Pottery from Summer of 2008

An art teacher from another school district also came to play with clay (I think there were a total of 8 teachers this summer) I like to trade pieces with people, and I asked him if he minded the adventure. So out of the three, that I couldn't make my mind up, he chose this one for me. I think it is absolutely beautiful!!!! He chose to singly dip this into Oestrich Tamaku and then with two fingers place accent marks of Leach Gloss White down the edges.

Terry (who is Katrina's Boyfriend) requested a mug and a bowl (specifically for ice cream) So I took him through the process and emailed him pictures of leatherhard mugs (before being fired the first time). Then I emailed him pictures of some glazes based on the colors that he told me he liked. So this is the results of his set! The mug is 4" high, and 4" diameter at the mouth of the mug. The bowl is 3" high and 5" diameter wide at the mouth of the bowl. Katrina wanted a mug as well. She likes the warm comforting feeling of this brown (Oestrich Temoku, pronounced O'Strike Tam-o-koo) She already has one of my bowls in this color. The light smokey blue as mom describes it over the phone is up above. (Woo Blue) She wanted more plates/bowls for her late night snacks of cheese and sliced fruit while she watches the news before bed. I made her a mug to go along with them partically because of the assignment, if she doesn't want it, I can always keep it for someone else.

The misc. cups/mug to your left is just what they are.

This was suppose to be a red set! Red is so hard to bring out in a firing that I am almost ready to give up on this color! *sigh* They still kind of match, but I was more disappointed in not getting the red color that I was expecting. These are almost my favorite. They are green (Tea Dust Black is the color of the glaze) and blue (Shaner Blue). I hand built some plates by laying slabs into the Chinaware paper plates to get to leatherhard and then I could fire them. The paper pealed off very well. If they didn't, then I would've just burn them off (doesn't hurt anything) While the plate was still really wet, I dusted baby powder on it, and then smooshed Thomas hand into it and with a pencil wrote his name and date on the plate. I decided to do the same thing with his classmates at school. The parents get their plates today. I hope they like how they turned out.

BTW: I have an outside specialization in ceramics along with my Bachlor's of Science in Technical Theatre. (If I were to do it all over again it would be art education) I bounced at the chance to take a continuing education class at the nearest junior college this summer. (Thanks to Thomas loving daycare, and Bob letting me play with clay! ;) )

The Blue set (mug and bowl) is for our Doctor that recently graduated from his Residency Program. Unfortunatly, he will be doing Emergency Medicine, but it will make life more comfortable when/if we have to use the ER. Hopefully, he will be on call! This set was suppose to be an off white bottom (it still is...) with a dark chocolate top. Instead I have a green top. Go figure chemistry! I think of it as a happy accedent and at least it looks good!

So with the summer half gone, I need to concintrate on the mommy part and revamp my lesson plans for the upcomming year. I have my fingers crossed that maybe Bob will let me take another class in clay, It worked well two christmas' ago where I was able to sell my work (for christmas $$). We will see where life lands. I hope everyone is having a happy summer! Stay cool, 'cause its HOT here!!!

Thomas is happy in his play pen only because the camera is out. He really wants out though. It was a LONG day at school and Daycare. Thomas is wearing new pin striped pants that Grandma-Coughenour gave him. Friday afternoons when Thomas and I get home, I let him "drive" in the driveway. He even knows where the clutch is, but then he can't see out the front window. ' Look Papa! I'm driving!!!!' Some day I fear this picture will haunt me. Or maybe when it's time for those baby pictures in his senior year book....hmmmm....

Tiling our dinning room and kitchen

We bought a house in 2002 and tore down a wall between the kitchen and dinning room in 2004 to make more counter space between the two. Bob got some FREE tile from work this past October (Portabello-they needed it out of stock before inventory) so we are in the process of laying it. We are almost done with a few more boxes left to do in the kitchen. Meanwhile, The dinning room table is in a corner of the living room with chairs on top of the table. When Bob and I are both working on the floor, Thomas is in his playpen...supervising. He doesn't like the confinment and wants to help, but sometimes he is a good sport about it all. Bob will tile, and I will grout...or thats the plan.

Skippy, one of our cats is patroling the new floor. I will gather more pictures of the kitchen, and then the completed floor later.