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In between kiln checking and tweaking, yesterday's sunshine got me inspired...as well as the lack of housework help getting me riled....

The kitchen is mostly de-cluttered although still waiting for some electrickery and carpentry.
The hall and stairs have been painted Incarnidine Red...that was chosen just over a year ago after much pachwork painting of test pots!

I ran out of time to take a load to the local recycling centre, even though it closes at 7pm....

I've peeked in the kiln-

and it looks good...but is too hot to touch!

I'm pleased with this little dragon jar- I hope the lid isn't stuck!   If it is ok when it comes out of the kiln, this one is going to a friend who loves dragons although he isn't Welsh or Chinese...I'm not sure, but he might be a Dragon himself!

working hard

For most of today we have had heavy showers..with rain in between!!

A home workshop day was the best therefore and I haven't even been up to the allotment!!

First came finishing the jars...

Next, after lunch, I had intended to start packing the kiln for a bisque with what was ready.   I started fettling lightly and realised....nothing is dry enough yet.
At least all the jugs , jars and tankards and bowls have all been fettled, all (all?!!) they have to do is dry!!

I started on The Commission... a few ideas have gone down on paper, but nothing satisfactory.
I just "went for it"     The base was paddled out, not rolled, then I started coil and throw, using two wooden rib tools- this is in Crank, a heavily grogged clay. We're talking about far coarser than coarse sandpaper here!!

I didn't want to risk going any further.

The top inch has been wrapped so that I can work on it again when the walls have stiffened.

I'm really enjoying this!

As I finished, a knock came on the window.....

EEK!!!!

She is a softy really....even if she does prefer men!!

an exceedingly wet day

So wet that I decided to go to work!  There was practically no traffic on the roads as I drove to St. Ffagan,  leaving at about a quarter to eight.

This old man greeted me, and this is where  he works...

The fire in the bread oven has been lit by 5am at least

The rain fell steadily most of the day

and even the rams stayed indoors!!

The Carpenter made the doors for this building when he was on Work Experience from school.  (about 2004)

On the way home after 2pm the motorway and dual carriageway roads were full of spray and cars on their way home from holiday,  so I kept to the old main roads.

a dry day!

In which the third wash of the day nearly dried, ironing was done, floors cleaned.....

stencils cut and used....
I did several "mel" (honey) jars and a couple of "cwrw" (beer) tankards then pulled handles on a boardful of milk jugs.
The pots with words on are developing well. I'm concentrating on those where the Welsh word has a different root to the English.  These should sell better. Thanks to a customer for that point...I think she could be right!!

I've found the pattern for the tyre tracks stencil. Just need to draw and cut it and use it on some tankards .
There is just over a fortnight to the delivery date, which should be fine, weather permitting that I can dry everything enough to get them in the kiln!!

I'm working on a Celtic style pattern for a plate with horses on it.
Rhiannon was apparently the only Celtic goddess adopted by the Romans, as Epona.  You can see her symbol at Uffington....The White Horse.
It isn't an easy design, it needs to be simplified and a little stylised so as to flow and look natural, without being totally realistic.    Three of them, within an eight inch (20 cm) diameter circle. 

I worked until about eight then the light was going as it had clouded over and was raining again.     The Carpenter was just serving supper as I came in from the workshop...good timing!!

more bowls

This is the basic shape, the knack is to get it shallower than you think you need/dare go!

700g bowl
and 400g bowls





Just got these in in time before it started raining very finely!

kiln firing

The biscuit firing went well, although a hot water bottle was needed on top of the gas regulator on the gas bottle to let the gas through! I hadn't thought it that cold. At 5.30 am it was a lovely starry morning!

I managed to fire the kiln slow enough to start with, but I need to get the door sealed better.
Until the flue starts to draw the fumes are coming out around the top of the door, so I spend as little time in there as possible and all the windows and the door are open! Doing that will possibly help all the firings too.

The firing took seven hours, as I took it easy to start with, then just carried on steady. Without pushing the kiln or turning the gas up atall until the end- got impatient for those last forty degrees!
Then found that the 06 cone had hardly moved and it was 1030 on the pyro at the top!!

Mountain Man came down for lunch, a nice surprise! It is surprising how much you can appreciate a meal of fresh brown sourdough bread and cheddar cheese with a cup of tea!

He must have got back up to home just in time before more fine wet rain, as the breeze increased to wind!