Today it was actually warm out....48 degrees, I believe.  The snow mountains are starting to melt and I am looking forward to firing up my kiln again.  I haven't touched my kiln or fired anything since December.  The temperatures have been so cold, and my kiln is in the garage.  With it being this cold, the kiln would cool off too quickly and I would have problems with glaze firing.

I have been off to a slow start this year, so far.  First it was all the snow and cold, then it was cleaning up and packing away the holiday stuff and cleaning up the house, then it was more extreme cold and snow....and then more snow.  Well, you get it.  I think everyone has been off schedule lately.  I have gotten some things done, though.  I seem to have picked up some momentum in these last couple of week and I hope to keep it going.

I have thrown about a dozen mugs for the Village Grind that are drying slowly.  I plan to fire those by next week so that I can get them over to the shop.

I have also been doing a little hand building.  I made my first cake stand.  I was just sort of playing around with it and I am not even sure if a standard cake will fit on it, but it was fun to make and I plan on making more.  Only, now I will make sure that I make them big enough to actually hold standard round cakes.

     I have been noticing that, in all the nick knack aisles at the stores, there have been these cute ceramic votive holders.  I almost bought one a couple times, but had to hold back because I knew it was something I could at least try to make.  This was my first try at it.  There are so many ways I could go with this.  Bigger, rounder pedals or skinnier, spiky like pedals.  The options are limitless.  It was the perfect project to use up a small glob of clay that was by itself.  I wasn't sure if it was my buff clay or my white clay (they look very similar when wet), so I couldn't stick it back in either of the bigger bags of clay.  I have a lot of these little globs of clay, so there will be more of these little guys to come.

    I have also tried to problem solve my tardis inspired mugs.  An old friend asked me to make him a set of tardis mugs for him and his wife.  While I think they turned out really cool, I don't think they wound up being very user friendly, as they were squared.  I think this made them hard to drink out of.  His sister wanted one after seeing the set, so I am trying to make one that is rounded on top.  Here are the original mugs....

And here is the newer version that is rounded at the top....

I think I still like the original better, but I will hold off my final verdict until it is glazed. :)

This same friend is part of a mission called 1013 Missions, http://sojourners-in-haiti.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html.  He asked if I would be interested in making mugs that would raise money for this awesome cause.  Ummmmm, Yes!  I am very excited about this.  So I have started the stamp that will go on their mugs.  The process I use is tracing their logo onto plaster.  Then I carve out the logo into the plaster.  Then I use this awesome yellow gooey stuff that, once impressed and set into a mold, can be used as a stamp.  Here are pictures of the process.  I also did this to make a Studio 60 stamp and a Village Grind stamp. 

That's all I have been doing right now in the world of clay. :)

The kids are all keeping themselves and me busy.  Maya is at a call back right now for her high school spring musical.  Break a leg, Maya!!  Maddie is working hard at the warehouse getting ready for her spring season of softball.  Ryan and Owen are both trying out new sports this winter.  Ryan is playing basketball and Owen is playing floor hockey.  It has been so much fun watching them improve each practice and game.  I am so proud of them for trying something new, even though it is challenging!