View Full Version : A fun new thing - Pottery Class!
rosarugosa
5-17-22, 6:34am
I am taking pottery classes with DH and Sis at a very cool local pottery school/studio. It would be an understatement to say that I am not demonstrating any innate talent in this endeavor, but it is interesting and fun! We are enrolled in an 8-week session that meets once a week, but we have unlimited access for studio time to practice what we are learning, so we are trying to make it there twice a week. The pottery wheel is really hard, but it looks so easy when the instructor is doing it. I also have a bit of extra challenge because I'm a lefty. I'm supposed to see what instructor is doing and then reverse it, which is much less easy than it sounds! We are in week 3, and we've decided that we will sign up for the Jul/Aug beginner's session, and assess after that if it's something we want to continue. It isn't cheap, but if we're continuing to enjoy it, then I think it would be worth it.
My shortest term goal is to make an object that is recognizable, lol.
Mid-range goal is to hand build some mushrooms.
Longer mid-range goal is to make some plant pots.
Long-range "stretch" goal is to make a garden fountain. One of the instructors has a fountain on Instagram that she made and I'm in love with it.
An interesting aside is that some of the premier clay artists in the area teach or have gone to school there. DH's favorite coffee mug from a local shop was made by an artisan at The Clay School.
A consideration that you folks will appreciate is that we will be producing "stuff," and much of our early efforts will be unlovely. Sis pointed out that DH and I will have double the crap since there are two of us! DH dropped and broke the first 3 pots he made, so that took care of those, anyway. We may be flooding our local Saver's store with pottery class rejects. :laff:
I will keep you all posted and hope to share some pictures soon.
What fun--I'll be looking forward to seeing what you produce!
Took a similar beginner class in pottery to learn how to play with clay, then switched to clay sculpture all for fun. Do you find that it makes you think differently? Creativity in woodworking or clay vs watercolour painting or flower arranging require such different mental approaches which makes it fun.
happystuff
5-17-22, 9:59am
What fun, rr! And great time spent together with dh and sis. Continued good luck on mastering the techniques. And I, too, would love to see some of your creations.
It sounds like great fun. I took a teaching children's art class in college 1970 and I enjoyed the clay part. I have two pieces still- one was a coil vase for daffodils and the other was a sculpture of a woman holding a baby. I still like them! Apparently I gave a mug to a friend and she mentioned it not long ago! I was awful with the wheel...Have fun!!
iris lilies
5-17-22, 11:29am
There are some things I’d like to make out a slab, but I would guess that’s easier imagined than actually completed.
Teacher Terry
5-17-22, 1:15pm
Looking forward to seeing the finished products!
So awesome, rosa! You are a real Renaissance woman! First carpentry--now pottery!
Don't worry about your "rejects"--They're not rejects: they're "perfectly imperfect." https://mtartspottery.com/blogs/news/wabi-sabi
ToomuchStuff
5-17-22, 3:27pm
I figured one goal would be to recreate a scene from Ghost.
There are some things I’d like to make out a slab,
Throw clay on the wheel, press down with something flat and one slab.
rosarugosa
5-18-22, 5:44am
Catherine: Yes, there is a lot of wabi-sabi going on so far for the three of us!
early morning
5-18-22, 9:02am
how fun! I took a pottery class ages ago and loved it. Didn't make anything exciting or too large, lots of fun little pots and pitchers and stuff. I only have one or two things left. I do remember liking the electric wheel more than the treadle or kick. Looking forward to hearing about your work!! I also remember that it was really messy! :~)
I took a jewelry class--loved the drill press! Who knows why.
That sounds really fun. I'd like to try that I think!
rosarugosa
5-19-22, 6:49am
how fun! I took a pottery class ages ago and loved it. Didn't make anything exciting or too large, lots of fun little pots and pitchers and stuff. I only have one or two things left. I do remember liking the electric wheel more than the treadle or kick. Looking forward to hearing about your work!! I also remember that it was really messy! :~)
All of the wheels are electric. It is very messy indeed! It's funny because I don't like to get dirty, but I do like to garden, do woodworking, and now pottery, which are all pretty messy endeavors.
An interesting aside - The Clay School is located in the old Lydia Pinkham factory building. It's one of those places that rents out space to an interesting assorting of businesses, many of them creative. Apparently TCS was causing issues with the old plumbing system, because clay and plumbing are not a winning combination. So now there is a really good graywater system for cleaning up and keeping clay out of the plumbing, and a lot of recycling practices are in place to recycle clay, as well as pieces of plastic, etc. used to package clay and to wrap the creations while they are drying.
early morning
5-20-22, 11:25am
"all electric" - that just shows you how old I am *snicker*. I'd really love to live in New England - sooo much history (I have one of Lily the Pink's bottles in my window sill as a vase as we speak...) Many ofld factory buildings could make great venues for all sorts of things, and I hate it when they are torn down. New England seems to protect the physical history of places much better than we do here in the Midwest. Or so it seems from this side of the "fence". Any pottery photos to share? I'm sure we'd all love to see!
rosarugosa
5-21-22, 7:20am
Early: Here are some works in progress. The 3 items in the foreground are mine. Nothing too impressive just yet!
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Razz: You asked an interesting question that I've been pondering about whether this makes me think differently. I'm certainly finding that it's pushing me to use different skills and attributes, and not necessarily the ones that are my areas of strength. I'm definitely more in my element with words and a bit so with numbers, with books and computer screens. I think that's a big part of what makes endeavors like woodworking and pottery so much fun. It's an entirely different realm of experience from how I have spent most of my life.
The class meets Monday mornings, and I am always so grateful to be going to play in the clay studio instead of off to a series of meetings!
happystuff
5-21-22, 10:53am
Very impressive, rr! I like the tray.
early morning
5-21-22, 12:43pm
Thanks for posting, those are lovely! I really like the wood grain effect.
flowerseverywhere
5-22-22, 7:27am
Lovely. I have made all my cookware and dishes on the wheel. I learned in college on a kick wheel. When my kids left for college years ago I started again. It takes a long time and a lot of upper body strength to throw on the wheel.
I made a set of 18 dishes in three sizes and tons of bowls, baking dishes.
what you may be experiencing is return to a nature connection. Gardening, working with natural materials like clay and wood and even chopping vegetables are all returning to our purpose I believe. Living in houses full of plastic, over processed food, bombardment with electronic devices and screens all day totally disconnects us from truly living and experiencing nature.
I love the feel of the soil, the meditative effect of preparing and working with clay. Of making a stew full of vegetables and beans and grains and smelling it simmer. Even using the most natural bars of soap soothes the soul.
