DirtKicker PoTTerY

LoVE BirDs RinG DiSh - Where the LoVE Begins

2012-01-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

I know from customer emails that my Love Birds Ring Bowls have been given as engagement gifts, anniversary gifts, used in weddings, a groom's gift to his new bride. One was given to friend to say, "I'm sorry you lost your wedding ring, here is a safe place for you to put your new one". So many great stories happen in the lives of these sweet little bowls.

Little do the people who own them know.. the story of love actually begins in my pottery studio. Sculpting the birds is probably a hilarious sight to see. I talk to them as I form them. I also carefully pair them with what will be their mate for life.

When I sell a "Love Birds Ring Dish" , I am honored that it will most likely hold a brides precious symbol of marriage, her wedding ring.

These little birds fly away via USPS along with a little prayer for blessings.

~ Love Birds Ring Dish for sale in my Etsy Shop :)

Pugging Extruded Handles with my Peter Pugger

2012-01-16T09:59:00.000-08:00

I wasn't sure if my vpm-9ss had enough power to extrude handles, so I called the Peter Pugger Company. Their main concern was not if the pugger had enough power, but does my clay have enough tooth? I thought probably not, as I use a blend of fine stoneware and porcelain. To test it out, Peter Pugger loaned me a handle die. Here's how it went..

With my choosen handle at the top, I attached the die to the front of the pugger nozzle.

I got my stoneware/porcelain blend perfectly mixed, deaired and ready to pug.

Switched to pug and out came the handles!

I took hold of my selected handle.

It extruded about an inch per second

Nice extruded handle without re-injuring my neck or waiting for my husband or son-in-law to extrude for me :)

The con, waste clay handles. No problem because...

..it goes right back into the pugger :)

to remove the die, just remove the bolts, pug a for a second then cut the clay behind the die. EASY!

New Year ~ Old Favorites

2012-01-09T17:27:00.000-08:00

I made it out to the the studio finally. Bummer starting the New Year sick :(

I got a special request for a "Forever Bowl". I forgot how fun they are to make. Last year I made a series of "Message Bowls" that said different things. My favorite was the "Jerk Bowl" :) Funny how fast that one sold. The last one to sell from the series was the "Misunderstood Bowl". I'm planning on making more of the "Message Bowl" series, but I think I'll keep the messages a bit more positive this time.

I also threw a couple dozen Ice Cream Cone Bowls, which are another old favorite.

When it comes to making and selling pottery I often wonder about repeat-ware. Does the art aspect get weak when the same piece is made over and over again? I keep coming back to something Simon Leach said, (I'm not quoting because I don't remember his exact words) the message was, not to get "fussy" about the art, but be serious about the craft.

I still like the word art better than the word craft. I just hope that my pottery will be the piece chosen above all others in the cabinet. I want it to be used and used until one day some dumb-ass drops and brakes it, then runs frantically to the computer, pulling up my Etsy Shop and purchases two pieces of pottery to replace the broken one.

Tahoe Pottery Series

2012-01-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

If you have ever been to Lake Tahoe you would know that Blue is the best word to describe it. The Lake is blue, the sky is blue and the mountains are blue. Lake Tahoe is surrounded by huge snowy mountains, crazy big granite boulders and tall pine trees.

For me, Lake Tahoe has always been a short drive up the hill, but the sight of "Big Blue" has never failed to take my breath away.

The vertical carved outer surface catches the glaze and adds an earthy rustic charm, which is exactly what I was aiming for. Just in case you were wondering... these bowls are available for purchase in my Etsy Shop!

©Copyright Cindy Gilliland

The drift wood in my photos is actually from Lake Tahoe. Maybe next kiln load, I'll pack up and take a field trip photo shoot at the Lake :)

Pottery Heart Shaped Baking Dish - Lover's Casserole

2011-12-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

Last month John and I celebrated out 26th Wedding Anniversary. I spent the first half of the day in the studio and was inspired to throw pottery to honor Love & Marriage. This adorable country style heart shaped baking dish is one of the pieces thrown on our anniversary. I absolutely LOVE IT!! The romantic speckled country white glaze has ribbons of rose and blue throughout. Of course this Heart Baking Dish is currently available in my Etsy Shop. I also threw a couple other pieces including a heart shaped mug, which is cooling in the kiln at this moment.

Holiday sales have been pretty good. I could definitely handle more, but I’m not going to complain. This year a majority of my personal gift shopping will handmade in the USA.

I hope you all are busy and enjoying this wonderful holiday season :)

French Onion Soup Bowl in use.. but I prefer Veggie Soup

2011-11-19T17:48:00.000-08:00

This is one of my French Onion Soup Bowls that didn't make the cut, that's why it's mine. But if you're interested in buying one that did make the cut, I have them listed in my Etsy shop.

My little Momma is 87 years old and has been a vegan for most of my life. She raised us to be strict vegetarians. No we didn't live on veggies alone (everyone always asked me that). We ate all kinds of wonderful healthy foods. But anyways.. fresh veggie soup is my favorite comfort food in the world!

Here is one of my favorite quick veggie soups

Get fresh organics if you can.

Chop veggies into big pieces. Boil potatoes, carrots, garlic, onion and bullion until a little past half done, then add everything else. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes then remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes and serve :) Green veggies should still have a tiny firmness to them. No mushy veggies Please!

6 red potatoes
8 small carrots
1 bell pepper
2 small zucchini
1 bunch of Broccoli
1/2 yellow onion
6 cloves of garlic
12 cups good water
10 blocks of Knorr Veggie Bullion or to taste

:)

French Butter Crock, Butter Keeper, Nutter Bells?? Better watch your Titles and Tags!

2011-11-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

There are so many names for these cool little Butter Keepers. In my Etsy listings I apparently used a name that got me into trouble. This morning Etsy removed 2 of my butter keeper listings due to my use of the words “Butter" "Bell”. Apparently those two words are trademarked. So beware of the words you select when selling Butter Keepers online. You may be infriging on a trademark and they don’t want their potential customers confused by our beautiful, wheel thrown, one of a kind, handmade pottery.

VOTE! Etsy Mud Team Purple Challenge

2011-11-15T19:08:00.000-08:00

Go check out all the lovely purple pottery and VOTE for your favorite! I made this cookie jar special for the challenge. It turned out pretty cool. I used Coyote Pansy Purple glaze. I love the smooth, glossy deep purple finish. I'm enjoying having this beauty in my studio.

My Little Helper

2011-10-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Rozzi would rather help Grammy (me) load the kiln, than stay inside and watch "Little Bill". Yep, she's totally a mini potter. I don't let her handle the glazed pots because of glaze dust. But she enjoyed telling me which piece should be loaded next :)

~ October glaze fire ~

Camping at the Black Rock Desert

2011-10-03T22:42:00.000-07:00

My family has enjoyed camping trips to the Black Rock Desert for over 25 years. We camp on the playa. We ride our bikes, visit hot springs, arrowhead hunt, land-sail, fly remote control airplanes, target shoot, launch rockets, Stargazing, drink margaritas, set off fireworks, laugh and talk next to a huge bon-fire.  Always a memorable experience.
BTW.. I did take a little bag of clay. I made a small coiled bowl which turned out so-so.  Regardless, I decided to keep it because it was made at the Black Rock.

This year our trip to the desert was just a couple weekends after the Burning Man event had ended. There were still small groups of lingering "Burners" that roamed the desert in door-less cars looking much like Mad Max at Thunder Dome. Late Sunday night our camp got a surprise late night visit from a group of Burners. My brother ended up having to ask them to leave. It was strange and scary enough to ruin my sleep for the rest of the night.

Here are some photos of the trip :)    For the friends and family who didn't get to make the trip this year.. :(   We totally missed you and you better come next year.

John said yes to Margarita and Mai Tai

(We figured it would help his bruised ribs - He took a hard fall on his dirt bike)

Our camp

Sailing on the playa

Tommy and Jeannie

John's crashed RC plane

Ed and Lisa

Johnny, Collette and Family

Me and John :)

Shapes Worth Exploring

2011-08-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

I have always boo-hoo'ed the phrase "find your artistic voice". But as time goes by I find myself longing for a style that I can find a home in. I'm starting with forms that appeal to me and over time, let imagination and inspiration take hold. I will slowly explore the limits of select forms. Hopefully they will morph into something very cool.

