So while I should have been glazing, I was instead making. I made a holly tree. I love how it came out, but now it has to make it through the whole process. I used the cone and sphere molds from Learn Fired Arts as well as the holly leaves.

My little squiggle snowmen were really popular so I decided to make a few more. I use a handheld extruder to make the coils. It saves tons of time and makes them really even. To make the snowmen I'm using two of the small puzzling molds from Learn Fired Arts. I only have one set so I can only make one at a time, but they're small so they are setup enough in about an hour to slip and score.

I will be crocheting little scarves and hats for these in various colors.


I wasn't extruding anything else and I had enough coils left for just a head so I made a snowman who has melted. I can't look at this without giggling.

I've made a few of these now and each time it's precarious. The last time I tried to make one I took it out of the mold too soon and it collapsed. This time I will leave it longer to let it setup.

I learned this technique from Michael Harbridge. He has videos on how to do it on Facebook.

This is one of the most unique things I make and I always get great compliments when people see it at shows.


I start with making small balls that I then smoosh onto my bark texture bisque. I made the bark texture pressing it into a tree up at our property in Chaumont. The balls don't have to be perfect since they're getting smooshed. I make a few less than a dozen for the base of the globe.




I make a few less than a dozen for the base of the globe.




Next I start to make the leaves. I use a bunch of different types of leaves in the larger sizes. I probably end up making about 3 dozen or so to start, but always end up making a few to fill in the gaps once I start connecting them.




I use my finger to join them together - no slip needed since this is very wet clay. If you can still see the joins (like you can here) then you're not done joining yet.




The finished product looks awesome. I like to make the spaces where light can pass through as big as posible.

I'm using more clay so I decided to bite the bullet and buy 1,000 pounds once instead of two orders 6 months apart of 500 so that I could get the discount. I wasn't prepared for how many boxes 1,000 pounds is. We brought it all inside so it wasn't sitting in the driveway, but I'm taking it down to the basement in 1 box increments when I'm going downstairs. It's going to take a while.

I've had this placemat for months and just hadn't found the right time to use it. I saw a video last week about a mandala wall hanging so I had it on the brain. I love how this turned out. Initially I was going to cut it as a circle, but decided to trace out the edging pattern. Fingers crossed I don't knock off any of the points before it's bisqued.

I know it's been a while since I've glazed, but I really just needed to make for a while. Now that I've gotten a good pile up of things there should be quite a few glaze kilns coming soon.

Next week is the Howard County Craft Spectacular November 3-5th at the Howard County Fairgrounds. I hope to see you there!

I keep expanding my camping series. This is my first camping platter. I started with the fire in the middle and then went with the collage. I think if I make another I'll do it on the outside rim, but I do really like the collage effect. I have so many ideas in my head that I have to find the balance between adding more to specific series or adding more series or just adding some one off things.

This is that constant pull I see where "real" artists have a cohesive collection vs I get so many comments on my booth that people love how different my pottery is from other potters.

I get a lot of comments about the texture I add to the bottom of my mugs. If I'm using a rolling pin then the bottom is the same texture. If I'm using stamps then it is usually a repeat of the stamp on the mug (like a crab on the bottom too) or something that fits the theme. Over the weekend I was making my camping mugs and I have these new boot texture stams that I used. I think its funny how they seem to be walking across the mug.

I can't tell you the number of times that people look at the bottom and their face lights up when they see that added touch.

Still on a making spree. I have some time before my next show so I'm trying to make a bunch of things that I might need for that. Next will come the glazing of which there will be a lot.

I have had this roller for a while, but this is the first time I've used it. I hadn't noticed how the one reindeer kicks up it's heal. I've decided that's Rudolph and he will get the red nose.

The Harford Artist Gallery has a small things sale coming up. In thinking about what I could contribute to that I thought - crab coasters! I am planning on selling them in sets of 4 with 2 big crabs and 2 little crabs. I'm going to need to learn to tie pretty ribbons to pull them together. That might be its own challenge.

I may have gone a little ornament happy. I meant to just make a few and then I really got into it.

Most of the ornaments are made with cutters from De La Designs. Debi makes some of the cutest designs.

I sold out of all of my mushroom jewelry boxes. In making some more I decided to add a flange inside to make them just a little better. I also made the lip a little wider. These still need holes, but they need to setup a bit more first before I do them.