I hope you enjoy the peace and joy of such an ancient art.
rosarugosa
5-24-22, 6:35am
Flowers: that is VERY impressive that you made all your dishes and cookware! I do think I may be hampered somewhat by my small stature and body weight, in addition to being left-handed, or perhaps I am just making excuses, lol. You might be interested in this amazing new tool. DH and I plan to try it out next time we go in to work independently in the studio.
https://www.strongarmpotterytools.com/shop
I am having a hard time mastering the centering of the clay, which is a critical initial step, and if you don't get this right, all subsequent efforts come out wonky. This makes the Strong Arm tool seem very appealing! But then, where do you draw the line between what is artisan made and what is machine made? Although in carpentry class we were certainly using power tools for a lot of steps that were once done by hand.
iris lilies
5-24-22, 8:43am
Rosa, I was just coming here this morning to ask for photos and here I see that you’ve posted them. Great job. I took a ceramics class in college and the wheel is a tricky thing to master.
Flowerseverywhere I completely agree that the meditative nature of doing work with our hands helps our mental health.
flowerseverywhere
5-24-22, 8:50pm
Yes you would know. I often imagine you dividing your iris and how lovely your gardens must look. Plus the fresh air and satisfaction of creating beautiful things
rosarugosa
5-31-22, 3:28pm
Continuing to practice developing competence in the basics. I wouldn't say I've got anything totally down yet, but things are feeling a bit less impossible. In hindsight, spring wasn't the best time to start this since we have so many other things going on, and ideally, I wish we could find more time to go in and practice. I'm sure it will work out fine though, and progress with just be a bit slower.
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Is that a tray you're working on? It looks promising.
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product.
rosarugosa
5-31-22, 4:59pm
Jane: What you are seeing there is the wheel itself; my hands are concealing the blob of clay I was about to start working on. I think after this beginner's class I will just have some quirky little pots and bowls to show for it. We don't do the glazing until the last class (end of June), so I don't think I'll have any finished products until a week or two into July.
Great picture! You do look like you're enjoying it. Can't wait to see some finished masterpieces!!
rosarugosa
6-19-22, 7:21am
Some works in progress that I believe show that I am actually making some progress:
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Wow!!! Those look great! I remember trying pottery in my HS art class and it is not easy! Well done, rosa!
happystuff
6-19-22, 9:39am
Definitely progress, rr!! They look really nice! Like the two-handled bowl.
Love those pieces RR, I'd be proud to display them in my kitchen.
iris lilies
6-19-22, 10:19am
Some works in progress that I believe show that I am actually making some progress:
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those ARE nicely shaped!
Really nice pieces, Rosa! Good on ya!
OK everyone, here are my first completed masterpieces!
The blue and white ones were glazed with a fun technique called bubble glazing. You make a mixture of glaze, water and dish soap in a cup, insert a straw and blow bubbles until they are spilling over the cup. You drip the bubbles on your pot and then you get this fun kind of tie-dyed look. The square dish was another technique called kohiki, where a thick glaze is applied with a textural brush, and you make patterns of lines or swirls or circles. I overglazed this with a greenish/blue glaze.
It is a lot of fun, and we started another 8-week round of classes today.
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Love the bubble technique and the blue-green glaze is lovely!
early morning
7-5-22, 3:52pm
rr, those are wonderful - love the colors you've used!!
iris lilies
7-5-22, 4:05pm
Wow! I’m not sure which is my favorite. The blue and white glazed pieces are attractive.But the darker blue bowl is quietly handsome.
So beautiful! What a great job, rosa!
I am really getting quite a bit of joy from this class. I was SO excited to see how the glazed pieces would come out. It was the first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes this morning, much like a kid on xmas morning. :)
They are marvelous! I love the blues and the textures are so cool. Glazing is tricky or at least long ago when I made a vase...wasn't sure if the color would be what I wanted. That was in 1969...I still use it for daffodils...it's purpose.
I like the pictures except the one where you have to wear a mask. :)
dado potato
7-7-22, 11:13pm
The possibilities with ceramics are endless.
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/47916
Jeppy: Masks are encouraged but not required. I honestly forget I even have it on.
Dado: I don't think that's within the realm of possibility for me, at least not just yet!
The possibilities with ceramics are endless.
http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/47916
The possibilities with polymer are equally endless--I used to peruse Ceramics Monthly for inspiration.
iris lilies
7-10-22, 6:29pm
The possibilities with polymer are equally endless--I used to peruse Ceramics Monthly for inspiration.
I have a Pinterest board titled “ Ceramics I could make” but I won’t get there, just like to think about it.
I have a Pinterest board titled “ Ceramics I could make” but I won’t get there, just like to think about it.
That's about where I am with polymer--impressed beyond measure by what artists create with it, but not enough to participate.
rosarugosa
7-21-22, 6:44pm
These are my latest creations. I've been focused on trying to get better with centering clay and the basics of throwing pots. Next I'm going to try to make items that are a little bit larger.
I cannot help but see the potential for future decluttering sessions here. :laff:
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These are my latest creations. I've been focused on trying to get better with centering clay and the basics of throwing pots. Next I'm going to try to make items that are a little bit larger.
I cannot help but see the potential for future decluttering sessions here. :laff:
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Pots are useful, though, and those are a dreamy celadon-like shade.
happystuff
7-22-22, 9:01am
I agree with Jane. Very nice, rr! You are doing so well!
early morning
7-22-22, 1:00pm
rr, those are really lovely! Please feel free (in the future) to declutter any of those my way, lol.
iris lilies
7-22-22, 7:46pm
These are my latest creations. I've been focused on trying to get better with centering clay and the basics of throwing pots. Next I'm going to try to make items that are a little bit larger.
I cannot help but see the potential for future decluttering sessions here. :laff:
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love the color!
catherine
7-22-22, 10:32pm
Those are beautiful, rosa! So much fun to watch your progress!
Teacher Terry
7-23-22, 1:59pm
Those turned out good. I love the one on the far left. You can make them for gifts.
happystuff
7-23-22, 5:36pm
Those turned out good. I love the one on the far left. You can make them for gifts.
I agree that they would make lovely gifts.
rosarugosa
7-24-22, 6:24am
Thanks, everyone! The one on the far left was a messed-up pot because the bottom was too thin for me to trim it properly and make a foot ring. I was going to trash it, but then I decided I could use it to experiment with glazing. I tried the water erosion technique and I really liked the effect, so I will use it again in the future with hopefully better pots.
Water erosion - you "paint" a design on a bone-dry pot (that hasn't been fired) with polyurethane or similar, then you rub the pot with a wet sponge, removing some clay from the non-painted parts. This makes the painted design raised, so you get a more interesting textural surface. The poly burns off during the firing.
dado potato
7-24-22, 4:39pm
Attachment 4615 is lookin' good! Lush green!
Hey, we are all on a learning curve, and some of us get dividends in the form of pots!
Here are some of my more recent creations. I like the way the glaze color combo on the mug came out, and I like the patterned texture, but the mug is wonky and the rim too thick and not rounded enough to be enjoyable to drink from. The mug was hand-built, and I would like to make a vase using similar techniques. I've succeeded in making pieces that are a little bit bigger on the wheel. In two weeks, we'll be starting an 8-week round of classes that are all focused on hand-building. After that, we'll probably go back to another wheel class since the wheel is so challenging.