So this mug shape is great. I've been playing around with it for a couple months now. It's fun to throw, it's very sturdy and I like it. The next time I make this mug, I will change the handle and maybe make deeper throw-lines in the base. I plan to include this cup form in my journey of exploration.

Downsizing Glaze Buckets

2011-08-16T09:05:00.000-07:00

Part of my studio organizing entailed transferring my glazes into smaller 5 quart buckets. Three things I really like about the smaller buckets. #1 Saves my neck and back. #2 Saves on space. #3 I use my glaze before it gets old and problematic.

I have a couple problem glazes that I don't want, so I combined them in one big bucket. I need to figure out how to dispose approximately 2 gallons of waste glaze. I normally dispose of unwanted glaze by firing it in an ugly bowl or mug. But 2 gallons is too much. Any suggestions would be great.

Here is a look at the retractable screen that John installed on the studio doors. It’s so great to have the doors open and get the morning and evening breeze.

"Praise Him Pottery" Extruded Vases Coming Together

2011-07-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

A new batch of "Praise Him Pottery". I was inspired to make whimsical vases this time.

These vases were made using 50/50 porcelain and stoneware mix. I used my Peter Pugger extruder feature for the tubes. I'm still working with Peter Pugger to get that feature to work well. It took a lot of tugging, starting and stopping, loading and reloading to get enough tube extruded to make 4 vases.

A little Love for the inside bottom of the vases.

These vases will be listed for sale in my Etsy store September, 2011. 100% proceeds being donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Rozzi Is In The Studio :)

2011-07-27T17:41:00.000-07:00

I had the sweetest little visitor today. My youngest Granddaughter Rozzi loves to play in the clay. I swear she is a natural. She loves slab work. Above, she is doing the smack down to get the clay ready to roll.

Roll it out Rozz!

Smoothing and compressing with her favorite yellow rib

Picking out a cutter was a no brainer..
A Princess Crown for Princess Rozzi

Make sure it's all the way through the clay

The crown is coming together well Rozz!

Decorating with bisque stamps

An awesome job Rozzi!

You would be amazed how little help this tiny girl needed. Most kids are natural artists.

They just jump in and have fun. The results are priceless.

I lost my Grip

2011-07-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't you know it had to be on a special order :( I'm pretty sure the problem was a combo of a bad clay mixture and apple cider vinegar. In the process of attaching these handles it was very clear that I was in for a challenge. I scored and used ACV but there was really no good grip, so I added a little slip which seemed to help. During the beginning of the drying process the attachments started to crack, so I burnished and worked the attachments, then covered them well and prayed for the best. So a couple days later (today) I went to check on them and they all had cracks in the attachments. So I just pulled them all off. I put so much effort into getting the mugs all the same size and shape, I decided I would try to salvage the cup part. I used a surform to level out and a metal rib to burnish the attachment areas smooth. Now I have a big set of tumblers.

I think this batch of Hawaiian Red Clay had way too much grog in the mix.   But I can't blame the attachment problem 100% on that because I'm also having problems with my porcelain Starry Night Stars popping off.   I recently started using apple cidar vinegar for attachments. I think I'm going to put the apple cider vinegar back in the house and return to using magic water or slip.

As far as the special order goes.. well, if the problem is the clay, I don't want to buy more from the same batch. So I issued a refund to my customer and offered her a discount on any item in my etsy shop.   I'm really hoping I don't end up with bad feedback.

This was pretty much the cherry on the poop sundae for me and special orders. It has been my experience, if something is going to go wrong, it's going happen on a special order.

What Temperature is it Safe to Peek Inside a Cooling Glaze Kiln?

2011-07-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

I usually just put on the gloves, lift the lid about an inch and the heat escaping will tell me if it's safe for me to peek without getting burned. But my question is about the safety of the pots. I don't remember where, but I read that you should keep the kiln lid shut until the temperature gets below 200 degrees F. I really want to peek, but I need to avoid crazing and cracking.

Please share your experience.

Thanks!

Sunflower Appetizer Platter Set

2011-07-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Surprise... It's turquoise!! I did so many glaze tests trying to find a great sunflower glaze. I wasn't happy with anything I came up with. I knew my turquoise glaze worked well on the Hawaiian Red clay, so I went for it. For a design prototype, I think it turned out pretty cool. My favorite is the Leaf appetizer plates. I'm definitely going to make more of those little beauties.
BTW... It's for sale in my Etsy Store :)

©Copyright Cindy Gilliland

I can't comment :(

2011-06-30T08:06:00.000-07:00

For the past couple months I have had difficulties being able to comment on other blogs. Sometimes I can't even comment on my own blog. I can sign in through google, but the moment I leave my dashboard, I'm automatically logged out. I've search remedies, but no luck on a fix. I hate to abandon my blog and start over again, but I may have to do just that.
I have been reading your blogs and I want to leave comments. So frustrating :(!

Pottery Social Media Networking ~ Good or Waste of Time?

2011-06-12T08:35:00.000-07:00

Of all the online pottery social networking I participate in, I think I enjoy Facebook Fan Pages the most. Facebook posts are really turning into more than just "what I'm doing right now". They are almost like a mimi blog. For example, yesterday, Miri at Rincon Pottery posted a quick and informative paragraph about attaching handles and a link to her resource. What followed was many comments, much like a group of potters having an ongoing conversation. I also enjoy getting a quick update and photo on how the weekend show went or photos of new work in process.

I still love the Pottery Blogs, but I don't always have time to read through them all. Actually, if I start reading blogs I lose track of time and half my day disappears.

Twitter has pretty much left me scratching my head most of the time. I really don't give a flipping *&$@ where you're having coffee and I don't need the map link to where it is either ;) The #FF (Follow Friday) thing?? What the? I think Twitter is pretty good for sharing links, but other than that it's just ????? Whatever.

Youtube is great. "Simon Leach" does his thing there. I learned a lot from those videos he did when he lived in Spain. "Lucy Fagella" has a lot of lovely demos she did for Expert Village. "Clay Clips" with Bill Van Gilder is cool. I also watch Tammy Jo and Her "365 Day of Clay Cups" project. A new favorite channel is "John Britt" who is half comedian and half potter. So many excellent resources on Youtube.

Please share which online media source you enjoy most for keeping up with pottery.

Cleaning Out Peter Pugger VPM-9 SS ~ Changing Clay

2011-06-06T12:12:00.000-07:00

Since I like to change clay types from time to time, I was hoping it wouldn't be a huge ordeal to disassemble and clean out my Peter Pugger VPM-9SS. Actually it wasn't too bad. It took about an hour. The instructions in the Peter Pugger manual are simple and tell you all you need to know. Here are a few photos and tips that might help other PP owners see what's up with a clean out.

First I reversed pugged to pull the nozzle clay back into the mixing chamber (Remove nozzle cap, turn on mix and the air pump until the the clay clump is sucked into the mixing chamber and the air pressure is lost). Unplug the pugger from the electrical outlet, detach the lid auto shutoff cord and remove the bolts that attach the mixing chamber and the airbox sections.

Before pulling apart the sections, I put a couple shims under the mixing chamber to help stabilize the section.. The sections are heavy, so I had John pull the mixing chamber out to clear the auger.

The walls of the mixing chamber will have about a half inch layer of clay to be removed. I used a plastic scraper

The auger has a lot of hard to reach areas. The section where the auger goes into the airbox is was pretty much impossible to get all the clay out. I used a thin sponge and did the best I could. I wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with some clay contamination from that area.

I ended up with over 9 lbs of clay from the clean out. A bit more than I expected.

After I was done with the cleaning, I went over everything one last time with a clean sponge. I found a couple areas on the auger that had a little hidden clay. So double check.

Sparkling clean!

