Here we go again with the "Sorry I'm a Lousy Blogger" stuff (Unboxing a New Toy!)

Yeah.  Well.  Life Happens!

I'll skip the B.S. Apologies (particularly since I'm not even sure if anybody reads my crap regularly anyway!) and just dive right into the latest Adventure!

QT, the BQ-Ho, bought a brandy-new pellet grill!

I was at the SF Garden Show a couple of weeks ago - mostly looking for inspiration/motivation to get off my @$$ and get my garden ready for spring.  I was also doing "Reconnaissance Work" for me and P - since we are contemplating setting up a ceramic garden-art sales booth at this show, next year.

Turns out, the organizers of the show have taken significant steps to make the show *much* more Vendor-Friendly.  Now attendees actually have to walk through the vendor area before viewing the Display Gardens (and I believe they've lowered the cost for booth-space)...  

Before I get too rambly (HA!), I'll say that the "walk through the vendor space" was a very effective technique because - somehow or other - I ended up getting sucked-into a sales pitch from a Traeger Pellet-grill Rep!

Now everybody knows what a Ho I am, when it comes to good BBQ.  And I have shared some of my Smoking (Mis)Adventures on this very blog.  I'm still limping along with the Pedazo-de-mierda Brinkmann Electric Smoker (did a tri-tip a few weeks ago - came out "pretty okay" - but I mis-timed everything and the meat got cooked before the smoke even got started - ooooops!), but I think I'm about ready to "graduate" to something nicer.  And - much as I hated the "Last hot dog in the ballpark" sales spiel from the Traeger-dude - I did find myself very intrigued over the whole pellet-cooker idea.

Of course, I am not one to spend $400+ on a whim (Well, except for Stormageddon!) (Although it *did* take me a month to complete that Impulse Purchase!).  The Sales-Dude was really... "motivated" (yeah, that's the word!) to sell me a cooker.  Once he determined that my Price-Point was "CHEAP," he focused on trying to get me to buy the Jr. Elite model which is little-more than a tailgate smoker in size. And he kept throwing in "extras" to entice me to buy: Free grill cover!  Cookbook (srsly?!).  I'll even throw-in a 20# bag of pellets...

Long story short:  I didn't buy it.  I wanted something bigger - *and* I wanted to do more research.  

Researching pellet-smokers is kinda like stapling Jell-O to a tree.  Broad assortment.  Many different "features."  Huge price differences (with the general consensus being "You get what you pay for.").  Many websites were surfed.  Amazon (especially the customer reviews), AmazingRibs.com, Pelletheads.com, were some of the main ones.  There were others, I'm sure!  Pretty mind-boggling, to tellya the truth!

The general gist of  these pellet smokers is that you fill a hopper with hardwood cooking pellets (they look like rabbit food), and there is an auger assembly that feeds the pellets into the cooking chamber.  At the bottom of the cooking chamber is a burn pot which has a glow-plug and fan to ignite the pellets and keep them cooking.  There are also thermometers incorporated into the unit that create a feedback loop.  Basically, you dial-in the temperature you want, and the thermometer tells the auger to deliver more (or less) pellets to the cooker in order to maintain the desired temperature.

Kind-of / Almost "Set it and Forget it!"  Which is WAY better than having to constantly fuss, and add wood chunks, and hope it doesn't over-smoke, and oh-crap-need-to-soak-more-wood, and is it DONE yet?!

Some pellet smokers have less temperature control (Low-Med-Hi), some have what-are-called PID controllers which are supposed to dial-in temps even closer.  Hell, some have WiFi controls so that you can monitor (and even turn on/off) your cooker from your phone!  It seems that most of the "decent" smokers are gonna start in the $500 range, but you can easily spend thousands of dollars!

Yep.  Mind-boggling!

I ended up going with the Camp Chef PG24DLX - more than ample-enough for the two of us, but still large enough for a Pool-BQ party.  Beer-can chicken oughtta fit in there, just fine.  I bet I could even smoke a decent-sized turkey breast in there!

Some of the "features" that I liked about it were:

• It does have a dial-in temperature control (160 - 500*, in 25* increments).  It is not PID, however.
• It has a pellet-purge function
• Clean-out is pretty simple. Just pull a lever that "dumps" the ashes into a cup (so you don't have to completely disassemble the grill and suck-up ashes after every use).

Size and Price seemed about right.  Big, but not huge.  And under $600 (all-in - including shipping). Spendy, but (I hope) a worthwhile investment!

I bought it from OutdoorCooking.com.  Got a free custom grill-cover and shipping was quick and free (Not Amazon-Fast, but still very reasonable) - and I am very satisfied, so far!

Unboxing:

Man, I have never seen a FedEx driver deliver and disappear so quickly!  He had a huge hand-truck and was able to drop the package on our front step, banged on the door and ran like hell!  Had it been my UPS guy, I have no doubt he would've stuck around and been willing to drop the (very large/very bulky/very heavy) box in my backyard.  Ah well!

w00t!  My new smoker is here!

I grabbed our hand-truck and quickly discovered that it was too heavy/bulky for me to maneuver onto the hand-truck on my own (and Hubs was out of town on business).  I texted my neighbor - to no avail.  Then - realizing that at least the box was up *one* step - I figured that MAYBE I could wrestle it onto our flatbed cart.  Yay!  Success!

I got it to the backyard and waited til late afternoon to begin The Un-Boxing!!

Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into???

Actually, I have to say that this thing was *very* well-packaged, in heavy-duty cardboard and super-sturdy styrofoam.  The cool thing was - once you lifted-off the big upper box/lid, the inner-box (which was highly resistant to my box-cutter) actually doubled as a soft assembly surface.  I gave-up on slicing the cardboard at the corners and, instead, cut the tape that was holding the bottom-box together.  Once the tape was sliced, the box fell-down flat.  Well, it would have - had I decided to assemble it in a large unobstructed area!  Instead, it was leaning-up against my table-legs and trash bins!  I was able to maneuver it around a bit, so it was mostly flat.  But bottom-line: Excellent packaging by Camp Chef because assembling it on cardboard kept me from scratching the hell out of it!

It came with a good, well-written instruction manual.  I'm pleased to say that most of the assembly was "done" before I opened it.  I just had to install the legs, chimney, handle and right shelf.  Finding all of the pieces was kind of fun:  The legs were inside of the cooking chamber.  I didn't figure that out 'til I'd already laid it on it's back.  

She's got leeeeeggggs!

She knows how to use 'em....!

(Sorry - channeling ZZ-Top!)

Nah - all things considered, this was pretty Easy-Peasy to assemble and I did it all myself in less than an hour (with plenty of margarita breaks!).  

Ain't she purdy?!

So yeah - Easy to assemble.  Well packaged. Shipped quickly.  Free cover (sorry no photo of that yet - but it's awesome!).

And since I didn't want hubbie to feel left-out, I let him deal with all the cardboard and styrofoam! See how thoughtful I am?!!  Oh, and then he gets to go 'round and tighten all the nuts and bolts that my girly wrists couldn't tighten sufficiently!

