GEP

This is a personal project for my house. I recently switched to using bar soap and bar shampoo, in an effort to reduce my plastic bottle consumption. I was using a soap dish I had made years ago, but soon discovered that it was not well-suited for an environment as wet as a shower. I made myself a new soap dish that is designed to shed excess water onto the shower floor. This concept is not original to me, I've seen photos of other handmade pottery self-draining soap dishes. But mine is the first wheel-thrown version that I've seen.

This is a personal project for my house. I recently switched to using bar soap and bar shampoo, in an effort to reduce my plastic bottle consumption. I was using a soap dish I had made years ago, but soon discovered that it was not well-suited for an environment as wet as a shower. I made myself a new soap dish that is designed to shed excess water onto the shower floor. This concept is not original to me, I've seen photos of other handmade pottery self-draining soap dishes. But mine is the first wheel-thrown version that I've seen.

My county will still be in phase 1 of reopening for a few more weeks, even though the rest of my state (MD) is moving into phase 2. My county (plus one other) is where most of the cases in my state are. I am still staying home except for really important things. Businesses here have adapted and complied very well, so going out feels safe, but only because things are so restricted. For example, I needed some car maintenance last week, the shop was by appointment only and they were only taking one customer per hour. I was the only customer in the shop, and was still asked to stay six feet away from the employees. He disinfected a pen for me before I used it. 
I went for a long walk through my neighborhood including a popular park this weekend, and every single person was wearing a mask. We are not required to wear them for outdoor exercise, but most people do anyways. I’m grateful for that. 
I am troubled about all the huge protests that took place this week in DC. Not because of the meaning of the protests, the spirit of them is long overdue. But because we will either end up in lockdown for longer than we would have been, or we will discover that we didn’t need to cancel all the summer festivals. 
As for the pottery business, I am still making, and planning some more “free home delivery” events for the summer. And I am conceding that I need to (gasp) do some online selling too, which I am planning to do on a very limited basis. 

This is a personal project for my house. I recently switched to using bar soap and bar shampoo, in an effort to reduce my plastic bottle consumption. I was using a soap dish I had made years ago, but soon discovered that it was not well-suited for an environment as wet as a shower. I made myself a new soap dish that is designed to shed excess water onto the shower floor. This concept is not original to me, I've seen photos of other handmade pottery self-draining soap dishes. But mine is the first wheel-thrown version that I've seen.

A sugar jar from last fall, but playing with photo editing. 

Today, on my workbench, is pot #1 of 3. Formed around a flower bucket, wrapped with bubble-wrap.  
 

My county will still be in phase 1 of reopening for a few more weeks, even though the rest of my state (MD) is moving into phase 2. My county (plus one other) is where most of the cases in my state are. I am still staying home except for really important things. Businesses here have adapted and complied very well, so going out feels safe, but only because things are so restricted. For example, I needed some car maintenance last week, the shop was by appointment only and they were only taking one customer per hour. I was the only customer in the shop, and was still asked to stay six feet away from the employees. He disinfected a pen for me before I used it. 
I went for a long walk through my neighborhood including a popular park this weekend, and every single person was wearing a mask. We are not required to wear them for outdoor exercise, but most people do anyways. I’m grateful for that. 
I am troubled about all the huge protests that took place this week in DC. Not because of the meaning of the protests, the spirit of them is long overdue. But because we will either end up in lockdown for longer than we would have been, or we will discover that we didn’t need to cancel all the summer festivals. 
As for the pottery business, I am still making, and planning some more “free home delivery” events for the summer. And I am conceding that I need to (gasp) do some online selling too, which I am planning to do on a very limited basis. 

My county will still be in phase 1 of reopening for a few more weeks, even though the rest of my state (MD) is moving into phase 2. My county (plus one other) is where most of the cases in my state are. I am still staying home except for really important things. Businesses here have adapted and complied very well, so going out feels safe, but only because things are so restricted. For example, I needed some car maintenance last week, the shop was by appointment only and they were only taking one customer per hour. I was the only customer in the shop, and was still asked to stay six feet away from the employees. He disinfected a pen for me before I used it. 
I went for a long walk through my neighborhood including a popular park this weekend, and every single person was wearing a mask. We are not required to wear them for outdoor exercise, but most people do anyways. I’m grateful for that. 
I am troubled about all the huge protests that took place this week in DC. Not because of the meaning of the protests, the spirit of them is long overdue. But because we will either end up in lockdown for longer than we would have been, or we will discover that we didn’t need to cancel all the summer festivals. 
As for the pottery business, I am still making, and planning some more “free home delivery” events for the summer. And I am conceding that I need to (gasp) do some online selling too, which I am planning to do on a very limited basis. 