It's interesting how this process encourages you to pay close attention to details like the feeling of a handle in your hand and the feeling of a mug rim against your mouth, stuff you don't usually think about too much. I find myself analyzing my favorite mugs to better understand what I like about them. Mindful coffee drinking!
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Really cool hobby, and great output! I love the "mindful coffee drinking" thing--it's so true that every cup/mug is a different experience. DH gave me an old diner-style mug, which I thought I would love, but it's too big and heavy. I prefer the cheap mugs that I "stole" from my son who never used them. Just very light and thin, the circumference is small relative to the height, and it holds about 8oz. I don't like the mega mugs that hold 12 oz.
Thanks so much for sharing your pottery journey!
That's prettier than a lot of the handmade pottery I've seen at craft fairs. I think this may be your calling.
You may think it's wonky but I'd be proud to sit on my deck on a late summer morning such as this in my boxer briefs, enjoying a cheap cigar and my first cup of coffee of the day with that beautiful mug.
iris lilies
9-2-22, 11:30am
Roger that color is heavenly! I like the pattern on it. How did you do the pattern?
They are beautiful. I understand mindful coffee mug...I have several "favorites", mostly thin, curved rims and handles that go well with my mouth and hand. I also have 2 Polish pottery mugs that are perfectly smooth with a rounded bowl. I still mourn over the two favorite mugs that I've broken- one in 1970...and one in 2020. Mindful for sure!
Thanks, everyone!
IL: the texture was done with a wooden rolling-pin type of thing that had the pattern carved into it. For glaze colors, I dipped it in "Jeannie's Purple" and then in "Mockshino." There are lots of colors and then even more combinations of the various colors, so there is room for a lot of experimentation.
You may think it's wonky but I'd be proud to sit on my deck on a late summer morning such as this in my boxer briefs, enjoying a cheap cigar and my first cup of coffee of the day with that beautiful mug.
Lol Alan, the ultimate compliment!
Beautiful, rr!!! You are progressing wonderfully! I love the colors as well.
rosarugosa
9-21-22, 7:00pm
I made the vase and grew the flowers:
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DH made the bowl and I made the tomato salad:
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I made the bowl and local farm grew the peaches:
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Wow! What a beautiful collection of beautiful creations by all!!
I LOVE the paisley vase!! How did you do that? And the flowers are lovely in it.
Great work!!
rosarugosa
9-22-22, 5:44am
Thanks, Catherine! I love the paisley effect too, and I have used it on a few things. It's super easy, a textured rolling pin, that you can use for hand-built pieces.
happystuff
9-22-22, 8:59am
Absolutely beautiful, rr! I love the bowls. The white one has such a lovely shine to it.
rosarugosa
9-22-22, 9:43am
Absolutely beautiful, rr! I love the bowls. The white one has such a lovely shine to it.
Thanks! The name of the white glaze is "Toilet Bowl," lol. It was a bit disconcerting the first time I heard one of the instructors talk about dipping a piece in Toilet Bowl!
I'm impressed beyond measure. Your "toilet bowl" piece is perfect.
rosarugosa
9-23-22, 8:06am
We are enrolled in a 4-hour "Wheel Boot Camp" tomorrow, an intensive workshop to develop our wheel skills. I'm really looking forward to it!
rosarugosa
10-7-22, 6:24am
These are my latest works in progress. Our current course is a hand building course rather than a wheel building course. It is totally fun and satisfying, and I am sure I'll want to do more of it in the future, but I feel like I still need to rise to the challenge of the wheel, so our next class beginning in Nov will be another wheel class.
I should also add that I am not enormously creative; these are projects that were designed by our instructor.
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iris lilies
10-7-22, 10:15am
These are my latest works in progress. Our current course is a hand building course rather than a wheel building course. It is totally fun and satisfying, and I am sure I'll want to do more of it in the future, but I feel like I still need to rise to the challenge of the wheel, so our next class beginning in Nov will be another wheel class.
I should also add that I am not enormously creative; these are projects that were designed by our instructor.
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Those are wonderful! I have a Pinterest board called “ceramics I could make “and most if are slab pieces. But I doubt that I can make them, and when it comes to glazes that is a science beyond me.
happystuff
10-7-22, 10:24am
Very nice, rr. Wonderful to see how much you are enjoying this!
So nice! The leaf dish makes me wonder if you can use cookie cutters to do similar projects. You could have a dish for each season! Hand building must be challenging, but I guess wheel work is challenging, too.
rosarugosa
10-10-22, 6:29am
Catherine, the hand building is a lot less difficult than the wheel. The leaf dishes were indeed done with cookie cutters, but I don't know where I'm going to put these (because DH made one too with Maple leaves), let alone one for every season!
iris lilies
10-23-22, 12:00pm
Rosa, here’s something you could make on the wheel: toilet brush holders.
I’m doing a lot of shopping to find some thing that is not plastic or God for bid, gold colored. I’m willing to pay higher money and I’ve only found one thing that’s acceptable.
Now I probably could adapt a ceramic round cylinder form but I don’t want to spend that kind of time shopping for the right shape.
Out there on the Internet there’s a lot of cutesy toothbrush holders but there ain’t no simple, handsome, toilet brush holders. There is one hip one made out of cement that was I think $78? Yikes.
catherine
10-23-22, 12:13pm
Haha! When we moved in, the former owners left us this toilet brush holder. Totally goes with the artsy, boho vibe they had. I love it! So much nicer than the standard white plastic crap.
So, rosa, maybe you could reference this picture as inspiration? :)
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iris lilies
10-23-22, 1:38pm
Haha! When we moved in, the former owners left us this toilet brush holder. Totally goes with the artsy, boho vibe they had. I love it! So much nicer than the standard white plastic crap.
So, rosa, maybe you could reference this picture as inspiration? :)
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that is beautiful and that’s really what I need to be looking for. I have four freaking toilets in this Hermann house, UGG. At this time I am moving a cheap plastic holder and brush between toilets in Hermann, but I don’t want that to go on forever because one’s toilet brush should be pegged to ones bath decor, right?
rosarugosa
11-2-22, 4:07pm
I think you might find an attractive toilet brush holder at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. I used to have a nice one that matched a ceramic wastebasket. I got rid of them at some point; I forget exactly why. For a time I decided that I didn't really need a toilet brush holder in the bathroom, but now I've swung around again and have one that's in a simple, utilitarian plastic container that doesn't offend me at all, since it matches the brush just fine. It's pretty unobtrusive, and I have other decorative items that hopefully make better focal points. If one chooses to focus on my toilet brush holder, well then that's their problem, lol.
These are my two most recent items glazed and out of the kiln. DH & I did another wheel-throwing bootcamp about a week ago, and I got so much out of it! I'm still far from expert, but definitely making progress and having a lot of fun.
