Blue Vases

Getting ready to leave for Greensboro tomorrow morning (yes Thanksgiving day) to set up for the Craftsmen Classic. We will come back home and make dinner for our kids. Today I unloaded another load from the kiln. This was the second one this week. Tomorrow when I get home I will unload the final load and pack it up to take Friday morning (phew). The photo from above shows some of my favorite vases unloaded today.

28th Annual Seagrove Pottery Festival

This weekend I was at the Seagrove Pottery Festival. Here is a picture of my booth. The turnout was good and I met a lot of great pottery lovers. I also had a piece in the Auction (seen below, #76).

In the next few days I plan on doing at least 2 more glaze loads in preparation for the Craftsmen Classic, in Greensboro this weekend.

New Dragonfly design

Unloaded the kiln this morning and this was my favorite piece. I had a number of pieces in this color combination. I think that I am going to have this as one of my lines. This week I have been working like crazy to make as many brie bakers as possible. They are my best seller lately. Probably because they are good gifts for friends and co-workers. This morning was my last big push throwing. I don't plan on making any more pieces unless I get some orders. I have two more shows (see schedule to the right) and a Juried competion coming up in December at Mint Hill Arts, then I am finished for the season. I leave for Montana to visit my Mom & Sister on December 18th for 2 weeks.

Carolina Pottery Festival

I am gearing up for the Carolina Pottery Festival this weekend in Shelby. I look forward to the show, because potters have told me it is a great show. It has been three weeks since the last show and I have sold some pieces from the boxes and had to reorganize and repack, plus price, photograph and pack all the new pieces. My studio looks much more organized now. Yesterday I made vases. It took two sessions, one early morning, one late evening to finish the pieces because the rain from Ida slows the drying process down. Today it is pouring out, so I won't get much done today either. Maybe I will go shopping today between sessions.

New color combination

Here are a few samplings from the newest kiln load. These cups are an example of a color combination that I will probably be working on in the next few months. I also have brie makers & teacups with this combination.

These are some vases that I liked. I am very low on my vase inventory and will be making a bunch more in the next week.

This is a special order that I just finished. There are still a few more orders that I need to finish. Yesterday when I unloaded the bisque load, there was a lid on the canister set that broke. So I have to redo the canister & lid because there is shrinkage in the kiln and I can't just make a lid. I also have to redo some dinner plates that flatened out in the glaze load, and have to redo a ladle that fell over in the kiln and stuck to another piece. Tomorrow will be a day of fixing. Hopefully I can also get some vases made.

Bunko anyone?

Last night I hosted our neighborhood bunko night. The prizes were, of course, pieces of pottery. Here is the spread, using dishes I have made. I would eventually like to make whole place settings to go with my appetizer plates. Maybe I will have time in January. Today I gallery sat at Mint View Arts. The intake for the Small Treasure show that starts next Friday is today. I will have a few pieces displayed.

Creamer & Sugar

Today I unloaded the kiln and I had this Creamer & Sugar set come out (above). As well a set of 8 dinner plates (below). Both were special orders.

I have been working every day for the last 2 weeks, but the rain has slowed down drying time. I was finally able to load my kiln a few days ago with a bisque load. My studio had every available surface filled with drying pots. I have been trying to catch up on all my special orders. I have a few more to finish. There are 3 more shows coming up this month and I am trying to make sure there is enough inventory to last thru the month. Next year I plan on being better prepared by working a little harder during the slow months.