My crazy showed... a little

I went to view a kiln today that I'm thinking I'm gonna buy tomorrow. While at the lady's house her super sweet pitbull who also smiles ran around and was charming and sweet in his jacket. Oh yeah pitbull in a winter coat only is more adorable when it smiles and shows off his teeth, totally cracked me up. So anyways, we leave the house and get to the grocery store and I get a  text from my youngest son asking whats for dinner. I replied "chili dog", BUT somehow ended up sending it to this lady's house phone which comes across as an automated voice. So imagine your phone rings and you probably have caller ID because everyone does now days and you see it's me, the stranger who found you online, so you answer the phone only to hear "chili dog", which is even funnier because of the damn pitbull that was running around with a coat on. So now I get to go back to this ladies house tomorrow and I'm not sure if I should explain or act like nothing happened. I'm blaming my stupid smart phone.

My Maryland adventure

I went to South Carolina last Thursday to pick up my little brother from Ft. Jackson, he got a 2 week leave from the Army for Christmas and I was his ride home. Our trip was threatened by icy roads and the possibility of snow, I'm happy to say we made it to Maryland with no troubles at all (well... besides taking 1 wrong exit, which was quickly corrected). While in Maryland I went to visit my father in law and the gallery "Joie De Vivre" where his art work is displayed.

Me playing the part of Vanna White in the John Root Hopkins gallery

These were a few of my favorites besides the works that I already own.

This one is probably one of my all time favorites ever.

Jack Kevorkian painted by my father in law and a story written in Baltimore Magazine

Another artist whom I fell in love with is Danny Doughty, he has the most wonderful whimsical folk art style I've ever seen. His colors are brilliant and his work will most certainly make you smile.

Danny painting geese on a cupboard

Danny Doughty has zoomed to the top of my favorite artist list. I purchased cards and 2 prints during my visit, I'll be looking for another piece soon :o)

I brought oysters back with me and I found hitchhiker!

A baby crab and my thumb

I had car trouble during my visit, thankfully my brother knew what he was doing and replaced my water pump for me. Yay! for brothers! This extended my trip by 2 days.

Kiln badness and Christmas kittums

I unloaded my kiln this morning, everything was wonderful (sorry can't post pics, Christmas presents) but I will show you my ugly...

I love the way the glaze pooled around the stamped area

Glaze way to thick and ran on the shelf tore the hell out of the bottom of the cup.

I'm leaving in the morning to pick up my little brother from the Ft. Jackson  Army base in South Carolina. He's getting 2 weeks leave for Christmas so we are heading to Maryland as soon as I get him in my car. I'll be hanging out in Maryland until Monday then returning home.

I couldn't help myself. I put Spookers in a Christmas hat. I call him Spooky-Claus

Last batch of the year

I've quit production for Cookie Monster mugs and travel mugs until after Christmas. What is in my Etsy store is all for now.
 After the holidays and things slow down for me a bit, I'll be offering these in other colors as well, with no googley eyes.

 I do have a few white ones available now also, for the more serious dunker ;o)

 I'm still working, trying to finish up a few custom orders, mostly for family and 2 customers that have been super patient with me. Right now in my kiln I'm firing tart warmers and chicken bakers, cornbread bakers and coffee mugs. I'm stressed out and worried to death that I won't be able to fire everything in time to take to Maryland with me this week. I hope my kiln elements hold out, they are looking pretty sketchy and I'm doing a cone 6 firing right now (high fire glaze) which is pushing them to their limits. They are old, my kiln is old and I'm starting my hunt for a new one.

Tomorrow my day will consist of nothing but packing and shipping.

So, I absolutely adore this guy...

I absolutely adore Paolo Nutini, I would love to see him live. I could listen to him all day, maybe it's that accent...

Weirdness

First let me tell you, it's snowing!!! That alone is weird just because we don't get much snow here if any. We have lots of black ice, it rained this morning so we have a mess building.

it doesn't look like much... but it's all I've got

I went to the Home Depot and I noticed they have new signs in the parking lot. 

Ok... 2 things

#1 Why don't Hispanics abbreviate?

#2. I am totally a Pro customer, I shop there all the time. Wonder what fool made this sign up.

Home Depot this is stupid, if I'm a professional skater and I shop with you that makes me a pro customer.

Or what if I'm a professional shopper? They have those too ya know. 

How bout... "Contractor parking" ya dummy heads. I'm totally parking in the pro spot every time I go here.

Ok so check this out. I went to Office Depot and had to buy their overpriced packing peanuts and during my packing of packages I made a mess and spilled some on the floor of my studio, no surprise there. I looked down and thought and said out-loud (because I have no filter for my mouth and because my mind is slightly warped) "Oh wow, packing peanuts stick to your shoe like do-do" (only because I've stepped in dog crap like 5 times in the past 2 weeks).

Well... let me tell ya, these peanuts are biodegradable which is awesome, what's not awesome is when you go to take them off your shoe and your shoe is a little bit wet, like from snow. These dang things melt and get gooey! I couldn't believe it, kinda like gum on your shoe but not stringy or packing an awesome flavor, but sticky. So I thought,  hmmm I wonder if....

YES It melts, if you dip these packing peanuts in water they turn to goo like immediately! I'm fascinated.

It doesn't take much to amuse me and this was my wow for today. 

 

And more cookie mugs

My kiln is fired with a load of bisque, I rushed some of the things I'm firing, but I need them and I'm hoping they were completely dry. When you fire clay that isn't completely dry it will explode in the kiln, not a pretty sight and it tends to take out other things around it so my fingers are crossed. In the meantime I'm getting requests for more cookie monster mugs so I'm glazing my little heart out. I'll continue working on these tonight until they are done and hopefully make it to bed at a decent hour.

