GEP
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Everything posted by GEP
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I use terry cloth towels. Mostly hand towels while throwing. I wash my hands in the throwing water bucket, dry off with a throwing towel. Then finish washing my hands in the sink, drying off on a “clean” towel next to the sink. When glazing, I wrap a bath towel around my waist. Because like @LeeU I cannot resist wiping my hands on my pants. Glazing seems to require much more hand wiping than anything else. When pulling handles, I wear a terry cloth wrist band to stop water dripping down to my elbow. I tried @Callie Beller Diesel‘s method but it didn’t help. For me, the water doesn’t drip down my arm during the pulling phase. It drips during the phase when I shape the handle and attach the bottom end. Because for that move I hold the mug up at eye level > arms now angled upward > water runs down arm rather than off the hands into bucket. All of my studio towels and wristbands get taken down to a neighborhood laundromat, rather than my home laundry machines. It’s one of those big ones that is open 24/7. I figure their drains can handle a lot more than my house can. -
In the photo of my hands, you can see in the lower right corner, the coffee grinder that my iPad was perched atop.
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Ok here are my hands. They are dirty this morning from yardwork, not pottery. Gnarly cuticles, bulging veins, and I’m always nursing some cuts and scrapes.
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Speaking of hands, has anyone else here ever had to be fingerprinted? I had to give fingerprints when I was hired to teach at a community center. The person doing it had a terrible time getting prints from my worn down fingertips. I have a potter friend who has a high security job. Her company is trying to install electronic fingerprint readers in their office, and she’s having a tough time using them. Just think of the crimes we potters could get away with.
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This is my favorite and most important scheduling tool: a wall calendar that displays the entire year at a glance, and can be written on with a dry erase pen. I plan out about 2 months worth of days in advance, then stick to my plan as close as possible. It takes an emergency to make me ignore my plan. If I don’t stick to it, I will arrive at shows feeling underprepared, and I hate that! The shorthand you see (1a thru 1d, 2a thru 2d) refers to to-do lists that I keep in a notebook. Each to-do list produces about $1250 worth of pots. So when I apply for and get accepted into a show, before I commit to it I will make sure I have enough days to produce the necessary amount of inventory. If yes, then I will commit to the show and schedule the days of production. This way, I am always fully stocked. But I avoid overstocking myself which I consider wasted energy. As you can see, I give myself regular days off, usually two in a row but sometimes three. I need these days out of the studio to let my sore muscles recover. Often, one of those off days will be spent working, just not in the studio. This is when I get my computer stuff done (bookkeeping, bill paying, writing blog posts, writing email campaigns, making hang tags, photographing my work, website updates, etc.) So that means I get one day “off” but that’s enough. Today 6/26 which is a day off. Tomorrow I start another round of glazing. And then I reach the end of my currently scheduled days. I have a completely unscheduled week 7/1 thru 7/7. Weird feeling! I will probably schedule those days as “video days” because I don’t need more pots for the three shows coming up in July. When I get near the end of my July shows, I will plan out all the days until my three October shows. Then follow the plan.
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- scheduling
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The phrase I learned in college is “energy breeds energy.” This is along the lines of what Magnolia and Callie are saying. Such a short phrase but it made a huge difference for me going forward out of college. I still say it to myself all the time. Creative work requires an immense amount of energy. So many acts of initiative. Many people underestimate that, thinking something so “fun” shouldn’t require effort. Putting energy into any task creates momentum that makes it easier to generate energy the next day. Putting practice into skills makes those skills easier, which then require less energy, giving you free energy to spend on new initiatives. It multiplies over time. On the other hand, sitting around doing nothing leads to more sitting around doing nothing. This also multiplies over time. I guess the important crux of “energy breeds energy” is that the fuel needs to come from yourself, and shows you how to generate fuel.
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Thanks @neilestrick, I’ll make a waster for it tomorrow. I’ve experienced that snag/warp before when trying to fire something on its rim, and was worried this big footring would do the same thing.
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On my workbench today ... an experimental bowl with an exaggerated footring/pedestal. How the heck do I fire this thing, on a waster cookie?
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Elephants!
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The aggravating week continues. Now fedex has lost my shipment of custom-printed shopping bags. If they can’t find it, I won’t have time to get them reprinted before my next show.
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You mean they weren't headed overseas to G- knows where??? Huh...Fedex is getting its act together???
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Ack! My kiln with brand new elements just misfired. Now I have to wait until it cools down before I can start to investigate. Aggravation.
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if yours is an L&L i have relays that i never put in. you can get one right away. one of my neighbors works at NOAA in silver spring or bethesda or somewhere close to you. call me.
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No need, it’s not a time crunch situation. Thank you for the nice offer!
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This is the counterpart to my last suggested QoTW. Describe a day from your ceramics life that left you thinking "that was a bad day." We've all had them. Here's your chance to vent. Or confess. And others can commiserate, or forgive.
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Describe a day from your ceramics life that left you thinking "this was a really good day."
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If you could go back and start your ceramics journey from the beginning, would you do anything different this time?
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A message from Alice (oldlady) regarding Terry (Pugaboo)
"Terry Buffington, known to us as the vibrant Pugaboo, lost her husband on October 4 to a serious illness. He had been ill and hospitalized for several weeks. I know Terry would be glad to hear from her forum "family". I am sure we all feel part of her loss and would like to express those feelings to her."- Show previous comments 7 more
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So sorry to hear this sad news Terry, all our thoughts are with you.
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*hug* thoughts with you.
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Sending lots of hugs your way I am sorry you are having to go through this. Denice
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Driving to Chicago for a show this week. Any food suggestions for the northern Chicago suburbs? I will be in the Glencoe area.
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Kyoto sushi is really good! http://www.kyotoinwinnetka.com/ -- If you happen to be further north west at any time I always go to Himalayan when I am in the area! http://himalayanrestaurant.com/
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@aperhapshand Thanks, I love sushi!
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What do you listen to while working in the studio? Music, tv, talk radio, silence? (this one may have been done before, but it's the kind of question that newer users should get a chance to answer)
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Need Help Pricing A Sitter Kiln Model Lt-3K
GEP replied to larro11's topic in Equipment Use and Repair
Just fyi, buying and selling of goods/services is not allowed on this forum. However, if you post photos of the kiln, I'm sure some people will help you price it. -
Theyre all gorgeous but this one is my favorite. Stunning. -
Up to my ears in packing peanuts today. I hate peanuts. Actually, "hate" is not a strong enough word.
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I don't like peanuts, unless there edible.
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And roasted and covered in salt.
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Packing peanuts. >
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Spent the last two days cleaning the studio. Everything is shiny and smells like apple-scented Fabuloso. Today I spilled some glaze on the clean floor and was like "NOOOOOOOO!!"
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Mine looks like a bomb hit it. 2nd of 4 Christmas shows begins this Friday. All of them are out of my studio, so cleanup will come at the end.
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I would clean my studio, but ever since I joined the procrastinators club
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Guilt button Callie ??? My kiln controller doesn't seem to have one of those!
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Element changing day. All the pots that were underfired in my recent element faillure have been refired. A few ended up overfired, but most are ok, including the order of 10 plates (phew).
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times three.. Yay, Yay, and a Yay.
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That's good.
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May the force be with you on element changing day!
