Tonight was my class, I taught handles, Rowan was astute enough to follow me around and take pictures of the random handles that appeared in my wake.Also here are a few shots of the new Webster's mugs and cappuccino cups.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Another fun night at the Oasis
Tonight was my class, I taught handles, Rowan was astute enough to follow me around and take pictures of the random handles that appeared in my wake.Also here are a few shots of the new Webster's mugs and cappuccino cups.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Something fun-Google
this has been going around FB...much fun for most, mine was weird.
Go to Google and type "[your first name] needs" (with the quotes) and share the first 10 results.
According to Google I need only a few things..many of my top ten are repeats.
1) Charlie needs to die. (yep..that's what it says..actually number one is really a reference to someone elses "Charlie needs" search. weird.
2) A cloak ( really? am I going back on the circuit? I didn't finish paying for my last cloak yet!)
3) a bath ( sure..if it's in a hot tub, otherwise I'll stick with showers)
4) Vitamin P (uh huh yeah..whatever..I don't even want to search that)
5-9) a Cloak..again...and again and again
10) an Art class (which is true..I need a 300 level art class to finish my degree..ok I also need an Art history class)
Go to Google and type "[your first name] needs" (with the quotes) and share the first 10 results.
According to Google I need only a few things..many of my top ten are repeats.
1) Charlie needs to die. (yep..that's what it says..actually number one is really a reference to someone elses "Charlie needs" search. weird.
2) A cloak ( really? am I going back on the circuit? I didn't finish paying for my last cloak yet!)
3) a bath ( sure..if it's in a hot tub, otherwise I'll stick with showers)
4) Vitamin P (uh huh yeah..whatever..I don't even want to search that)
5-9) a Cloak..again...and again and again
10) an Art class (which is true..I need a 300 level art class to finish my degree..ok I also need an Art history class)
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Good Morning
Ahh, there's nothing quite like the luxury of a Saturday morning without a plan, I've got stuff to do today, just nothing I have to deal with until later.
Yesterday Ro and I drove to WV to deliver more pottery to a gallery. We're trying to keep our income sources diverse, so the burden of our budget Last night I finished the last of the Webster's order. Well almost. I still have 10 small mugs to do, but that's part of the things to do later.
We got some bad news on Rowan's Blazer yesterday.probably both front wheels need new bearing packs ($250+labor each) and the 4WD is screwed. they were talking about a new transfer case($650+labor.) I think in a couple weeks we'll be able to take care of the wheel bearings, but the transfer case will likely wait till fall.
Morgan is doing well with his driving, he took the Silverado out last night to go to a friends house. The freedom for him is good, and so far he's willing to run errands in exchange for driving. Already this week he's solved a transportation problem where Ro and I were busy, but Cath had to be somewhere.
So.. later. Later I need to make some serious pottery. 10 nmore Webster's pieces. Then some more mugs for us and then a load of plates for a lot of reasons.
So for now I will relax and face the hard work later...
Yesterday Ro and I drove to WV to deliver more pottery to a gallery. We're trying to keep our income sources diverse, so the burden of our budget Last night I finished the last of the Webster's order. Well almost. I still have 10 small mugs to do, but that's part of the things to do later.
We got some bad news on Rowan's Blazer yesterday.probably both front wheels need new bearing packs ($250+labor each) and the 4WD is screwed. they were talking about a new transfer case($650+labor.) I think in a couple weeks we'll be able to take care of the wheel bearings, but the transfer case will likely wait till fall.
Morgan is doing well with his driving, he took the Silverado out last night to go to a friends house. The freedom for him is good, and so far he's willing to run errands in exchange for driving. Already this week he's solved a transportation problem where Ro and I were busy, but Cath had to be somewhere.
So.. later. Later I need to make some serious pottery. 10 nmore Webster's pieces. Then some more mugs for us and then a load of plates for a lot of reasons.
So for now I will relax and face the hard work later...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Another Update
I don't seem to have much time to focus my thoughts lately and write a coherent blog, so here's a little visual update.A few pictures of the latest batch of Webster's mugs drying. These are the ones that didn't fit into this kiln..the kiln is full of them.
Pictures from the SCA event last weekend, which was nice, but ultimately not profitable..it paid for a few extras, but I am not sure if it was worth the drive and day away from home.
I had a bonus massage and acupuncture session for relaxation and I have to say it helped. I was able to shake off the pain of mug production and face it fresh after my return home.
