On Saturday, I opened the kiln to see the results of my mid-fire glazing.
Epic fail.
The whole lot ruined.
I've been having kiln "issues", and the plates flattened to discs and bloated to resemble frisbees.
Overfired.
Market potentials no more.
Sigh. Oh well. $#*t happens sometimes when a kiln is involved. And, operator error.
My bad.
Chalked up to experience and moving on.
Hubby had fun smashing some of them with a hammer. I had to stop him going back for more.
Men... boys at heart, and can be destructive to boot - if you give them free rein, lol.
Over the past few days, I've been glazing my next batch for the upcoming markets.
Today, they were loaded into the kiln and are firing away as I
This lot is earthenware, and cross fingers the results will be successful :)
In the meantime, I have linen, lace, bits n bobs out on the table by my sewing machine ready to create some lavender goodies.
But...
I feel distracted and scattered.
So, after a cup of coffee and chocolate, and with Jack's soft, silver-blue fur keeping my toes warm, I've followed my muse - appropriately named "Alice" - down some rabbit holes into internet wonderland....
A diabolical, dangerous yet deliciously distracting and often inspirational world, where I tumble from one perilously time wasting photographic pinboard to another, until I'm lost and far from home. And, the "what needs to be done", is forgotten in a mind-fog.
Fortunately, I'm pretty controlled about looking online when home duties, clay, art, market prep etc. require attention.
But, the Gemini in me can be easily led astray in weaker moments :)
And this morning is one of them.
I should definitely be doing something far more constructive, or, at least, read a good book. But, that part of my brain won't stay still and I crave visual stimulation.
I guess I'm nervously awaiting the final hour or so of firing and hopping up regularly to time the "soak" after the cone has dropped before turning it off - it's a fickle electric.
Market day is next weekend, and this lot needs to be successful.
So, everything else is taking a back seat til I turn the kiln off.
In the meantime, do you wonder what I've been ooohing and ahhing over?
Probably not, I'm sure :)
If you are though, well, I'll spare you the multitudes I've seen, but, come with me for a short tumble and I'll show you just a few Pinterest pictorials.
Alice and the white rabbit are waiting.
Down, down, down ....
Studio Dreaming
 |
| light, space, warmth... bliss :) |
Lovely Linen
Pretty in Purple
Just because
For the love of god chocolate
Secret Gardens
Getaway
Okay, ready to return to the real world?
And for me, a return to the kiln.
That was fun! Thanks for coming along and keeping me company :)
Must do it again sometime.
♥
Oooh. I was seduced by ALL of your selections, and my mind (never all that securely anchored) floated off. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteAnd fingers and toes crossed that this firing is a huge success.
Thanks EC. I "think", so far, so good. Won't know for a couple of days, but it went to schedule this time :)
DeleteGlad you liked the pictorial diversion!
Flattened to discs? Sell them as serving platters.
ReplyDeleteI love that lonely tiny black kitty, I'd take him home in a heartbeat.
Flat and buckled - not really salvageable I'm afraid. Except one, and I'll keep that.
DeleteHome, in a heartbeat? My thoughts exactly on that sweet wee kitty :)
Thanks for the fanciful journey this morning with my coffee. I enjoyed it immensely. So sad about the kiln over-firing. Hope the next one is successful. Cats...chocolate...water...I'm glad I just do spotify. And I have to limit my time.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barb. Time limits are important - nothing would get done otherwise :)
DeleteTime to make a new kiln goddess. Apparently the one you have is pooped ;) I am having kiln issues, too. Mine is not getting to temp. It might be a thermostat problem. Or maybe my kiln goddess is pooped, too!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vicki, for the lovely journey through eye candy land. Lovely studios. I do think I wouldn't get any work done in such wonderful, wabi-sabi and whimsical structures. I would spend my time looking at my perfect studio, gazing out its windows and sighing. All while eating chocolates. Oh well, my very messy garage studio, that overlooks the washer and dryer land, beckons. I hope you had a successful firing!
Ah yes, a new kiln Goddess. Seeing as my current one has lost her mojo :)
DeleteMy kiln's thermostat played up heaps initially and had to be replaced - it too was not reaching the scheduled temp - very frustrating, watching the reading go down before it gets to the desired temperature.
It still tends to do that on occasion, so I have to put in a very long soak time, hope the temp is reached, watch for the cone to drop, then manually turn it off.
I love looking at studios - oh to dream.
Washer and dryer land seems to agree with your muse Charlene, judging by your extraordinarily lovely work :)
I hope your new firing goes well! I'm crossing my fingers for you. The broken plate looked like it would have been so beautiful I nearly cried. (I'm an incurable 'dish-a-holic'). That little black kitten looks just like my Gloria when she was a baby. So far, I've resisted pinning on Pinterest, but I spend waaaay to much time looking! I can't get over the huge amount of pins some people have - thousands and thousands! Sending more good wishes for a successful firing...
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Victoria
Thank you Victoria, they were lovely plates too. Oh well, back to the studio :)
DeleteThat sweet little black kitten is winning a few hearts. Such a cutie.
I'm also amazed at the number of pins some people have. What ever did we all do without the internet... and pinterest, haha!
So sorry about your kiln results... I hope te next firing will yield prettier results. But funny with your hubby smashing up the botched pottery. What will you do with those broken bits?! LOVELY Pinterest finds--very nice distractions... LOVE all the linens, lavender fields, and least the cat & puppy dog tails... sweet! I don't do Pinterest myself--I fear I'd get lost there and never come back... haha! ;o) Happy Day, Vicki ((LOVE & HUGS))
ReplyDeleteHaha, wise girl. stay away from the evil that is Pinterest!!
Deletexx
Oh, that was fun! Pinterest doesn't count when it comes to procrastination. It's practice for arting. Refilling the well :)
ReplyDeleteNice - positive spin on it, thanks Sue.
DeleteAs long as I'm back in time for tea, all will be well.
And, I can leave a trail of broken plate shards, instead of breadcrumbs, to follow back home, haha :)
Haha, yes, you can! That must be frustrating and a bit upsetting when that happens. So much work ...
DeleteWon't deny the initial disappointment and extreme frustration when first opening the kiln to failed pieces.
DeleteBut, only through so much trial and error will I learn - I tell myself :)
That first studio/cabin makes me think of goblins living in the woods.
ReplyDeleteWill you use the broken pieces as mosaic work for your garden? Or mosaic work to sell.
ReplyDeleteIf goblins get to live in such awesome studio cabins, then I'd love to meet them and get some cool building tips :)
DeleteI used to mosaic, but I have so much on my plate (oh, bad pun) that I don't have time for mosaics anymore.
They're for the taking, if anyone wants them. They've got lovely textures.
OH MY GOD.
ReplyDeletethey just kept getting better and better and better.
i think i just sat here with my mouth hanging open. except when i laughed at some of the animals.
I LOVED that trip!!!
i think i might have to come back here over and over again! LOL.
and the thought of that soft little blue boy lying across your feet. well. my loving heart.
i'm so sorry all that work ... gone up in smoke. is mercury in retrograde AGAIN!!! ????
i'll be thinking of you at your market and holding ONLY good thoughts! love. XOXOXO
No, I can't use old man Mercury as an excuse, lol.
DeleteNever mind, it's a learning curve.
Thank you for your good thoughts for my next market, Tam. It's now ramping up to Christmas (gasp) and people are starting to buy, "that something special", for gifts.
Thinking warm thoughts for you, I hope you have a lovely week and that cooler weather comes your way :)
xxx