Craft Sales

A photo of my very uninspired display at the last sale I went to. I need to smarten up my display skills. Sold almost everything so maybe I don't! My favorite part of these sales is meeting all the people. I love talking about the process and trying to impart how exciting wood firing is. It is funny when people say "It sounds like a lot of work". I guess it is......but the results make it all seem like fun when it is over.
Today I have to paint lots more scarves. They are all gone and I have my last sale next Sunday. Northern Lights here we come!!

Back to Silk Painting

Top photo is my already painted scarves curing. They have to cure for at least 24 hours before they are steamed. Also some other ones that are outlined waiting for the dye. All those pails below them are my glazes. I am in my Winter quarters now. Or I should say, crammed into my Winter quarters. All the pottery stuff and the silk stuff and the wool/dog fur stuff. A wood stove and an old cook stove that I use as a work table. All I can say is that it is a heck of a lot better than having to try and work in the house!! I have to haul water in but at least it goes out on its own. I have electricity....a very long extension cord. So there are lights and I can run one tool at a time. Luckily I throw my pots on a kick wheel. It is warm though.
Couldn't resist the temptation to do some tropical fish. Outside it is -12 and SNOWING. Tomorrow is pricing and packing pots for Sunday's sale in Tagish. I usually get really good support from my friends and neighbors. This time I have the cream of the crop for them!!

Last Wood Firing of the Year

I seem to always be learning things the hard way. I will be spending a day next Spring grinding kiln shelves.....found a couple of new glazes that I WON'T be using again!! I am finished with the Strontium Matt glazes in the wood kiln. I hate grinding glazed on wads off the bottoms of my pots....
Aside from my failed experiments, the rest of the firing went well. Didn't over fire this time and it made a difference in my copper red/purples. It is always the same though.....the good, bad and the really ugly.
This was a tight pack so it took a bit longer. Cone 9 and a half in the cool spot and instead of blasting on I finished the firing. Where the cone pack is usually all melted it was 11 down. Got some beautiful iron reds, but my oil spot experiment is either back to the drawing board or forget it! A pound of glaze in the bottom of a bowl....Mr. Hammer, pleased to meet you!
I won't be firing the wood kiln again until the Spring some time. Got repairs to make and a new firebox door to construct. Now it is off to the Xmas craft sales and dyeing scarves.