Trick or Treat

I'm off with Darth Vader, a Mermaid Princess and an 18 month old who I believe is a ballerina.

It's their first time really trick or treating around a neighborhood so it should be interesting.

The kiln was still pretty hot this morning...still glowing when I peeked through the top spy. There are a lot of shelves and a lot of pots in there so hopefully I'll be able to unload sometime late tomorrow.

First stop...the grandparent's house then off to a friends house to start looking for candy.

Done

Cones are down....nothing to do but wait...and make a few more pots tomorrow for another firing next week.

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I had gotten the kiln about halfway loaded when I went inside to take a break and watch Obama's 30 minute ad.  I've heard it all before and have been a supporter for a while but sometimes when he speaks.....chills baby, chills.  That clip from the 2004 keynote speech at the DNC...still unbelievable.

Back to pots....here is the back half loaded.

Thank goodness for plate setters.  I got these a few years back when Michael McCarthy, Mark Shapiro and I split an order to cut down on freight costs.  I don't make plates too often but when I do these things are priceless.

Even more plate setters....and a gently raised lip of a pitcher is just about perfect for a sprung arch kiln...don't you think?   As much as I seem to dread loading...if I can get that first shelf done it becomes a pretty fun game.  Unfortunately...when loading the reduction kiln the pots just look so bland all covered with glaze.

Well..off to catch the tail end of The Daily Show and wait to turn up the kiln a few more times tonight.

Lit

Pilots are on.  Time to wait for some turn-ups.

Photos of loading coming soon.

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No pics yet.

Almost everything for this firing is glazed and I've started to load.  Should have the pilots burning in the not too distant future which means I'll be able to get this thing fired off tomorrow.

Big buckets of glaze are the best...the best!

Done for the Day

Glazing went pretty well today.  I got just about all of small work glazed up and everything else is waxed and ready to go.  

Tomorrow I have to mix up another batch of Celadon so I can glaze up some of the big bowls.  I think I'm going to mix up a big batch in a garbage can...enough of this 5 gallon bucket thing for a glaze that I'm using on about 85% of the work going in the kiln.  If I have time and the desire I'll mix up that clear glaze that Brandon left for me in the comments...thanks Brandon.

After glazing the big stuff I should have enough to load the kiln and light it up.  

Austin Wishlist 2

After spending the past 2 hours unloading and loading a bisque kiln and then waxing and cleaning up some bisqueware I thought of something else I may want in my studio in Austin.

An apprentice. 

I've had some interns over the summer a few years back but never quite figured out how to make that work well.  Right now though, I would love someone waxing the feet of bowls and getting some glazes prepped so when I get back from this little computer/coffee break I could get in there and glaze.  

Also...my floor might be a little cleaner.

Perhaps when I get to Austin I'll have figured things out well enough to have some help in the studio and not have it be the hindrance it has been in the past.  Maybe with 3 kids now my studio time could be more efficient with some help.  

Of course, the problem is that I can be a little bit of a control freak.  Just ask anyone who has tried to cook in my kitchen...right Abigail?