Plate setter

I got the plate setters, to save some space in the kiln. I hate to use them in the front row of the kiln, where does not get good pull at some stage of firing and choke up the kiln.  So it leaves me to middle or back of the kiln.  It does save the space great, but it is very hard to set up on my front loading kiln.

It has been a hectik.  My studio has been just hot, above 90°F almost all the time.   I need to get an air conditioner. I don't like the air conditioner, but.... I might have no choice.



Half of show done. This is very dry summer, and somehow it managed to rain last two shows, at least each of one day of two.  Sales are good, but the impulse buying of small items are not happening.  Is this reflection of the economy?  I start seeing this last year.

 

 

 

Red worms

The red worm composting started a month ago, turned unexpected problem.  Somehow hundreds of small flying bugs hatched in the bin.  Google searches suggested the red-vinegar trap for the fruit flies.  It did not catch any.  Anyway, I picked up all red worms one by one, and restarted the bin today.  I can't find 250 worms I bought, so there was not there to begin with, or died off. I will give one more go.

The first Western NY Pottery Festival this Saturday.

Two shows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100 American Craftsmen and Allentown Art Festival are behind me.  There were many people despite the rain in one of the festival days. Next up, the Western New York Pottery Festival.



 

 

 

 

(18"Wx20"Dx6.5"H) I had this piece for the first time at shows, and people asked me what is this for.  Sometime I just make a piece not thinking its purpose, but its looks. What do you think this is for?

Glaze bug

Last firing of this month went all right. I am all set for the Kenan Center.

I got a bit of glaze bug recently.  I am trying to get the no craze celadon. Celadon glaze is traditionally preferred to have the crazing, but I want to try one without.   So far, all crazed.  Steven Hill's celadon recipe found in the web turned out really nice celadon green, but crazed nicely.

Finally

I got every piece fired in reduction, with help of no winds. Hopefully I can repeat again. Here are new pieces from Sunday's firing.

3 done, 2 to go.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than three weeks to the fist show of 2012. I have done three glaze firing last three weeks, and two to go.  I always wonder I made enough pots at this time of year.  No way I can make every possible item made.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In between the glaze firings, there are bisque firings.  Ya, the studio is dry and hot all the time.  At least I am having the good results.  Exhausted.  Two to go.

 

 

Zaru Soba

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zaru soba (buckwheat noodle) has been my favorite food since I was little. I was not fun of eating up until the first year of my corporate world. I remember my parents were so disappointed whenever we went to the restaurant, I ordered the plain zaru soba. That all I could eat outside the home. It is not child food, more like older people's food. I just did not like the food grown-up. All changed when I started eating the dinner with clients almost every night, sushi, eels, tempura. I was a market researcher, and arranged lots of the focus groups and monitoring tests, almost every night. I was forced to eat new foods with other people, and all of sudden I developed the taste.  I cook almost every night because I still do not like easting, so I prefer eating something good.

Zaru soba is made of buckwheat, and eats cold. You dips a half of the noodle into the dipping sauce, and swallow it with noise. Swallowing probably was the key why I liked it.  Not eating like food. Sauce is made of dashi (bonito), sake, sugar and soy sauce. You add condiments, dried seaweed, wasabi, sliced scallions, grated daikon (white radish), or yamaimo. Better version comes with shrimp tempra.