Inspiration from Gary Jackson

I've been following Gary Jackson's blog for a while now.  The textures he gets from stamping clay is amazing.  He has hundreds of stamps he's made himself and uses different combinations to get beautiful effects.  So after oohing and aaahing over his work for ages I thought I'd have a go at making my own stamps...

...and having a go.  Getting the spacing down was more challenging than I expected.

 Can't wait to see how they come out glazed.

And the Stirring Continues....

The clay's not at the right consistency yet.  =/

I shared my last post on one of my FB groups and several fellow potters said they use a paint mixer with a drill to mix their reclaimed clay.  Genius!  I've seen glaze mixed with one but it never occurred to me that it would work with clay.  When I asked Craig if we had one he came up with this baby -

Perfect!

...or so I thought.  I believe this is designed for mixing dry wall compound.  But it didn't fit in our corded drill and the cordless drill just didn't have enough oomph.

Look, Ma!  No hands!  It's stuck.

I also realized I probably didn't add enough water.  Not to worry.  I detached the drill, added more water and used the mixer with good old fashioned elbow grease.  Clean up was much easier!  Thank you Peeps!

I don't know about other types of artisans but potters seem to be a pretty ingenious bunch and very willing to share ideas, techniques and tricks.  No matter what barriers rise up before me there's always someone out there who's already figured out how to overcome it and posted it on YouTube or in a forum or blog somewhere.  Maybe it's because our craft isn't easy or inexpensive to pursue and out of necessity and financial constraints we have to come up with shortcuts and innovative ways to get her done.

If all I had to invest in were brushes, paints and canvas I'd have taken that trip to Italy by now and wouldn't have to take over half of the garage with my "stuff". Don't get me wrong.  I've tried painting but I'm mediocre at best and truly envy anyone who can create art in that medium.

I love my craft.  It's my therapy.  And though I feel like I'm just "mud-dling" through at times (very punny!) I have very supportive family, friends and cyber community to bolster me up and push me forward into uncharted (for me) territories.  Thank you all very much!  =D

Recycle, Recycle, Reclaim

One of the things I love about the pottery process is there is very little waste.  I've often been called cheap but I prefer the word frugal or thrifty.  I just hate waste.  And I do want to do my part to save the planet.  OK!   I ADMIT IT!  I'M CHEAP!  ARE YA HAPPY NOW?  Geesh.

As long as the clay hasn't been fired it can be reclaimed.  I've seen many different processes and have taken bits from here and there to find a way that works in our small studio.  Short of picking up wet clay off of the floor (yes, clay can get dirty/contaminated), I recycle every little crumb a bit obsessively.

Bone dry scraps.

Everything from trimming scraps and failures on the wheel to pots that have cracked during drying or aren't up to snuff end will end up in the bucket.  But only dry clay goes in here.  Any pieces that aren't completely dry are left out to dry on a plaster board.

What we use:

Bone dry clay scraps

A 5 gallon bucket with lid

Hot water

Plaster boards

Clay's funny.  Wet clay submerged in water will retain its shape.  But if it's completely dried out it will "melt' when submerged.

A wet ball of clay just sits in the water.

A bone dry scrap dissolves in minutes.

The melted stuff is what we want.  If you try to reclaim wet clay the texture will be inconsistent and hard to throw no matter how well you wedge it.  The dry clay dissolves completely and will have a uniform consistency.

Adding hot water.

Once we have a significant amount of bone dry scraps we can start reclaiming.  I fill a 5 gallon bucket with the scraps.  It's easier to have the bucket where you'll be storing it during the process because once you start adding clay and water it's gonna get really heavy and sore backs aren't good.  Next start adding hot water.  Hot water dissolves the clay quicker but cold water works as well.  You'll hear the clay hissing and bubbling as it starts to break down.  I often quote the Wicked Witch of the West at this point:  "Look what you've done! I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world! What a world!".

Clay soup!

When about most of the clay is submerged I jiggle the bucket to help some of the air bubbles escape and settle the clay as it dissolves.  Then I cover the clay completely with water.  As it dissolves it'll absorb the water and turn into mud.  We like mud!

Keep the bucket tightly covered with the lid and let it sit over night.  Over the next few days I'll stir the clay several times a day.  This ensures every scrap gets dissolved completely.  Unfortunately, it's messy.  I use my hands so I can get all the way down to the bottom of the bucket and usually end up with thick mud up to my elbow.  Once I'm happy with the consistency I'll stop stirring and let it sit.  Excess water that hasn't been absorbed will rise to the top.  This I sponge off.   I've left the mud at this stage for weeks.  As long as the lid is on tight it'll be fine.

Probably this weekend I'll have another post with the final stage of the process so check back.  =D

Lion - Take Three

I ended up scrapping the last lion I made.  He just wasn't talking to me.  I was talking to him, as I do all of my critters, but he didn't have much to say. So I started again from scratch.  I had pictures of various lions, real and not so real, to inspire me.

This, of course, is my favorite:

 

I didn't go for the red bow but I like the ringlet curls.  So this is what I came up with.  What do you think?

These are his buddies...