Okay, I think that's enough for one day.  I'll post more - after I finish the "christening" of my new smoker (which is happening today - Right Now, in fact!)

A Shiny New Blog :-)

I find I don't yak nearly enough about my "attempts" at Ceramic Artistry over here.  This seems to be more of a Cooking and Gardening and Blathering Mindlessly about Nothing kinda blog!

I really do want to ramp-up the Ceramic Stuff though.  Make more.  Maybe sell some sh*t on Etsy (or something!), so I'm slowly trying to defibrillate my Alter-Ego, NanTiKi.  I've got a webpage (that really doesn't *do* anything!), NanTiKi and now I've decided that I want a Content-Only Blog (HEYYY!!!).

So, if you're even remotely interested in Ceramic Stuff, go take a look at my Other Blog, k?!

NanTiKiBlog.blogspot.com

I hope you enjoy! (And yes, I'm sure I'll still be blathering endlessly over here, too!).

xoxo

-QT (aka NanTiKi)

Damn this Crappy Weather!! (Plus Low-Sugar Apple Pie) (And Pig-Tale Link!)

:::sigh:::

Summer Weather is GONE (but I soaked-up literally every last minute of it!!!)

Am I ready for winter?  Oh HELL no!  But Rent-A-Son Services is (hopefully) coming over this weekend to help me "put the yard away."

How 'bout all those other Wild-@ss Ideas you've been yammering about?!

Is Laundry caught-up?

Green Tomato Relish?  Uhhhmmm, no! But the tomatoes *did* ripen - all on their own even! - so I might still whip out one more batch o' Tomato Bisque.

Cranberry Apple Chutney?  Still have the ingredients - but no, I haven't made it yet.

How 'bout that Apple Pie?

Apples - mostly from my tree, but some are from the Farm-Share

As a matter of fact...  I DID bake a pie today (Yay!!!)

Funny thing, those apples...  I planted an espaliered grafted tree with 6 different varieties of apples, several years ago.  Lost the individual "tags" the first year (so I have NO clue which variety is what).  Then we built the greenhouse directly in front of the tree and I always FORGET that there are apples to harvest (Ooooops!).  As usual, most ended up rotting on the ground, but I did harvest a sizable basket's worth (Yay me!)...

Soooo I Googled a bit, and made a mental note of all the necessary ingredients, and this is what I came up with:

QT's Low-Sugar Apple Pie
Yields 1 @ 9" deep-dish pie

Ingredients

• 8 cups peeled, cored apples (assorted varieties) (~3 lbs)
• 2 TBS lemon juice (bottled is fine)
• 3/4 cup C&H Light (50/50 Cane Sugar and Stevia)
• 2 heaping TBS Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
• 1/8 cup all-purpose flour (I think I might bump that up to 1/4 cup next time)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 egg-white
• 2 pie crusts suitable for a 9" deep-dish pie
• 1-2 TBS butter

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425* and pull your crusts out to thaw (if you're a cheater like me!)
2. Whip out the W-A-D - or you can peel/core the Old Fashioned Way (I love my Peeler/Corer Gizmo)
3. Chop the apples into apple-pie sized chunks and toss 'em in a bowl, sprinkling lemon juice as you go (to keep 'em from browning).  Keep peeling/coring/chopping apples 'til you have appx 8 cups.
4. Add your sweeteners, spices and flour to the chopped apples and toss 'til everything is covered.
5. Fill the bottom crust with sweetened apple spice mixture.  It's okay to heap the fruit up to appx 1" above the crust edge (the apples will shrink during cooking).
6. Put a few blorps of butter on top of the fruit.  
7. Dampen the edges of the crust with a wet finger.  Add your top crust, cut off any excess and pinch the two crusts together.
8. Mix the egg-white with a little water and brush the top crust lightly (so you get a nice shiny crust).  Optional: Add coarse granulated sugar crystals.
9. Cut vent holes/slits in the top crust
10. Place pie in your pre-heated oven.  Be smart and put a foil-lined big-pan underneath it (it will gooze a bit!).
11. Cook for 10 minutes @ 425*, then reduce heat to 375* and continue to cook for appx 30-45 minutes or until golden brown (I was using my convection oven and it took a lot longer than anticipated)

Pie is delectably delicious - although a bit runny (and therefore not photo-worthy!)

In other News (Random Rambliness!):

Project Pork:  I have a full freezer!  And Finny has posted the Final-Final Piggy Update here - including pictures of Spreckles and her SCARY-NEAT Chestie Freezer (No, I will *not* be posting pictures of OUR freezer!).  We still haven't sampled Spreckles - but I found a tasty-looking glazed pork chop recipe that I am eager to try...  Maybe tomorrow - and if it's tasty, I'll share!

Psoriasis Woes: Have returned with a vengeance.  Not sure what to attribute that to (Unfortunately, that blows my theory of cannabis-based topicals being a panacea), but I'm back to using steroid creams (Hate 'em!), and still take Humira (Abso-f**king-lutely DETEST that sh*t!).  I'm actually pretty convinced that "what I've got" is far more insidious than "just" psoriasis (and "just" diabetes).  I think there is something hormonal and/or metabolic at work here - and some of my Googling leads me to believe that my theory MAY pan out.

I'm going to see my endocrinologist in a couple of weeks.  Of all of my doctors, she is the ONLY one I can have an intelligent dialogue with, and I'm "pretty sure" she'd be open to discussing it further and exploring other options (although her initial response - when I first brought up my skin woes - was to refer me to a dermatologist).  I need to research this further, but I want her to order any and all tests that MIGHT help get to the root of this because I am SICK TO DEATH of being a freaking invalid! (Srsly!  I'm back to walking with a cane! Sh*t F*ck P*ss!).

Ceramic Artistry:  I did manage to crank out a few more pieces, and most of my Christmas Crap is well underway, and I squoze-in a couple more firings (still wanna do 1-2 more firings in the next week).  My company had a Holiday Bazaar up in Pleasanton, earlier this week, and P and I shared a table.  I sold appx $80 worth of stuff (Yay!), but had to put $71.00 into Willie's Gas Tank afterward (Wahh-Wahh-WAAHHHHHH!).  Still, it was fun to go into the office and see my buddies - AND sell some of my "stuff!"

Holiday Bazaar @ Work

Glass Artistry:  Going to BAGI again tomorrow - this time to make a glass bowl.  Hopefully I can post some cool pictures.  And I want to sign up for their "Make A Snowman Ornament" class - just for grins...  I like their one-off classes where you sign-up to "Make A [Whatever]."  I'm not "into" glass to the point where I'd want to fork over the $$ for classes and renting Hot-Shop Time - but I do enjoy creating the individual projects (let's see, so far I've made a paperweight, a flower, a heart, and a teardrop-shaped ornament).

Okay, well, that's about all the news that's fit to print.  Rambly? Yes - but if you made it this far: "Thanks!!!"

Random Ramblings: Time Sure Flies!

Okay, this may end up being a short one (HA!  Yeah, right!), but I am blogging outside at the Tiki Bar and will be forced to go in when it gets too dark (far too early - and yes, I know, it's only gonna get worse!!!).