 

I have the mouth hairs painted, now I just need to do the googly eyes and clear glaze them and they will be ready to be fired.

Crazy rubs off

Yesterday my son Michael and I ran errands together, while coming up on a busy intersection I noticed something in the road and I yelled out holy crap a tool! (I have a thing for tools, don't ask). I threw my jeep into park and jumped out and Michael was like "what the hell? Mom!", but it was too late I was gone.

I scored a socket wrench with a 1/2 inch socket!

 A few months ago I got a pretty nice Buck knife the same way, except I did have to do a U-turn and play Frogger through 2 lanes of traffic on the highway to get it. I didn't get killed, so that's even better.

Tonight I'm trying to have a semi serious conversation with my youngest son Levi, nothing super important just his computer problem and zombies (our conversations always go there). During the whole conversation he's wearing a mustache. I was like "Levi you look like a 70's porn star, please let me take a picture", then he says "if I win a million dollars I'm gonna get it in loose change". Feel like you've missed something? yeah me too and I was there actively participating in the conversation.

It's very hard not to smile with a stick on stache'

Paolo Nutini - Last Request

necklaces

I made my friend Steve a necklace for his mom and a few extras for my Etsy shop. As soon as I can find my camera's battery charger I'll get them listed. Sorry for the crappy cell phone pictures.

Cookies?

I added cookie monster type dunk  mugs back to my etsy shop today. I did 2 glaze versions, a lighter blue and a darker. I think the darker will be my choice from now on, I like that shade better I think.

 I just finished a custom dunk mug for another customer. They requested a mug with daisies, I recommended light blue with white daisies (because that's my favorite). I don't do much hand painting of decorations, I should do more maybe.

I secretly sent all of my dunk mug customers snack pack size (4 cookies) chips ahoy cookies so they can dunk immediately :o) 

Angels fired

Just wanted to show you the angels before and after firing.

That's about all I have today, I'm exhausted and I'm gonna go eat some Cheetos and watch tv.

Blood sweat and tears

I'm running wide open cranking out pottery as fast as I can go. I've had 2 injuries, yesterday I sliced my thumb pretty badly and today a puncture. The rotten thing is I'm primarily right handed (can write and draw with both hands) typing with bandages isn't fun. Because I'm somewhat mentally unstable these days I took a picture LOL

new puncture, also notice the other bandage.

I had quality girl time today! I was able to spend a few hours with Shelly. She didn't cooperate with pictures though, she's difficult sometimes, but I love her.

Her: "oh please, no" Me: "Oh please yes" I got my way. Kinda. (she may kill me if she see's this).

 I actually worked too, I swear. Aside from helping my son write a speech for his English class, I fired my kiln, glazed a gazillion mugs and more ornaments.

 
It's 10:30pm and I'm almost done for the night, just a few things to do then bed time. This time of year it's like rinse and repeat, because I'm pretty much doing the same thing everyday, glaze, fire, list, glaze, fire, ship, well something like that.

Angels

I glazed my angels today each one is was made from a slab of clay and I cut each one out with one of my pottery knives from a template. After being fired once in a bisque firing, I hand painted each one. The underglaze at this point is chalky and dull, after being fired the colors will be more vibrant and dark.

I'll clear glaze them tonight so they will have a glossy finish after being fired.

I added a little loop in the top for easy hanging. This high temperature wire was fired into the piece.

I hope to have these listed in my Etsy shop by Tuesday.

unglazed and confused

Here's a sample of what I'm working on now.

Where to begin...

ornaments

tart warmers

sponge holders

bowls

A vase, wheel thrown and altered.

Ooh la la

Oh boy, it's been a busy day today. While I'm working in my studio I was invaded by Mike and our son Michael. They are installing a new heating and cooling system and of course, the duct work runs through the basement aka my girl cave / studio. So I bailed out and made Ramen noodles and danced with my cat. All of our pets have danced with me on my dance floor (anywhere there is a floor) multiple times, animal abuse? Nah... they love it as much as i do. 
Ooh I did eat my noodles out of one of the bowls I made a few years ago, this was one of my first stoneware bowls.

I glazed the inside, the handle and the hearts the same color, black.

Now on with the dancing, Spookers was begging me for attention so I grabbed up on him and we danced around the kitchen and sang Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance". That song has played twice on the radio in my studio today and now it's stuck in my head, gaga ooh la la.

he's like, what the hell? lol!

I can't help myself, I love her. 

je veux ton amour et je veux ton revenge

je veux ton amour

 I don't want to be friends.

One of my favorites and a custom piece

I found an artist on Etsy earlier this year who's work I absolutely adore, her shop is called the dreamy giraffe. I purchased a print from her several months ago. I love the innocent big eyed sweetness of this so I had to have it for my bedroom (which matches her hair color, pale yellow).

A few months ago while remodeling the bathroom I thought of her and wondered how I could work her art into what I was doing. I of course used some of my pottery, my blue bird cups, and a blue bird light switch cover I made along with some iron work pieces I purchased from an artist at the Chattanooga market.

toilet paper holder from the market, wish i knew the artists name.

 

my blue bird cups

My silly cat Spookers, I thought it would be cute to have him included (his ears are always like that, he's a Scottish fold and bobtail mix)

 I contacted KJ and presented her these pictures and told her what I had in my head, basically I wanted a bathroom painting that was fun, cute and whimsical. A blonde with green eyes in a bathtub and I wanted it to tie everything I was using in that room together. She nailed it. I had this done as a 12x16.

Check her shop out, she's super nice and fabulous to work with.