My beach glaze used to look like this:

And after the supplier running out of one of the main components, and me scrambling to find more, and the supplier finally getting some more backordered for me, my beach glaze now looks like this:

I like it just fine, in its own right.  It’s toastier.  But for people who have preordered items in beach glaze, expecting the former, this is a HUGE problem.  I’ve been fighting this and other problems with this glaze since Christmas.  I hope I can finally get it right today with the latest tweak.  Cross your fingers for me that it works, or I am going to fling myself off a tall building.

Another WTF pig:

And mugs:

I’m loving the way the wolf came out:

A travel mug:

And, I learned that plates get really really cranky when you set the kiln for the wrong firing temperature:

But it’s okay- I have my studio buddy to make things all better:

I waited until my hands were itchy for some clay, and they are twitching!

I’m starting on phase 3-  Will be working on casseroles, squishies and some utensil holders today, and playing with heart shaped bowls for Valentine’s day.

I had to knit him his own little sweater, too.

Every year we cut down a tree at a local tree farm.  Very local, as in 2 blocks away!  We love this farm and we also pick blueberries there in the summer.  This year I decided to get fancy and selected a different type of tree than what we usually get- I chose a white fir.   Due to a heavy workload this time of year, we often don’t get to bring a tree home until a week or so before Christmas.  We installed ours in the house on the 13th within an hour of cutting.

A week later, we discovered this:

I’m a bit of a fire phobic, so OUT the tree went.  I tried vacuuming up the needles and ended up spending an hour unplugging the vacuum cleaner!  So we ended up sweeping the carpet and attacking the rest with a shop vac.  Whew.  Yesterday we went searching for trees- a lot harder than I thought it would be- and our local farmer was snowed in, so I couldn’t go back to him.  We finally found a farm stand with three lonely frasier firs and brought home a little one and set it up.

24 hours later, I am glad to report that it is behaving nicely.  No needle vomit on my carpet.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

Christmas gifts- something new that is a lot of fun to make!  These are between 15 to 18 inches long and cut off a slab of clay with a twisted wire to get the ridges.

An order from a local customer who has the SWEETEST Westie on the planet.  Hugs to MacDuff!!!!

The WTF pig:

a new style of mug I debuted at the Potter League Animal Shelter on Sunday.  I love making these and will make more!

I am FINISHED.  Happy Holidays to everyone- friends, family, customers- from Rising Sun Earthworks!

More customs:

Some days it seems to take forever for that darn kiln to cool enough to open!  I’ve been waiting alllll day.  400 more degrees to go.  Boo!  I want to see all those finished customs and whisk them off to their new homes!

Here are some items I have already completed for the second phase (~25 orders) of custom orders: