Rae Reich

Five snowflakes, destined to become mobiles like this one.  Broke a piece off every single one of them between workbench and kiln. 
Slipped and sticked.
Let's see what the kiln gods can do with them.

Min that is similar to dishes I made for a friend of mine's daughter who had partial use of one arm.   My plate curved around more and eased into a rest for her hand, the family had asked for the built in rest.    I sold sets for several years to other families in the same situation,  I basically just covered cost.   My plate was based on a antique child's dish from England.   Denice

Prototype dinner plate for a disabled family member, she has partial use of one hand, paralyzed on the other side. Theory is she will be able to push her fork to the curved in back edge of the plate to keep the food on the fork. Front edge of plate is smooth and rounded over so she can rest her wrist either on that or the table.

It sounds like the time I was starting to pack  a dozen gourd shape vases with long thin necks to take to a gallery.  I had just started wrapping one when a big gust of wind and pressure pushed through my studio.   It sent my vases crashing into each other and on to the concrete floor.    I wasn't aware that my husband was replacing the seals on the back door,  he gave the door one big slam to see how the seals were working.  I only had one vase that remained intact.  I decide that this particular shape of vase wasn't good for gallery sales.   Denice

Sorry about that
but it did bring a wry smile to my face and memories of tools falling off a 20’ ladder near some formerly really nice finished wares.

Well, if you must know, I was filling a humidifier container from my utility sink, forgot to close the top off, tripped over my own feet, and--to keep myself from tipping over--quickly  set the thing down on the clear edge of the glazing table so I could free my hand to catch my balance, where  the unit wobbled over and crashed into the greenware, and then spilled water just to add insult to injury.  That is the sad story.  Oh well, no handmade Christmas candy dish for Aunt Ruthie. 

Love that angled cylinder one, beautiful

A few months ago I posted some WIP photos of clock designs that I was experimenting with. Here’s how they are turning out:

 

Great question. I was fortunate enough to take my work bench on the road to build a bench for a friend which went to sofa and sold  successfully for at least four figures. Loved her art and glad it sold! Feel good about the bench as it had to support at least three hundred pounds without deflection to crack any of her tiles. Fun project and success always makes the labor part forgettable. Picture of it going to its new owner attached.
December project (s)
Complete a couple glaze formulations to work well over heavy underglaze on  low expansion porcelain.  Test are going well and should be able to publish after the first of the year.
Additional December project was to get at least four basic throwing videos done for newbies in the studio. Three done so far so we will just keep plugging along.
last project was to begin creating a glaze workshop for the resident artist at the studio. Just beginning this one and have outlined it. Thus far I like the direction and content.
 

What makes the most sense of everything I read is it was a marketing move. Playing off words that use names in a generic way, like “peeping Tom” or “Jim-dandy” “Jolly Roger” etc. The “z” sound in lazy with the first “s” in susan just was pleasing to the ear of a marketing person. 
Seems the term was first published in a Vanity Fair advertisement for a “Revolving Server or Lazy Susan” in 1917. It was described as “An impossibly low wage for a good servant and the cleverest waitress in the world.”
From what I read they have been around since the 1700’s, when they were called whirling domestics or dumbwaiters.They were silent waiters hence the word “dumb”. Landowners who couldn’t afford enough servants used them to help with the serving. (this term went on to become the small freight elevator by that name) I spent way too much time reading about them today, got to the point where I felt I was going around in circles. 
 

Yeah, needs rewedged, or pugged, but is not ruined. Reworking starts by slashing off sides and reversing them inward 2" on the 6 sides. Then  re bag until next day or so.
 
 
 
best,
Pres

When clay freezes and then thaws, the water will often migrate toward the outer edges of the block, so get a block that is sloppy wet on the outside and stiff on the inside. It just takes wedging to get it back to normal, but that's more work. Better to avoid the freezing in the first place if at all possible.

I wish I had an economical way of preventing it, but it's gonna be in the 20s at night this week and even with a space heater going it sometimes isn't enough.  But I've got a trick up my sleeve for at least this cold snap...  I'm down to my last bits of clay and won't be able to drive down to Seattle pottery until probably after the new year... So take that mother nature! Hah!

Lee:
it has been a joy watching you develop your own "voice" over the last two years. Glad to see you reimagining the platter. Actually find the expression intriguing. Well done!!
Nerd

It's definitely more work to wedge, center and pull but it seems to take a beating really well.  Just finished throwing a couple 10 pound pots with the reclaim, it definitely needed a softer touch but good news is, it's still plenty plastic!

I am currently just making some personal holiday giftees. Pics are my view out the studio windows after it snows! (Landlord's construction yard, sitting below a ridge-lovely.)
 

Since my shed is so small, I have a space heater to keep things from freezing, the thermostat set to 40.  For when I'm actually out there and working I have a propane tank top heater.  The propane heater really kicks the heat out so I only run it for a few minutes at a time.

Wow, I struggle to keep my "studio" in the 50s even with a propane heater!  
One thing I have found very helpful is I picked up a little 2 quart crock pot for 7.99 at Target and I turn it on when I get home from work and it's darn near boiling by the time I get my kids in bed and am able to get out there.  I just top it off with some cold water and it's just about right.  I turn it off when I start throwing and it stays nice and warm for a few hours.

lee, what is the brand name of the clear panels you use as windows?   my tiny trailer in florida has a wonderful porch but its "windows" are a little thicker than saran wrap.  would love to keep the heat, (there is none out there) inside the porch.   last year the temps hovered in the low 60s for months and i was sort of stuck inside.   
the studio heater is ok but the space is not insulated well and the door has huge gaps all the way around it.   a thick, folded bath towel keeps the  wind under some control at the bottom of the  big doorway  but it still gets in at the edges.
the wv house is heated well by radiators, a separate zone for the studio.  the boiler, though, runs on  oil which is too expensive to make it all comfortable for the whole winter.  so i go away.  sitting here in the house with the thermostat set at 70, i am freezing and my nose is running.   you see why i leave?

I stop studio work on Christmas and take a 4-6 week mandatory break-work in office on tax prep.
My studio has a natural gas heater and can start up any time its needed.It does not freeze much around here only now and then.
I do not close for winter and usually do get back to work in Feb. depending on winter vacation trips.
Things slow down in winter except my grocery store sales keep on trucking so goods for them need to keep being produced . I often back stock most of that stuff so I always stay ahead of demand.

Yep--and for short stints, if you have electric,  a small table top ceramic heater or oil-filled radiator are good. Thin thermal gloves help, ear muffs, and really warm socks--makes a big difference. My studio is indoors, but my kiln room and more working space is outside, on a screen porch. It is 12 x 12 and houses my L&L 23s kiln, a 5' work table, spillover studio storage, and all kiln supplies, plus a tiny corner seating area.  I close the porch up in the winter with panels of restaurant patio vinyl rated for 40 below. My wonderul landlord had them built and installed.  The stuff is clear as glass (see the pic!), durable, and can be cleaned. They only make about a 20 degree difference from the outside temp but with the heater(s) I can actually work out there in the NH winter. 
 

My objective is to not write a book. What I'm attempting to explain is actually fairly simple, but the technical requirements need to be understood, first.

I have an old kiln log page that shows a radical jump to ^10++ and the notation TED GOES TO SLEEP 
Comiserations 

Haha yeah, my own dumb fault of course.  I was in reduction starting at cone 4, when I turned down the gas to soak it allowed more air to burn and the temperature went up.  It's always a good time for a lesson, that's what I say!

Oh great, there's no hope for me, I'm gonna have to do this til I die to catch up