Before putting the sections back together, I cleaned and put a little silcon grease on the rubber seal. John put the heavy sections back together. The bolts were put back in place and tightened evenly so not to tweak the seal. We reconnected the lid auto shutoff cord and ran a pressure check. It passed :)

First hand wedging I've done in weeks :) Here is the results of the clean out clay. Next is porcelain and I'm so ready.

Please don't use this blog as instructions for cleaning out your pugmill. You should read and use the instructions provided by the manufacturer. This blog post is only to give additional reference and tips.

7 Sacred Pools of Maui ~ Hawaii Red Clay Nesting Bowl Set

2011-05-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am obsessed with Hawaii... especially Maui! I suffer through the excessive grog and stained hands (oh, poor me, right?) of that Laguna Hawaiian Red Clay because I love the rich warm red results. This 7 Sacred Pools of Maui Nesting Bowl Set, which BTW I just listed on Etsy, was inspired by love for Maui. Just look at this paradise.

These waterfall pools actually tapper down a hill toward the ocean. I would love to be there right now, especially since it was snowing at my house this morning.

I used 4 different blue glazes. Of course I left the outer area unglazed because I just can't cover up all that fantastic red clay. After firing, the exposed clay does have a bit of grog lift, but I run a piece of sand paper over it and it smooths out very nice.

I took these outdoor photos a couple days ago. The sky was full of dark purple clouds, which really allowed the glaze colors to pop. I lucked out because within a minute after I was done shooting, it began to hail. That's Spring in Sierra Nevada.

I'm pretty excited that these bowls came out so cool :)

Finishing uP & Cleaning uP

2011-05-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

The Hawaiian clay is almost gone and soon it will be time to clean out the pugmill for the switch to porcelain. Today I finished trimming and handling a bunch of mugs.

As I was attaching the handles I starting thinking about how much work goes into making a mug and how little most of us charge for them. I also think about who will own the mug. Will it be gift? Will they use it at work? Will it be a favorite? LOL.. I know it sounds silly, but sometimes I think about that stuff.

My studio is all organized and cleaned up. Tomorrow I'll be shooting photos of all the sellable pieces from the last two glaze kilns. Should be new pots on Etsy within a couple days :)

Throwing off the Hump, Cracks & Glaze Testing

2011-05-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

I threw a bunch of little baby Hawaiian clay bowls for glaze testing. I threw them off the hump. I’ve never had much luck with pots thrown off the hump. I thought the groggy Hawaiian Red clay would be OK, but Nooo! About 50% of my off the hump baby bowls got S cracks. Same old off the hump story.

My glaze test results were less than exciting. Only a couple that I would consider using. I’m also experiencing something new with the Hawaiian Red Clay... Just like my mutt clay, the Hawaiian clay is getting the raised grog in the glaze firing. Maybe it’s my firing schedule. I guess it’s more trial and error for me.

What's Up With Selling Pottery Wholesale?

2011-05-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been getting requests to wholesale. Besides the fact that I just don't like that word, I really don't know that much about it. My understanding is that I sell my work for pennies, so someone else can make a profit. Besides, I don't produce work boom boom, one after another. My pace is more relaxed and concentrated. Yeah, probably not a good deal for me.
Please share your thoughts about selling pottery wholesale.

Kiln Shelf Maintenance with Weird Results

2011-05-14T18:01:00.000-07:00

I loathe working on kiln shelves. My shelves started warping, so it was time to grind and sand off all the kiln wash so the shelves can be flipped. John offered to do the grinding and sanding for me. I’m sure you all can understand how much I appreciated that.

After he was done with the shelves he rinsed them off. The next day I applied new kiln wash and set them outside on a wire rack to dry in the sunshine. I couldn’t believe what happened next. When I moved the shelves inside I noticed this greenish yukky algae looking stuff leaching through the kiln wash. It was even worse on the side that was sanded down. All the shelves were affected. I decided to put the shelves in the kiln and slow fire them to 600 degrees.

The Kiln wash side looks fine, but the sanded side still looks icky green. Anyone experience anything like this before? I’m wondering if it was a chemical reaction. If it was algae it would have burned off at 600 degrees.. right?

Isn't that weird? I have the kiln loaded up ready to glaze fire in the morning. It will be interesting to see what happens to the green stuff after it fires to cone 6.

More Than Meets the Eye!

2011-05-06T10:46:00.000-07:00

It always amazes me just how many pots R2D2 will hold! This rack of pots, plus a large set of nesting bowls and I still had room to spare. I always start loading really conservative and as I finish the 2nd shelf I begin to realize that I have more room than I need. After this firing I really have to sand down and kiln wash those shelves.

SuNFloWeR AppeTiZeR PLaTTeR ~ Bringing Ideas to Fruition

2011-05-03T20:05:00.000-07:00

It came together just like I hoped :) Last night I came up with this design and got to work on it first thing this morning. The first platter I made was wheel thrown, it turned out ok, but not exactly what I had in mind. I tried again with a 14" slab and it worked out much better.

The dipping bowl is wheel thrown. I stamped the inside to make it resemble the center of a sunflower. The leaf plates turned out so cool. I'm just happy with the whole thing. The carving on the platter is all free hand and loose "for now". Now that I know the design is a keeper, I'll put some time into perfecting the measurements and details.

My prototype had to be made with Hawaiian because my studio is currently set up for working with Hawaiian Red. I've picked out my glazes for this clay, which should result in some rustic awesomeness. I have big plans for this set in porcelain, but it will have to wait until I clean all the Red clay out of my studio.

©Copyright Cindy Gilliland

PoTTeRy FoR KiDS!

2011-05-02T17:32:00.000-07:00

These cute little "Cookie Dipper Kid Cups" were made for and inspired by my 5 Grandkid-o's. Trains, Race Cars, Monsters, dinosaurs, Robots, Princess Tiara's, Butterflies and Flowers. My Grandkids love my pottery. They know it's something special. So when they learned that I made these Cookie Dippers, they were quite excited. I made extras to fun up my Etsy Store (to be listed very soon). I'm actually considering making more kid pottery. I think it's important to teach children to appreciate hand crafted work. Besides, it's totally fun to make :)

©Copyright Cindy Gilliland

GaRReTT

2011-04-22T21:09:00.000-07:00

This guy is my oldest Grandson Garrett. He is celebrating his 9th Birthday this weekend. Garrett loves video games, he is an awesome big brother and he helps his Mom hold down the fort while his Dad is away in the Navy. He's a fantastic kid.

Garrett & me not so long ago :') Geezz the years fly by quick.

Happy Birthday Garr-Bear!! I miss YOU!
Love, Gram <3

PunCHinG HoLEs iN BeRRy BoWLs

2011-04-21T23:14:00.000-07:00

I'm back working with the Hawaiian Red clay. I forgot what a cleanup nightmare working with this clay is. Not to mention the fake tan like stains that it leaves on my hands. Ahhh, it's such a beautiful clay, it's worth the mess.

Tuesday I threw these Berry Bowls and today I trimmed and punched holes. Is it just me, or is punching holes just fun and relaxing? No handles on these They just looked finished without them. Hoping to have these finished and listed on Etsy by the end of the month. Moving a little slow these days.

I started my new Physical Therapy today. It involves a type of acupressure along with stretching and light exercise. Pretty cool. Thinking positive and saying prayers :)

It was a BeRRy GooD DaY :)

Is Matte Glaze Ever Food SAFE?

2011-04-20T21:49:00.000-07:00

It is my understanding that matte glazed pottery is not food safe. The unsmooth surface can allow bacteria growth and possibly leach glaze materials into food.

I'm concerned about this because I'm seeing some matte pieces on Etsy that are being sold as food safe. One seller is selling the piece to be used by children.

I use matte glaze on some of my dining pieces, but I always use a glossy food safe glaze on the inside of the pot.

Am I wrong? Is there an exception?

Kiln Openings, Humility, Pain & Taxes

2011-04-15T09:51:00.000-07:00

This morning I opened the kiln to an equal share of good and bad. My mutt clay is made up of various ^6 clays I had accumlulated for recycle. In the past it came out majorly awesome. This time.. Oh my gosh, it's very groggy and not that great. Most pieces came out with lifted grog showing through the glaze. Yuk. More pots to add to my sea of seconds.
I always have a grand assortment of seconds and I think I know why. I'm pretty sure that God wants to keep a strong sense of humility in my work. Well, I guess that's acceptable because along with the crappy seconds comes beautiful pieces like this leaf pool bowl. I think it's one of my favorites ever. It sold within hours of listing, which is pretty darn cool.