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iris lilies
11-2-22, 5:34pm
I live the box! Slab pieces fascinate me.
dado potato
11-2-22, 5:46pm
Seeing posts about the creativity coming out of this pottery class rejuvenates my brain.
I would imagine that the creative individual's brain is rejuvenated moreso!
rosarugosa
11-21-22, 7:27am
I made this vase recently, pretty simple with a dragonfly "twig roller" textural tool.
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iris lilies
11-21-22, 8:29am
I made this vase recently, pretty simple with a dragonfly "twig roller" textural tool.
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nice! I do love that shade of blue. I just looked at a piece at hobby lobby in that same shade, something that looked rather hand glazed even though it probably wasn’t.
catherine
11-21-22, 9:36am
Beautiful, rosa!! The texture and color are so pretty, and I love your arrangement of plant and felt pumpkins around and in it!
happystuff
11-21-22, 10:17am
You have definitely developed quite the talent for pottery, rosa. That is beautiful!
rosarugosa
12-1-22, 7:48am
Another cookie-cutter leaf piece:
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iris lilies
12-1-22, 8:48am
Another cookie-cutter leaf piece:
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Interesting piece. What would you do with that piece?
happystuff
12-1-22, 11:51am
Very nice, rr!!!
rosarugosa
12-1-22, 12:53pm
Interesting piece. What would you do with that piece?
I'm going to gift it to someone else who can worry about that, lol. But seriously, I would probably put it on a table or counter with bananas or something on it. DH made a similar piece that we have on the table filled with fruit.
littlebittybobby
1-8-23, 10:50am
Okay---keep in mind that if you are fortunate enough to have some pett catts, you may have this situation. As you know, catts enjoy involvement, at some level. Yup. See photo. Hope thatt helps you some.5063
That cartoon was actually made by the business partner of one of my classmates for the school where I take classes. Kirsten is the name of the studio owner!
That cartoon was actually made by the business partner of one of my classmates for the school where I take classes. Kirsten is the name of the studio owner!
Small world!
I saw that the other day.
I realize I haven't shared any pictures in awhile, but I have certainly been busy making stuff. I should have more stuff coming out of the kiln in the next few days.
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iris lilies
3-2-23, 8:42am
Rosa, that butter dish is utterly charming!
Such cute work! With those little houses, can you put a candle or tea light under them so that the light glows out through the windows?
And I agree with iris--if I saw that butter dish on Etsy, I'd buy it.
Thanks!
The little houses are supposed to hold LED tealights, but the first one I made was not big enough (star on top). I corrected the dimensions for the second one (heart on top) and a third that I gave to my sister.
I think I might get a table at the town's annual Strawberry Festival this summer. It's cheap money for a table; some of the tables are just yard sale stuff. If we can unload some of our pottery and make back enough to pay for some of our clay, then it might be worthwhile. I would price things low just to move them.
The problem is that we have a very small house and now there are two of us producing a stream of stuff. We already have a butter dish, and now DH and I have each built a butter dish. I actually prefer the clear glass one we already own in terms of practicality, and nobody needs 3 butter dishes!
happystuff
3-3-23, 10:15am
Wow, rr! Those are all so nice! I love the fish and like the little heart necklaces.
Hearts and stars should sell like hotcakes; love the fishie!
early morning
3-3-23, 3:18pm
those are lovely pieces, rr! Especially love the little houses, the butter dish, the tray... cool stuff you're doing there!!
I will soon have more pictures to share, but I liked the way this kohiki planter came out, kind of funky and organic looking. I potted it up with some succulents from the garden and put it on my new improvised garden table, and I am pretty pleased with the overall effect.
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I will soon have more pictures to share, but I liked the way this kohiki planter came out, kind of funky and organic looking. I potted it up with some succulents from the garden and put it on my new improvised garden table, and I am pretty pleased with the overall effect.
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That is so cool!! The planter goes perfectly with the table!
iris lilies
5-7-23, 11:23am
That is such a nice pairing of plants, container, and table. Very pleasing! They complement each other so well.
I agree with everyone else - the whole thing looks fabulous!
rosarugosa
5-28-23, 6:42am
Here are my most recent projects. I really loved doing the plant impressions from my garden, and I'm happy with the way they came out. These weren't part of a class project, just something I did on my own so it felt a bit more creative (although I certainly didn't invent the technique).
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iris lilies
5-28-23, 8:52am
Love love love the plant impressions. Bleeding hearts and ferns, wonderful!
happystuff
5-28-23, 9:12am
You have gotten soooooo good, rr!!! Very impressive!
early morning
5-29-23, 11:05am
rr, your pieces are so lovely. looking at them makes me feel as though part of the artist is in them, that they are not just objects, but objects that offer connection. I don't think I'm describing that well... sorry, sometimes I lack words for feelings.
iris lilies
5-30-23, 8:42am
Here are my most recent projects. I really loved doing the plant impressions from my garden, and I'm happy with the way they came out. These weren't part of a class project, just something I did on my own so it felt a bit more creative (although I certainly didn't invent the technique).
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how do you create the color in the plant impressions? They don’t leave their color, do they? Do you make the physical impression and then paint the color in? Or maybe they do leave their color? How does that work?
Beautiful, rosa! Those plant impressions are so interesting and pretty!
rosarugosa
5-31-23, 6:22am
how do you create the color in the plant impressions? They don’t leave their color, do they? Do you make the physical impression and then paint the color in? Or maybe they do leave their color? How does that work?
IL: I make the physical impression, then the piece is bisque fired. Then I paint the color with underglaze. Then I glaze the piece in clear, and it is fired again.
Thanks, everyone!
Here are some of the curvy little vases I've been making. They are fun! I'm still a bit too heavy and my walls aren't consistent or smooth enough, but progress is being made. The designs are underglaze transfers, which go on like temporary tattoos before glazing. My next 2-month session starts today, and will be almost all wheel-throwing. That's good, because that's where I really need the practice.
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Beautiful, rr!!! I can definitely see you doing a craft table at different events and making sales.
I would absolutely be your first sale with that middle one with the birds. I love the color and I love birds.
iris lilies
7-7-23, 7:30am
Rosa, such pretty little pots.
littlebittybobby
7-7-23, 12:48pm
Here are some of the curvy little vases I've been making. They are fun! I'm still a bit too heavy and my walls aren't consistent or smooth enough, but progress is being made. The designs are underglaze transfers, which go on like temporary tattoos before glazing. My next 2-month session starts today, and will be almost all wheel-throwing. That's good, because that's where I really need the practice.
5577Okay---Those mos' def look awesome & amayzeen! That said---how do you protect them from Catts? But yeah--Furry beasts seem to have a tendency to de-shelve fragile stuff.
Okay---Those mos' def look awesome & amayzeen! That said---how do you protect them from Catts? But yeah--Furry beasts seem to have a tendency to de-shelve fragile stuff.
Museum wax.
littlebittybobby
7-7-23, 6:43pm
Museum wax.Museum Wax! But yeah--why didn't I thinka that?
Museum Wax! But yeah--why didn't I thinka that?
