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brains do funny things after you use the word never.... Never gonna take those pleaded for one of orders.... Off  to make one now.  A leaf shaped bowl to carry the wedding rings of my daughter's friends, oh,  I said you'd love to do it... Wedding in 2 weeks

Better get stuck into the Christmas ideas to lighten the load.

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Know it's late but what bits and bobs, spacefillers are you/did you make for Christmas sales?

I've been planning my next kiln load and there's about a half shelf of space left  - I'll make some large mugs to fill that space and that will do for me.

 

I started on them this afternoon but soon got interrupted - tomorrow will do, I have three weeks to get them ready.

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Ok, TJR's candle holder bowls are AMAZING!   I do really like them!  

 

If you live in a dry climate, you will find need of a Brown Sugar Saver.   I was at a sale last week and sold a bunch of them!  I use a red clay and simply bisque fire it.  Make them with a cookie cutter and impress a pattern in them.  

What is a brown sugar saver, might make a buttload if they sell well.

 

 

It is a clay disk, about an inch and a half in diameter, by about a quarter inch thick.  It is not fired to vitrification, so it's porous.  You soak it in water for about fifteen minutes, and pat it dry.  You put it in a container of brown sugar, so that it keeps the brown sugar from hardening.

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are these used with the same vigour as the sponge holders?

 

Oh ohh, another exciting topic begins......

 

Better yet . . . the next big "thing" for potters: an earthenware bisque block you soak in water, put in your clay bag and it prevents the clay from drying out!!! Or, put your wares on a soaked cookie to prevent it from drying out between classes!!! Make a few thousand, set up a booth at NCECA, and watch the hordes of tool junkie pottery fanatics descend upon your booth. Go home with millions. You can be the next Michael Sherrill/Bill Van Gilder/Dirty Girls/Dolan/Kemper with your own tool brand!!!

 

Seriously, think about the sugar saver as a gift to your customers . . . put your stamp on both sides, add "how to use" instructions, and place in each purchase. A nice way to say thanks, and build your customer base.

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Babs, it's the standard brown sugar (sugar with the molasses still in it).  I mainly use it for baking, but I understand people put it on breakfast cereal too.

 

I do not use a sugar saver, and honestly, mine stays just fine in its sealed container.  

 

But the idea of making some, and giving them away as customer gifts, is a great idea!  How high/ low would you fire them; 05, 06, lower?

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Another good use for the clay " sugar savers" ... Cheeses like cheddar and Parmesan get very hard and I keep a slightly damp paper towel in the bag to add a touch of humidity ... but small cheese shaped, bisqued clay thingies would be perfect. I'm off to make some ... THANKS for a solution to my problem.

Chopstick rests are also a great small item to add to small spaces in the kiln.

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Inspiring topic.. we are making some larger bowls for family.. we have 10 coffee cups and 2 mugs for people that asked for them, hope they like em LOL.. nice pictures everyone, "envy" fills my soul...

 

Insiring part to me was candle holders, im going to try to incorporate summer & X-mas together.. ok off to the wheel for now, maybe ill get lucky and have a pic to add later...

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I need to cut out the hole for the candle, best to do it now or when its leather hard?

 

The X-mas  Chimnea lol-- not to elegant I must  say but you get the idea...

Flare the top, sit a little dish in it, voila, oilwarmer and light! Leatherhard cutting, piercethe pot around the shoulder to help burning.

Bciske, too funny, as little pressies, great idea, star shaped, individual xmas pie warmers......... 

We really need all these things, future archeologists are going to wonder about us..

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Thanks for sharing photo's.

 

I've got those kids crunching on those cookie cutters.  Tree ornaments.   When I grouped up the trees last summer for a photo, I noticed how the 3 colors looked together.   The multi color are now the best selling color.   We just take those tipped bottles and squirt the red & holly green over the lime, pat with a sponge.    We also have Christmas plates with trees.

 

How about those Dawgs?   Everything paw print is blowing out.    Mississippi State University undefeated, #1 first ranked = sales.   A great marketing oportunity for Christmas gifts.   I do what I can, without infringing on trade marks.    Just doing paw prints on plates, ornaments,  and necklaces.  Some small dog bone necklaces and cow bell shaped ornaments that have a small paw print on them.

 

Christmas is coming on hard and fast this year.   Get your stuff out there.   Find a venue and have it there for gifts.  

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So... Many.... Egg separators....

 

Closely followed by spoon rests.

 

Third runner up are (oddly specific )mugs with trees on them. Any kind of mug. Any kind of tree. People around here have been losing their minds for all three of these items lately.

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I know what everybody wants for christmas. The ceramic bacon cooker  :lol: LOL. I am not sure how I happened upon this.

 

Bacon_Cooker.jpg

 

 

That's just so wrong, the bacon fat is for sauteeing the potatoes that are going into  the bacon and chip butty that isn't a bacon and chip butty cos it's a bacon and sauteed potato butty, (with some mushrooms sliced and fried and some freshly ground black pepper.

 

I know this because that's my breakfast you're messing with - I do have a relatively healthy glass of fresh orange juice with it.

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Well this certainly beats the sponge holder

Losing faith in the visions of potters

Must have been a hungry potter

At least there were no suggestions re putting coffee and water in the "mug" to be heated at the same time.

Hell, why not what withe flavours that coffees and teas come in. Those who love bacon flavoured icecream may just jump at this. Have seem Phillistines slurp coffee with a mouth ful of whatever, not at  my table, or not a thte same time I am sitting across from them..

Could be the demise of the sponge holder if carried a step or two further

Make a squeezer devise to place on top and you could do your juice at the same time....

I thought at first glance it was a pretty classy glaze effect..

Looks like a fairly high in iron glaze how does that fit with microwaves?

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Being lazy I shudder to think of the splattered mess that left behind in the microwave. The only miracle would be lifting that heated thingy out without spilling some ... a burn victim and another mess as it slops.

 

It's fun though to think of how this came to be .... Hmmm, if only my coffee mug had a deep saucer attached I would only dirty one dish at breakfast time.

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