Yes, we knew it was only a matter of time …
I went to dig out my glaze making supplies. What a horror! The whole shed had been infested with mice over the winter (great vacation spot) and the lids of all of my plastic bins were just YUK! Enough to make you want to throw up. But, I didn’t. I just called in the calvary (St. Gary to the rescuse!). We pulled out all of the bins, and scrubbed, and scrubbed. Luckily all of the bags of dry ingredients weren’t compromised (just not very tasty I assume). Then there was the general discussion about where the bins would go next — should we buy another of those plastic sheds (we had one at the other studio, and the mice didn’t seem too interested in it), should we get the thingy’s people use on their decks, or the thingy’s people use to store their garbage, etc., etc. All of this while looking at the 42 x 62 shop which St. Gary had claimed for himself.

The beginning of a glaze area …
Not any more! Poor Mr. Mac … the takeover has begun … and it’s so exciting! I’ll be able to make glazes just about all year long, which will be a great improvement. I’ve managed to get by with making glazes two or three times a year, which turns glaze making into a HUGE production. You spend the last months scraping the bottom of the buckets and hoping for the best — but now I’ll be able to skip out and put glazes together rain or shine, even if it’s a little chilly too. This may turn me into a glaze monster. I certainly have all of the stuff to do lots of experimentation.
So I’m covered in muck! Using a giant paint blender to mix the glazes and I look like I’m ready for the fire myself! Good thing I wore my old stuff … (yes, splish, splash!)

Ice cream break …
And, I’m back into production (sort of). Have to take ice-cream breaks of course … It wouldn’t be summer without the occasional ice-cream break, and a swim at the beach. Have to tell you, this weather is KILLER. Who wants to be in a basement throwing mugs when there’s so much sunshine? I’m alternating between half-hour stints in the studio, and half-hour stints on the swing in the front garden. I think I may actually be getting a tan!
What else is happening? Getting through all of the white clay … have a design for cheese trays and such (that’s been soooo much fun), producing massive amounts of tea bowls and mugs for the Fall, and getting ready to get back into the black clay and TEAPOTS! I have designs visions dancing in my head … the teapots are my reward for making it through the mugs!
Got to get back to work … glad it’s only Monday!
Be well,
Susan McD