It's supposed to hold up in earthquakes, but I don't think it's been tested by catts. ;)
I am a big fan of museum putty, but more to protect things from us. Our current two cats are not very destructive thankfully, although we do need to protect our food from Louie.
Here are a couple of pictures of recently completed stuff:
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early morning
7-8-23, 11:45am
rosa, your pottery pieces are so lovely! Thank you for sharing with us.
Teacher Terry
7-10-23, 1:37am
Really pretty Rosa!!
iris lilies
7-13-23, 10:48am
I am a big fan of museum putty, but more to protect things from us. Our current two cats are not very destructive thankfully, although we do need to protect our food from Louie.
Here are a couple of pictures of recently completed stuff:
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I know you aren’t doing this pottery gig for money, but I’m going to offer unsolicited comments about commercial viability that you should, of course, completely ignore! Ha ha.
I peruse Etsy and Pinterest for certain kinds of ceramics. I am a buyer of ceramics. Currently I’m buying the popular form of small planters for succulents.
https://www.succulent-pottery.com/
I can’t get the pieces I want from this potter. All of her charming little pots in the 4 to 5 inch range sell for $58 and they’re all sold out. She makes trays which are not sold out.
I see tons of mugs on Etsy and I don’t want mugs. Actually, most ceramics on Etsy are not very interesting. I did buy a very small succulent pot for $40 plus C? I’ll spend the money and there’s something interesting to buy.
So my advice to you is think about making small planters for succulents. Everyone is buying succulents These days. I think your pretty glazing technique would work well for those forms.
rosarugosa
7-14-23, 6:38am
Thanks, IL. That is actually useful input. DH has already sold a lot of mugs; everyone seems to want mugs for some reason. I'm a bit mystified by that because I thought most people had too many mugs in their lives.
I have a succulent planter that is a work in progress. It's not too pretty because it isn't glazed yet. I liked the more whimsical aspects of the ones in the link you posted, but here it is, and I'll share another picture when it's complete:
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I think these were a bit more quirky and whimsical. A woman in our class made a larger one with the painted plant impressions and it was quite wonderful.
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I am a big fan of museum putty, but more to protect things from us. Our current two cats are not very destructive thankfully, although we do need to protect our food from Louie.
Here are a couple of pictures of recently completed stuff:
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I would buy the fiddlehead fern one... my son/DIL have a fiddle head fern garden and he'd love it. if you are selling it at at the craft fair, I'll buy it--PM me if you are interested in selling.
rosarugosa
7-14-23, 3:02pm
Thanks, Catherine, but I hung that one up in my gazebo just the other day. I love working with ferns though, and I'm sure I'll do some others and I will let you know.
IL's post inspired me, and I hand-built this one today. It was done with a textured rolling pin, not actual plant impressions. I think I'll play around with these some more because they are fun. There are some things I would do differently next time, but I was in a hurry to get this one done before class began. Of course it isn't glazed or anything yet.
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iris lilies
7-14-23, 3:20pm
I love that shape!
rosarugosa
7-26-23, 7:25am
I recently finished up and planted this succulent garden. It was a class project and we used the teacher's template, but chose our own colors and texture designs, embellishments, etc. (I did not make the little owl. I bought him a long time ago, and he just seemed to fit into this miniature garden quite nicely).
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Then there is all this stuff that DH and I brought home about a week ago:
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happystuff
7-26-23, 6:04pm
Love the little garden!
iris lilies
8-18-23, 2:44pm
I’m sorry to piggyback on your thread about pots you make, but I thought you might be interested in seeing my collection of small hand built pots acquired in the past 12 months.
The one in the last photo is super Duper cool and very expensive. It has so many finishes, and they all work together beautifully, it fascinates me. I’m trying out different plants in it. I wanted something soft and free flowing, not some stiff little succulent plant for it.
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rosarugosa
8-19-23, 5:44am
IL: I am delighted to have you on my thread! I've actually been playing around with succulent planters since you mentioned them, because I really like projects that combine my love of plants with pottery.
The first picture is one I made from red clay, which is easier to work with for hand building, but the glaze treatment isn't too exciting. The next 3 pictures are of one I did with white clay. I really like how the surface decoration came out (especially the bug), but the pot is a bit wonky. The white clay is a bit more difficult to work with for hand building projects. So I haven't hit it quite right yet, but it's fun to play around:
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happystuff
8-19-23, 7:44am
Very nice, rr. I really like the third one.
rosarugosa
8-20-23, 7:42am
Thanks, Happy. The second, third and fourth pics are different sides of the same pot.
Yesterday was our first real attempt at selling some pottery. It was an interesting experience in a lot of ways. It was a local, low-end "Crafts Fair and Flea Market," and a low-risk, low-reward proposition. The table only cost $30., so it seemed like a good opportunity to try the waters. Our net earnings were $181 dollars after the table fee, so I'm glad we're not trying to support ourselves with this. Our stuff was priced very low, so I'm kind of surprised we didn't do better, but the event seemed more flea market/yard sale oriented. I do think we did better than a lot of the other craft sellers. Some observations:
It was more fun and less tedious than I expected. I actually enjoyed talking to the people who visited our table, much to my surprise.
We got a lot of positive comments on how beautiful our stuff was and several people mentioned that they liked our color choices.
A lot of women middle-aged and up commented on how they loved our stuff but already had too much stuff at home to buy more.
Some of our better sales were people buying gifts for others.
The attendance at the event wasn't huge, so more traffic would have probably generated more sales.
My biggest takeaways were that we would probably do better at a fair that's a little more crafty and less flea-markety, and timed closer to the holidays when people tend to be more in gift buying mode. It would also be more worth our while to do a venue with more traffic. I think we did pretty well with the aesthetics of our display for a first-time effort. My biggest regret is that we went there with 10 boxes of pottery and came home with 9! If anyone has input or constructive criticism, feel free to offer it. I think we would like to do a couple of these a year to help keep our inventory under control.
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PS: As far as prices go, we had 4 or 5 pieces for $25, and everything else was less than that. We had an "oops box" of $1.00 stuff that did very well. Most of our items were between $5.00 - $15.00.
happystuff
8-20-23, 9:38am
Glad to hear that, overall, it was a success! I think your assessments are pretty much spot-on.
iris lilies
8-20-23, 10:16am
I wish you would have been able to get rid of more than one box, but making close to a couple hundred dollars seems fine. Was this a two day affair? i’m glad it wasn’t tedious for you to sit there for a day or two.
