Don't Even Tell Me!

I don't even want to know how long its been since my last post! I know its been waaaay too long and I am ashamed. I have taken up a little part time job to make some extra cash. I substitute teach and my God those kids are funny! I think I finally get t he hang of it and it is no Cake Walk. I won't be able to actually start pottery classes again for another few weeks and I can't wait! I have to admit part of the reason I have been slacking so much is due to the new part time job and coming home dead tired. I did realize though that my number one seller is the Honey Pot. So I just made a load of those which are now in the shop here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LizetPotteryStudio?ref=si_shop&view_type=list

What I have been working on more is pattern! I love looking up patterns or being surprised what I find in fashion magazines. Here are few pattern ideas I got from looking up cool dresses.

Love these patterns. I think I need to make some pots with color blocking. I also look up Henna tattoos for inspiration.

Going Lid Crazy

Hello! Hello! So I just got a small part time job to make a little extra cash and since I know it might consume me a bit at first I am trying to finish up the last 10 pounds of clay I have. I have been practicing my knob throwing on lids. They look great! Most of them are in the kiln right  now (as part of the small army of honey pots I made). I have a few to share though. I am just going lidded pot crazy though. I am very happy that I am getting better at sizing them up. Before I had problems even though I used the calipers. Here are some cylinder canisters or jars I have just finished on Monday. I got some red clay on them, but its no big deal.

Here is another thing that has been on the drying table for a while. A little teapot. It is the first one I have made with an attached handle and not a cane or bamboo one. I'm not crazy about how it came out, but overall I like it.

And last are some pots that I got around to posting today. The serving bowl is my first finished Terracotta piece. I decided the "naked" natural clay needed to stay that way. Have a great weekend!

I Love Fall!

So I am going to show you some things that I have been up too, but I am not going to lie that I have had major fall fever. I know some people get spring fever, but I get it for fall. I have carved two pumpkins (both scary faces, no template needed), bought countless gourds, and cut out too many paper decorations for the house. I loved every minute of October and I am sad to see it go. I also spent some time at the County Line Orchard, which I can't get enough of and might make another trip to. Here is a picture of me chilling with the pumpkins. I couldn't really open my eyes due to the crazy sun.

I have been making more than I actually get done, which means I make stuff and later think that it is ugly! Hate when that happens. So tonight I have about four honey pots to trim and their lids to attach handles (or throw knobs) to. The owner of Tru Bee Honey purchased one of my honey pots and I hope to hear more from her. I was like, "Why don't I make more honey pots? They always sell!" So that is what I have been working on. Here are few pieces that I just posted to today and you can feast your eyes on them below. I just realized that they are candy corn colors. I told you I had the fever!

New Goods!

Okay so now that the weather is getting cold, you can imagine my dungeon like studio in my drippy basement is like a frozen tundra. So I really really hate working down there! I often feel like when I have to get a lot of glazing done I have good ideas for throwing and get good ideas for glazing when I have nothing to glaze and should go on the wheel. Whats a potter to do?! So anyways I have gotten some goods from the kiln earlier today that I just posted today. Here they are!

Okay well since I use geometry when making these pots, they make cool patterns from the top too.

 

I had a hard time deciding whether or not the blue one was fish scales or scalloped pattern. Maybe scalloped is only with edges and potatoes, so I listed it as fish scales. I also took my photos differently this time. I used a piece of white paper to make it seem seamless in the back. To see more check out my shop. www.lizetpotterystudio.etsy.com Here are a few mores pieces that I posted last week too.

Some Mega Duds!

Hi people! I have had the worst creative rut ever. Last night I finally got back in to my painting groove. I can't say that I have really made as much progress in my throwing routine, but I'm getting there. I'm not having a problem on the wheel as far as being able to make stuff, its just that I don't know what to make lately. It hasn't helped that I have recently had some real duds come out of the kiln. It can make you feel like real crap when you invested material (a lot of it!) and time into some pieces (especially if they are custom orders!) and they don't come out anywhere close to what you envisioned. These bowls below had an accident in the kiln and did not come out as planned. The pretty blue turned out like ugly bruises. There are four of these fairly sizable bowls and they are all crappy nasty bruises! Oh yeah, and they are supposed to look warped. I squished them once I pulled them off of the wheel.