Some of you potter friends are aware that I have been dealing with major spine issues. My Neurologist wants to try a steroid epidural in my spine (which I'm too chicken to do) and warned me that I am looking at fusion within the next year or two. Crap. Over the past year pain has been a distraction from my clay passion. If you're a praying person, please say one for me.

We finally finished our taxes last night. I was an Escrow Officer and worked with big numbers everyday for 20+ years. Now I work with clay and this year I had our taxes so screwed up. I was in a panic because I figured we owned an additional $7000 to the IRS. Last night John and I went over everything and proved that my brain is now full of clay and we are actually getting a tiny refund. I love it when bad things turn around to be good :)

I'm off to pack up a few orders. It's been pretty steady (knock on wood) this past few weeks. I guess it helps to keep a good number of pieces listed.

Have a great weekend all :)

Yunomi Throwing Video Dedicated to Japan Relief

2011-03-30T09:11:00.000-07:00

Several of my Japanese influenced pieces are listed at my Etsy store with 100% of the proceeds being donated to the RED CROSS to help with the relief efforts for Earthquake & Tsunami Victims in Japan.

DIY Glaze Spray Booth Construction Slideshow

2011-03-19T23:08:00.000-07:00

I've been getting a lot of requests for info on how John built my Spray Booth. I intended to put together this slideshow a long time ago.. Sorry it took so long.

Here is the YouTube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjxdZ89sOiw&feature=channel_video_title

Getting the Hang of Pugging

2011-03-10T20:39:00.000-08:00

I’ve had my Pugger (aka "Fat Baby") a couple weeks now. I’ve been reclaiming buckets and buckets of dry recycle. I would be lying if I told you that I pugged great clay right off the bat. Actually today was the first day I got a good consistency. There is definitely a learning curve.

My first batch was way too soft. Next was way too hard. Third sucked because I let the clay get too hot in the mixer and the log came out of the pugger with the sides ripped up and peeling. Last night I mixed a batch of dry recycle to what I hoped was a good consistency. I ran the pugger for 5 minutes and noticed that the clay was getting warm, so I shut it down and sealed it up. This morning that clay was nice and cool and a good consistency so I deaired and pugged. It came out smooth and a good firmness.

A weird thing about this pugger is that the clay log twists to the side when it’s coming out. You can see in the photo that the clay logs are kind of bowed. It doesn’t matter if the clay is soft, hard or perfect, it just won’t pug out straight. Anyone else get that with your pugger?

Monday I called Peter Pugger with a list of questions. They were pretty nice, but basically told me it’s a lot of trial and error. I’m getting there, but it's quite a process. Any helpful pugging hints would be cool.

Garlic Grater and Bread Tray Set... Delizioso!

2011-03-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

Olive Oil, Garlic, Ground Pepper and Sour Dough Bread is totally Delizioso! I first fell in love with this combination at the Macaroni Grill years ago. Only problem is I never was hungry for dinner because I ate too much bread and drank too much wine. Oh well, my dinner went home in a doggy bag and made a great lunch for the next couple of days.

This porcelain set was fun to make. The bowl was wheel thrown and the tray was slab formed on a bisque fired original. I used my favorite bisque swirl stamp and added slip-trail dots. Those sharp slip trail dots work so great for grating the garlic.

This very yummy duo can be purchased in various glazes at my Etsy Store!

Posting New Pottery on Etsy

2011-03-04T19:02:00.000-08:00

I finally started posting some new pottery on Etsy. Gosh it's time consuming, but I have noticed that Etsy has some new applications that help speed things up a bit. Such as "copy" an existing listing and the ability to edit from the viewing screen.
Trying to come up with intriguing wording is making me nutty. I'm so tired of looking at the computer I'm getting rummy and stupid. I'll probably wake up tomorrow and realize some of my descriptions are on the delirious side.
My favorite new mug sold right away. I call it "Lightening Storm".
Many new pieces at my Etsy Store and many, many more to list.

SuShi SeT

2011-03-02T08:40:00.000-08:00

My first Sushi Set! Slab built with Stoneware clay. I went to town using bisque swirl stamp and glazed in a translucent foresty green. It came out soooo pretty. There is a little wobble in the dinner plates, which unfortunately will make this set a bargin. Actually in my book a tiny wobble is acceptable whimsy :)

I'm going to be making more of these sets in different colors and decorative stamps.

This Sushi Set can be purchased at my Etsy Store http://www.etsy.com/shop/DirtKicker

Worth Saving?

2011-01-13T21:26:00.000-08:00

My goal was to throw a bean baking dish for my Mom. First of all, I’m not entirely sure that Porcelain is ideal for bakeware. I didn't find much about it online. I did find a few porcelain bakers on Etsy, so I went ahead and threw a couple.

The first one I screwed up the bottom while wiring it. Great opportunity to make the piece a little more interesting with some reshaping. After it firms up a bit, I’ll put in a new slab bottom.
I'm still concerned because I don't know for certain that porcelain is bakeware safe.  PLUS this one is going to have a built in bottom.   Hummmm... I need to decide wheather to finish this piece or just throw it in the recycle bucket.
The second Baking dish turned out good.   I'm hoping the flat lid doesn't warp.

Finishing and Decorating Porcelain

2011-01-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

Finishing a piece of leather hard porcelain is almost as enjoyable as throwing.. for me anyway. This porcelain is cone 6 “Grolleg” by Laguna. It’s a very good porcelain. It throws great, trims like a dream. It also works really nice with slab work.

My best tool for the day was my Sherrill Mudtools sponge. It works really well with porcelain because it’s very fine and doesn’t leave trails.

After my work was done, I sat back with a mug of hot Cocoa, listened to some music and just enjoyed being back in the studio again.

Handmade Buttons on Etsy

2011-01-11T19:13:00.000-08:00

I discovered that I love making buttons. It's surprising how much creative energy goes into making a handmade ceramic button. I have designated a section in my Etsy Store for my Button creations.

The big ones would be awesome on a handmade pillow or a handmade bag.
It's my goal to include a few new button designs in each of my kiln firings.

Back in the Studio "Show & Tell"

2011-01-10T20:19:00.000-08:00

I took this shot of the wedged porcelain just because I thought it looked cool. I'm not supposed to wedge, but I can't put off throwing for 8 weeks waiting on the pugmill. Gotta throw ya know?

I spent the day just kind of goofing off playing and making fun stuff. I started out with some slab work. These small plates are bisque stamped and shaped on a hump mold.

I made a couple vases. I did some interesting shaping on this one. I've got some cool glaze ideas.

Also made a simple vase.. a blank canvas all ready for me to go crazy with slip trailing :)

I got a couple requests for more Starry Night pots, so I made several new pieces.

A Good day :)

Peter Pugger vpm-9-SS - Feedback needed

2011-01-10T10:52:00.000-08:00

I'm buying a pug mill. I've decided on the Peter pugger vpm9-SS. Stainless Steel because I work with porcelain about half the time.

I guess my main concern is that I'm doing a little over kill by getting the SS model. It's about $800 more expensive. Anyone out there in the clay world that has a PPvpm9 that is not SS.. and you work with porcelain a lot, please let me know if you have been experiencing contamination in your work.

I've ordered a Peter Pugger vpm9-SS, but since there is an 8 week wait time on the SS, I may be able to change my mind.

Any input on the vpm-9 or pugging porcelain would be very appreciated.

:) Cindy

Happy 2011

2011-01-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

I just took this photo outside of my pottery studio. I fired up the pellet stove and now waiting for the studio to warm up. Gonna do some throwing today. It's been a while.

2010 was my first year selling on Etsy. It ended quite well. I sold a good amount over November and December. The end of the year also brought a lot of seasoned potter's to open Etsy shops. I trust we all will have an awesome 2011!