I’m going to the big St. Louis art fair in a few weeks and will be looking at ceramics, prints, and paintings.
early morning
8-24-23, 9:21am
RR, your stuff is beautiful! Sounds like a fun day at the sales. I like chatting with customers, and miss that with being in malls. Just a couple random thoughts from our years of street antique shows - table skirting or full length cloths are very helpful. Ups the professional look, covers the boxes of stuff you stash under them. large plain sheets can help with this, since actual skirting is time-consuming. Your crate idea as backdrop is great! Since most of your stuff, naturally, is similar in height, it's good to figure out ways to elevate items and create a look that's not just a table full of dishes, if that makes sense. What draws you into a booth or stall? Ask your friends what draws them in. Play around with display ideas - always thinking about wind, which can be a huge issues with breakable stuff! Try grouping by color, or type - how does that look to you? Also - some pots of flowers, herbs, succulents setting in some of your containers will add some pop. You can sell them with the planter at a higher price, or you can just say that the plants are display only and move them from dish to pot as stuff sells. Anyway, just some thoughts that may, or may not, work for you :) have fun selling! You can't keep creating if you don't move some inventory, right?
IL - love the pots you have. And love the begonia. I bought a couple this spring to plant outside and ended up keeping them in. Love them! Don't know if I can get them to winter over, I only have one good window and in the fall my ferns come back in to reside there, so I don't know.... and in December, they all get moved to the basement under light so the tree can come in for the holidays. It doesn't help that all house plants have to be inaccessible to our salad-loving cats. >:(
iris lilies
8-24-23, 10:01am
Early M, I am learning about begonias. So far I am finding them to be thirsty little water hogs. I have a new sun room and for the first time can successfully have houseplants, they get loads of sun. I even had snake plant putting out flowers and I have never seen that.
rosarugosa
8-25-23, 6:31am
Thanks for the input, Early. This venue was pretty flea-marketlike, so we probably did have the most professional looking display there, but I can see where a more polished display would be even more important in a different setting. I did think about putting plants in a couple of the planters, so maybe I will give that a try next time.
I have been falling in love with begonias this year. I will have to take and post some pictures. They are toxic to cats and Raymond sometimes nibbles at my houseplants, so I will probably just let them die at the end of the season, but that makes me quite sad.
iris lilies
8-25-23, 8:19am
I know they’re toxic to cats so yell at my cat when he gets into the plants. I have one cat who likes to mess around with plants. The other cat, our tiny princess, has no interest in plants.
rosarugosa
8-26-23, 6:29am
IL: This yelling at your cat strategy - do you find it to be effective? Such has not been my experience.
early morning
8-26-23, 9:15am
mine, either. our current crop of cats seem impervious to yells, unless they are the ones yelling. both are very fond of greens in all forms and keeping the plants out of cat-reach really limits our ability to house flora of all types.
iris lilies
8-26-23, 10:32am
IL: This yelling at your cat strategy - do you find it to be effective? Such has not been my experience.
Ha ha well, he stops chewing on plants when I’m in the room with him and yell at him to stop. Sometimes I have to get out of my chair and snap my fingers at him.
As for other bad cat behaviors, no amount of yelling will keep our tiny female cat from jumping up kitchen counters, so I do not even try.
rosarugosa
10-8-23, 10:27am
I took pictures of these succulent planters to show you guys, but then I don't think I ever posted them:
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happystuff
10-8-23, 10:33am
Those are very nice, rr!
iris lilies
10-8-23, 10:46am
Those are cute, I’d like their shape.
RR, Those are cute. Will you need to bring them in for the winter?
catherine
10-8-23, 11:54am
So pretty!! The shape looks like they would give them added stability, too.
rosarugosa
10-8-23, 4:20pm
RR, Those are cute. Will you need to bring them in for the winter?
Yes, they would have to come in for the winter.
rosarugosa
11-4-23, 10:24am
Here's the latest. The pumpkin collection is work from both of us. We tried different glaze treatment on different clay colors (red or white clay).
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iris lilies
11-4-23, 10:38am
Oh my gosh, those pumpkins are darling! You’ll sell a lot of those, they are charming!
My mom used to collect these flower pocket things that looked like your sconce. I really like that one!
catherine
11-4-23, 11:23am
So cute! I love the pumpkins but I also love the dragonfly mugs!
happystuff
11-6-23, 9:58am
Such beautiful work! I like the mugs as well.
early morning
11-7-23, 11:17am
Lovely! the pumpkins are especially adorable!
rosarugosa
11-28-23, 7:35am
These little trees came out so cute, and they were fun and easy to make. The mushrooms were also fun to make, but glazing was tedious and didn't come out quite the way I wanted.
We have a table at a church craft fair this coming Saturday, and I wish I could get a bunch more trees made, but it isn't physically possible. On the one hand, it would have been good to learn the tree project during the summer, so we could make them for the holidays without a time crunch. On the other hand, if the teacher had xmas trees on the syllabus in July, nobody would have been pissing and moaning more loudly about it than yours truly! At least I can get an early start for next year.
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iris lilies
11-28-23, 9:50am
The little trees are sweet. I love the mushrooms. How high are the mushrooms?
early morning
11-28-23, 1:19pm
Love both of those forms! I am sad that I'm not going to be in Massachusetts next Saturday and thus can't come to the sale. Although my wallet is probably grateful. (We were on the Cape last week, and my wallet is, ah, empty, lol, especially after coming home thru the Berkshires and hanging out at Chocolate Springs...)
rosarugosa
11-28-23, 1:58pm
IL: The mushrooms are ornaments and about 1.5 " tall. The trees are about 6" tall.
Early: Chocolate Springs is awesome! We visited while we were out there in Sept. We just got home from Harbor Sweets in Salem - are you familiar with them? They have amazing chocolates. If I want to get laughed off the Frugals forum, I could post about how I used my various discounts to knock the tab down to a mere $380, and we even got some freebies thrown in.
early morning
11-28-23, 6:23pm
No, but I've pinned it for our next "up East" adventure! Checked out their website, and it looks scrumptious - thanks for the info! I got home from all points East, to find that one of our resident mice had eaten half of the hot cocoa mix from Chocolate Springs that I had stashed. Ignored the Swiss Miss and the Trader Joe stuff, and went straight for the gold plated. I am SO ANNOYED - I may set a trap for the little bugger. Generally, I'm a live and let live person when it comes to a rodent or two, but really!!!
rosarugosa
11-29-23, 7:30am
I agree the mouse crossed a line, although it clearly has good taste!
happystuff
11-30-23, 10:15am
Those are so cute, rr! Are you able to put some lights in the Christmas tree holes? (I've seen that done with bigger ceramic trees)
rosarugosa
12-1-23, 7:44am
Happy - they are meant to have a battery tealight under the tree, and the light shines through the holes.
happystuff
12-1-23, 9:11am
Happy - they are meant to have a battery tealight under the tree, and the light shines through the holes.
I'm thinking that will look quite lovely and nicer than those bigger ones I've seen.
rosarugosa
12-2-23, 6:58am
We are all set up for the crafts fair today. We did our setup Thursday, and it was so nice to get all the pottery out of the cellar. Unfortunately, I'm sure it's inevitable that some of it will come back home again. After we set everything up, DH said, "Now we could just go away and never come back," lol.