First up, some Random Garden Ramblings:

So Blogger-Friend (And Piggie-Partner) Finny is starting her own Garden-Coaching Business, IndieFarms.  And I "Like" her Indie-Farms FB Page.  So, this past weekend, I decided to stay indoors and fight-off The Black Plague (I was feeling a nasty head+chest cold coming on), whilst annihilating my opponents on my various Scrabble and Words-With-Friends Games.  Well, in the course of switching between games, I happened upon a post by aforementioned Indie Farms about how "It's rained three times, people! Time to give-up on those tomato plants and sow those cover crops!" (Okay, that wasn't a Direct Quote) accompanied by a jpg of a wheelbarrow-full of recently MURDERED 'MATERS! :::GASP:::

Well, if you know me, you KNOW how Cleopatra-like I can be.  Yes, I am the Queen of De-Nile!  "Summer's not over!" I pouted.  And, in fact, I managed to pry myself away from my computer long enough to toddle out to the garden where I found SEVERAL 'maters that were fully ripe-and-ready for pickin', and several MORE on the way!

Annnnd...  The Weather Prognosticators were claiming that yet ANOTHER warm-spell was on the horizon.

So take THAT - you Cover-Cropping Season-Pushers!

I wished I'd taken pictures of my last haul, but it included two GINORMOUS Kellogg's Breakfasts, a couple-three Speckled Romas, and :::gasp::: another Early Girl!  And I am confident that I'm gonna pull a few more RIPE 'maters off the vines before *I* call it quits! (Hmph!)

Of course, now I've got a BIG pile of tomatoes getting ever-mushier-by-the-minute on my kitchen counter.  I may drag out the Tomato Press and make more Frozen-Squozen 'Maters, or I may choose to roast them with olive oil and basil, then simmer them into a tasty bisque...  Haven't decided yet - but I'd better decide quickly or they'll end-up being compost!

I've also got ripe apples on my 6-variety espaliered apple-tree, and a basket-full of organic apples from the farm-share and grocery store (and 6 bags of cranberries) and DELUSIONS of thinking I'll have time to put-up a batch of Cranberry Apple Chutney. (Umm, when?!).

(Worst case: The cranberries can go in the freezer and the apples can run thru the Juicer!)

Complicating matters even further: Yes, we are having another brief spell of downright pleasant weather (and I'll take it!).  Of course, that means I spend EVERY AVAILABLE MOMENT outside and soaking-it-up while I can.  But that definitely cuts into my "I want to make Cranberry Apple Chutney" and "I need to do something with these 'Maters" (and assorted other "Wanna-Do" Indoor-Projects Time!)

Plus, my workload has gone a little crazy of late, so I can't get outside in the afternoons anymore.  Actually, the total number of projects I'm working on, right now, isn't all that bad.  But the complexity is a bit mind-boggling.  Annnnnd...  I'm getting ready to take some time-off!  This, unfortunately, has resulted in widespread PANIC on the part of all my business partners and clients.  Nevermind that I gave EVERYONE a week-and-a-half notice of my imminent departure and "If you need something, speak-up NOW" blah-blah emails...  My last day is tomorrow and I had wisely (?) blocked it - figuring I needed time to wrap-everything-up before I took off, right?  Well, by the time I closed-down today, my "Tomorrow" was fully-booked with back-to-back-meetings.  "WTF???"

:::sigh:::  It sucks being popular!

Next up, Vacation Ramblings:

Last year, Hubs and I went to visit my College-Buddy/Ex-pat friend D, and her husband in Jocotepec, Mexico.  Near Lake Chapala (a BIG ex-pat enclave) and Ajijic (pronounced Ah-hee-HEEK) - not too far from Guadalajara.  We got a taste of what "Ex-Pat Life" is like.  I loved it.  Hubs, not so much!

Anyway, Ajijic has lots of Artsy Farsty Galleries that cater to the Rich Gringo Ex-pats, and there is a town called Tonala - with lots of Mexican Artisans - not too far away.  Ajijic is more Fancy-Shmantzy/Artsy-Fartsy.  Tonala is more "gritty" and less "Gallery-ish."  Soooo...  Me being of the Artsy-Fartsy (but decidedly not Fancy-Shmantzy) ilk, I was actually looking forward to doing some "Gallery-Hopping"/"Art-Prowling" in both towns while we were there.  But, for various and sundry reasons (that I shall not dwell on), it never happened.  I was actually extremely disappointed about that.  So then it was decided that I would fly back down to Guadalajara on my own so that D and I could go and prowl around the galleries of Ajijic and the streets of Tonala on our own.  A "Girl's Weekend" as it were.

So I made travel arrangements several months ago (Scored a KILLER fare: $230.00 R/T! Awesome!) (Including "Overweight Baggage" charges for the Return Trip - Don't tell me I don't plan ahead!!!).  And D will be sending her husband back to the states for a week (He's retained his U.S. Citizenship and utilizes Medicare for some of his health-stuff.  I think he's getting more stents put in, or something).  Anyway, point being: It will be Just Us Girls for an extended 5-day weekend.

I CAN'T FREAKING WAIT!!!

Hubs will drop me off at the airport on Thursday morning, and I'll return home on Tuesday afternoon.  Wish it was a little longer, but I'll be SURE to cram AS MUCH FUN AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE into those five-and-a-half days!!!  Hubs is in charge of keeping the critters alive while I'm gone (They will drive him ape-sh*t crazy, I'm sure.  He lets them get away with murder and they know how to "work him!").  I will have internet while I'm down there (or at least I *hope* I'll have internet!).  Their next-door neighbor has unsecured Wi-Fi which is accessible from the side-yard/smoking lounge.  Of course, this is all dependent on the "Community's" Internet being operational - so, we'll see.  Just in case, I've also purchased an International Data Plan for my phone for while I'm down there.

I highly doubt I'll be blogging though.  MAYBE some Facebook Updates - and definitely checking email.  But that's about it.

Anyhoooo...  I am SUPER excited about this.  And D is one of those friends that you can go - for years - without communicating, but when you get together, you just pick-up again like it was only yesterday, ya know?  Pretty damned cool, I think!

Next (Oh crap, it's getting dark out - but I have the Tiki Bar Mini-Lights on!), Artsy Ramblings:

(So much for this being short - HA!)

Okay, anyway.  I know I whined, previously, about my Psoriasis Woes (and yes, they are definitely STILL there - even with the Added Bonus of "Immune-Suppressant"/Burns-Like-A-MoFo  Humira!).  Well, I've decided to break-down and attempt Clay-Play with Vinyl Gloves.  Not nearly as satisfying, but I'm making it work.  I definitely wanted to make another "Hostess Gift" for D (especially now that I've seen her house and know her color scheme).  Plus, my company has a "Holiday Bazaar" every year where people can sell their hand-crafted wares.  I missed it, last year (We were in Mexico), but Good Friend P secured a booth (actually, a table) and sold a bunch of her stuff, as well as a good chunk of mine!  This year, we will share a table again - only this time I will BE THERE.  Annnnd... Well, I need crap to sell, right?!

