Check out my latest shop update at https://etsy.com/shop/claydreamspottery!
See you there!
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Author: mud&string
Mother, daughter, wife, grandma, friend, animal lover, potter, knitter, Catholic and finally, retiree. Will work for yarn and/or clay and tend to geek out on any and all the above at the drop of a hat, provoking glazed expressions from family and anyone I can buttonhole after hello.
Lather Rinse Repeat/4 a.m. Is Better Than 2 a.m.
THURSDAY MORNING
So – it’s been a busy few weeks. I set up an Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery and have been putting a lot of hours writing and rewriting, tweaking and retweaking my shop stuff, working at getting more pots photographed and listed. This is much harder than it should be since I’m a bit technophobic, computer illiterate and way out of my comfort zone when I encounter something unfamiliar computer wise. I have to reinvent the wheel over and over again. I’m figuring it out slowly but surely.
Today, I’m running a full bisque kiln this morning, then tomorrow or Saturday go into a glazing frenzy, then finally run a glaze kiln. I guess one good thing about insomnia is that I can start all this 2 a.m.
I’m anxious to see how the spiny things turn out. I plan to stain them, fire them and then lace them back together with a thin leather thong. I hope it’s going to match the picture I’ve been carrying around in my head for a long time.
FYI – The spiny things behaved exactly how I’d hoped (for once)! The toothpicks burned away, leaving perfectly shaped holes for lacing them together later. I LOVE it when a plan comes together!
SATURDAY
Wow, I slept late this morning – til a whole 4 a.m.! If you guessed this week wasn’t exactly a good one sleepwise, in other ways it absolutely rocked. Let’s see. What happened this week? OK, got it.
- Mr. Insomniac had cataract surgery on his right eye on Wednesday morning and is doing great! He is seeing better than he’s ever seen, 20/30 on the right about 24 hours after surgery.
- I sold a pot in my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery
- I’ve had time to work on several knitting projects that have been languishing for what seems like forever. If I haven’t mentioned it before, I also have a knitting blog. You can check out this particular alter ego at http://iknead2knit.net.
- Filled a pew at Mass last Sunday with nearly the entire fam, three grands, a son, a daughter in law that I love, my bestie, who happens to be dear d-i- l’s mother, me and Mr. Insomniac.
- Successful glaze firing of pots to restock my Etsy shop. Shop update is tentatively scheduled for April 22.
I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on man unless they act. G. K. Chesterton
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Dixie 8 Handknit Socks 0, WIP Wednesday
This little angel is waging war on my handknit socks!
I’m beginnning to think I need to buy a safe…she manages to find and destroy at least one sock of a pair. She’s learned to knock the clothes hamper over to pull out the socks. I’m trying to cut her some slack, she’s still a puppy, but her taste for handknits and Mr. iknead’s azaleas is making me want to tear my hair out.
ON MY NEEDLES
This is about the fourth attempt at getting started on this.
Droplets Shawl
Knitpicks
Airy Yarn from Unique Chic Studios
80% Tussah Silk/20% Merino
I think I finally have a handle on it – I hope so anyway!
ONE MORE THING
I’d like to invite you to visit my new Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery.. I plan to update every other Monday morning, but now, I’m slowly adding things, but I’d love for you to come have a look around. I hope you like it!!!!!!!
Those who aim at great deeds must also suffer greatly. Plutarch
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
True Confessions
Happy 4:44 am! Sigh………….
I really do have a confession and here it is – I absolutely hate throwing mugs. Hate it. I hate it because I have trouble throwing such a small amount of clay, give me 2 pounds to start with and I’m good to go.I don’t enjoy pulling handles and attaching them, kinda fiddly and they never look quite the way they should. Yada Yada Yada as Seinfeld would say. 🙂 They’re not my thing I guess.