On a completely unrelated note, this is what I woke up to yesterday morning...

 

 

 

Oooooo pretty!

However, as the saying goes:  "Red in the morning shepherds' warning..." and it snowed and rained the rest of the day.  =(

Lion - Take Two

I really appreciate everyones feedback so....

Here's take two on the lion....

Is he a keeper? Or should I scrap him and start over?

Lion and Owl

I didn't have to ask the boys on these.  I love the owl but I'm on the fence about the lion.  I like his face but I'm not happy with the mane.

What do you think?

Three Out of Four Isn't Bad

I question myself.  Who doesn't?  Sometimes, when I'm working on a new design, I'll know immediately that I've hit the mark.  Mission accomplished.  Next.  However, there are those times when I'm too close to my work and lose my objectivity.  Then I question.

I spent the afternoon in the studio while hubby took our boys and nephew to pick up a fridge for his shop.  I had a second go at creating a hippo bank and thought I'd gotten it better than the last attempt but there was that question. I've kinda gotten into the habit of presenting a new animal bank or birdhouse design to my boys and asking them to identify it.  So when they got home I unveiled him and just asked "What is it?".  To my delight 3 out of the 4 said "It's a hippo!".  My middle son, (Mr. Contradictory) said "It's a pig!".  I've come to expect this from him.  He says everything I make looks like a pig.  So I don't count his vote.  But it still nags at me if he really thinks it looks like a pig or is he teasing me again.

What do you think?

Just one more push....

I've been going a little crazy (or should I say "crazier") trying to build my inventory back up for my last 2 shows.  I've learned a valuable lesson this season.  Well, several lessons.  But most importantly:  You can never have too much inventory!  The show I mentioned in a previous post was very successful and depleted my banks and birdhouses more than I expected.  I had been a little worried about the next show which turned into a poopy day so my inventory levels, unfortunately, weren't changed that much.  With 2 more pretty big shows left in the season I want to have my levels back up so I have a good variety.

Birdhouses & banks in various stages of production.

I know!  I've had all summer to work on inventory!  What the heck?  My show seasons typically run from March to June then October to December.  So in between is production time.  (I haven't been doing summer shows after the one bad experience I had that involved a 3 day festival, a summer storm, a tent that wants to be a kite when it grows up and lots of breakable pottery.  But that's another post.)  Any hoo, I'm very limited to how much inventory I can store right now.  I have a small one-man studio and a small area in the garage to store finished inventory, tables, displays, etc.  My garage runneth over!

I received several orders at earlier shows that are needed for Christmas and Hanukkah so there's just a little more pressure to get things done asap.  With the super long process from start to finish (approx 4-6 weeks) I've been trying to speed it up the last  few weeks by turning the heat up in the studio.  If you rush drying the clay it will crack so I had to watch very closely to make sure the pots dried slow enough and evenly.  Then I preheated them in the kiln for a few hours to make sure all of the water was evaporated before ramping it up to ^09 (1693 degrees F).  Luckily, my first rushed bisque firing was perfect.  Whew!

A whole bisque load with no cracks!  Woo Hoo!

Now, all that's left to do is glaze like crazy and get them fired sometime tonight so they'll be ready Friday to load up for Saturday's show.

The first layer of the glaze load.

More banks, etc.

Oh, and the second most important lesson learned:  DON'T FORGET TO BRING YOUR CART TO THE SHOW!  Doh!

Customized Pottery Packing for Craft Shows - Large Items

Since I had good feedback on my last packing post, and I have items larger than a spoon rest, here's some ideas for show packing of larger items.

I had found rolls of 1 inch thick spongey plastic foam that I was considering buying to pack my larger items but didn't want anything that thick (space is at a premium!).  So, again consulting with Dad, he suggested that it might be cheaper getting styrofoam sheet insulation from HD.  So I checked it out and, of course, Dad was right!  Also, it was only 3/4 inch thick.

Six sheets - 14 1/2" x  48" x  3/4" for $7.25

The drawback:  it's styrofoam.  I hate styrofoam.  It's messy (hence, no snacks around) and not very eco-friendly.  Bu-u-ut, it's a one time purchase and I'm sure the plastic, spongey stuff isn't any friendlier.

Cut the slots to interlock

So using the same method as I detailed in my last post I measured and cut the styrofoam to line the bin and separate the items.  Just make sure the slots you cut for the intersections are as wide as the sheets so they'll interlock snugly.

I was fitting 5 or 6 banks in a bin using the messy newspaper and now can only fit 4.  Hmmm.  Dilemma.  More bins and quicker packing or less bins (that would be heavier) and slower packing.  Time is money (unfortunately) so the foam stays.  Also, it allows the packing to be tighter so those pesky pot holes will be no match for us!  Bwaa-haa-haa!

Everyone, go to your rooms!

 I did reuse some of the discarded newspaper to pack around the banks and fill up the wiggle room. No wrapping!

Getting all tucked in for the ride to meet their new owners (hopefully)!

The birdhouses worked out a little better.  I can fit 6 in one bin but have to alternate the skinny ones with the fatter ones so they're not too tight.