P, bless her heart, is always sharing AMAZING ideas of stuff to create.  None of it is particularly difficult, but some of it can be a bit "challenging."  I figure, at this stage of "getting back into it" I want to keep it SUPER SIMPLE so I can get the Instant Gratification of cranking something (ANYTHING) out!  So I made a few soap-dishes in various colors.  One is intended for D.  It kinda/sorta matches the spoon-rest I made for her a couple-three years ago.  Nothing earth-shattering, but the colors will go great in her kitchen (D's decor - to sum it up: She is NOT afraid of color!).

Soap Dish

I don't think I have a picture of the Spoon-rest on this computer so - Oh well! - But it's in the same color-scheme.  I was also hoping to make a batch of Coffee-Scented Hand-Made Soap.  But that's an even *lower* priority than Tomato Bisque and Cranberry Apple Chutney.  In other words - ain't gonna happen!

Ooh.  Thank Goodness for my FB Albums.  I did find pictures of some of the earlier items I'd made for D!

Spoon-rest

Vase - formed over a wiffle-bat

And the pattern is from a silicon sink-liner!

Salamander Coasters

(Matches the bar in her side-yard/smoker's lounge/WiFi Zone)

Actually, her house is more rusty-orange and green (paint-wise, inside), but she has lots of yellow and cobalt accents.  Very "Mexican." And I think my mostly-yellow + cobalt "accents" work nicely with her decor.  At least she is a most-gracious recipient and claims that she loves them!

She is also a most-gracious House-Guest and always brings awesomely appropriate Tiki/Beach-Themed gifts for us, as well.  I've got an awesome Retro-looking Corona Beer Bar-Server tray, a hand-made wrought-iron parrot sculpture and some fused-glass vases that she picked up in Tonala.

Anyhoooo...  I have cranked out a few pieces (mostly soap-dishes and trays).  I was rather hoping I would be able to "start" a few more trays before I leave for Mexico but - prob'ly not gonna happen. (Well, maybe...  We'll see!).  I did start all of my Holiday Ornaments for my coworkers, so those - with a few more trays - will fill up the kiln for a bisque-firing.  And I think I can somehow manage to squeeze-in one more Glaze Firing before the Holiday Bazaar.  I also really DO want to mix up a batch of that Coffee-Scented Soap (I'll post the recipe whenever I get around to making it!).

In the meantime, I REALLY DO have to do a couple-three loads of laundry ("Drudgery!").  Somehow, I think I'm gonna need to bring CLEAN clothes with me on my trip to Mexico!  (Jeez, this ALSO falls under "Where does the time go???")

Okay, Lastly, some Buffett Ramblings:

Oh, and THEN, immediately after I return from Mexico, we are turning around and hopping ANOTHER plane (or two!) to head up to Boise (I abso-freaking-lutely HATE the state of Idaho - and I have valid reasons, k?!).  Jimmy Buffett is playing a show there and I HAVE TICKETS!!!

Thankfully, hubs has abundant FF miles on Southwest and with Holiday Inn and whatever Car Rental Company - so transportation is Almost-Free.

Now Jimmy added a few shows at the last minute (as I expected he would!).  He had two shows scheduled in Vegas (which is normal), and he usually squeezes-in a NorCal and a SoCal show in between.  Not this time.  He actually added a Seattle Show (the sane-day that I fly back from Mexico), then the Boise Show (next Thursday).  Well, I scrambled and was able to secure tickets to the Boise Show (Yay! Parrothead Club!).  

But THEN! THEN!! Sunuvabitch scheduled ANOTHER show at the Fillmore in San Francisco (SUPER intimate venue - only accommodates appx 1000 people!) (I paid over $300 to a scalper for ONE ticket, once, to see him at the Fillmore  and it was an UNBELIEVABLE show!!!).  Buttttt....  That's this Thursday: The day I LEAVE for Mexico.  Thank Goodness I had already scored tix to the Boise Show - otherwise, I might have cancelled my Mexican Sojourn altogether!

So, much as I hate to miss Buffett at the Fillmore...  I think the Girl's-Gone-Wild Weekend in Mexico is probably gonna be better for my soul (and probably pocketbook!) in the long run...

Okay.  Well, how's THAT for a "Short Post" - HA! (LIAR, I know!).  It is decidedly DARK out here and I've got LAUNDRY to do, so I think I'll call this a wrap, eh?!

TTYL!!!

Semi-Productive Weekend (Oh Gawd, More Happy Stuff!)

I managed to wander out to the Tiki Shack *relatively* early this morning (well, around 10-ish k?!).  Got my Bisque-firing started and, as I was "on my way" I glanced at the Veggie Garden, and the Garden Fence, and started *thinking* about the chores I need to start tackling!!!

Now, had I been SMART, I would've started with the Garden Chores *immediately* after firing up the kiln! ('cuz temps were in the upper-60's/low-70's at the time - PERFECT "Yard-Chore Weather!").  Of COURSE I didn't do that!  Instead, I set-about "cleaning-up" my 24 Christmas Ornaments (Umm, *before* the Tiki Shack got oppressively hot with the kiln running!!!).  So I logged a couple hours' worth of Tiki Shack Time...  And the ornaments are now drying (slowly) under loosely-wrapped plastic.  Might start something new - might not!  We'll see!

Anyway, after cleaning-up the ornaments, I looked outside and realized that the Veggie Beds were now in FULL sun and I wasn't too eager to tackle any of my yard chores (Ooooops!).  Nevertheless, I did grab a pair of pruners and I DID hack-back the Morning Glory Vines (which were threatening to behead me as I walked thru the gate to the Secret Garden!).

Before (Sorry, no "Afters!"):

Love 'em, buttt....

They're pretty-damned "vigorous!"

I also did manage to hack-back Arte-the-Choke.  No picture, but you've seen plenty of shots of Arte's Bed.  And Arte has put-out a "pup" or two, so I expect that we'll get even more 'chokes next year! (Yay!)

And that was about as much "productivity" as my body would allow, for today!

Even though I have been walking and acting like a Normal Human Being for THIRTY DAYS NOW!!!! - I don't want to"push it" and risk a relapse!  (Trust me when I say that relapses SUCK out loud!!).

Anyway, I've got one of the raised beds clear-enough for amending and re-planting and installing the framework for the cold-frames.  That's a pretty-damn-good start, I think!

So, I'd have to say that - overall - this was a fairly productive weekend (I'll f**kin' take it!!!)

Not a whooooole lot.  But enough, k?!!

Me = Happy.  And that's all that matters! ('cuz it's All About Meeeee!!!!)

-QT

THREE hours in the Tiki Shack!!! :-D

Ermahgerd!  Another "Happy Post?!"

Say it ain't so!!!

Yeah, Sh*t-Howdy, I am up to Day #29 of being able to walk without a cane and (Gawd, I hope I don't jinx myself!), I am actually starting to live-my-life like a normal human being!!!

