Happy Anniversary!
Raven Hill Pottery has been on WordPress.com for 3 years. Thanks for reminding me WordPress. So glad I switched!
Happy Anniversary!
Raven Hill Pottery has been on WordPress.com for 3 years. Thanks for reminding me WordPress. So glad I switched!
Hello, pottery peeps!
If you don’t already know about my workshop situation, I’ll give you a brief update. When I starting packing to move from Florida to Arizona. I thought I was only going to take a little time off to work on my book. But, due to things beyond my control…my workshop is closed until I can either fix my kiln or replace it.
My beloved Charlotte (my kiln) was damaged during the move, by the movers and they won’t pay for it. They told my husband to sue them. I won’t use them again!
I really hope that we can fix her!
So, since my workshop is closed, no kiln…no pottery!!! I’ll keep my pottery blog going with posts I didn’t get around to doing, posts from my old pottery blog, new designs from my sketchbook and whatever else I can think of.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to re-size some of my photos…to Pinterest size. Now they look so much better on Pinterest.
I miss working with clay!
My hands are itching to dig into a bag of clay and make something new.
This wire is the original wire I purchased for my first pottery class in 1990. I purchased another one, but I still use my old one. These are some of my original tools from 1990 and holding my tools is a cup I made in 1991.
Hopefully, I’ll have the funds to re-open my workshop soon!
In the mean time, I’ll be working on my book…Raven Hill
You can find me here…
https://melindamariealexander.com/
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!
I’m participating in the…Blogging From A to Z April (2015) Challenge
And this is the last post!
For at least a week, maybe more…I had absolutely no idea what to blog about, that started with the letter Z…just like my X marks the spot post.
https://ravenhillpottery.com/2015/04/28/x-marks-the-spot/
So, I grabbed my sketchbook and started sketching. This is the first one I sketched. I’m not sure if I like these? I’ve decided, that I’m not really a fan of zig zag stripes…it’s kind of busy!
Second sketch
I’m not sure if I like these either, but I do like the top of the bottles!
Third Sketch
Now, these I like! I think I’ll make these!
Last one…
I’m not sure if you can call this zig zag…but I really like these!
I’m definitely making these!
What do you think?
I love my pottery sponges!
These are just a few of them, I have more. I need lots of sponges, because they do different jobs. The old-looking ones, on the right aren’t really that old, they just look that way because they wash off underglazes from bisqueware. It’s a rough job, and it does a number on my sponges, especially if it’s stoneware clay with grog. I have sponges for washing bisqueware before glazing (these have to be really clean sponges), sponges while I work (I usually have two large buckets of water on my workbench while I work, with several sponges in each), sponges for cleaning pottery tools, and sponges for cleaning bottoms of pieces I just glazed, so I can load my items in the kiln.
One day, I needed a really small sponge for a piece I was working on. None of my sponges were working. I thought about cutting up one of these, especially the old-looking ones on the right. But then I remembered something. I went into the bathroom, opened the top drawer and there they were in the back, where I had left them…make-up sponges. They were there for a long time…years I think. I never use make-up sponges when I put on make-up, I use my fingers. The only reason I even had them, was because my daughter wanted me to buy them, she uses them all the time.
The make-up sponges worked perfectly! It was exactly what I needed. But more importantly, they have become a regular pottery tool now in my workshop. They make the smoothest rims and edges I’ve ever seen, and you can cut them if you need a smaller piece. I absolutely love using make-up sponges!
They don’t last very long, especially if you’re using stoneware clay with grog. But who cares, they work great. I make sure I have plenty of make-up sponges on hand at all times.
If you like nice smooth rims and edges, or if you need a small sponge for a hard to get to spot…give them a try. I think you’ll love them too.
I get mine at Walmart
Hope you liked my tip of the day!
This is my kiln…Charlotte Skutt. Yes, I named my kiln, and I think it’s cute!
Here’s a little peek inside!
Usually I’m so busy loading my kiln, I forget to take photos. Then when I’m done, I remember. “Shoot, I should have taken photos!” Then one day, I finally remembered, and I’m so glad I did!
Hopefully I’ll remember to take photos more often.
Bottom row done, on to the next row.
Pieces ready to load.
I start with the largest items first.
The next row is done.
More goodies ready to load.
I had a lot of ornaments in this load.
One more row, and then I’m done.
Had some room for some test tiles.
Time to fire it up!
I added a quote by Pablo Picasso to one of my photos. It’s so perfect together. A bag of clay, pottery tools and a dirty wire tool, just used. I love this quote, it’s so true…at least for me.
Inspiration is something that makes someone want to do something. It gives someone an idea about what to do or create. It’s a force or influence that inspires someone.
A person, place, experience, etc…that makes someone want to do or create something.
A good idea.
This is so true. Sometimes the clay takes over, and I end up making something totally different then what I had planned on making. But that’s okay!
I love this quote!
I’m just a girl who likes to play in the mud. I love the way clay feels in my hands…the way it squishes through my fingers when I throw…and I even like the way it smells.
There once was a little girl with big brown eyes who loved to play in the mud. When she wasn’t playing in the mud…her other favorite thing to do, was color. She colored and colored until she didn’t want to color anymore, and then she played with her easy bake oven.
Many years went by, and the little girl with the big brown eyes grew up. She continued to play in the mud, she still liked to color too, but she didn’t use her crayons anymore, she found something better…beautiful creamy glazes. So she colored her mud with the pretty creamy glazes. But she couldn’t put it in her easy bake oven anymore…because it was broken. So, she put it in her electric kiln instead, and every time she opened her kiln…it was like Christmas!
by Melinda Marie Alexander