Happy New Year's Eve! I hope everyone had a great Christmas and  that everyone has something fun and safe planned for tonight. I am having a happy day pottery wise. I found an old drafting table that is the right height and great size for my garage studio. It cost a cool 45 bucks so I am one step closer to having my home studio up and rolling. I got to spend a little time with my sweet dad. He has an old pickup truck and had to haul the drafting table home. Then we took the old lawn mower to have it repaired. Hot time in Dixie. While I was bombing around with Dad my husband called to tell me that I had received a called from the studio that ALL of my pieces had sold! Of course, I have to wonder who bought them. Did the instructors and my classmates feeling sorry for me and so they bought them? Am I pitiful or what? Anyway...I avoided the untold humiliation of having to go pickup all my unsold pieces. Whew! So, I guess I am officially a professional potter. Now I just have to master the craft. Here's to 2014!

“Thankfully, persistence is a great substitute for talent.” 
― Steve Martin, Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.
Dalai Lama 

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can!"
Watty Piper The Little Engine That Could

Feeling fragile

      I went to the studio Saturday. Before I got to got I wandered around the Christmas Sale where I entered my pots. They were no where to be seen. That left me feeling fragile. Did they even put them out? The sale started Friday evening with a huge Gala with food and music and lots of fun.I didn't go. I was afraid to be seen masquerading as an artist. People paid 25 dollars to attend. You would assume they would have something out from everyone who entered pieces. I doubt seriously that all 12 pieces sold they first night. I only hoped not to be humiliated by selling nothing. Today I volunteered at the sale from 1:00 to 4:00. Again, I didn't see any of my pieces. In 2 rooms, I opened cabinets to restock. None of my stuff was there. It was only 12 small pieces. Was it overlooked? Was it thrown out as garbage? I am feeling fragile and too ashamed to ask.

Mugs 18 and 19 

Mugs 16 and 17 were too wet to trim. I threw 2 more mugs and glazed a bunch. Then I made an owl Christmas Tree ornament. I have a goal of making 50 ornaments a month. Each month a different ornament. Only 49 to go. :)

Wednesday night I volunteer again. Will I see my pieces?

Confidence is a very fragile thing.
Joe Montana

Mug 1 is out of the Kiln...Trimming, weird handles, and 2 more mugs

Mug 1 is out of the kiln. I guess I am pleased. The handle is a good size. The mug is a nice size. The nose is too small but I guess I can't have everything. Also out of the kiln are Mugs 2 and 3.

I like this mug also. The glaze is Moody  Blue. I like the detail on the handle.

Mug 3 with Another Blue glaze. I guess I like it too.

I pulled handles for three mugs last night. I only like one. I tried to do the handles the way Gary Jackson showed on his blog, Fire When Ready. http://firewhenreadypottery.com/ It was not a success.

I only like this handle. Alas.
Then I threw Mugs 16 and 17.

I hope to get back to the studio on Saturday because I have a lot of glazing to do.
"Every artist was first an amateur." Ralph Waldo Emerson