Not sure what I can attribute it to...  I mean, the psoriasis is definitely still "there" (and it's too early for the Humira to be doing any good) (in fact - dammit - I feel like I'm catching a cold!)  Maybe the Chaga I started taking a couple-three weeks ago is helping to ease things a little???  Maybe my "All-Natural Hand-Made Lotion Bars?"  (No clue - but I'll take it - whatever it is!!!).

I don't sleep fer sh*t because the itching is so completely-insanely-unbearable.  And I have to wear gloves all the time.  And I have a new-found love for Dearfoams slippers! (it's really the only thing I can wear on my feet).

Anywaaaaayyyy..  Not gonna p*ss and moan about that.  It's "always there" and I just want to be able to DO THINGS to take my mind off it!

That said:  Hubs had already made plans to hook-up with his Sailing Buddy, and get out on the bay today.

"Good for you, Dear!  Have fun and Be Safe!"

Wellll, last night he was alternating between "We're gonna sail 'Balls to the Wall' and I don't care how hard it blows, or how choppy it gets, blah-blah-blah."

"Good for you, Dear!  Have fun and Be Safe!" 

(I'm sure I've mentioned my Wimpy-Sailor status in previous posts.  I am THRILLED that Hubs has a sailing buddy so he can do his macho 'balls to the wall' thing without me shrieking hysterically while clutching the nearest stanchion for dear-life!)

...But then, a few minutes later he's all "Why don't you come with us?  There's no Small-Craft-Advisory, winds are only supposed to be 5-10 knots."  So I explained that I had a bisque-firing to do, and I was really-really looking forward to logging some serious Tiki-Shack Time.

"Have fun and Be Safe!"

And, as he was up and showered and dressed and rarin' to go at, like, 6:30am, he repeated his request for me to join them (as I'm staggering to the coffee-maker, all disheveled and unable to form complete sentences).

"No thanks, Dear.  You go on and have fun.  And Be Safe!"

I think he was out the door by 8:00am, and the synapses were just starting to fire-off in my brain...

"Ahhhhhh!!!!  All alone for an entire Saturday!!!  What-EVER shall I do?!"

Well, I started out with "drudgery."  Emptying the dishwasher, paying bills, straightening the kitchen...

Then, well, I almost got overwhelmed with the ARRAY of choices of "Things To Do!"

Most of the choices were "Indoor Sports" (Canning, Jamming, Spaghetti-sauce-making, Soap-making, Lotion-making).  The Weather Prognosticators are claiming that there is a "Cooling Trend" on the way ("NNNnnnnnnoooo!!!"), so I figured I'd better get my butt outside and enjoy it while I still can!

I actually do have some garden chores that I could have (and probably should have) tackled: Hacking down Arte-The-Choke; amending the beds; seeding my fall garden; assembling my cold-frames...  But before tackling that, I wanted to load the kiln for a bisque-firing.  Friend-P had a couple of pieces she wanted me to fire, and I had several works-in-process ready-to-cook.  Definitely enough to justify a firing.  Once that got all rigged-up (with the remote-camera/Skype "temperature sensor!") I could go tackle other chores.

Unfortunately (and surprisingly!), three of my pieces weren't dry enough to fire yet.  Damn!  Granted, they *were* under plastic - but it was loosely-wrapped and the weather's been dry so...  Well, "Waddaya gonna do, right?!"  I unwrapped 'em, did a little more clean-up on the edges and loaded everything into the kiln.  I think one more day of "dry-time" should help, and I'll make sure to do a 2-hour "pre-heat" on the bisque firing, tomorrow.

Welllll...  At that point, I was already in the Tiki Shack. and I started thinking I *could* tackle my Garden Chores, but "Gee, it looks awfully HOT out there" and "Ya know, I haven't even STARTED my Christmas Ornaments for this year!"

I always make Cookie-Cutter Christmas Ornaments for all of my co-workers.  LOL - But now I've been doing it for so many years I can't remember what I've made in years' past!!  I know I did plain stars, one year; Teddy-bears the next (each with individually hand-painted faces, and bellies and paws - NEVER AGAIN!!); Margarita Glasses (Strawberry and Lime) with "glitter" salt on the rims; Red Hurricane Cocktails another year; I think I did Flip-Flops last year.  There might have been some that I can't recall right now - but I know one of my coworkers does have all of the ornaments pinned to the wall of her cube, so I may go snap a picture - next time I'm in the office (mid-November!)...

Well, this year, I want to Keep-It-Simple - but Cool...  I started going through my VAST collection of cookie cutters and came up with this Inspiration:

Looks a little odd, yes...  But there is a Method to my Madness!

And here is what I cranked-out:

24 Christmas Ornaments

It got to be a little mind-numbing, after awhile (especially after scrawling "NAN 12" on the back of every damned one!  But that's "Production" for ya!

Oh, and I'm gonna share my Super-Duper Top-Secret tip for making hangy holes:  I use a plastic drinking straw which I spray with WD-40.  Smush the straw through the clay where you want your hangy-hole to be. Works like a charm.  The clay ends up in the straw, but you can keep repeating it over and over again.  I hangy-holed all 24 ornaments (which are just under 1/4" thick) and filled half the straw.  When you're done, just throw the straw away!

I'm pretty happy with how they look, so far.  I've got some clean-up work to do (want to neaten the ovals a bit).  My PLAN is to incorporate glass into the ornaments.  I have never tried that before, but I found an interesting article on Lakeside Pottery's site.  I've ordered some glass from the place Lakeside recommended: ASG.  

I have NO clue how - or even IF - this is gonna work.  But I'm envisioning doing LUG all around the "outside" (and back-side) of the ornaments, and melting glass inside of the ovals.  I'll follow Lakeside's firing instructions - to the letter - and hope/PRAY that the planets align and the Kiln Gods are smiling on me!  I know that the glass and clay will have different COE's (glass-fused pottery would never be Food-Safe), but I'm hoping for a very pretty, crackly, shimmery effect!

I will definitely post a follow-up once they're done, even if - Gawd-Forbid - it is a complete failure.  Let's hope it's an amazing success (but I'm not hedging my bets - I'll be kiln-washing my shelves HEAVILY before I attempt a glass-fuse firing!).

Anyhooooo...  I spent THREE HOURS in the Tiki Shack this afternoon and I feel like a New Person!  

Now I am lazing at the Tiki Bar, with requisite Margarita close-at-hand.  It's turning into a pretty-pleasant afternoon.  Hubs just called to tell me about his sail ("We had the boat heeled over 20 degrees!") ("EEEEK!!!" those are the words on the inside!).

"Good for you Dear, I'm glad you had fun!"

I think I'll go wander out to the garden and formulate a Game-Plan for tomorrow's chores... 

Happy Labor Day / Summer Recap (and Rambling Miscellany)

Wow.  Looks like I've been "silent" for awhile.  Oops!

Actually, I was in a bit of a "funk" and I've spent an inordinate amount of time with the vampires (labs), doctors' appts and sh*t (and had some frustrating, rant-worthy moments that I'd just as soon not share here).  On the plus side:  I am up to Day #15 of Being Able to Walk Without a Cane - Yippeeee!!! (and NO THANKS to the doctors for that particular "miracle!").

