This is my granddaughter at age 6 making her own bowls.

A new year's resolution-get bloggin!! I had total knee replacement surgery on Dec. 16 and with it comes a slight change in routine- My day job is that of third grade teacher. As the winter holiday vacation comes to and end and my energy is rising after the surgery I find myself with the time to devote to the blog. During a recent time of reflection I was remembering my first time I worked with clay. I was in elementary school, maybe even third grade. At any rate, I made a small coiled bowl that I gave to my father as a gift. This gift has outlived all the other gifts I created for my parents. Perhaps that is one of the things I love about clay- it lasts and lasts. Our lives change and evolve, and the uses we have for the clay creations change, the pieces are still here. Giving the gift of pottery is giving a gift that will last for a long time. One that can become part of the family through the generations. We recently cleaned out our attic and hidden in a box was that clay bowl I gave my dad over 50 years ago. My grandaughter was recently here and she found the bowl and has made it her icecream bowl. I hope it gives her many years of enjoyment.

So we have been experimenting with some new glazes to add to our collection. We have a gun metal grey and a matte yellow. The matte yellow turns a lovely lavender where it is thick. Making new glazes is always an exciting time. Sometimes they look so wonderful on a test tile but when you cover a whole pot-ouch!! It is like picking paint at Home Depot from the small samples and then you cover your wall and wonder what you like about that color.
We should have some nice samples to show you soon. Right now we have the gun metal as seen in the cup here.

Altered pitcher in matte green glaze