Getting the Kinks Out

Ever since a spring garden show that included my soaps (even gardeners need to scrub with delightful natural soaps, yes?), I've been mulling over how to present this story.  It goes along well with my usual blunder through life blissfully oblivious to the undercurrent that everyone else seems to intrinsically understand.  Perhaps my son is right, that I do need a Keeper.  It's certainly very embarrassing to reach the wise old age of 62 and not be all that wise.  Or savvy.  Or Hip, With it, Tres Drole.

The special events coordinator/studio manager at the community art studio I attend is always looking for new talent to include in the twice a year special art sales.  I was glad to recommend this particular artist I'd met at a fun one day event, and bought one of her fabulous Nesting Balls for birds to pick bits and pieces of natural cashmere fibers, wool and strings for their nests.  She also had beautifully crafted baby booties, caps and slippers made from cashmere.   I thought her nesting balls would be the perfect unique item for a Spring Garden Show!

So being the media savvy person our S.E. Coordinator is, she did a wider web search and found our artist had a second business, catering to the 50 Shades crowd with personal products for the boudoir.  I was, as usual, dumbfounded, more than a bit embarrassed, and then decided, what the heck. Embrace the absurdity of the Universe and just laugh about it all.  She did very well at our garden sale, selling her bird nesting globes. You can do your own investigation into her other business by googling cashmere and swoon.

Well, as my sainted Benedictine cousin would say, in her crystal clear principal's voice, "That's enough of that!!".

T to B. Lavender, Tea Tree with Charcoal to clarify,
Madder Root infused with Cranberry Fig Fragrance

I've loaded up a kilns worth of pieces to bisque tonight, it seems the kiln always ends up running on some of the hottest days.  Loading is not my favorite thing to do, the pieces are extremely fragile and I managed to break the foot ring off a bowl, chip the rim of a vase, and the handle from a mug.  Grrrrr!!

Once the pieces emerge from the bisque, it's time to stir up the glazes and do the dipping and back into the kiln for the glaze firing.  If anyone asks why does handmade pottery cost so much, compared to the cheap slip cast and toxic glazed ware from China, this is why. From wet clay to thrown piece, then trimmed and air dried, bisque fire of 12 hours, then glazed and fired another 12 hours.  I estimate handling one piece probably a dozen times from wedged lump to thrown to trimmed to adding a handle or other attachment, drying shelf, bisque load, unload, glaze, reload, fire again, unload, price, and transport to customer or gift shop.

Experimenting with a wall piece, imagining bright red poppies on a field of white

I have to photograph my soap for a Holiday application due early August and get that submitted. It's hard to kick my brain into gear for winter and think cold and snow.  Although with the high 90s predicted for the next two days, and high humidity, it sounds very appealing.  The Spousal Unit and I have a loving, ongoing dispute with the air conditioning setting.  I would love it to be set in the 60s, while he's content near 80.  I've warned him that a jury of my peers, being older women post menopause with power surges, would not convict me.  Step away from the keypad.  Just keep walking.  If I had the ability to transport the emoticons from my phone it would be flame, snowflake, flame, snowflake.

Stay frosty my friends.