I found my picture in the post office

And, no, it was not on a most wanted poster or a dead beat parent notice. They have copies of Gaston Woman near the p.o. boxes, and I usually glance at it to see if I know who has been featured. "Surpise, Surprise" as Gomer would say. It was me. Had no idea that they would take info from the article in the Gaston Gazette and make a feature story for the magazine. Very nice indeed. Moments like these and when folks are making nice comments on your work do indeed balance the bad kiln firings and other negative stuff that goes along with putting your heart's work in the public eye.

Thanks Gazette!

Bird Banks

Quick shots of the bird banks that came out of the kiln on the morning of the Festival. I actually toted (carried or took with one, for those not familiar with Southern slang) these to the show and home again when I couldn't figure out how to finish them. I put a hole in the bottoms, so the coins could be removed. I've found some cork plugs that work and am pondering other options. My pottery buddies, when asked for technical advice, said they used to remove their pennies by slipping a dinner knife in the slot and teasing the money out. Sure would make life easier to not have a hole, but would slow down the drying times.

What a great day!

Well, it's Sunday and I feel refreshed after a FULL NIGHT'S SLEEP! I feel like I have been on one of these mountain tops and the trail leads down the mountain at a soft, easy grade.

That should tell you that the Carolina Pottery Festival has now come and gone, only to return in 364 more days. The festival was great yesterday. Initial reports were that many folks were happy with the turnout and the sales and the public seemed happy, too. I saw lots of people carrying multiple bags around, so it looked like a lot of pottery found it's way into new homes, or soon will!

Thanks for all the great people who visited my booth and it was nice to see you again, or meet you for the first time. I hope your friends, family and yourselves enjoy all the nice pieces you took home with you yesterday.

It's off to a Carolina Claymatters guild meeting for me today, after I unload the van so I can reload 500 lbs. of clay to start on orders for the holidays or galleries. What a lovely, lovely day.

What a great state for potters and pottery lovers!

Fresh Hot Pottery, Get your Fresh, Hot Pottery!

Just a very quick post, as I have been working like mad for the past two weeks and tomorrow is the Carolina Pottery Festival. I set up today and everything is really looking good. I was still working on changes to my display up until today. I have now have commissioned work cooling in the kiln for some folks coming out tomorrow and some awesome bird pieces that I have to figure out how to complete (how to put the bottom plugs in the bird banks). Anyway, hope you can come out. Pictures tomorrow or Sunday

Let's get it right! Carolina Pottery Festival is Nov. 14th

Well, the very nice article that the Gaston Gazette published about the festival only had one thing wrong-WRONG DATE. I'm hoping that all these postcards and the signage, the blog, the website, the potters participating, the emails, etc--all that hard work that has been going on for months counterbalances the article's inaccuracy. I know one couple came into the shop today and told me about the article, which came out on Friday. I also had a phone call from someone who drove to Shelby for the Festival and all they found was a bunch of barbeque.

I need all the help I can get on this one, so if you read this blog and can send a shout out to your friends and lists, THE FESTIVAL IS ON NOV. 14TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Carolina Pottery Festival, Nov. 14th

I'm getting ready for this. Hope to see you there.
You can sign up for the mailing list at www.carolinapotteryfestival.blogspot.com, or contact me by email and I'll add you to the mailing or emailing list.

Kylix forms I am playing with. A kylix is a type of wine drinking cup with a broad relatively shallow body raised on a stem from a foot and usually with two horizontal handles disposed symmetrically. The word comes from the Greek kylix "cup," which is cognate with Latin calix, the source of the English word "chalice". Only moderate success, as I threw them in one piece like I do my goblets and I have had 3 of 4 with interior CRACKING issues.
Ughhhhhh.

I am still working on bird ideas. This covered vase is one I want to explore more. Working on sketches for bird clocks and money banks. I even thought it would be cool to do a bird chess set, but couldn't figure out which birds to use. Maybe you could give me your suggestions?

My Love of Red and Green

My love is a red, red leaf that drifts to grass in fall.

A fleeting flag of color that soon will wilt and pall.

But oh the joy it gives to me, while gazing on the grass,

Emerald green and ruby shimmer in shades that will not last.

The Up side of ups and downs

I have another kiln, so I can pop these underfired guys back in tomorrow morning and get going again. Yes, it is a pain in the rear. Yes, it was a waste of energy and I hate firing things over. But it could be much worse. What was that song? "I heat up, I cool down........"

The down side of ups and downs

I opened my kiln today, expecting versions like the first photo. Instead, I got these underfired pieces. My kiln go-to guy, David, thinks it is a relay. So, he'll be around on Monday to make all well, I hope.

Happy after Halloween, confessions of mom of grown children

Thought this was an appropriate image for the post halloween blues! It's from the Mint Museum's show of Contempory Ceramics that I visited last month. Hope none of you feel like this today from the overload of sweets. I do have to confess that I didn't even have candy last night for the treaters. I had to work late to finish glazing some orders, then it started to rain very hard, so I just turned off the lights and SKIPPED HALLOWEEN! Some neighbors told me they only had one trickster come to the door, so I was glad I don't have all that sweet loot at the house and have to eat it.

However, back when the kids were home, it was always fun to go through their candy (it was for their own good, of course) and sneak out a few of my favorites. I like chocolate and snickers, reeses, special dark chocolate, nestles crunch and those little peanut butter filled, candy coated stripy things were my favorites. I am old enough to remember when the stripes were actually on the candy and not just printed on the wrapper like they are now. Our oldest, Katie, would organize and COUNT all her candy, so it was very hard to get a little evening treat from her. Spence had his all jumbled up in a pumpkin and you could cull through it and take a little treasure pile for future snacks. Of course he would probably say he knew I was taking it, but he didn't have the list of inventory like Katie, so it was hard to prove! This morning while searching for tea bags I discovered the chocolate and windmill cookies I bought at the grocery several weeks ago. Oh happy day......Here's treats and tricks to you all.