When Life throws you a Curve Ball!

 Well, I was creating, as I mentioned in my last post. Unfortunately, 2 days later I tested positive for COVID and was unable to create anything more before Christmas.  I just did not have the energu or motivation to work on things. Once I started to feel better, I was able to finish glazing some things that were ready and then fire them and add gold afterward. I did get one more shipment out just before Christmas. (The recipient knew it was late getting out and they were OK with it.)

I am hoping to get some things made this week, but they won't be finished until after 2023 rolls in. I am feeling a LOT better, but the cold weather (unseasonably cold for SC) and drying time will keep me from finishing all before Sunday morning.

I made over 700 pieces of Gnomes and Friends in 2022. WOW!  And there are not a whole lot of them remaining in my posession. THANK YOU ALL! 

Here's to a 2023 that doesn't throw us those cruve balls and is void of anything but good things. (I know, life isn't that way, but one can hope, can't they???)

Thank you!

 

I had a wonderful Mistletoe Market. 

Thank you to all who came and adopted my creations.

I am posting in my group on facebook (Cindy's Gnomes & Friends) what I have left so non-locals (and those unable to make it to the Market) can pick. I am making more!  I have wish lists for more that what remains. That makes me smile.

I have taken the week off from creating because I needed a little break. 

Again, thank you to all. I appreciate you and am humbled by how much people love my creations. I get so much joy out of their creation, and even more joy seeing the response and knowing they are going to loving homes.

Ready or not...

 I unloaded the last glaze firing destined for the Mistletoe Market this morning.  I just need to add the accents and sign, number, and price them all. Easily done.

I started more packing of product for Friday. It is amazing how many gnomes, snowmen, etc. fit into one of my cases compared to mugs and coffee pots...

I'm ready. I'm looking forward to this wonderful show.

Some new Friends added

 I have been making the Angels for 8 years this coming November.

 I started the Santa Hats a couple of years later, but only made them for 2 years. I have brought them back this year. Now stoneware rather than porcelain, they will be easier to make. (Porcelain can be finicky to work with.) I just need to figure out a better way (in my view) to create the hooks.

I started the Gnomes last fall, introducing them at Mistletoe Market in early November. Since then I have made over 300 of them, including some limited edition ones and some custom requests. 

I have added new since then... first the Mushrooms. They come in all sorts of color combinations.

Now I have addes Owls.

Snails...

Penguins...

Cats... (including a couple of custom ones to look somewhat like specific pets.)

And I am making a sample Fox! Who knows if I will make more or not...

The Fox is still drying and I have not figured out exactly how I will glaze it... 

I am also painting some wood ornaments to add to the price variation for those who may not want to spend 10 - 20 dollars on a Snail, Gnome, Angel, or any of the others thus far...

The Fox and the Fish

A little over a week ago, I was test firing a new terra cotta clay. For some reason, I have been wanting to make a fish for a few months now (since Art Camp). I proceeded to roll out a slab and cut out a fish (Bass). When the Bass was completely dry, I prepared to fire it. At the same time, I finally fired the small fox head I had made in Art Camp.
I had been carrying around a small ball of clay while checking on the students' progress. As I walked around, I fiddled with the clay, and the result was a fox head. I finessed it and kept it on my work table here at home for 2 months. It was definitely dry... but for some reason, I was wary. When I loaded the kiln, I put the fox head off to the right and the fish off to the left. What you see in this photo is the remains of the fox head and the bare spot the fish shielded. The photo doesn't show the fine details. It literally vaporized! There is a fine terra cotta clay dust covering the entire shelf except for where the fish was and where some larger pieces of the fox landed. Unfortunately, the heavy debris you see near the fishes tail broke the tail off. But there are creative plans for the remainder of the fish...
The good news is, I am glad I got the new terra cotta clay, it survived the firing, which is why I wanted to stop using the old clay (which the fox was made of)... I had too many things explode on me in firing...
A little more good news, I have found another resource for black porcelain (that is closer to home, so lower shipping costs!). I still have to do the glaze test firing to see how it works with my glazes and also how black it actually gets. Those results will follow in a couple of days...