What brought this on? I recently started an Etsy shop and have been working to get it stocked. Well, I thought it needed a few mugs and spent most of a morning trying to get at least a couple to add. That’s when it hit me – I don’t like throwing mugs, so why am I so bent on adding them to my inventory? This is MY shop. I provide the inventory – which really is a labor of love – so why can’t I fill my tiny corner of Etsy with things that fill me with happiness from beginning to end? Why can’t I fill it with bowls and plates, bottles and vases and anything else that catches my fancy? It’s decided, no mugs for me. 👏👏👏
I have several pots in progress and my kiln (almost) runneth over this morning. Be on the lookout for a shop update in the next week or so.
One more thing: I’m thinking of changing my shop name. Potshards just doesn’t seem fit. A few I’m considering are:
I Dream of Pottery
Dream Come True Pottery
Happy Place Pottery
Any suggestions out there? I’d love to hear them!
I’ll leave you with a peek at my “studio” also called a garage.🙂
Success is the maximum utilization of the ability you have. Zig Ziglar
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Crap. Sigh……….
It happens.
A bit thin on the bottom, wouldn’t you say? 😩
One should either be a work of art or wear a work of art. Oscar Wilde
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FYI – Potshards Pottery update today!
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
When Good Pots Go Bad
I’m back after being under the weather for the last week or so – nothing serious, just a lot of sneezing and coughing, nose blowing and just generalized crankiness. But I’m back!
Ran a combined glaze/bisque kiln today with a so-so result. One of the bisque pots was perfect.
The other pot, well, not so much as you can see.
I take full credit for this mishap, I can see that I left the bottom thicker than it should have been, hiding just enough moisture for a blow out. 😩
When the bottom blew out, I guess the small bowl wanted to get into the act and ended up with a few stray shards fused to its inside.
Better luck next time, I guess.
Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction. John F. Kennedy
B
FYI – I’m slowly but surely stocking my Etsy shop, Potshards. Come have a look around! 👀
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
New Clay
I found an inexpensive source for clay – Walmart. At $30.00 for 50 lbs it’s a steal don’t you think?? Here’s the “test throw”.
Amaco White
4 lbs used
It looks like it’s going to work well.🤞🤞🤞
B
7:02 am
Sickening feeling…….I just heard a couple of thuds from inside the kiln. I know what that means – exploded pots. 😩😩😩😩😩
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Finally A Little Progress
Joy in looking and comprehending is nature’s most beautiful gift. Albert Einstein
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
A Bit of Shameless Self Promotion
Hi ya’ll! Here’s what’s new……
As a crafter, I wear several hats, but my faves are knitting and pottery. To be honest, I’m a potter whose creations have reached critical mass. So much so that after a couple of weeks mulling it over and researching it to death, I opened an Etsy shop called Potshards and this is an invite to hop over and check it out. I’m slowly but surely getting it stocked and organized. There’s definitely a learning curve so any gentle constructive criticism would be appreciated. TIA. 🙂
If you surrender to the wind, you can ride it. Toni Morrison
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To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
On My Wheel This Morning
Newest pot –
Sorry about the background clutter….it seems to pile up faster than I can put it away!
I’ve been encouraged to open up an Etsy shop and am in the planning phase. It all sees to be so confusing! Any words of wisdom would be appreciated!
Hands in the clay, feet on the ground, head in the clouds!
B
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
Ch-ch-ch-changes
In my last post I shared about my Shell Cottage Socks project, part of The Handmade Sock Society, Season 2. Unfortunately, the original yarn I used became so fuzzy after even a couple of rows it drove me crazy enough to put that project aside and try a different yarn.
I found a nice JoJoland Melody yarn in the stash and cast on right away….
I think the JoJoland Melody was a good choice, even though I can never do the colors justice in photos.
Ideas are the beginning points of all fortunes. Napoleon Hill
B
To Share Is Human
To Share Is Human
By the Sea
I joined The Handmade Sock Society’s Season Two sock club this week. Since the theme is “A Sanctuary by the Sea, I thought it fitting that the project yarn I’m using is Knitpicks Stroll in the colorway Seashell Tonal. I love the soft pink and grays of this yarn!
You can find my project notes here.
One more thing – I’ve started a pottery blog, The Insomniac Potter. I hope you’ll pay us a visit!
An ounce of emotion is equal to a ton of facts. John Junor
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mud&string 