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happystuff
12-2-23, 9:53am
Wow! That's a lot of stuff! Good luck and have fun today.
iris lilies
12-2-23, 12:10pm
It all looks beautiful. Quite a lot of variety.
early morning
12-2-23, 12:36pm
Wow, that's impressive! Here's hoping that all of your pieces find new people to love and admire them. Best of luck on the sale!
I hope you come away with no leftover pieces!!!
rosarugosa
12-3-23, 9:17am
Update: We did pretty well, and it was fairly enjoyable. We netted a little over $300. Most of our stuff was $5 - $10, with a few items priced at $20, so we must have sold quite a few items. Then why do we still have so much pottery?? lol.
We made a good connection with a very nice woman who is interested in having us participate in a local craft fair next September. She was selling crocheted items and did not even make her $25 table fee in sales, so I felt bad about that. I gifted her an ornament she had been eyeing. I gifted another piece to a little girl who bought a bowl for her mother for xmas. There was another woman who wanted 2 bowls for a total of $20, but she didn't have enough cash on hand, so I gave them to her for the $14 she did have. Who goes to a church craft fair expecting to use a credit card?
I think we are learning some useful lessons about what we like to make vs. what people will buy and when. It will be an interesting balancing act, because we are doing the pottery thing for fun, and the selling is definitely secondary. I would never want to focus exclusively on making things with an eye to selling rather than the fun of making and learning. On the other hand, we do not want to fill our little house up to the ceiling with pottery, and the money is certainly helpful. The cost of classes is about $4000 per year for the two of us, and one of us likes to buy extra tools and glazes and such (looks in the mirror sheepishly), so offsetting a little bit of that cost is a good thing.
I could envision us doing 2 -3 local fairs a year with a few mainstay easy-to-make items that will be likely to sell. We will still be building our skills with those items because practice and repetition are key. We can still focus most of our efforts on making things that are more for our own enjoyment, but try to keep the quantity down, knowing those things might be less likely to sell so either will be have to be kept or gifted. I also don't want to inflict a lot of pottery on innocent friends and bystanders either - "look out, here come Rosa and she's bearing more pottery!"
I think you just need a website, Rosa. I would buy some of those blue mugs--I need them for some blue dishes I have!
early morning
12-3-23, 12:30pm
And I think more than one of us would purchase trees and mushrooms, lol. Maybe SLF needs a "buy me" forum?!
iris lilies
12-3-23, 12:53pm
I like rosa’s little mushrooms, they’re very cute. I’m always attracted to mushrooms.
But Rosa doing mail order means she has to get into the whole shipping business and digital monies collection. I doubt she wants to do that.
Rose, I think the fact that you made $300 at a little church sale is really really great! A $25 table is a low entry point for a sales table.
I’m afraid next year I have to figure out a “low entry sales point” for iris rhizomes coming out of my garden, not because I need money, but because my small local iris society needs community engagement. I had a trial run last year where I dug, marked, bagged and listed iris to give to a friend who was planning a big iris garden. I would only have to add to that process pictures printed by Walgreens and a simple display method. I may try a local farmers market or two. I am so NOT looking forward to this.
I think if I were in Rosa's shoes, I would actually enjoy doing a little shipping business, because then she could keep the inventory in the house low.
But she may feel as you do!
happystuff
12-3-23, 6:02pm
That's wonderful, rosa! I in the "it went well" corner! Congrats.
iris lilies
12-3-23, 6:40pm
I think if I were in Rosa's shoes, I would actually enjoy doing a little shipping business, because then she could keep the inventory in the house low.
But she may feel as you do!
during Covid, I sold many books and little bit of jewelry on Ebay, things easy to ship. Personally, I wouldn’t want to deal with breakables.
when I order any piece of pottery, I hold my breath until it gets here safely. Last year I splurged on two expensive pieces this time of year, but I told the potter to hold the pieces until the Christmas shipping crunch was over.
rosarugosa
12-4-23, 7:41am
Thanks for the positive feedback folks. IL is right on target.
This was shared by our pottery group yesterday. It's a 5 minute skit from SNL about pottery. I laughed so hard I cried!
https://youtu.be/Kw5A2Es8SLw?si=vZv6tQVyZ05NZ-kA
happystuff
12-4-23, 10:51am
So funny, rr!!!
iris lilies
12-4-23, 12:08pm
That SNL clip was funny! There is some truth in it, ya gotta admit.
rosarugosa
12-5-23, 7:28am
That SNL clip was funny! There is some truth in it, ya gotta admit.
A lot of truth - that's what makes it so funny!
rosarugosa
6-30-24, 6:33am
Here are a couple of my recent class projects.
The mushroom was supposed to be a footed fruit bowl, but then it seemed to want to be a mushroom, but the stem was too thick, so it decided to be a fairy house for the garden. I also dropped it on its head during construction, so I was pretty amazed to end up with something that I actually liked at the end. I had been kinda thinking it was cursed.
The owl was supposed to be a bunny - epic fail - which was looking like a large potato and nothing at all like a bunny. Determined to have something to show for my efforts, I hit on the idea of an owl as something accessible for the non-sculpturally inclined.
The next two months with be a class dedicated solely to sculpture, so this should be interesting!
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iris lilies
6-30-24, 7:39am
Fairy house or toad house, I like it.
rosa, I'd call that a magnificent set of "saves". Art evolves into itself sometimes.
I agree with nswef. I like the owl!
rosarugosa
10-13-24, 7:36am
I haven't shared any pottery pictures for awhile, so here goes. The heads were made in the sculpture class, and they were a lot of fun. I think I will make more. I love making things that can be used as planters or are plant related. The ornaments were made specifically for selling at these local fairs. Our town is locally famous for its "Route One kitsch," so these are a nod to some of the more iconic images. I hope they will be popular, since I personally have no use for 49 orange dinosaur ornaments! We are also working on some town-themed mugs, and I have some more townie ornament ideas for next year if these go over well.
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happystuff
10-13-24, 9:17am
All so cute! Love the faces! Just a question... I didn't see any holes to run string to hang the ornaments. Are they not those types of ornaments? Or used some other way?
(While the dinosaurs are cute, I like the cactus. LOL)
rosarugosa
10-13-24, 10:41am
Happy, they have little wire rings at the top for hanging. The wire is dark so it doesn't show up in the picture against the dark background. It's funny that you prefer the cactuses, because those are the ones I'm the least satisfied with. Hopefully others will like them too. This is the original inspiration in the picture, so I feel like I need to do something with a sign in the middle with the zigzag edges.
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happystuff
10-13-24, 5:03pm
Happy, they have little wire rings at the top for hanging. The wire is dark so it doesn't show up in the picture against the dark background. It's funny that you prefer the cactuses, because those are the ones I'm the least satisfied with. Hopefully others will like them too. This is the original inspiration in the picture, so I feel like I need to do something with a sign in the middle with the zigzag edges.
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Very nice, rr. I hope you do well at the sale, even if a little one.
rosarugosa
11-13-24, 8:39am
I'm so happy with the result on this one. Not only relieved that top did not fuse to the bottom (a common issue), but I'm really pleased with the color and texture. I think I would like to make more of these.