YUCK!

This one was a very pretty teapot that I loved. Then I had this idea for a geometric pattern and I don't hate it, but I definitely don't love it. I may still post it in my store. I still have to put on the cane handle. The glazing took about two hours!

Don't even ask me why I chose Barney colors.

Today I have class to teach and a few red clay pieces coming out of the kin as bisque. I'm going to see if I can glaze them in time for the glaze firing tonight. Never completed a terracotta piece so I am excited to see them all done. One is a teapot! Other than that, I have been on a 12 oz bottle making craze lately and these are some I am having dry.

Here are a few pieces that I worked on last night. Right after my Mexico trip I had a love affair with the art of bowl throwing. I just couldn't stop. There are just so many shapes to make so I experimented with different types. So here are some I stayed up to glaze. Sometimes you just get a really good idea and don't care how long or meticulous the work will be. Thats what happened with these bowls last night. The one on the left is going to turn out dark blue and white and its hard to see the sharp pointy flower I painted in the bottom of it. The one on the right is coming out orange and white and I really like the way it looks.

And last are the set of bowls I recently added to my shop. They also have that warped edge look. The process is so slow lately I just want to restock my shop already! I am such an impatient potter which any potter or hand builder knows is really kind of a contradiction isn't it?

Etsy Halloween Finds

I am absolutely crazy about fall. I love pulling out sweaters and the Halloween smell in the air. Since I have been completely uninspired up until last week, I have nothing of my work to really share. I just started getting on the ball with restocking my store and finding my rhythm again and my new students are great. I have to say, I believe my teaching skills are getting better with each group and I am very proud and often impressed with my students! Each group makes things batter and faster than the last. It gives me hope that maybe one day I can give my own classes in my own studio. So anyways, I am letting the Halloween spirit take over this post until I get more things out of the kiln. I found some of the coolest stuff on Esty for handmade Halloween goodies. I have the link to the shop underneath the photo. Take a peek!

www.lepinkpig.etsy.com

www.loveleesoaps.etsy.com

www.AubreyEApothecary.etsy.com

Check out this awesome looking soaps! I really love them. There are all kinds if you look it up. There are also lots of body lotions, candles, candies, and cookies.

www.lacegrl130.etsy.com

www.oohlalacrafts.etsy.com

These are some handmade tags for parties or gifts. They are too cute! There are all kinds of paper goods for the season. Below are a few other pretty handmade things that really get me feeling the season. I could not get enough of these paintings and that pumpkin man, just might have to be mine!

www.tascha.etsy.com

www.indigotwin.etsy.com

I am absolutely nuts about everything fall, so I am sure you will hear and see more about me and my fall-ness and doings. Can't wait to carve pumpkins and its not even October!

Where Have I Gone?!

Hello! I know it has been just about forever since my last post. I was very busy dealing with my first wholesale order and the stress and nerves that come with it! It was a very exciting and rewarding experience. I will have a post set up soon about it when I get pictures of everything set up in the store this weekend. The cute boutique is about an hour from my house so, I haven't gone yet to visit my pots. Well...they aren't really mine anymore are they? So other than that and an fun weekend trip to Minnesota, I have been very unproductive in my studio. I have been having issues with getting to the school where I usually teach in order to get stuff fired. So if all goes well this weekend, I will have an electrician here to look at my kiln situation and give me an estimate. That way I can fire all on my own!

These are a few pieces I was working on. The top was actually a custom order that I have to redo (she decided after I made them that she wanted them bigger), but I can still sell these as a set no problem. The edges are supposed to be warped, which is a lot harder than it seems. I beat the crap out of them right after they were thrown and they still ended up drying fairly round. The bottom is a teapot that I finished last week and I can't wait to see how the handle will look on it. The lid has a thrown knob. I think those look best.

These pots are custom orders that I didn't share, because they were sent out right before I left for Mexico. The top bowl came out really nice, but it cracked during shipping! It will be a challenge if I continue to sell such large items. I might not anymore. The bottom creamer and sugar set are a blue version of my popular orange set. They came out perfect and the customer was very happy.