Glazed Work!

I unloaded my first glaze firing this morning!  It was great to see everything finished.  I did have an issue with one of my white glazes.  So a few pieces didn't turn out.  I figured I would have some of that with my first firing.  Here is a picture of some of the work. 

I also made some new work.  I had  a big day yesterday. 

A Busy Week

I had a very busy work week this week.  I accomplished a lot since my last post.  I unloaded my bisque kiln and I waxed all the bottoms of the pots.  Waxing the bottoms is a little time consuming but it is worth it when it comes to glazing because the bottoms wipe off easily.  I also produced some more ware. 



I made some test tiles with my new glazes and I found some good color combinations.



I also glazed my work and loaded the kiln.  Glazing is not my favorite part of ceramics but this time it was fun to work with new glazes.  It gets very messy.  I almost fit everything in the kiln except for about 6 pieces which surprised me.  As I am writing this my kiln is running and hopefully everything will turn out perfect.  I will have to post again tomorrow when I open the kiln.  It will be like Christmas morning for me tomorrow.  I can't wait.  It has been 3 years since college and it feels great to be doing this again. 

Fired!

Saturday I got up around 5am to start my kiln.  It finished firing around 1pm.  Today the kiln was cool enough to open and unload.  Check it out my first bisque firing!

I also mixed up my glazes today.  I will start glazing my work this week and have at least one glaze firing next weekend. I can't wait to have some finished work!

A Loaded Kiln!

Next weekend I am planning a bisque firing.  I wanted to see if I needed to make more pieces to fill my kiln so I took time today to load it.  No more pieces are needed!  Loading a kiln is like a huge puzzle.  You try to fit as many pieces as possible into it.  In a bisque firing you can have pieces touching and piled on top of each other.  My kiln is packed full and I had a few pieces leftover.  I am ready to roll with my first bisque firing next weekend all I have to do is push start.  I did not produce anything this weekend.  I wanted to give my fingers and wrists some time off.  I need to rest them up so next weekend I can start filling up my shelves again.  This week I will need to mix up my glazes and get ready for my next step glaze firing. 

 

A Beautiful Fall Day in Wisconsin

It was a beautiful fall day in Wisconsin today!  My friends and I went to a glass blowing demonstration in Neenah.  It was so nice out we walked from her apartment to the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum.  We got to enjoy the fall colors on our walk.  It is a beautiful time of the year. 

 

Productive Day

Today I worked on some bigger pieces.  I made vases, bowls, platters, and cups.  I will have a long trimming day tomorrow.  Hopefully I will have time to throw some more work. 

 

Some more work

Last weekend I was very busy working in the studio.  I made some bud vases and jars.  I got a lot done.  I also did a bunch of mugs that I needed to pull handles for. 

Trimmed pots

I finished trimming my pots that I threw the other day.  Here they are.

 

Last night I threw another batch of pots and this afternoon I am working on some more.  I made some mugs and some bigger bowls.  I need to make a lot of stuff to fill up my kiln. 

Pots!

I started making some pottery tonight!  I just started with a few mugs and some small bowls.  We are going to the packer game tomorrow so I will not have a lot of time to trim and put handles on.  Check it out!

This is what I started with.  A bag of clay.

First pot!  It feels good to be making again.

I ended up with 8 mugs, 2 small vases, a ring holder, 5 small bowls, one medium bowl, and a bat of test tiles!  So that was a good night of work.  It was just weird to be able to take my time making pieces.  At work I make as many as I can as fast as I can.  So it was very relaxing and quiet.  Hopefully I will be back at the wheel again soon.

Curtains!

I finished my curtains yesterday!  I just need to get a little Velcro to attach the panels together.  I am all set to get making!  Yay!

Complete

I finished my test firing.  It took 7 and a half hours.  Tomorrow when it cools I will unload the shelves and I will be ready to fill it with work. 

I also finished one of my 3 panels for my curtains.  I only have a few stitches left in the other two panels.  My project for tomorrow night.  I did want to finish my curtains today but it was a beautiful day out.  I worked out in the garage picking up a few things and breaking down boxes that my equipment came in. 

ON!

I just started my test firing!!!  I have to go to cone 04.  Which will reach a temperature around 1900 degrees.  For the test firing you are supposed to load the kiln with just shelves. 

Now I have to get back to finishing my curtains while I wait for my kiln to finish. 

Safety First

Today I went and bought a fire extinguisher and smoke detector.  They are both placed in the garage by the kiln.

Homemade Curtain Track

Today I finished putting up my homemade curtain track.  The other day I was looking on the Internet for curtain tracking but it is kind of expensive so I decided to try to make my own for a lot less.  I am not going to open my curtains that often I just want to be able to open them if I need to.  So I did not want to spend that much money on them.  I probably spent about $20 on everything I needed to get the job done.  We have two little pipes that run down the ceiling in our basement so that caused a bit of an issue.  I had to make a ledge out of wood so that my curtain track would be low enough to pass by the pipes.  I then took some tubing and cut a slit from end to end.  I needed my curtain carriers to be able to slide back and forth. 

This is what I came up with......

         

Now I just have to sew my curtains!  That will be worked on tomorrow. 

Getting Closer

Today I got a lot accomplished. 

I finished my work table.  It has a layer of canvas on top so that clay does not stick to it. 

I painted the pipe from the electrician and my newly patched ceiling so that is all finished.

    

I also bought and hung two spot lights because there is not much light on that side of the room.  I placed one near the glaze area and one above the potter's wheel.  I might add one more light but we will see if two does the job.  This is what my studio looks like.  I have everything that I need to hang my curtains done I just have to sew my curtains.  Then I will be ready to start making some work!  I am really excited.  So with tomorrow off I think I will put up the curtain hardware and start sewing. 

Almost there!

I am getting closer!  I built another table for my shipping area and half way built my work table.  I would of finished it but I ran out of screws.  I need to run to the store today and get some screws so I can finish that project.   I also added a shelf to my glaze station table. 

  
I found fabric for my curtains! I was on my way to the fabric store and I went past Walmart and I thought maybe I should check it it out. I thought I was going to spend quite a bit of money on the curtains because I need 8 yards of fabric. But I got lucky at Walmart I found some not too heavy fabric for $2 a yard on their bargain shelf!!!

Also my neighbor touched up my ceiling so that is finished and I can paint it along with the tubing from the electrician.






I go back to work on Tuesday and I have some things I want to finish before I go back.  Hopefully I will be ready to rock and roll next week some time.  The curtain project will take some time to do but hopefully I can finish those next week. 

A little Progress

Today I finally did some things in the studio.  I should really be doing more but I have been kinda lazy. 

Today I built a table with the new counter top my Aunt Lisa brought me this past weekend. This is going to be my glaze station. It is 5 feet long and it will be very easy to clean.

My neighbor also came over today!  My hole in the ceiling is gone.  He has to touch it up tomorrow and then it will be done.  Then I can paint that and also the tubing from the electrician.  Then I can check that off my list of things to do.




 
I have been working on figuring out how to hang curtains to separate my studio space from the laundry area.  I think I have found an easy cheap way to do that. Tomorrow I will have to go find a fabric that is not heavy and that will be somewhat easy to clean.  I am also planning on making 2 more tables tomorrow.  I have a busy day planned for tomorrow.  Hopefully I can get things moving again.