So, "Warning:" There might be some bummer/whining ahead... But I think I'll end on a Happy Note (at least I hope so!).

The source of my funk is twofold (and I don't intend to dwell on it - too much!):  First, it's the end of summer - and that's always a Funk-full time for me ("Back to School" Sales starting in July are *almost* as offensive - to me - as Christmas Sh*t going up @ Home Depot in September!).  Suffice it to say that the abrupt disappearance of brightly colored Flip-Flops and Inflatable Pool Floaties - and their immediate replacement with Orange-and-Black Sh*t..?  Well, it just bums me out.

The Second Part of the "funk" is related to the fact that 2012 has been dubbed my "Lost Summer."  All this psoriasis sh*t, that rendered me a virtual invalid (quadriplegic, even!), has prevented me from truly enjoying the season.  I went swimming exactly ONCE  - and Good-Gawd did I pay for it!  It totally f**ked-up my skin and no quantity of gooze (Rx or Natural) could soothe it!

On the plus side: We did hold a record number of Pool Parties this year.  So that was nice!

Lastly, the Garden has been a bit of a disappointment this year - but that's not a TRUE source of "funk."  Fact is, there were many days that I couldn't even walk out to the backyard (I wish I was exaggerating!) to check on the garden.  A lot more fruits ended up rotting on the ground, this year.  And I feel bad about that (last year I harvested and jammed damn-near EVERY fruit from our trees - and then some!).

Anyhooooo...  I planted a Record Number of 'mater plants this year and got, well, SQUAT!

This was Saturday's Harvest:

Respectable, yes...  But hardly a Record-Breaker!

Turns out my "Volunteer" tomato plant (in the Paste-O-Rama bed) was a Kellogg's Breakfast (those would be the big, orange maters on the left).  I'm glad the Volunteer "came through" because the Kellogg's that I planted this year didn't produce diddly!  The mid-size red 'maters are Early Girls (from Home Depot).  And the little black/red ones are the new variety: Indigo Rose.  I have to say that the Indigo Rose has been surprisingly-prolific.  But they are more like salad tomatoes (slightly larger than cherries - not suitable for preserving).  If you decide to try 'em, make sure you wait 'til the bottoms turn red before harvesting - otherwise they taste weird!  

Stephanie Stupice of the Finny Farm looked like she started-off okay ("consistent" early-bearer), but then she fizzled out (whereas last year, Stupice kept producing consistently thru the end of September, last year!).  Colin Copia (also a Finny 'Mater) has Blossom-End-Rot (never had that happen before!), so I haven't harvested anything noteworthy from that plant.  

The rest of the plants have been...  Well, disappointing! 

The Paste-O-Rama Bed?  I only got the one Speckled Roma (second one from the top, center).  And by the time I harvested it, well...  It was "past-due" (Oops!).  I'm still holding out hope that we'll get a few more "Dog Days" and the 'Maters will shape-up and start producing like they're s'posed to!

It's been a weird Tomato Year.  Friend-Finny got her plants in early, and didn't have a banner year.  Friend DV (who claims *I* am the "Gardening Goddess") also got her plants in early, and she's had tomatoes up the Wazoo (She STOLE my "Title" - Damn her!)  (But neither of us got Zukes - Go figure!) I got my maters in "late" this year and...  Well...  It's just not been a good year for me.  Likewise, Good-Neighbor-B: I gave him a few seedlings, and he purchased several of his own.  ALL of his 'mater plants DIED.  So, if I had an "abundance," I'd be pawning them off on neighbors but - alas - that's just not the case!

So: Bottom Line, I guess I *won't* be putting up jars-and-jars of spaghetti sauce, as planned, this year (which sucks because my Basil Plant is threatening to take-over my kitchen!).

But...  In looking back...  I did manage to put up a batch of Peach-Spice Jam, a Blueberry/Peach Spice Jam, Plum-Spice Jam, Mixed-Fruit Compote (a little too spicy!) (if you decide to tackle it - cut back on [or eliminate] the cloves!), and a couple of batches of Sweet Corn-Apple Relish (Yummmmm!!!) (Good-Friend P made a similar batch using pears instead of apples - plus she added Cumin, which gave it a more "Mexicany Flair!").  Gotta make one more batch before summer ends!  And my Finny Fridge Pickles (which were pretty good - albeit inconvenient to eat with all the mini-chunks of other stuff).  And I discovered that they make Plum-Pitters (which are mighty damned handy!).  I dehydrated a batch of pitted plums in my dehydrator but - I have to sadly admit - that wasn't a particularly successful endeavor...

Annnnnd, I made a couple of Stupendously Delicious Cherry Pies using Giordano Farms fresh cherries!  And an Orgasmic Peach-Pie with our Very Own Peaches!

Now that I'm looking at The List of Accomplishments I'm feeling a tad less "Useless" and "Funk-Full!"  I guess I really did accomplish a fair amount this summer - in spite of my (ahem) "handicap!" (Again, I wish I was joking)

I definitely want to put-up another batch of Corn Relish this year.  And I think I may have a few ripe apples ready-to-pick.  Might try my hand at canning applesauce or - mmmm! - Cranberry Applesauce!  And I've simply GOT to whip-up a batch of Deepika's onion jam! (That's right up there with Corn-Apple Relish, in my book!  Freaking AMAZING!!!)

I never did put-up any Strawberries this year (::::gasp::::).  I know my other neighbor, K, wants to learn how to make All-Natural Jams so maybe I'll luck out and find a migrant farm-worker standing on the corner - one of these afternoons - with boxes of fresh strawberries.  If so, I'll pick-up a box and invite my neighbor over and I'll try to whip-up a batch using either Agave or Honey as a natural sweetener...

I've still got a few empty jars stashed in the garage.  This WILL NOT do!!!  I think there's still time to correct that situation!  Then, there's the South Bay Canning Club's Annual Exchange, so I'll get to sample more New and Exciting Stuff!  And "steal" new recipes for next year...  So, yeah, I think the empty-jar situation will resolve itself!

In Other News:  Good-Friend-P convinced me that I shouldn't deprive myself of Clay-Play Time (which, truly, IS my source of stress-relief).  Doc (#4) told me "No working in ceramics" b/c it *might* irritate my skin.  Well, P convinced me that I should give it a try with rubber (vinyl, actually - not Latex) gloves.  I complained that it wouldn't provide the "tactile experience" that I craved, and P argued that "Surgeons are 'tactile' and they manage to operate with gloves..." (and Joysey-K later argued - truthfully - that "Surgeons have assistants to hand them their tools!").  Anywaaaaaayyyyy...  This weekend was the first time that I attempted Clay-Play with vinyl gloves.

I managed to log appx 4 hours in the Tiki-Shack, over two days, this weekend and - while it wasn't TRULY satisfying - it was "acceptable."  Truthfully, I don't have my usual "dexterity" with gloves, and detailed-work (and grabbing for tools) really is kinda frustrating.  Plus, the gloves - despite being skin-tight - do tend to loosen-up in the fingertips and leave weird wrinkle marks in the clay.  But I managed to compensate by using a semi-dry sponge for the "press-in" work.