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I'm so happy with the result on this one. Not only relieved that top did not fuse to the bottom (a common issue), but I'm really pleased with the color and texture. I think I would like to make more of these.
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I love this!
iris lilies
11-13-24, 9:48am
Pretty little box! I really like it!
happystuff
11-13-24, 2:14pm
That is lovely! I love the color as well.
rosarugosa
12-8-24, 9:36am
We did great at our sale yesterday. We sold $881. in pottery, and more than half of that was from my Route One collection! I had done a few posts on our town FB pages, and a lot of people told me they came to the fair specifically for my orange dinosaurs, so that was good for us and I was happy that I helped drive traffic to the event in general.
We had paid a $40 table fee, and we did have some other significant expenses: fudge, more fudge, chocolate cherries, caramels, other caramels, raffle tickets, etc. You get the idea. BUT, DH won the best raffle prize, which was a wreath of gift cards totalling just about $700! He was so excited! We won't be able to use all of them, but there were $75 in visa cards, $50 in Amazon, $50 for Home Depot, $30 for Target, $20 for Stop & Shop, so still an excellent score that more than made up for our fair-related spending. It was a very successful day overall!
iris lilies
12-8-24, 10:00am
Wow what a day! Good show.
We did great at our sale yesterday. We sold $881. in pottery, and more than half of that was from my Route One collection! I had done a few posts on our town FB pages, and a lot of people told me they came to the fair specifically for my orange dinosaurs, so that was good for us and I was happy that I helped drive traffic to the event in general.
We had paid a $40 table fee, and we did have some other significant expenses: fudge, more fudge, chocolate cherries, caramels, other caramels, raffle tickets, etc. You get the idea. BUT, DH won the best raffle prize, which was a wreath of gift cards totalling just about $700! He was so excited! We won't be able to use all of them, but there were $75 in visa cards, $50 in Amazon, $50 for Home Depot, $30 for Target, $20 for Stop & Shop, so still an excellent score that more than made up for our fair-related spending. It was a very successful day overall!
You might be able to use some of those gift cards for gifts at Christmas or otherwise give away, I assume. Why can’t you use them all?
happystuff
12-8-24, 5:42pm
Wow! That WAS a great day, rr! Congrats to dh! And I'm with Tradd - you should use them all! Even if some are used as gifts to other people, that means you are still using them!
rosarugosa
12-9-24, 7:26am
There are a couple that are for online gaming systems, so we were going to offer them to the kids who live across the street. There are some for McDonald's, and we were going to give them to our broke friend who loves McD's. There are some for Dunk's and we were going to give them to our friend who is also Mom's caregiver, since she love's Dunk's. There is one for a kid's adventure park, and we're going to offer it to the fair organizer who had a little boy who seems the right age for that type of thing.
So basically we won't let any of them go to waste, but some are for businesses that we just don't patronize, so we won't be using them personally. It's fun to share the bounty though.
There are a couple that are for online gaming systems, so we were going to offer them to the kids who live across the street. There are some for McDonald's, and we were going to give them to our broke friend who loves McD's. There are some for Dunk's and we were going to give them to our friend who is also Mom's caregiver, since she love's Dunk's. There is one for a kid's adventure park, and we're going to offer it to the fair organizer who had a little boy who seems the right age for that type of thing.
So basically we won't let any of them go to waste, but some are for businesses that we just don't patronize, so we won't be using them personally. It's fun to share the bounty though.
what fun--you get to play Santa, too!
happystuff
12-9-24, 10:29am
And I'm sure the folks you share with will greatly appreciate!
rosarugosa
12-11-24, 7:52am
So this has been funny and unexpected. I've been getting inquiries on FB and Messenger, "Are you the woman with the orange dinosaurs? I need an orange dinosaur!" I've done an additional $150 in sales since the fair. It's also neat that people are so delighted by them, and talk about how these route 1 icons tie into fond childhood memories, so we are making people happy too!
We made more $$ at this one fair than our three prior fairs together, so I think next year we might be choosier about our fairs. We've already reserved a table for this one in 2025, but there is a Founders' Day Fair in September that gets loads of foot traffic, and I think we would do very well with our town-themed items there. I also have some ideas for additional items and variations to keep it interesting. I'm going to get started making items next month so as not to feel pressured at the end of the year, and we need to keep a balance between production items and doing projects that are just fun and creative and build our skills.
iris lilies
12-11-24, 9:05am
You have really hit on something creative there, tree ornaments that reference the roadside kitsch of your region?
rosarugosa
6-22-25, 7:07am
DH and I collaborated on this one. He made the plate, and I glazed it using the "Frozen Pond Technique" developed by a potter named Kathy McGuire. He also made a large bowl that I've glazed the same way, but it hasn't come back from glaze firing yet. I'm really happy with the plate.
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happystuff
6-22-25, 7:29am
Beautiful, rr!
iris lilies
6-22-25, 8:13am
Rosa, that’s so pretty. Blue and white is classic. it looks like my 100-year-old Victorian flow blue plates.
Oh, wow, that is beautiful! And the colors are amazing!
ToomuchStuff
6-22-25, 3:58pm
Love to actually watch that technique. Do you get an idea of what it will look like before firing, or is it more of a surprise and the idea comes from experience?
rosarugosa
6-23-25, 6:27am
TMS: I have seen many pics online in my FB pottery groups, so I knew how I hoped it would come out (and it did). There is a recipe, and you can do it with various color combos. This one was:
3 coats of Amaco brand Obsidian
2 coats of dots of Mayco brand Running Hot Chowder
2 coats of Amaco brand Indigo Float
All of the Frozen Pond recipes involve the dots of Running Hot Chowder. That's what makes the dots kind of flowy. Certain glazes encourage running or movement of glazes, and if one used a stable, non-running glaze instead of the RHC, it would have come out with just polka dots.
littlebittybobby
7-1-25, 1:27am
okay---real nice. I sure would liketa do some pottery, but i am waaay too busy fighting off Zurra vegetation, and working on my oooold Packard. Plus, caring for my petts. So yeah---my time schedule is full up. Yup.
littlebittybobby
7-5-25, 5:02pm
okay----here's a buncha them Kenn-O-dees. (see photo) This is their annual family wing-ding. First one is where they're assembled at Base Camp, in Hyannis Port. Second photo is the K-Clan nearing the summit o' Big E. Hope that helps you some.64236424
Here is the matching bowl we made. I call it the Big, Beautiful Bowl. :laff:
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iris lilies
7-6-25, 8:45am
Here is the matching bowl we made. I call it the Big, Beautiful Bowl. :laff:
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haha!
Love the blues of that bowl!
happystuff
7-6-25, 12:18pm
That is beautiful! In the picture, it has such a vibrant shimmer to it!
Thanks, we were really pleased with it.
Beautiful, rosa!! I love your Big Beautiful Bowl!
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