John and I have now consumed 2 cups of very strong coffee and even though we have stiff necks from sleeping on a crappy mattress, we are putting on our snow gear and going for a walk in the New Year’s snow.

Happy New Year!!

Deep Purple Swirl Porcelain Bowls

2010-12-05T09:57:00.000-08:00

About a month ago I got a convo from an Etsy Buyer suggesting that I should make some "BIG" 7" cereal bowls and glaze them in the same Deep Purple and Swirls color scheme that she saw on my little lonely Yunomi. She was sure they would be a huge hit. I thought her idea was awesome and I told her I would make a couple to see how they would turn out.
The results were beautiful. Porcelain makes the purple glaze so dreamy and glossy. Every who saw these bowls wanted them. I definitely plan to make more... which will of course be sold in my Etsy Store!

The idea Lady for these bowls apparently liked the results too. Here is what she wrote in the convo to seller, when she bought them... "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! They're beautiful! Too bad for everyone else! Mmmbbbwwwaaaahhhhaaaahhhhaaaaa! Ok, I'm calm now! lol I can't wait to get them into my hot little hands!"

Isn't that just too fun :)

Yunomi and Tea Bowl Handmade Japanese Creative Expression

2010-11-28T22:26:00.000-08:00

Making Japanese style pottery is very intriguing to me, as there is so much meaning behind it. I love learning the traditional uses for the different styles.
This summer I discovered that I love making Yunomis and Tea Bowls. The tea bowls pictured in this post are my first run and they are, of course, available for purchase at my Etsy Store.
I’ve noticed that the more bowls I make, the more I’m moving into a creative expression that's all my own.
The above tea bowls are blue celadon glaze dipped.
This colorful beauty was first glazed on the inside, then I used turquoise and golden shino in the spray gun on the outside.

Most of my bowls are made with Grolleg Porcelain. But I’m planning to make a few with some groggy clay. I would love to fire some in gas reduction or even better, a wood fire kiln. I need to make friends with some local potters and maybe we could trade kiln space.
This little bowl is dipped in shino, then a thin line of fake ash at the top.

The bottom of the bowl gets as much creative attention as the rest of the bowl.

There is so much room for creative freedom. If you haven't made a tea bowl or Yunomi, give it a try. They are a blast... plus you don't have to bother with pulling handles :)

Hawaiian Red Clay Bowls

2010-11-26T13:33:00.000-08:00

I am totally addicted to Hawaiian red clay from Laguna. The results are always rich and striking. It just seems a shame to cover that awesome warm clay with glaze, so I glaze the inside to make the piece food safe and I leave the outside exposed and natural. It is super groggy, but nothing a soft rib won’t take care of.
I made these bowls with soup, cereal and deserts in mind. Available at my Etsy Store :)

"Forever BowL"

2010-10-31T00:44:00.000-07:00

I received about a dozen custom orders for this bowl. There are some pretty cute requests such as .. "Mommy", "Turtle", "Gorgeous", "Forever Josh", I "heart" ASL. I usually don't like custom orders, but these bowls have been a lot of fun to make.

Spraying Glaze

2010-10-22T22:34:00.000-07:00

I fired my first kiln load of sprayed glazes.

I guess I should start out by telling you about the spray booth John built for me.
If you asked me.. Is there anything he can’t do?? The answer would be "Nope". He’s awesome.
I took photos of John building this cool spray booth. Someday when I have time, I’m going to make a slide show of the step by step process and put it up on YouTube.

I sprayed about 20 pots. It wasn’t until I was almost finished that I got a feel for making effects between colors.
I also had a little trouble trying to determine if I had enough glaze on the pots. Some came out of the kiln skimpy, but still pretty.

I’m not finding much reference material on spraying glaze. If anyone knows of a good book or article please let me know.

The Island of Misfit Pots

2010-10-21T20:27:00.000-07:00

I would like to introduce you to my Prize Misfit.. It’s a Porcelain Teapot that won’t pour a drop. I know, I’ll laugh at it someday.

So How perfect does a pot need to be? Are a few pinholes allowed? Is even one pinhole allowed? How about a set of functional porcelain bowls with beautiful crazing? A little glaze bubble at the base of a mug handle? A big white bowl with a few dust specks? Or these lovely plates that have a couple pin holes right in the center swirl? I have boxes and boxes of these "almost perfect" pots. The last 2 kiln loads contributed even more.

I've been thinking about it. Every piece I sell or give away is like a business card. If the piece is a second it basically sells dirt cheap and even worse, it sends a message to whoever sees it, that DirtKicker pottery makes flawed pots.
Pottery isn’t cheap to make, so breaking a second is difficult for me to do. And no, I don’t want to use them myself.

Please share your thoughts on this.

Just for the smile of it, here is a short clip of my 3 year old Grandsugar Rozzi introducing herself.

ReD & WhiTE

2010-10-03T00:06:00.000-07:00

Call me crazy, but I love to change clays after I finish a 25 lb bag. Friday I threw a bag of porcelain and today I threw a bag of Hawaiian Red. Next, I'll probably throw a bag of Chocolate.

This porcelain is my first experience throwing “Porcelain for the People”. I used it to make some “Starry Night” pots and also some Kyusu teapots.. So far, so good.

The Hawaiian Red is my favorite for throwing bowls. The rich warm red is just too beautiful to cover up with glaze, so I glaze the inside and leave most of the outside natural (unglazed). I was hoping the red clay would dry out enough today so I could get it trimmed up, but nope. So into the drying cabinet it goes. Tomorrow is going to be a crazy busy trimming day. It’s all good :)

2 Year PoTTer-VeRsaRy

2010-09-22T23:42:00.000-07:00

I've been playing in the dirt for 2 years now. I have no doubt that I'll be making pots for the rest of my life. I'm no longer trying to find "my style", because I discovered that my style is "Freedom". I make lots of fun and weird pots and I'm loving the results.

Last December I opened my Etsy Store. I did a couple open studio sales. I also discovered that art/craft shows suck.

I'm not making a ton of money, but DirtKicker PoTTeRy is very close to supporting it's self. Pretty awesome.

Thanks to my Sweetheart John for being my biggest fan.. and to all my Blogger Buddies for the awesome support this past year.

:) Cindy

QUESTION: Do You Stand While Throwing?

2010-09-05T10:38:00.000-07:00

Please share what type of wheel you have and what you use to rise it up for throwing while standing. Do you use a sturdy table, cinder blocks, leg extensions.. what?   And how well do you like it.    What are the pros and cons of standing while throwing? Anything you can share that might help me figure this out is appreciated.

My back is toast. I need to change my throwing set up.  I currently throw on a Lockerbie Kick/Elec., so I will need to buy a new electric wheel. Here are a couple I've been looking at.

I really like this Shimpo Whisper, but I would have to build a sturdy something to bring it up to height. I really appeciate that the wheel has a free spinning feature.

I also like this Skutt Thomas Stuart, but I think it might be over kill for me. I'd never throw 150 lbs.. LOL., but I do love the big splash pan.   I'm also wondering how study those legs are.

THaNkS!

Potter Friends Are Awesome!

2010-08-03T16:12:00.000-07:00

Mark Arthur of Brookfield Pottery in the UK is an amazing potter. Mark has a Blog, but I originally found Mark's pottery via YouTube. His YouTube videos cover a wide range of ceramic subjects and demos. Lately Mark has been very busy experimenting and perfecting Terra sig pottery and Barrel Firing. As you can see in these photos, Mark's experimenting has beautiful results. Since I cyber drooled all over this piece in particular, Mark generously boxed it up and sent it to me :) Is that cool or what?

Currently Mark's work is on exhibit at Thoresby Hall Gallery in Nottinghamshire.

Summer Workshop

2010-07-31T22:02:00.000-07:00

Sierra Nevada College at Lake Tahoe was fortunate to get Frank Massarella as a visiting artist for a week long workshop. Lucky me got to attend.
Frank is an easy going really nice guy. He does amazing shape morphing and surface treatments. We worked a lot with porcelain slip. I tried airbrush glazing for the first time. I forgot to put the cover on and spilled glaze all over my foot.