I limited myself to Super-Simple-Stuff like soap-dishes and plain trays.  Didn't want to "challenge" myself and felt I needed some "Instant Gratification" to get myself back into the groove...

Honestly?  It really felt GOOD to get back in the studio, and it really DID help to lift some of my "funk."  The Tiki Shack really *is* my "Happy Place" and I need that "Escape" from time-to-time.  So I think I will make a concerted effort to go out there for at least a few hours, every week.  I'm not in any Competitions to be the Bestest/Greatest Ceramic Artist Evar, but I really do like to CREATE sh*t.  And doing so really does make me happy!  So, by golly, I'm gonna DO IT!!!

Latest Works-In-Progress:

Beaten-bowl and Starfish paperweight

Started a few months ago (and subsequently neglected).  They are fully-dry (bone-dry) and ready for bisque - but I don't have enough "stuff" ready to warrant a firing!

Tray and 2 soap-dishes I started yesterday...

They need to dry a bit more, then I'll trim and clean 'em up

Fresh, brandy-new soap-dishes I started today

Again, they need to dry more, then I'll trim the edges and clean 'em up.

Anyway...  Even though I didn't feel well-enough to go for a swim this weekend.  And I wasn't "up for sailing" (Hubs went solo, early yesterday-morning.  But I met him in the late afternoon and "hung-out" on the boat for a few hours), I don't feel like this Labor Day Weekend was a total loss.  I am THRILLED that I actually DID make it into the Studio and PRODUCED some sh*t.

So, all-told, I'd have to say it was a pretty-good Holiday Weekend - even if I didn't make it into the pool (which is now covered - :::sigh:::).  And, in looking back at my Summertime Accomplishments, maybe it wasn't such a Bad Year, after all...

So that's me ending my post on a Happy Note!

Hope your summers were - if not BETTER than mine - at least AS GOOD AS mine, k?!!

Thanks for "listening!"  And here's hoping that things will IMPROVE!!!

-QT

Ramblings 'bout Ceramics and a recipe for Paper Clay

Okay, I titled this post "RAMBLINGS" for a reason!  If you're not into Ceramic Stuff, then move along (but there WILL be pictures!)

Hmmm...  I don't ramble much about my ceramic artistry pursuits here. Probably because I don't really consider myself that much of an "artist" (although others would beg to differ!).  Actually, it's more "therapy" than anything else and, to be honest, I've been pretty p*ssed-off that - due to my stupid (stress-induced/genetic) skin condition - I haven't been able to Play in the Mud for quite some time!

Doctor's telling me to deal with my stress and, at the same time, telling me I shouldn't play in clay.  WTF?!

Anyway, I figured I'd yammer a bit about ceramics today because - FINALLY - my hands have gotten clear enough that I actually made it out to the studio yesterday.  YAYYY!!!

Seriously, I haven't been out there since last year!! (And Gawd have I missed it!)

So - for starters, I'm not much of a wheel-thrower.  I mean, if you held a gun to my head, I could probably throw a small vase or bowl.  And I actually *do* own a wheel (bought it at last years' Potter's Council Conference since it was On Sale!):

This is the same as my "virgin" potter's wheel!
It's compact, but still surprisingly "beefy"
(meaning it's easily sturdy-enough to handle anything I *might* be willing to throw)

But wheel-throwing is messy business that requires ready-access to running water - something I did NOT have built into the Tiki Shack (I was gonna rig up an exterior sink/faucet thingie - hooked to a hose - but never got around to it).  Realistically, *if* I ever got the urge to throw a pot, I'd probably set-up the wheel out in the backyard gazebo - where it would be easy to hose-off the mess afterward!  And - truth be told - I find wheel-throwing to be boring at best, and frustrating at worst.  It's just not my thing.

So yeah, hand-building and slab-ware is more my speed (and if I had the Time / Attention-Span, I'd go back to sculpting).

I do have my own slab-roller:

This is the kind of slab-roller I have.
The handle attaches on the front-ish side and is used to 

smush the clay between the center rollers.  

The top star-bolt thingies are used to dial-in the thickness...

Picture a ginormous pasta-maker or old-fashioned laundry wringer.  It's a mechanical device with two rollers set-up on a table.  You cut off a slab o' clay appx 1-2" thick, sandwich it between two pieces of canvas (I actually add cheap interfacing to the sandwich b/c I don't care for the canvas texture in my clay), and run it through the rollers several times, rotating the resulting slab and reducing the distance between the rollers so you get a thinner slab, each time.  You end up with a thin (appx 1/4" thick) slab that can be decorated with various textures and either pressed into molds (single-dish TV-dinner trays are a personal favorite), or cut into shapes and constructed into whatever (think Gingerbread houses, or vases, or whatever).  The thing about slab-rolling is that the clay has a tendency to develop a "memory" for whatever it's original form was and, in many cases, it has a tendency to "warp" during the drying/firing process...  And, honestly, some shapes really don't lend themselves well to molding (i.e. deep bowls).

That's where the Potter's Council Conferences come in handy (as well as the Ceramic Arts Daily emails I receive).  I've learned several techniques for minimizing the warpage.  One is keeping the slab a tad thicker than your desired thickness and throwing it down onto the table, at an angle, so it stretches in different directions (usually, when you're rolling the slab, you're limited to two directions).  Also, using a rolling pin kind of helps (again, in multiple directions).  And using a rib tool to compress the clay is also helpful.  So I've tried most of these techniques and had...  Well...  Varied success!

And, honestly, that's okay.  While I'm not totally into the "organic" vibe, I am a "partial-perfectionist" (How's THAT for an oxymoron?!).  I try to make pieces that are pretty "clean" - but they definitely do still look "hand-made" and NOT like they came from IKEA or Wal-Mart!

One technique that I learned at this years' Potter's Council involved "forming" a round bowl over a half-sphere mold.  The demo was done using a half-sphere made of bisque-ware (clay fired once).  In my case, I have a series of "Nesting Bowl" molds made out of casting plaster (and there are ceramic artists who would rant-for-days about how they wouldn't allow plaster in their studios blah-blah-blah because if plaster accidentally gets incorporated into clay, it will explode - true! - but that's not the point of my post.  I have plaster molds, therefore I will use them!).

Anyway, this particular technique uses a round-ish blob of clay, an inch-or-so thick that gets placed on the bottom of a half-sphere mold (of bisque-ware or plaster).  Best to place the half-sphere on a banding wheel (but not mandatory).  Then you take a flat-sided mallet and pound the clay onto the mold, turning and beating it evenly, all around.  As you pound it, the clay thins and stretches around the spherical form and you end up with a nearly-perfectly round bowl!  And since it's been beaten mercilessly, there isn't much "memory" left for warpage!

Now the good/bad thing about bisque-ware AND plaster is that it tends to absorb the moisture of the clay and facilitates drying.  Drying = Shrinkage.

Now, when you've got drying/shrinkage on a concave form, this is good.  The clay separates from the mold quite nicely and will pop right out.  But when it's on a convex form, you run the risk of it shrinking ONTO your mold and NOT being able to release it.  Hmmmm...

