday to me :-). These are my newest feather/bud vases, all small about 2" to 3", but I had to re clear gloss them, so they are going back to the kiln. poop.

The winner of my give away is (drum roll please) the wonderful and talented Lynn. I will pick out something specially for you dear heart.

In other totally unrelated news, I had a dream and in my dream an older very famous artist (no one real, this was a character made up in my dream by me) told me that I needed to blog less and do art more. I am taking this to heart. I have already slowed down my blogging, and posting but I will be slowing down even more, so if I don't visit as much please forgive me. What with working full time, my four animals and life in general there seems to be so little time to do what I love most, so blogging will have take a back seat.

And last but not least, please pray for my little Spike, he is hardly eating and hiding under the bed, he is the cat with the kidney problems, the one I give subQ fluids to. I have been giving him fluids daily and he seemed to get better, but now seems to be getting worse. I know in the sea of misery that is Japan and the world this seems small, but he is the love of my life and it would mean the world to me if you could just send up a small prayer or good thought for him. Thank you.

And don't forget 15% off all items in my ETSY shop for one more week, just type in chick when the coupon window pops up at check out.

Happy Saint Paddy's! XOXO

Sneak preview, Thank you, and What's been going on...

The top photos are new vases I made, under glazed and bisque fired, they will look very different after I clear glaze them and have them fired again, they will look like porcelain. I wanted you to see them though as I really love them and had so much fun making them. I made them weeks ago and have not done art since, so TODAY I am making more, finally I have a bit of time.

The photos of the bag are a lovely present that the very talented Melanie made for me, this is the second bag she has made and they are a big hit at the grocery store. She also tucked a lovely lavender sachet she made inside, sorry I did not get a photo of that. Thank you Melanie, I love it and I love you dear girl.

As for other news, Zoe is getting on well enough with Max, she and Spike had some hissing going on and Spike is a bit afraid of her, but I think it will be fine in a few days after they get more used to each other. It went much better than I thought it would. I actually think that there may be a bit of romance between Max and Zoe :-).

And now for something completely different, I never said anything about it, but a month ago I started a weight reducing program, no sugar, no bad carbs and I have lost 12 pounds! I really only wanted to get back to where I was 4 years ago, after gaining about 8 of the 30 I lost back then, but I am really liking this life style change and I plan on staying on it forever. However, I think life is to be lived, so I do allow myself little treats on the weekend or when I go out to eat, but I won't buy bread or pasta for a long while, also no chips, I eat nuts instead, lots of veggies and fruit. I feel ever so much better and this time I am doing it for me, no one else! Really I don't need to lose any more, but I want my body to be lean, not skinny and I think it will just level out soon. I just wanted to share.

I am off to play with clay, have a WONDERFUL weekend. XOXO

Following Your Heart

Here they are. I hope you like them, 7 out of ten made it. I am pretty happy with that. They started out small, but got smaller as porcelain shrinks when it gets fired. Three are really tiny, but I love them that way. For two weeks I have been painting and not liking the results, so I plaster over it and try again and after a week of this I finally realized what was wrong. The little vases are calling to me and while I have missed painting, right now the vases are what my heart is calling me to, so I finally gave up :-) and made more yesterday, slightly bigger, and I will make many more until my heart is satisfied :-). Please let me know what you think and if you want one let me know, I will be slowly listing them on my ETSY site this week. Happy Tuesday! XOXO

Vases in the Raw

My little bud vases are now glazed and being fired as I type, I will be getting them on Tuesday and if they make it I will share, but thought I would give you a look at them, raw before they were fired or glazed, you can get a little better look if you click on the image and enlarge it.

I have been very busy this week and more social than usual and then there is the book (see post below) so I have not posted for an entire week! I am at the moment waiting for venetian plaster to dry, I did a painting and did not like it, so I just plastered over it and now I am off to make a new banner for my ETSY site and of course read (I am on page 64 now :-). I love Sundays! Art day, relaxing day, catch up day. Love and hugs and Happy Sunday! XOXO

Exquisite Bliss

I can't help it.

I stayed in this world of childish wonder,

I think that a lot of creative people never grow up.

I am certain a real man would not paint any pictures!

Or wonder about the universe

Or believe in dreams.

Or think that trees sometimes look at him.

Willem de Kooning

This quote of de Kooning's (my #1 all time favorite artist) always makes me dreamy and inspired. I thought I would share. I am up to my eyeballs in art projects and ideas, I started with making 10 tiny and small porcelain bud vases, I loved making them so much I can't even express it in words. Exquisite bliss. I will give you a look at them if they make it through the firing and glazing process. It was enough though to form them, each one a different surprise.

Next up is a new painting or two or four or 10 :-) and some drawing and then some more vases and maybe some bangles. This is a very yummy way to start the new year. Happy Sunday. XOXO