It Was One Of Those Weeks...Part 3

So...The saga continues! It seems as though my needle tool had a mind of it's own, and jumped right out of my hand...slicing through the rim of my bowl. I sighed, and rolled my eyes as I looked at the destruction. This was no easy fix...I wasn't going to be able to just slap on a leaf and be done with it! This was definitely...a much bigger problem. I actually considered scrapping it...just squishing it and starting over, but than my stubbornness kicked in, and I thought about actually fixing it. As I stared at it...trying to think of ways to repair it...I remembered an idea I had a few weeks ago, which motivated me even more. So...I grabbed some clay and pulled a handle, then stuck it on the edge of the table...just long enough to set up, while I rolled out a small slab and cut out a few leaves. When the handle was ready, I trimmed the rim a little more...than attached my handle, and then added some leaves.

And Viola! Here it is! I love it! This has to be the best mistake I have ever made...so far anyway! I can't wait to glaze it! I'm so happy with the way this came out!

I'm definitely going to make more of these!

And Now...Here's a sneak peek at what's coming soon!

I really love these flowers!!! I can't wait to incorporate them into my designs!

I have so many ideas...it's actually keeping me up at night!

It Was One Of Those Weeks...Part 2

So...after making plates...I started to make some bowls. I really like these cute Ruffle Rim Bowls!

I think they'll look really cute in pretty Spring colors...like pink, yellow, baby blue, mint, and peach!

Everything was going well...until...my thumb nail put a huge crater in the side of my bowl! Well...maybe it wasn't a crater, it looked more like a mini Grand Canyon really! It was about 2 inches long, and really deep! So after staring at it, and thinking..."I can't believe I did it again," I walked over to my bag of clay...grabbed a piece and rolled it out. This time...I didn't have to think about how to fix it. I just made a leaf.

  And here it is!

And now I have a matching set!

This was my other problem! I made this really cute Flower Bowl...and when it started to dry...it started to crack, and it wasn't just one crack...it was four! So...being the stubborn person that I am...I decided to fix it!

After fixing it once...it cracked again, and again, and again! See...I told you I was stubborn!

So...after fixing it four times...I think I did it! These are the tools I used to fix it! A handy little (very sharp) kitchen knife, an old cleaning tool from when I was 15...can you believe I still have that thing? My favorite wooden tool that's almost 21 years old, a plastic knitting needle (my secret weapon), from my knitting days, and a makeup sponge...which is very handy for small spaces! So far, so good...I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that it makes it through the firing!

It Was One Of Those Weeks...Part 1

It was one of those weeks in the studio...where everything that could go wrong...did! I'm not sure why...but everytime I made something...there was some kind of problem. It all started when I made some plates.

They were similiar to this one...but without any decorative design. No stamps, no pattern...just plain!

I've had this idea for some tableware...for quite some time now, and thought I'd start making it!

At first everything was fine. The plates came out great...just the way I wanted them to. But then it happened! It was a freak accident really. I was moving one of them...my hand slipped off the bat, and my thumb nail took a good size chunk out of the rim. After it happened, I stared at it for a second or two...a little pissed off that I ruined my largest...best looking plate! I won't repeat what I said...well, I don't really remember what I said...but I did say something, and it must have been loud because my son came into the workshop to see what happened. He took one look at my plate and said "You can fix that Mom!" and then walked out of the room. As I watched him leave, I started to think of ways to fix it! There was no way I could fix the rim by putting it back on the wheel...so, I had to come up with something else. I certainly wasn't about to throw it away! I stared at the plate again, and then walked over to my bag of clay...grabbed a piece, and started to roll it out with my handy little roller!

 And this is what I came up with! I covered the rim with a leaf. After I cut the leaf out...from my tiny slab that I had rolled out, I brushed on some slip and placed it on the rim, where the chunk was missing! It worked great...no one will ever know that there was a chunk missing!
And I really like it!

So, problem solved...Yay! And I have a new design! I think I'll tweak this...maybe add more than one!

 What do you think?

Special Wedding Favors

I've been making pottery for almost 21 years now...and I have to say...I've never even thought about making Wedding Favors! I can't take credit for the idea though...it was my beautiful daughter Jayme's idea! She's getting married to a wonderful guy, and I'm soooo happy for them! Jayme wanted something different for her wedding...and she asked me if I could make something. This is what we came up with!

Tiny Leaf Tea Light Holders

This is how it all starts...with a 25 lb bag of clay!

I cut the clay with my wire tool...and roll out a slab with my North Star Slab Roller!

I cut out the leaves with my needle tool!

Then I shape them, and wait for them to dry...just long enough to hold their shape!

Then I use my favorite tool...my sponge, and make them pretty!

And Voila! This is what they look like when they come out of my kiln!

Now just 60 something more!