Nov. 13th-20th in the Pottery Studio

I wasn't able to get much of my own work done this week. Instead I worked on some writing. Currently I'm rewriting a mystery set in Yellowstone. I met with my writer's group and they gave me some good ideas and caught some problems. I also attended the funeral of my husband's 90-year-old Uncle Dean. He was a really good man and it was nice to celebrate his long life with his family and friends. I also attended the wedding of our nephew. We added our well wishes to the beautiful couple who started a new journey in life. Wonderful to be a part of these family events. Beginnings and endings. As sometimes happens, I had to put my working schedule aside for much of the week. And the only work I did of my own was four little frogs. This is what they look like before they're fired.

This darling girl is scoring the legs of her reindeer. She is very creative and only six years old.

I use to teach her in a church class. Now she is all grown-up. It's fun to have her in my class. She also made a really great reindeer.

Happily working on a moose. You can see that he's going to be great. She added a head and formed the antlers.

Can you tell this is a potato, with melting cheese and butter? I think it's the first of its kind.

The workings of an airplane. He's applying a propeller.

He really found his niche is creating this dragon. Soon it will have scales and feet.

The whole class busy creating. It's fun to see that everyone makes something unique. Some turned their animals into banks, others cut holes in the top so they can put stuff in them. And some just left them as sculptures. If you do leave them as sculptures, make sure you put a whole in them to let air escape or they blow up in the firing process.

Really incredible bear. She made a baby one to go with it.

I had two classes in my studio this week. With the home-school group we made animal sculptures. We roll out slabs of clay and wrap balloons for the form, then add whatever additions needed to make the animals. The students were very successful. I'll be excited to see the final products.

In my Monday evening class, we worked on slab pottery also, but played around with textures. These dishes were rolled out about 1/4 " think stamped and pressed designs and then loosely placed in disposable bowls. After they are bisqued we'll glaze them so the designs really show up well.

Next week I hope to fire and continue getting ready for the Christmas events. And of course have Thanksgiving dinner.