sunday.

Well, 2 sundays ago. 

[a hand painted gift from a special lady]

[MUGS!]

print/handle

Morning: cutting + testing new rubber stamps and printing designs onto my teapots with great trepidation. 

Afternoon: attaching handles to cups!

grass

I'm playing with cute ways to photograph my work...attempt number one - dew tipped grass in the park :) comments are most welcome. And hello to you nice new followers/readers, its a pleasure to know you're out there.

my (mug) creative space

Seeing as mug production has been so dominant in my posts of late, I thought I would share a little more about what happens before/after making the basic form.
My feather mugs started life as this tiny teeny drawing in my sketch book after fiddling around with handles and realising that I could make both right and left handed mugs,

I made a slightly snazzier sketch (partly as concept drawings are compulsory at college, partly cos I like them!)I throw the basic form on the wheel, then trim and stamp my initials on the base, and attach the handle,Leave to firm up overnight, then do the real fun stuff that first got me hooked on ceramics - painting.I'm getting pretty speedy with my feathers. I use Duncan EZ Strokes as they give great colours in the first coat - most ceramic colours require at least 3 good coats to get a strong colour. I only hope they don't drive me crazy with boredom too soon.After a bisque firing, I roll glaze the inside of the mug with cobalt gloss glaze, then the outside with clear gloss glaze and fire them to 1280C.And they come out looking beautiful like these! After today's work I should have about 14 mugs ready to bisque fire - yay!

(Can you tell that I'm missing college production reports?! Old habits, huh.)

See more creative spaces over at Kootoyoo's blog :)

throw

A very successful morning of throwing I think...12 pots done without being distracted by emails or biscuits.
This is my view of the wheel, complete with curtain tied back with an elastic band and red plastic tablecloth 'tarp' to protect the wall...!

smug

I'm feeling a bit smug about my throwing. Yesterday was surprisingly successful.
6 pots to become mugs, a decent sized bowl (never made one that big) and...

...the smallest pot I've ever done. Intentionally! There was a time when I could curse my unskilled hands for not being able to make something much bigger than this.
This is the first prototype of an 'olive and pit' bowl that a friend has been pestering me to make for some time and I'm quite pleased so far. Glazing it will be a bitch though.

my creative space

The potting and feathering continues.
It makes me happy to see lots of pots together like this.

I want this desk to be FULL by the time I go back to college in 2 weeks.

Apologies for the naff lighting. Its been cloudy for days here in Mermaid Beach. I do not like it! Come back sunshine! Maybe some people at Kootoyoo's have clearer skies than me :)

thick

Not a bad effort for my first throwing day in about a month. I think these handles may be a little thick though.
Thats ok, its all progress!