We're still producing hard and doing extra work trying to get The Creative Oasis stable and functional. Ro's done an amazing job.
All for now!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Some follow up
We're packed and ready to leave for this weekends show, here are a few updates:All those mugs are the next Webster's order, due at the end of the month. There are 102 of them, I still have to make the cappuccino cups.
The brown cup..it was the glaze I mis-mixed, see how it ran all over the clay biscuit I put it on? Glad I tested it before applying it to everything!
and a shot of the summer camp expo we went to. In the picture is one of our volunteers.
The opossum seems to have left us.
We're off to Maryland in 5 hours. G'night!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A blog for catharsis
No, it's not a major purging, it's just a way of organizing my thoughts, purging a bit and being able to focus when I am done. Wish me luck.
Pressures
It's February 10. There are a lot of things on my mind right now, a list of to-do's and what-if's that are heavier than galena underwear :)
First thing is that Ro and I have a show this weekend near the PA/MD border. It's an SCA event and I still need to do some firing for it. Yesterday I mixed up a couple batches of glazes and in the middle of one, the phone rang. Like a fool, I answered it and when I turned back to the mix, I couldn't remember if I put in an ingredient or not. and like any recipe, if you change it, you get something that is similar, but completely wrong as a result. This particular ingredient is a flux, without it the glaze is pretty dry, with double it, it'll run off the pot. I sat and thought and just couldn't remember. So I added it. My thought process for solving it is that IF I didn't add it, it's there now and could be perfect. If I did add it, it'll flux heavily and run off the pot. I'll do one test piece today in this glaze and see what happens. If it runs off the pot, I'll mix another batch without the flux and add it in. If it's perfect, I'll get to it and glaze everything. Thankfully I started the process early enough to split the load and fire twice.
Next is I have a huge load of mugs to make by the end of February, it was my intention to start them on Friday, but with all the preparation we did for summer youth summer fair expo, I never go to making. Now here it is Tuesday and I have a glaze emergency and I am wondering if I'll get to it today. To top it off, I need to get the downpayment and pay some bills.
Next, our house is still set up for the christmas show we did. Not good. all the pots went away, then we filled the spaces with clutter. To be fair there has ben no wasted time for us, but it's still time for a major cleanup. It's hard to work or relax in random clutter.
I still have tax paperwork to do for both us and The Creative Oasis.
Morgan is testing for his drivers license on Wednesday and while he's pretty good, more practice will help. I'm nervous what a 17 yr olf male driver will do to the cost, then I'm wondering what it will do to the cost if we need it.
Rowan is continuing to make positive changes at TCO, but it's often a huge burden. She comes home with work on her mind and doesn't let it go. Yesterday I think she was so worn out that she couldn't bring work home. It's taking a toll for sure. The upside is the studio is looking better, we have accomplished a lot by waqy of cleaning and organizing and some of the long term problems we've had are being addressed. We've mailed out a fundraising letter to about 1/3 of our past students and members. So far with no results, besides some returned enveloped for bad addresses, but I am reasonably sure we'll get some good responses as the rest of the mailing occurs. It's only been a few days.
and the rest of the pressures are all about money and cash flow. We have no cash flow from Florida for the next two weeks. There's a gap in the schedule, and while I feel it will be Ok when the next show starts, perhaps even better than last years it's difficult to decide who is getting paid and when. what's the most important? An artists life is full of expenses. All the show applications are due at the beginning of the year complete with checks that we won't see a return on for months.
Difficult.
But I feel a little better for laying these few items out...and now it's time to get on with my day.
Pressures
It's February 10. There are a lot of things on my mind right now, a list of to-do's and what-if's that are heavier than galena underwear :)
First thing is that Ro and I have a show this weekend near the PA/MD border. It's an SCA event and I still need to do some firing for it. Yesterday I mixed up a couple batches of glazes and in the middle of one, the phone rang. Like a fool, I answered it and when I turned back to the mix, I couldn't remember if I put in an ingredient or not. and like any recipe, if you change it, you get something that is similar, but completely wrong as a result. This particular ingredient is a flux, without it the glaze is pretty dry, with double it, it'll run off the pot. I sat and thought and just couldn't remember. So I added it. My thought process for solving it is that IF I didn't add it, it's there now and could be perfect. If I did add it, it'll flux heavily and run off the pot. I'll do one test piece today in this glaze and see what happens. If it runs off the pot, I'll mix another batch without the flux and add it in. If it's perfect, I'll get to it and glaze everything. Thankfully I started the process early enough to split the load and fire twice.