I also learned never bring cone 6 clay into a cone 10 studio.. No matter who gives you permission, just don't do it.
There were about 18 people in the class. We made so many pots, it was impossible to get them all glazeded before the end of the workshop. But they were able to get everything bisque fired so people wouldn’t be traveling with greenware.

OK.. So now I really want an airbrush and glaze booth and... I really want a gas kiln. :) All in good time.

These tea bowls are the only pieces that I got glazed. They didn't turn out like I thought, but I still think they are kind of cool.

New Inspiration from Van Gogh's "Starry Night"

2010-07-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

I've been enjoying some new inspiration from Vincent. This Starry Night Series is still in the tweaking phase. I'm working on perfecting the soft clay impressions and also the glaze colors and application. This series really has me thinking in a new creative direction.

I have always loved surface alterations, but to finish a pot and then take the risk of destroying it with applying pressure into the freshly thrown clay.. it totally sparks my creativity. I'm really loving it.

I've submitted a couple pieces to a Juried Ceramics Show. I've never done that before, but I thought these were cool enough to give it a whirl.

My new Starry Nights Series is now available for purchase in my Etsy Store. Feel free to come by and drool. :) Just kidding.. but they really are cool.

©Copyright Cindy Gilliland

Better Than Ice Cream

2010-07-12T18:46:00.000-07:00

Selling my pottery puts me in such a good mood :) It's actually better than a double decker ice cream cone.

I just wish my sales were more consistent. I went a month without any sales on Etsy. Believe me, I worked the Etsy tips, but nothing seemed to help. Then today 3 sales within just a couple hours. What's that all about? Is it a full moon?

So today was a shipping day!! :) I also shipped out a mug for the Facebook Mug Exchange and the bowl to my 100th Facebook Fan. Corny, I know, but what's a Girl to do?

Getting Ready for ArTown.. Ummm Help!!

2010-06-23T11:05:00.000-07:00

Reno's "ArTown" is an annual city wide celebration of art. It really is amazing. This will be my first year participating. I was fortunate to be accepted as an artist/vendor at a beautiful lavender farm called "Lavender Ridge".

I need a little advice from some of you seasoned potters. Since this is my first "show" I'm a bit nervous. I'm not sure how much and what to take. Also.. How to price. Should I put prices on each piece? Should I accept personal checks? Any advice you might have for this newbie would be appreciated.

Thanks :)

Crazy Awesome Glaze Workshop

2010-06-10T21:56:00.000-07:00

I've been fortunate enough to attend John Britt's Glaze Chemistry Workshop at Sierra Nevada College. In my opinion John Britt is the "Glaze Wizard". He is so crazy knowledgeable on everything to do with Glaze, Clay and Firing... Plus he has a great sense of humor. John wrote the book "The Complete Guide to High-Fire Glazes". If you ever have the opportunity to take John's class, DO IT!!

Even though I live only about a half hour away, it has been a treat to spend time at Tahoe this week :) Isn't it just beautiful?

It was a full workshop. I think about 16 of us.

This table is our cone 10 tiles fresh out of the kiln.

Here's John and a student setting up glaze testing results. Everyone did 30 tests on cone 10, 20 tests on cone 6 and 20 tests on cone 05.

This workshop has given me a better understanding of glaze chemistry. There's no way I could obsorb all the info discussed. However, I obsorbed enough to help me see the tip of the iceberg, and that's a good start. I'm looking forward to doing lots of glaze testing and making my own glazes.

Sierra Nevad College "John Britt Glaze Chemistry Workshop" 2010

Latest Pots

2010-06-03T23:21:00.000-07:00

Here's the results of my Tuesday firing. I had to throw out about 8 of the chocolate vases. The glaze bubbled and pitted quite bad. I think my glaze application was a bit too thick. Also my firing time was just over 9 hours. That just seems too long. Most of my porcelain pieces came out ok.

I threw a variety today. Teapots, lidded jars and salt cellars.

Frost porcelain teapot

Salt cellar

New Pottery Line

2010-05-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

This very special new line is called "Praise Him Pottery". I've been working on the idea for a while. The bisque stamp appliques that I did last month really helped the idea come together. My plan is to release about a dozen new pieces every couple of months. I started with mugs, since they are my favorite thing to make. I won't be selling these mugs (or any of the "Praise Him Pottery" line), they will be given away to whoever wants one. They will be available to friends and family, any left overs will be listed on Etsy for shipping costs only. This is a very rewarding way for me to witness and give praise to God through my pottery :)

My Momma

2010-05-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

This is my Momma. Her name is Marjorie and she is 87 years young.
My Mom is:
Mother of 12 (I'm the youngest)
Grandmother to 27
Great-Grandmother to 36
Great-Great Grandmother to 1

This photo was taken a few years ago, but it is one of my favorites. Isn't she Awesome?

Happy Mother's Day Little Momma!
Love, Cin

Stamped Appliques

2010-05-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

I’m making some new porcelain forms. Since I'm incapable of leaving a surface plain, I used my bisque stamps to create cool little appliques.

These remind me of light bulbs.

Simple, but adds some interest to a plain bowl.

I threw a few of these intending to make small berry bowls, but they ended up too small.

That’s it for now :)

Just Laugh....

2010-04-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not on drugs.. but maybe I should be :(

Since my Grandkids are with me today we decided laughing would be the best way to handle this problem.

This kiln load was 4 levels tall and really packed. The pre-program took 10 hours to fire, instead of it's normal 8.5.

I don't know what's up with the tumblers, but they all have these weird white lumps under the glaze. Anyone have a clue what that might be?

Some days I'm just thankful that I don't have to depend on my pottery skills to make a living.

Chocolate Clay?

2010-04-21T22:11:00.000-07:00

OK.. So it's not really chocolate clay, but it sure looks like it. This is Laguna B-3. It's super smooth, no grog.

When working with this clay, I can't help but get hungry for chocolate.

These vases will be end of the school year gifts for teachers.

This clay is not easy to throw. It feels similar to throwing porcelain. I used 2 lbs lumps and it was all I could do to pull 8" high.

"Outside Looking In" Cover Music Video by Breezy

2010-04-21T16:49:00.000-07:00

4 Months Selling on Etsy

2010-04-14T15:11:00.000-07:00

I have been selling on Etsy for 4 months now. I'm averaging 5 sales a month... so far. I'm not discouraged. I have confidence that in time my name will get out there, my work will get better and Etsy will become more known. I must vent that posting new stuff on Etsy is very time consuming. I think it’s one of my least favorite pottery duties. Sitting on the couch staring at the lap top for long periods of time makes my butt fall asleep and my neck stiff. End of venting. I’ll be listing new pottery on Etsy over the next week. i'M oN a BowL KicK.. lots of cool bowls. If you’re curious stop in and check out my new stuff.

I totally trashed my camera while taking shots of pots. I dropped it on the concrete floor with the lens extended!!!! John probably thinks my subconscious mind let it fly, as I have been wanting a better camera for my pottery photography. Here is a shot of my photography set up, which is also the last photo taken with my little Canon Power Shot… may it rest in peace.

I spent the day with 3 of my Grandcookies yesterday. They were just so cute. I wouldn’t be a real Grammy if I didn’t brag every now and then. Rozzi riding in the school bus.. Lol

Keegan and Reilly using the Force Trainer to sharpen their Jedi skills.

Have a good one.

AnTiCiPaTiOn ReVeALeD

2010-04-11T11:27:00.000-07:00

I’m very excited this morning. I’m minutes away from unloading a glaze kiln :) I’m very effected by my kiln openings. If it’s crappy then I probably will pout for the remainder of the day…. BUT if it rocks, I’ll be totally jazzed and probably reward myself with a new pottery book for further inspiration.

I'LL BE BACK to finish this post with my RESULTS !!

I'M BACK.. More good than bad. My main focus was the teapot. The Sedona Sunset came out exactly as I hoped. My custom handle should look awesome on this beauty :)

Here is the worst of the worst... slip sliding away

The detailed glazing turned out good. There was some movement, as I expected, but not bad. All and all, pretty good kiln opening. No pouting today :)

Glazing "Spring Style"

2010-04-08T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you can tell from these photos that I'm totally into Spring :) I used the Amaco Mojolica GDC Glazes (good up to cone 5/6). It was really uplifting to glaze with bright colors.