Silly or stupid-its a toss up
lets see back in art school early 70s -well lets call him Ed (to protect the stupid) stacked the 36 cubic Alpine with bisque ware one late afternoon and started a candle falme on kiln and left-I was throwing late after after a few hours we all heard a huge Kabam sound and dust shot out of kiln room in huge clouds. What the heck we all slowly went it to see what that cpould have been???
Seems Ed did not know about lining up all the posts on top of each other on shelves-he just put them where he felt like and the whole load collapsed to the floor taking out all the greenware-all 26 cubic feet of it.Many people where not happy with Ed after that.
Lets move forward about 5 years and Ed was firing his 1st homemade catanary  arch kiln-it was propane-he had trouble lighting it-has the gas on and then turned it off and went for more matches-started the burners again and Kabam as the kiln had lots of heavy propane still trapped in foor area it went off like a bomb. The arch went up -he was crouched to the side  and was knocked away of front wall as both front and rear walls blew out and arch came down in pieces-a complete loss of wares and kiln. He was ok but shaken.I was about 25 feet away at the time.
Fast forward about two more years 
Ed called me to see if I was interested in buying all his stuff which I did at that time.I figure I saved many many  a pots from destruction getting Ed out of clay .
Never heard from Ed again but if you hear a huge Kabam sound he may  around still.

I am working on communion sets, and today is glazing on these chalices. Same number of patens will be fired also in this load.
 
best,
Pres

I think your instincts here are valid. Wait to see what happens to them first. 

All of my shows are juried, and they all involve a jury fee. Except for one that is very casual. 
I’ve gotten all but one of my booth fees returned, but none of my jury fees. For me a jury fee typically ranges from $25 to $50, so I’m not worried about it. The one show that didn’t refund is letting me apply the whole booth fee to their 2021 show, which I also think is fair. 

I think your instincts here are valid. Wait to see what happens to them first. 

I think your instincts here are valid. Wait to see what happens to them first. 

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

I picked some asparagus Sunday and mixed it with some tulips in a bouquet for my mother in-law.    She lives in a senior living facility,  they have sheltered in for 8 weeks now and not allowed any visitors.   The food is alright but they haven't had any asparagus on the menu since she moved in 6 months ago,  she loves it raw or cooked.   We watched the staff from our car gather the items to be delivered to her,  they noticed the asparagus bouquet and got the strangest looks on their faces.   She called us later and was bursting with joy over her unusual bouquet.   She is 97 and everyone thinks of her as their mother so she had received lot of candy and flowers.  She said the asparagus was the best present she had received in a long time.     Denice

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

I mentioned in another thread a few days ago that I would be attempting to throw an extra-large planter for my patio. Here it is so far. This was a combination of throwing and coil building. 25 lbs of clay total. It is currently 17.5 inches across and 10 inches tall. No guarantees it will make it through the rest of the process. 

Cinnamon buns for my family, just out the oven, vanilla icing when cooled a bit. Mug of tea for me (in one of my mugs).

 

It’s not food, but I did make them in my kitchen. I have trouble buying lip balm in stores, because these days they all contain ingredients that make me itchy (shea butter, aloe vera, menthol). Why can’t I buy a basic mixture of beeswax and coconut oil? Now I know why, because it is way too easy and cheap to make it yourself. The store brands need to add fancy ingredients so they can charge $3.99. These tubes cost me about 25 cents each.

It’s not food, but I did make them in my kitchen. I have trouble buying lip balm in stores, because these days they all contain ingredients that make me itchy (shea butter, aloe vera, menthol). Why can’t I buy a basic mixture of beeswax and coconut oil? Now I know why, because it is way too easy and cheap to make it yourself. The store brands need to add fancy ingredients so they can charge $3.99. These tubes cost me about 25 cents each.

It’s a simple 1:1 ratio.
25g beeswax + 25g coconut oil = 10 tubes of lip balm. I borrowed my digital scale from the pottery studio.  I melted the ingredients in the microwave in 30 second increments. I used a glass measuring cup, it got warm in the microwave and kept the wax mixture melted longer.
Nah, I’d be worried about them melting while in transit.