Laboring Day Weekend

well..we didn't stop and celebrate, have a picnic or do community service. We worked hard, for ourselves in the basement studio. I think it was one of the more productive times we've had. The work goes a lot faster when I have a competent helpmate who anticipates the next project and preps for it. Together Ro and I busted out a lot of work. In the middle of it all she was cleaning up from the last step and prepping for the next. It was amazing. I am looking forward to having more of this assistance in the future. I've dreamed up a very intense production schedule for the fall and with her help I am sure we'll be able to keep up.

Now that I said all that stuff, I have to admit that this weekend's production had a few problems. I usually leave the work completely uncovered overnight, then turn it over and trim in the afternoon. Plates usually take 2 days to dry enough to trim. This morning as I crawled out of bed anticipating a slow start..coffee, breakfast, internet, TV then glazing, THEN trimming, Ro came back from the basement with the news that the tops of the XL mugs and the little pitchers were already bone dry. So I pretended not to be in a hurry, finished my Cafe World play and THEN hurried to the basement. I managed to save some of them...I lost about 6 of the XL mugs..I think we saved the little pitchers, but I won't know until tomorrow when they are dry. I did manage to get all the plates trimmed. It was a pretty good day. After the trimming I prepped the glaze area so tomorrow I'll start with glazing them move on to throwing.

Endless work and and endless story

Whenever I have a ton of work to do..and I do, I try to entertain myself while I work with an audio book or two while I work..something with 6-8 hours per section. So since I have literally hundreds of pieces to make to get all set for the fall, I pulled out The Wheel of Time again. I'm on Book 3 now, The Dragon Reborn. I think there are 13 total..another due out in November. It has to be one of the most epic and intricate fantasy stories ever written. Every time I read, or listen to it again I catch story changing details I missed before. The story is by a fellow named Robert Jordan, but he actually died before finishing the final books. The family and publisher hired a young writer AND fan of the series to finish it. SO far I am pleased with the new authors style, it works..it's a bit different, but a good voice for the story. I think I've listened to it 4 times now...and read it twice. It's good for the long production run. Which leads me to the rest of MY story...

Yesterday I made 58 round mugs, today I made 54 Tankards. The round mugs are all turned upside down and under plastic. The Tankards are uncovered for the night, tomorrow I'll flip them over and then start on the trimming of the round mugs. Not a bad couple days throwing. The only thing I am unhappy about is pulling all those handles.

After these I plan on throwing about a dozen plates, then sugar jars and creamers, then butterkeepers and goblets..that should keep me till the end of the weekend :) Wish me luck and the opportunity for a massage. I think I will need it.

Divided Days

I've been working in the Hughes Pottery Studio as much as possible, but my days have been divided, these are the last days of summer, which means they are also the last days of Summer Camp. Camps end on Friday. One of our teachers had a family emergency, which pulled me into the mix for part of the day. So Camps end Friday, We have a wedding to attend in Buffalo on Saturday and we'll be coming home on Sunday..so Monday I should be back in full swing, in the meantime I have completed a bunch of work. I have handles to do tomorrow and maybe then some throwing so when I come back to the studio in a couple days I can start trimming.