Next is I have a huge load of mugs to make by the end of February, it was my intention to start them on Friday, but with all the preparation we did for summer youth summer fair expo, I never go to making. Now here it is Tuesday and I have a glaze emergency and I am wondering if I'll get to it today. To top it off, I need to get the downpayment and pay some bills.
Next, our house is still set up for the christmas show we did. Not good. all the pots went away, then we filled the spaces with clutter. To be fair there has ben no wasted time for us, but it's still time for a major cleanup. It's hard to work or relax in random clutter.
I still have tax paperwork to do for both us and The Creative Oasis.
Morgan is testing for his drivers license on Wednesday and while he's pretty good, more practice will help. I'm nervous what a 17 yr olf male driver will do to the cost, then I'm wondering what it will do to the cost if we need it.
Rowan is continuing to make positive changes at TCO, but it's often a huge burden. She comes home with work on her mind and doesn't let it go. Yesterday I think she was so worn out that she couldn't bring work home. It's taking a toll for sure. The upside is the studio is looking better, we have accomplished a lot by waqy of cleaning and organizing and some of the long term problems we've had are being addressed. We've mailed out a fundraising letter to about 1/3 of our past students and members. So far with no results, besides some returned enveloped for bad addresses, but I am reasonably sure we'll get some good responses as the rest of the mailing occurs. It's only been a few days.
and the rest of the pressures are all about money and cash flow. We have no cash flow from Florida for the next two weeks. There's a gap in the schedule, and while I feel it will be Ok when the next show starts, perhaps even better than last years it's difficult to decide who is getting paid and when. what's the most important? An artists life is full of expenses. All the show applications are due at the beginning of the year complete with checks that we won't see a return on for months.
Difficult.
But I feel a little better for laying these few items out...and now it's time to get on with my day.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
bowling again
a few weeks ago I had a great bowling game..a 298. My team mate Gina posted the pics. I still can't believe how close I came to a perfect game. It's been two weeks since I bowled that game, we're back tonight. I hope to not utterly fail, but I don't expect this all the time either!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Lion
Remember my young student who made the snake? This is his next project.a lion. Not bad for a 9 year old!
a special visitor
We thought this guy was cute at first...but he's a pain. He got into the garbage and didn't seem at all bothered by me..even when I poked at him with a rake handle to shoo him along....Pepper likes chasing him, but I don't want Pepper getting bit either. who knows what these critters might have..rabies?
Monday, February 2, 2009
Welcome to February
Good Morning!Each night I go to bed with an anticipation of what In should be doing the next day. I make some kind of plan and then hope that my energy levels will be restored by morning. They usually are. it's amazing to me how just being tired can make a simple problem seem insurmountable. Fortunately though I am not facing any of that level of problem :)
Today's plan was to take Morgan to the Oral Surgeon at 7:45 AM for another followup on his extraction. Poor kid got dry socket and they've been treating him every couple days with what seems to be a small bit of gauze soaked in clove oil and shoved into the socket. Today they decided he was officially healing nicely, so there is no need to do it again. Then I was going to head to Webster's and get some coffee and do my morning blog reading/ reconnecting with the outside world, then head home to throw for the rest of the day.
By the time I got to Websters my plan was shattered.
Stan called and said he was so sick he couldn't teach his classes tonight. Perhaps the 2nd time in ALL the time I have known him that he couldn't teach... So now I have a kids class at 4 and an adult class at 7.
But Dammit I am still taking my Webster's time (I am there now..blogging on the laptop) and after this I'll pick up the new TCO brochures Rowan made up at the convenient copy shop next door, then to the USPS to mail some very important things out (right Patti?) including a Pirate Mug and some Netflix. Then I'll head home and make the pots I prepped for last night. 50 lbs of clay..rice bowls and butter keepers on the immediate agenda. If there's time then I'll be prepping for some goblets, then the mug frenzy will begin. I need some more small mugs thrown and then I have an order of 110 more for Websters.
After that it'll be some more plates. I have a wall plate show in May here at Webster's on Aaron and I have an order to fill for Four Quarters Farm by the end of April. It'll be awesome, a dream project really, I've been doing development for the pieces since I got the order. I even developed a variation on an old glaze especially for it. Thats going to be another 40 pieces.
So it looks like I'll be locked in the basement studio for much of February and March. I should emerge just as the weather starts to turn friendly again.
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