Wednesday 13 February 2019

Wednesday

Good morning.  It looks as if it might be another really pleasant day today, weather wise.  The sky looks pretty clear and it looks 'bright', if you know what I mean.

Good news for me:  I got an email yesterday letting me know that my application for a Disabled Persons Railcard has been approved and it's in the first class post.  That was impressively quick; I only posted the request off on Sunday afternoon.  It might even arrive today.
I must plan a jolly using it for next week as it's half term so no tuition to get back for - very little tuition anyway.

Pottery update:
I neatened up around mousehog's eyes and it's in the kiln again - forgot to take a photo, sorry.  I will, I promise.  A good laugh is always a pleasant thing! 

The leaf glazed OK . . .


. . . but not perfectly -  there were a few white-ish patches around the edge so Alex (tutor) helped me re-glaze those patches and that's also back in the kiln.  I now know that dabbing is better than painting, more like stencilling.  I'm really pleased with it though and I'm sure it will look great.  I think I need to get some stick on felt spots to give it some 'grip' underneath.  Also, I quite fancy making some coasters at some point and some felt underneath those would be essential.

I finished the first part of the coil pot and now it's drying before I can neaten it all up.  It's not great but I enjoyed starting to learn the technique and it will suffice as a pencil pot - unless I can't handle it looking (leering?) at me all the time. Also, the sides are very - er - undulating, and that might bug me.
See what I mean?


Detail of the top.  It will look better once I have smoothed it all off.


And Alex thought the buttons a great idea when I explained what they were for so I punched out eight butterflies and they will also be finished off next time before firing and glazing.


Sadly, next time does not equal next week.  It's half term.  Never thought I would be sad about half term!  However, that gives me a day for a jolly (with my new rail card, maybe) somewhere which is nice.

The rest of the day passed pleasantly, so all in all it was another super day.

Today I will be off out to have lunch with Val and I'm looking forward to that very much.  Val is an old friend who used to keep an eye out for my two after school when they were younger but had moved on from Primary when they could usually stay with me in school until I could go home.  She lived just down the road from me so it was very handy and I was very grateful to her.  Since then she and Mike have moved away and we recently got back in touch again - there's time now that we're both retired and have a bit more time for fun things.  Our get togethers have settled to once a month and I shall take my diary with me so we can fix the next one today.

Apart from that, there's just a spot of tuition so it's going to be a very pleasant day indeed.
I do appreciate how fortunate I am, I truly do.

Have a great day yourself too.
xx


14 comments:

  1. Your leaf is really beautiful, Joy - I actually like the paler patches. Well done indeed, considering you're a beginner it's fantastic. Your day sounds lovely, enjoy your lunch.

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    1. They look better on the photo than they do in reality, I think. Thank you so much - I am very happy with it. An encouraging beginning.
      xx

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  2. What an interesting coil pot, it would never have occurred to me to decorate it with more coils, love the plait! The leaf is going to look great, glazing is quite tricky isn't it, first I thought it was just a matter of slapping a bit of paint on, but no, it has a life of its own!

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    1. Aw, thanks. That was my own idea and I just hope they don't fall off!!!
      I'm beginning to realise the same and yes, I thought it was just a question of a quick paint over too. If only . . .
      xxx

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  3. Love your pottery.Isn't is great to be able to say Life is Good.Enjoy your day.

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    1. It really is lovely, I agree. You have a great day too, thanks.
      xx

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  4. Sounds like you are having a lot of fun - I bet you can't wait to bring the leaf home and display it. It is rather lovely and doesn't the glaze make such a difference to what you make. I always put felt dots onto all my ornaments and things - even the bottom of candle votives so they can never scratch or burn my surfaces.

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    1. I'm having loads of fun, loving every session so much. I wish they were longer. Never has two and a half hours gone so quickly.
      xx

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  5. It seems you're busy in the best possible way. I love your coil pot. If everything was absolutely perfect it would look like it was made in a factory. The little bit of wobble gives it charm. I'm wondering what kind of glaze you will use? Have a wonderful lunch with your old friend Val.

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    1. I haven't thought that far yet. Maybe something oatmeal-ish or maybe a sort of peachy- apricotty colour to match the walls. Must have a look at the samples in a fortnight.
      It was a delicious lunch, thanks, and we had such a good chat.
      xx

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  6. I love the leaf dish. I can't get a sense of scale from the photo, so wonder how big it is. Looking forward to seeing the revamped mousehog!

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    1. It's about life sized. I'll measure it next class.
      xx

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