Samantha has new Kermit the Frog Pants

Bruce throwing a lid to a covered jar

We have been focused at the wheel this last week. A great place to be.  We are cutting it close, but I think we will make our deadline, we usually do one way or another. We have a lot of pots to finish up today and probably tomorrow, then some quick sun drying so we can bisque fire the pots.  Nothing like pushing on through and boy howdy am I looking forward to the holiday vacation I am planning for the rest of December.  I am researching which new Wii games to order (which will be great Xmas gifts for Ed, Gloria, and Bruce) and I will be set to goof off a bit. 

Straight-walled bowls. This form is great to decorate. 

Bruce is going to try out a couple new glaze combinations this firing. We have a couple of overlaps with our new luster shino that look good on test tiles. It will be great to see them on the bowls and covered jars that he has designed. Lets just hope that the glazes don't want to act up on a larger surface than the test tiles. This happens often, but one doesn't know until one tries.

Bruce is throwing covered jars in this image

Samantha's plates drying, I am waiting to flip them so I can trim a foot

I have thrown some larger dinner plates and a series of smaller plates, the size for sushi. We have had a set of these in cabinet for around 10 years. We use them all the time. Slowly our set is being whittled away. Sometimes accidents happen, we need to start replacing the missing pots. It has been a long while since I threw this size.

small sushi size plates thrown by Samantha, they are drying upside down

This is what we are doing a lot of the last couple of days, and will be today and tomorrow. Trimming a foot onto our pieces sometimes takes longer than throwing them. We like the feel trimming gives our pots, and it allows us to glaze the entire piece except for the foot ring.  It is a very nice effect. 

Bruce is trimming a foot into his cup

The other day we did take some time out to plant daffodils. Getting ready for Daffie Days, our spring kiln opening at the end of March. We will have a wide selection of vases for flowers. Max was very sore after planting around 15 bulbs (we have 300 more to go). 

Maxwell didn't want to stop playing. He is a go go kinda dog.