I did some detail work. Fun bowls huh?

My Daughter Tessa inspired these porcelain napkin holders.

Lol.. I was inspired by a cool Kleenex box :)

My big teapot is glazed a color is called Sedona Sunset. I used a new translucent glaze from "Coyote".

It took me over a week to finish glazing about 60 pieces of pottery. Normally it would have taken me a day or two, but I'm still pretty messed up from that darn neck injury. I'm finally getting in to see a neurologist tomorrow. Apparently I have some nerve damage. I'm praying for good news and some relief.

I should be firing on the weekend, so I hope to have some cool results to show off :)

Happy Easter

2010-04-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16.

HAPPY EASTER
~ Hugs ~

Would You Like a Little Bit of Whine with that Teapot?

2010-03-24T20:13:00.000-07:00

No Studio time this week :( I went to the chiropractor for lower back pain... Now I have lower back pain AND neck pain AND a really bad headache. Ahh Kryps! I'll know better next time.

Here's a teapot I made last month. It's all bisque fired now and I'm trying to decide on a glaze. The handle is going to be a braided patina copper with a wooden grip that my Hubby machined and stained. I will be choosing between translucent Turquoise, translucent Rust or translucent Green.

Cold Glaze Crystals

2010-03-16T10:02:00.000-07:00

Arrgggg... it's been a cold winter! A couple of my glazes grew crystals.

I screened out the crystals. It looks a lot like slivers of ice.

I mixed the crystals with a bit of glaze and water. Zapped in the microwave to just before boiling.

It worked. Crystals are gone!

It's my understanding that just screening out the crystals will mess up the glaze recipe. The ingredients in the crystals must be returned back into the glaze.

Taking Care of the Yucky Stuff

2010-03-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

Today was the perfect day to get some of the not so fun stuff done. The birds even showed up to soak up some of the sun before the next storm moves in.

My kiln shelves were in sad shape. I had to take the grinder to a few spots. Did a couple coats of kiln wash. See how pretty they look now :)

My Homer bucket of throw water clay got full, so I added some dry scraps ..and the mutt reclaiming begins.

Tomorrow I'll buzz it again with the drill mixer and plop it on these plaster drying slabs.

Glad to be getting these chores off my to do list.

Finishing Touches

2010-03-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

Lots of slip trailing today. Can you tell what the squiggles are on this snack plate?

I also attached open ended handles to a couple queso bowls. I'm thinking about glazing just the inside and rim, leaving the outside natural.. What do you think?

I ordered a name stamp. It's 1 inch wide and cute. Kind of difficult to use without distorting the other side of the pot.

Another good studio day :)

Makeshift Drying Cabinet is Working Well

2010-03-04T18:02:00.000-08:00

I'm having better luck with the porcelain. Actually it's not so much better luck, but learning to work with the quirks of porcelain. I used one of my metal racks and made a makeshift drying cabinet.

Heavy plastic, packing tape and velcro... Voila :)

Creating an environment where the piece can dry evenly is key. I haven't had one cracked or warped pot since I started using the drying cabinet.

Kicking the Red Dirt

2010-02-15T22:37:00.000-08:00

Laguna Hawaiian Red Clay is rough grog. It stains my hands. It's a mess to clean up.. But I love the results.

It was such a nice day today. I had the studio doors open and a honey bee flew in and buzzed around for a while.. It was nice to have some company :)

#&?!$%@ Oh.. and Happy V-Day!

2010-02-14T11:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't sell any of my Valentine's Day pottery, so today my family is getting gifts of pottery :) Doesn't it sound like I have a good attitude? Well it's BS. I'm really bummed. I'm also fed up with Etsy. Every time I put out money on renewing a listing or whatever marketing ploy etsy has to offer, I feel sucker punched. What the heck is the secret admire crap? If someone likes a piece of pottery, why the hell not just say so? Why hide behind a heart with a question mark in it? I think it's stupid.

Well, how's that for a Valentine's Day post?

Art is In the Eye of the Beholder?

2010-01-31T19:25:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about the Student Pottery Sales that took place at my old hang out, "Brewery Arts Center" in Carson City, NV. These annual sales had very little advertising, yet people came in droves to purchase some crazy bad pottery. Granted the price was right. The Buyers were impressed and thrilled with our ameateur pottery. They found art in those pieces. I tried very hard to find the art, but all I saw was ugly pots with bad glaze choices.

Last year my Grandson Reilly made his first pot. Reilly is deaf and so his other senses are extra sharp. He sat on my lap at the wheel. I threw a small pot. Then I put more clay on the wheel and guided his little hands to make the above pot. I find art in Reilly's little pot.. It totally evokes emotion. Isn't that what it's really all about? It is for me. BTW. Reilly and his twin Keegan both enjoy making pottery. The Boys both like the wheel, but they prefer handbuilding. They made smiling snakes last week.

I guess my point in this post is... Pottery doesn't have to be perfect or made by a successful potter, to be appreciated or purchased for that matter.

VaLeNtInE's DaY Pots Fired

2010-01-27T14:59:00.000-08:00

I fired my Valentine's Day Pottery. The kiln was a mixture of good and bad. Many of my Romantic porcelain mugs shrunk to kids size. Sigh.. But lucky for me I threw several oversized mugs, which after firing turned out to be perfect normal size mugs.

The Amaco GDC's turned out ok. There is some glaze movement when fired up to ^5. Much better color and overall results at ^04.

I also made some Valentine Non-Candy Message Hearts. I wanted to write some messages for the disgruntled lover like "Kiss My A**", "You Dog" or "Move On".. LOL, but it just didn't look right.

If you get bored and want to see more of my V-Day pottery, check out my DirtKicker Pottery Etsy Store.

Amaco GDC Glazes

2010-01-24T19:12:00.000-08:00

I did a lot of detailed glazing today. I used Amaco GDC glazes. Cool because they are stable and glossy. They are supposed to be awesome for Majolica... So I winged the technique on a couple dipping bowls.

I've been having problems with Frost Porcelain. I have a dozen or more pieces drying and this morning I found that 1/3 of my work has tiny cracks on the bottom. I read that Frost is prone to cracking, but It still ticks me off. I'm wondering what I can do to prevent future cracking, as I still have a couple boxes left. I'm waiting on an order of Laguna Grolleg 6 Porcelain. I hear it's pretty awesome.

Paraffin Wax & Chat

2010-01-22T20:58:00.000-08:00

I finally got around to firing my first kiln of 2010. It took me a long time to make enough pottery to fill my 10cf kiln. Now I have a crazy amount of glazing to do. I usually like to sponge clean a subtle transition from glaze to pot, but I wasn't feeling it today. I got out the electric skillet and dipped my pot bottoms in hot paraffin. Not too shabby :)

My studio time is about to be shared with class time. Nope not pottery classes, but sign language classes. My 4 year old twin Grandson's are hearing impaired. Reilly is deaf and Keegan is deaf in one ear, so needless to say, it's very important for me to keep up with my signing education. Over the next few months I may not have much time for Blogging, but I'll check in when I can :)

I took this photo last week. Keegan, Reilly & Rozzi having a Winter picnic.

Custom Salt Cellar for Polish Bread, Salt and Wine Ceremony

2010-01-18T21:32:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a custom request for a Polish wedding. A salt cellar. I have taken design direction from the Sister of the Bride. I made three for her to choose from. It will be glazed in a plum purple with some light iridescent accents. These are the three contenders. Which would you choose? OK.. Be nice.

They like the last one on the right the best. I sure hope it comes out of the kiln looking pretty.

Time for some Creative Fun

2010-01-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

Some days I just feel like making weird or silly pottery. No plans, just go with the flow of the clay.

I have some wild underglaze ideas for these goofy porcelain jars. I needed to have some creative fun this week. My pottery has been on Etsy for a month now. I don't have much to report, only that it has been a slow start. John installed a vent on my kiln today. It's hard to believe that 3 little drill holes is going to vent the kiln. Doesn't he look thrilled :) I'm just hoping it helps cure the ongoing pinholing problem. My new Facebook Pottery Page is doing great with 50 members so far. Pretty cool.

