Meyer’s Shino Try Out

June 4, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

A few weeks ago I was poking around in the glazes at the Art Center pottery studio and came across one that I wasn’t familiar with – Meyer’s Shino. In keeping with my “I’ll try anything once” personality type, I grabbed one of my bowls that was glaze ready and gave it a dip. I had no expectations, I hadn’t used it and neither had anyone else in the studio that day. So, to satisfy my curiosity, I dipped.

LOVE!!!

B clay no grog

One dip Meyer’s Shino

Fired to cone 10

Looks a lot like a soda firing, doesn’t it? All who saw it in the studio yesterday asked me the same question: Soda? Nope. Just glazed and fired as usual. I love it when the clay gods smile down upon me!

The years teach much which the days never know. Ralph Emerson

Everything Else

Hoosier Facelift

June 2, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

I’ve been very neglectful this past week of just about everything while dismantling, cleaning, painting and reassembling this old hoosier cabinet –

I used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in the colors Henrietta on doors and drawers and Emile on the rest. Oh, and see those yucky brownish hinges? Those are the original hinges, I couldn’t find any new ones that fit. Those old hinges? That’s what color the whole thing was before the new paint job. Gross. This is my workspace and storage for my pottery.

After the cabinet was squared away I was able to think about clay again and finally ran a glaze kiln today. Here’s a first look –

Way too hot to get close, but they look like a success so far!

Be sure to look for these in my Etsy shop, ClayDreamsPottery!

My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice cream while it’s on your plate. Thornton Wilder

Everything Else

A Promise Made Good- Claydreamspottery Update!

May 21, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

My Claydreamspottery Etsy update is finally complete as promised. If you’ve been waiting, thank you for your patience. Please take your time and enjoy your visit! Happy shopping!

Everything Else

Rain and then more rain

May 19, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

Last post, I mentioned wanting to do an Etsy shop update last weekend, which obviously did not happen. I grossly underestimated how busy Mother’s Day was going to be and then there was the rain. Nothing dried enough to even think about running the kiln, leaving me champing at the bit, frustrated and more than a little bit impatient. I finally just went ahead and candled most of the still wet pots in my kitchen oven so when the rain finally quit they’d be ready to fire. Guess what…… it’s raining again and it doesn’t look like it’s going let up anytime soon. 😩🌂⛈☔️ But I have bisqued and glazed pots ready for the kiln so I’m good. 🙂 On the bright side, I’ve gotten a lot of knitting done while waiting for the sun to come out. ☀️

Ninilchik Swoncho

Caitlin Hunter, Designer

NEWS FLASH ……

My partial Etsy shop update is live, with the remainder to be listed this evening, as soon as it’s cool enough to handle.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie

Everything Else

Rain and then more rain

May 19, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

Ninilchik Swoncho

Caitlin Hunter, Designer

NEWS FLASH ……

My partial Etsy shop update is live, with the remainder to be listed this evening, as soon as it’s cool enough to handle.

Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. Melody Beattie

Everything Else

True Confessions

March 31, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Everything Else

Crap. Sigh……….

March 19, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

FYI – Potshards Pottery update today!

Everything Else

When Good Pots Go Bad

March 14, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

FYI – I’m slowly but surely stocking my Etsy shop, Potshards. Come have a look around! 👀

Everything Else

New Clay

March 1, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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.🤞🤞🤞

7:02 am

Sickening feeling…….I just heard a couple of thuds from inside the kiln. I know what that means – exploded pots. 😩😩😩😩😩

Everything Else

A Bit of Shameless Self Promotion

February 25, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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

Everything Else

On My Wheel This Morning

February 21, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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!

Knitting

By the Sea

February 16, 2019February 21, 2019 mud&stringLeave a comment

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!