Snug as a... catapillar... bee... dragon... bird...

Once again, I'd be happy to help anyone who is trying to adapt this system for your own needs.  I'd love to hear your innovative packing solutions, too.

Customized Pottery Packing for Craft Shows - Small Items

Since I started this blog I've struggled with sharing relevant info.  I'm not one to post for the sake of posting and my life's not interesting enough to use it as a journaling tool.  I want to share things that others will find helpful or insightful.  I want to leave a positive mark not just add to the cyber noise.  So what can I share?  My expertise is...  Well, not very expert.  I'm a pretty good potter but by no means a master.  I'm a wife of 21 years and a mom of almost 19 years and still looking for the instruction manuals.  Some days I feel like I've got less than nothing to contribute.

Today, however, is your lucky day!  I've been stewing on a problem for a few weeks now and solidified the resolution enough to give it a try yesterday.  It worked beautifully (well, not visually) and I'm hoping some of you will find it helpful.

I've been doing craft shows for a few years and I usually am on my own.  During my last show a few weeks ago my dad made the mistake of stopping by close to the end and found himself helping me pack up.  Lucky for me but I'm sure he'll time it better in the future. Now, for any of you who do the craft show circuit you know the bane of the process is setting up and breaking down.  Well, for potters, glass artists or anyone with fragile product the packing is slo-o-o-ow!  Have you ever moved?  Remember packing your dishes and glassware?  Every piece needs to be protected from breakage even if you're only going across town.  Now imagine having to do that every weekend.  YUCK!  I'd wrap every piece in newspaper and stack them carefully in the boxes.  I have the boxes labeled but at the end of a long day I'm not so careful whether I get everything in it's proper place.  Hence, I'm always one of the last crafters loading up my car at the end of the day.  DOUBLE DOG YUCK!  (and, yes, I used the word "hence"!)

The old packing hodge-podge

During our weekly phone call Dad and I were discussing possible solutions to my packing issue.  How can we make it quicker and still protect each piece and keep it organized? You've probably seen those fancy moving boxes with the cardboard dividers.  We were thinking along those lines.  Unfortunately, our pottery varies in size from spoon rests to large bowls and birdhouses and everything in between.  So I needed to customize.

The new Beautifulness!

Maybe I'm coming late to the game and you're sitting there shaking your head because this isn't as awesome of an idea as I think it is.  Too bad!  It's not often I impress myself and I'm still reveling in the prospect of leaving a show less than an hour after it ends.

In case you're mildly impressed and think this would help your craft show experience be less stressful I'm sharing my process.  Obviously, you'll be adapting to fit your own needs but you'll get the general idea and I'll be happy to help you out if you have questions or get stuck.  (And thank you, Mr. Huckle, for high school drafting class!)


Tools you'll need:

• Graph paper or make your own
• Calculator (maybe)
• Pencil
• Utility knife
• Scissors (maybe)
• Metal ruler or straight edge and ruler
• Old cardboard box
• Hot glue gun w/glue (maybe)
• Recycled packing material
• Snacks (optional)

Here are the steps:

The plan

The notched walls

Putting it together

Loading it up

1. Measure the interior of the box/bin.  This bin's interior measures 20" wide x 14" deep x 5" high.
2. Measure your items.  It's easier if you have similarly sized items to give you equal spacing.
3. On the graph paper map out the plan.  This bin holds the spoon rests which need a space about 4 inches wide by 1 inch deep.  I have 30 spoon rests so my calculations gave me 2 rows of 14  and the extra 2 spoon rests will have to be relegated to another area. 
4. Take your cardboard (I used a sneaker box for this grid but will need sturdier material for larger items), utility knife and metal ruler measure and cut the main pieces of your grid.  In the example I had 2 pieces 14" x 4" (side walls), 4 pieces 8 1/2" x 4" and 9 pieces 8" x 4" (cross walls).  You don't need cardboard on the outer sides.  My grid doesn't fill the whole bin so the 8 1/2" pieces are so I can fold the end to make a tab to glue to the outer side wall for stability.  If your grid fills the whole bin you only need inner walls and no tabs.
5. Now you need to cut a notch for each intersection.  Each notch should only go up half way.  I cut one notch 4" from the end of each 8" & 8 1/2" piece and 13 notches 1" apart in one of the 14" side walls.
6. Now you can slot everything together. 
7. Line the bottom and outer walls of your bin/box with padding material.  (mine's recycled shipping material.)
8. Insert your grid and load up your inventory!  For the left over space I've stacked some flat items with a sheet of thin foam or bubble wrap layered in between and 1 inch foam around the sides.  Not a scrap of newspaper to be found!
9. Add another layer of padding on top (we don't want things hitting the lid when we can't avoid that pot hole!)
10. Time how long it takes you to unload and load at your next show and report back to me.  I don't have another show until November and the suspense is killing me!

Next I'll be working on packing medium and large housewares and my birdhouses and banks.  Here's the link.

A little insight to my process

A 3 lb. lump of muddy clay.

Ready to be bisque fired,
then glazed and re-fired to cone 6 (2232 degrees F).

Home sweet home for some lucky birdies!