So you really need to "time" the removal appropriately.  Too soon, and the clay is too flimsy to hold it's shape.  Too late and, well, it can get stuck and/or crack.  And too soon vs. too late varies widely depending upon the temperature and humidity and phase of the moon, or whatevers!  There are a lot of variables at work, is what I'm saying...

So ANYWAAAAYYYY (I did say this was a "Rambling" post, didn't I?!)...  The first time I made a "beaten bowl" I left it on the form for two days.  It was a bit of a struggle, but I was able to remove it.

I double-wrapped it in plastic so it would dry SUPER slowly, butttt....  Unfortunately, since I had left it on the form for too long, it started to crack.  Booooo!!!

Now, here's the deal with Ceramics.  Typically, when something like this happens, you just need to "let it go!"  Really not much point in trying to "save" the piece because the likelihood is pretty low that you'll be able to salvage it...  And, as long as the clay hasn't been fired, you can certainly recycle it (add water, bring it back to a slurry, partially-dry it and wedge it to a usable state again).  Well, I have never been one to conform to "conventional wisdom" so I attempted to salvage it with porcelain slip...

And, through it all, I was posting photos on Facebook (because, honestly, that's where I "track" all of the ceramic stuff I do. "I made this.  I put thus-and-such underglaze on it.  I bisqued it at cone xx.  I put ya-ya glaze on it and fired to yy."  No doubt, boring as hell to most of my friends, but it's a good (easy) place to "journal" my stuff and it's easy for me to go back and see what I did (in case I want to duplicate it, right?!).

Anyway, the porcelain-slip repair didn't work very well, so I decided to "hide" my shortcomings and carved into the bowl thusly:

"If ya can't fix it, DISGUISE it!"

This is about 2/3 of the way thru my "disguise attempts"

Well, as luck would have it, I DO have some Ceramic Artist "FB Friends" who are rather knowledgeable, and one of them had actually viewed my post about my miscreant Beaten Bowl and she mentioned that she used "Paper Clay" for similar repairs with amazing success.  She even posted a link (Yay!)

Original Paper Clay Recipe here.

Now, she didn't post this link until *after* I'd gone through several iterations of "attempted repairs" on the aforementioned bowl, so I *didn't* use paper clay on this one.  But I DID use it on a couple of other pieces.  The bowl DID survive bisque-firing (but I could see a "hint" of the crack afterwards - which I attempted to "bury" in glaze - to no avail).  While I couldn't get a good photo of the final [cracked] version, it's working quite nicely as a summertime dog-water-bowl in the backyard!

Trust me - in spite of the "impressionistic" glaze-job,
there IS a visible crack in this bowl
(but the dogs don't seem to mind!)

Anyway, there were a couple of other broken pieces in this particular "batch" of ceramics.  Lesson-learned:  Don't load the bisque kiln when your blood alcohol is above .08!

I'll focus on one of my Clay Critters:  My Tazz-the-Spazz Weenie Dog mini-sculpture!  See, Friend-P suggested, awhile back, that I should take my leftover scrap clay and make little Critter Sculptures.  That has actually turned out to be a pretty good idea (since, honestly, I am waaaaaaaay too lazy to recycle my old clay-scraps and - Friend-P usually benefits b/c I give her BAGS full of "used" clay to recycle).

So anyway, I made a small Tazz-The-Spazz Clay-Critter.  But, somehow, during drying I managed to break-off her tail (:::GASP:::).  I had also made a spoon-rest (for the stove) and managed to break THAT in three places.  #$%^!!!

I decided to brew-up a batch of paper-clay based on the link above.  Now the original link called for low-fire earthenware, and J had mentioned that she adds vinegar to the mix...  I'm dealing with high-fire clay (fired at mid-fire temps), so I wasn't really sure how things would come out in the end...

I wished I'd kept "exact measurements" but I'll try to capture "what I did" (so, again, maybe someday I can DUPLICATE it!!!)...

Get yourself some cheap toilet paper and shred it by hand.  Put it in a medium-sized bowl.  Put some water in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Pour the boiling water into the bowl of shredded toilet paper.... (Sorry, no exact measurements!  Next time!!!)

Mmmm!  Fiber!!!

Allow it to cool....  Then squeeze out most of the liquid and transfer the sludge to a smaller bowl.  Add an appx equal amount of whatever kinda clay you are working with...

Fiber *and* minerals!!!

Add appx 1 tsp (a small splash) of vinegar at this point...

Squidge it together on a sheet of drywall board (which should absorb *much* of the moisture)...

Very Squidgy!

Then try to mix it, as best you can, with your hands...  You want the clay and TP fibers to be well-mixed,  This is MESSY business!  You don't want it as thick as clay, but not as runny as slip.  You want it "somewhere in between."  Thick enough to smush into any cracks, but slippery enough that you can "smooth it out."

Did I mention that this is MESSY?!!

Truth be told:  It's pretty messy, squidgy and gross - but it is also tacky enough to make bone-dry pieces stick together, quite nicely!  The key is to wet your dry pieces with vinegar, and score them pretty-well, then use the TP/Vinegar/Clay Sludge like a glue to piece everything together... Then you need to let everything dry again and hit it with a green Scotch Scrubbie to smooth out any rough edges...

Let me tell you:  This stuff works LIKE A CHARM!!!

I didn't have any "BEFORE" pictures of the weenie dog with the broken tail, but here it is immediately after repair:

You can "kinda" see the repair, a little past halfway, toward the right...

Weenie dog - still greenware (this *might* have been pre-repair - honestly can't tell!)

Weenie dog - after bisque and coated with black and brown underglazes...

Weenie dog, on the Tiki Bar after final firing. 

You can't even tell that the tail was ever broken!

So yeah, the Paper Clay Recipe was an absolute Godsend and seems to work wonders on greenware (completely UNFIRED ceramic ware).  It also did a mighty-fine job on the spoon-rest that I made (but I didn't take any usable pictures of that).

This weekend, I decided to make another "beaten bowl" and - this time - I did NOT leave it on the plaster form for two days...  However, atmospheric conditions - this time around - were extremely Hot and Dry.  I didn't leave the clay on for a full 24-hours, but I had a helluva time removing it from the plaster mold.  I have spritzed it with water and double-wrapped it in plastic (so it will dry super-slowly).  Not sure if it will crack or not - but, if it does, I will use the aforementioned Paper-Clay recipe to repair it.

New Bowl 06/16/12

I really would like to make a "series" of bowls, in different colors, for posting pictures of my (numerous) soup recipes!  I'll probably make a coordinating series of plates, as well - at some point.

Hell, I am just-plain-THRILLED to be "Back in the Shack" again - regardless!!!

And...  Just for sh*ts 'n grins, I figured I'd post a picture of some of my more "recent" creations (meaning, they went thru their final firing earlier this year.  I have almost-nothing "new" to share :::sigh:::)

Left and Right - slabware, cut and formed around a plaster mold.
Center, clay wrapped around a styrofoam cone from the craft store
Bowl was a small "beaten bowl" from one of my plaster half-spheres...