Facebook for Pottery

2010-01-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

What a total pain in the A**! Facebook has to be the most confusing, un-user friendly, limited personal media source on the internet. I created a Facebook Fan page for DirtKicker Pottery. Not that I'm worthy of having fans.. lol, but it's another avenue to market my work. I joined Miri's Rincon Pottery Facebook Fan Page yesterday and got the crazy idea in my head that Hey.. I could do that too. Misson accomplished, but I think my poor husband probably hates me and wants to divorce me after this Facebook fiasco. Hope to see you there :)

Having Fun With Hearts

2010-01-03T19:22:00.000-08:00

I'm finally back in the studio making stuff. I started out with some Valentine's Day mugs. I had fun. Love to slip-trail. This morning I did some cleaning in the studio. Even cleaned my pellet stove. This is my cozy corner.. Now all I need is a new "Pottery Making Illustrated". It's really nice to be spending time in the studio, instead of frying my brain trying to figure out how to sell pottery on Etsy... Blahhh :(

SECONDS.. Brake It or Sell It??

2009-12-22T11:08:00.000-08:00

Since my pottery career is still very young and every kiln load is a learning experience, I have dozens of seconds. Some pieces I really don't mind selling, but others... Yeeshh. These Blue Heart Bowls are listed on Etsy. They have some pinholing near the outside base. But I went for it and disclosed the defect and discounted the price. But what about the other stuff that isn't worth my time to list on Etsy? Like mugs that shrunk too small, pots with pinholing, ugly glaze experiments, plates and platters that are slightly warped. Should I do a bulk sale and try to get rid of it on Craigslist? Should I box it up and donate it? Should I brake it? What do you do?

It's Not Just Making Pottery

2009-12-21T00:04:00.000-08:00

I haven't touched clay in 2 weeks and I'm starting to get bummed, cranky and annoyed. I've been taking pictures of pots, establishing an inventory on Etsy and learning about online marketing. I'm sure in time I'll get the process streamlined so it won't require so much time on the computer. I finally got out of the house today. My husband took me to lunch and a movie. We saw "Avatar" in 3-D and I love, love, loved it. I'm pretty sure we will see it again before it leaves the theater.

The above Turquoise Vase is one of my favorites. I just put on Etsy tonight. Some of the stuff I'm listing I kind of hope doesn't sale cause I'll miss having it in my studio. Is that weird?

Working On My Etsy Store

2009-12-18T19:27:00.000-08:00

Over the past few days I've listed several pieces on Etsy. I've been reading articles on "How to succeed on Etsy". I must admit I'm not getting a clear picture of the marketing stuff. I guess I'll just take it one step at a time and maybe some day I'll sell somthing.
My Green Kyusu Teapot Set is shown in Bluebell Design's Blog "Winter Comforts" . I'm very flattered.
If anyone wants to share thoughts on Etsy (Pro's and Con's) I would really like to know how it's working for you.

Monster Cookie Jars

2009-12-10T15:00:00.001-08:00

I made 5 Monster Cookie Jars and it was so F-U-N!!! I can't wait for my 4 year old twin Grandson's to grab some cookies from these cool jars.

I'm thinking about wild colorful glazes. Maybe bright lime green, bright blue, bright turqoise.

ROAARRRR!!!

Cone 03 Bisque.. Opps?

2009-12-08T10:13:00.000-08:00

My L&L Kiln doesn't always bring my bisque fire to a good cone 04. So I made a slight adjustment and it fired to cone 03. Crapola! Does anyone have experience with bisque firing at cone 03? I'm glazing today and will be firing to cone 5.5 tomorrow. Any advice would totally be appreciated.
BTW... This blue guy is one of my many "Friendly Space Monsters" that I plan to use on my new fun cookie jars.

It's a Marshmallow Word

2009-12-07T09:13:00.000-08:00

It snowed steady all night long and is still sifting down. We have a little over a foot. LOL.. Check out my hummingbird feeder.. It looks like a rocket ship.
Anyone want to have morning coffee out on the patio?

Here is the pottery studio. I did make my way out to the studio to empty a bisque kiln. I was very tempted to plop down and make a snow angel :)

My Grandkids just love this face on the tree. We call it Mr. Tree. I think my 4 year old Grandson Reilly would be very concerned that Mr. Tree is freezing to death.

Cancelled Open Studio Sale

2009-12-06T14:58:00.000-08:00

It's 21 degrees and snowing sideways here in Washoe Valley, NV.

The wind is so bad it's blowing the face off my tree ;( I gave up on the Open Studio Sale after our signs blew away. Total bummer.

Since I had the studio all warmed up and Christmas Carols playing, I decided to throw some cookie jars. I've got some cute ideas for decorating them with a "Monster" theme. If I like how they turn out, I'll post some pics. I'm hoping to impress my Grandkids. Well everyone, I hope you're having a fun and warm Winter Sunday.

New & Improved RAINSTICK Design

2009-12-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

My first rainstick design was a failure. During the drying process all the "monster teeth" popped off. I'm not sure if it was due to the tube shape or maybe I just didn't get a secure attachment because it was difficult to reach down inside the tube.
My Husband came up with the idea of CLAY DOWELS. I made holes in the tube to accommodate about a dozen clay dowels. The dowels go in various directions so the bb's won't just drop right to the bottom.
I think this design is going to work out good :)

Making a Ceramic Rainstick

2009-12-01T17:08:00.000-08:00

Last night I spent the evening watching corny made for TV Christmas movies and rolling dozens of little clay bb's. My Husband probably thinks I'm nuts. I'm winging making a ceramic rainstick. I was inspired by Linda Starr's blog post about a ceramic rainstick she had purchased. After a week of being stuck in the house with what was probably H1N1, I had come up with the plan to construct my rainstick. I rolled out a slab and formed it around an 1.5" PVC pipe. It's about 15" tall. I rolled a bunch of "monster teeth", scored, slipped and attached them throughout the inside of the tube. I let the open tubes and the clay bb's dry to a mature leather hard state, so the bb's wouldn't stick. Next I attached a slab bottom, then put all the clay bb's inside the tube. Next attached a slab top. With a needle tool I poked an air hole so the rainstick wouldn't explode during firing.

I did some decorative slip trailing. I'm not sure if I'm going to glaze this piece. I also made a little "Rain-stump" for my grandkids. I decorated the little one with carving and inlay. I think they turned out pretty cool. I'm very curious how they will sound after firing. Thanks for the inspiration Linda.

My Website is finished!

2009-11-23T21:41:00.000-08:00

My wonderful multi skilled husband built this awesome website for me. http://dirtkickerpottery.com/
The "Gallery" section is still under construction. My computer hard drive died last week and I lost all my photos from the past 2 years :( I can't think about it. So many pictures of my precious Grandkids.. Sigh.. tear... The pottery pics are toast too. OK, enough of that. Auto back-up is online and life must go on.
Next I need to take some quality photos of my pottery inventory and get my Etsy store working for me.
One step at a time. I'll get there :)

Open Studio During Tough Economic Times

2009-11-22T20:34:00.000-08:00

This is my first open studio sale in my newly finished studio. Oh.. It looks so pretty :) I have tiny twinkle lights, scented pine cones, holiday music and hot cocoa with marshmallows.

Every other Sunday until Christmas the studio will be open for shopping and throwing demos.

Keeping in mind that the State of Nevada is in the top 3 hardest hit by foreclosure and unemployment, I have priced my pottery very modest.

The guests that I had today were very flattering of my work. Sales were small, but the kindness of my visitors was abundant.

Porcelain Kyusu

2009-10-23T17:28:00.000-07:00

I picked up my first bag of porcelain last week. I usually work with a variety of stoneware clays. I was curious, so I'm trying a bag of "Frost".

Hollis Engley had a few of these cool Japanese teapot's on his Blog this week, which inspired my first porcelain pot. I really enjoyed making these Kyusu's. They are a very petite teapot. I found the porcelain clay to be a little on the sticky side, but still a very smooth ride :)