washing!

Never mind what time you think it is, it is too late...or too early...for Cat Time!!

The day started with baking the sourdough bread I started yesterday evening. I think the ferment is happier with the warmer weather we have been getting as the bread was quicker than I expected.

It has been a beautiful day today, so I've caught up on the washing (four loads!!!) and dried most of it on the line outside.

I've had a visit from another potter, always something to look forward to, swapping notes and having another pair of eyes that sees the work from a potter's view.

Lunch with Mountain Man, a nice surprise, as I thought he'd be too busy getting ready for lambing.

Then the first proper digging and sorting of the year, moving the last two year's fruit cuttings and taking a few more at the last minute!

We have to remove all the tin sheeting from the Allotment Gardens by April. Up to now it has been too wet, or frozen solid! I need to find more wood to build a retaining wall in its place, this bed has a three inch edge on the right hand side and needs nearly a foot on the left!
The dreaded Cattail (Equisetum) growing strongly whatever the weather
Home to find that the people clearing land behind the garages over the back lane are burning rubbish...again. Mad dash to get the clothes off the line!!
Rain is forecast for tomorrow, I'll be back in the workshop!

pictures!

Lizard skin effect handles!
New shape mugs
"Wren" small jug
and a nice red bowl!
The butter dish has worked well- must make more
Two of these salt pots have sold already, and I have one with a snail ordered too!!


I might put three small feet on these to make them a bit more stable.

Today has been a good day- two exhibition submissions posted, two pots paid for, and The Carpenter is sorting his finances (and has more savings than he thought-relief!!)
The weather has had some sunny patches, but has settled back to rain tonight.

The Oily One mended the washing machine yesterday and I used it today...relief....and a grand total of £109 saved.

Other momentous things are happening round the world too.

11.02.2011 .....a palindromic day!! (well- over here it is :-) ) must be something in it

Blessings Be indeed.

packing pots

Today's first job ( after the@@**##!!! Housework!) was photographing pots, ready to go on Flickr.

The Carpenter has put the images chosen on a cd for the Eisteddfod. Fill the form in tonight, and off First Class Post in the morning.

I have a deep (but not large) porcelain bowl, cut foot, impressed decoration on the outside, highlighted with oxide, blue slip inside. Saltglazed.

Do I have the cheek to enter it (and me ) for the Welsh Artist of the Year competition?
I doubt that I would win...but it might get me noticed....yet another form to fill in.

Three orders have been boxed ready to go, another I can't send as I'm not happy with the pots. They are ok....but not good.

Most of this afternoon has been spent on this laptop computer, googling how to use the damper.
I think I understand a little more. A potting friend is calling past on Saturday and I shall pick her brains too!.

I'd love to put some pictures on here, but until The Carpenter lets me onto His computer, we will have to wait!!

At least I haven't wasted a good weather day on inside work! It is a cold, wet and windy day and has been all day, with the mountains being shrouded in cloud half the time.

kiln opening

Yesterday was a good day for firing, high pressure and dry, but cold. Can't have everything.

The kiln seemed to stick at 1230 degrees, but then cone 9 was well down and cone 10 softening, so I supposed it done.

Opening it today, the back right hand side (I initially fire with one burner- on the right side) was a tad overfired and bubbly. More soaking needed, indeed more learning how to work with the kiln.

I wouldn't say control.

I'm pleased with most of the pots from the kiln, but I'm feeling "could do better", even "have done better before" with some. I'm not happy with the grogged body, the rough feel is not attractive.

I went with The Carpenter today to collect 250kg of clay, then to three galleries to pick up pots.
CRiC had sold three salt glazed cut-foot cups ( can't enter them all for the Eisteddfod now!) and a small porcelain dish.

Coffee time.

Decisions. I don't like the pressure of deadlines, but things always end up at the last minute.

glazing day

Today was spent in alchemy!
Mixing glaze tests, and doing a small tile test of three tubs of the same glaze, that are slightly different....so this should confirm what they are!!

For some unknown reason I have six various tubs, all about a gallon/5kg size....and all with the lids missing! Just when I need a couple...

The Carpenter has started sorting his finances.

The Oily One has taken the washing machine motor apart, slightly....the incentive of having to do washing by hand!! The very small part has been ordered, and its arrival greatly anticipated!

It was definitely wet and unfriendly weather this morning. As the low pressure lifted, it has dried and cooled again, but at least the higher pressure should give a better firing.

hard times

They say things get worse before they get better.

The car nearly reached 300,000 miles, now it will be cheaper to get a new engine than to replace the head gasket and have the head skimmed.

The washing machine is not working- probably the bushes (again, a known fault) but I can't afford £85 for the callout fee.

The Carpenter still isn't getting enough work to pay the mortgage, and any benefits are slow in coming. The System makes no allowance if being dyslexic makes dealing with it difficult.

Any work on the house, however necessary, has just had to be suspended, we have got as far as possible on our own.

However..

I am selling some pots, I have been accepted into the Black Mountains Craft Circle, one exhibition submission made and Etsy shop launched.
Next exhibition submissoion is due in at the end of this week.

Getting there....so near...!!

kiln packing

Despite the pyro reading and the cone evidence, the pots looked ok
One bisque load!
I glazed a mixture from the last two bisque firings, and all took the glaze well enough- only the results of the glaze firing will show properly
All packed, except that I haven't got any glaze tests in
Then work suspended- Daughter arrived and The Carpenter brought Number One Grumpy Bear to see what was going on!

The weather is still wet and windy, and forecast to stay so for Sunday and Monday..better firing weather on Tuesday I hope!