Etsy Mud Team Bowl Swap

The Etsy Mud Team recently held a bowl swap. Here’s a photo of the bowl I made, it’s going to Teri at Terraworks. I can’t wait to see the bowl I get. I'll show you shortly after I receive it.

Be well.

Kiln Shed Progress

Progress was made this weekend on the kiln shed. It now has a roof thanks to the one man crew of Kevin (roadie/husband). He managed to get all the tin on with only minor injuries (bruises and a knob on his head from carrying the tin on his head). Next there will be some tin and cedar on the sides and getting it ready for concrete. A roadie’s work is never done

Hardworking Crew

A very hardworking crew came down last Saturday to help us put trusses on the future kiln shed. Some had a great deal of experience with this type of thing, others had less experience, but were quick to learn and help anyway needed. Me… I ran the camera. Someone had to do it, an undertaking of this sort, must be documented. I also had the difficult task of providing food and beverages for the group. Boy, was I exhausted.

Thank you very much to Daniel Rude, Michael Rude, Dale Matthees, Brandon Lunde, Jason Hustad, Bernie Kolnberger, Tom Budnik and Corey Carlson for their hard work getting the roof trusses up on such a cold, windy day.

The Boss & The Bosses Boss coming up with a game plan for the day (can you hear the gears turning?)

Trusses up and bracing in progress

Left to right - Brandon Lunde, Michael Rude, Dale Matthees, Daniel Rude, Kevin (the roadie), Bernie Kolnberger enjoy a refreshment after their days work




Jason Hustad

Tom Budnik

Corey Carlson

Horsehair Raku

I’m finally finishing up the horsehair raku pieces a customer ordered several months ago. (Sorry Mike, my kiln malfunctions really slowed me down). Raku isn’t something I do frequently, but I enjoy the drama and immediate results of the process. Our daughter Gabby joined us for the firing. She’s the very talented photographer behind the camera , though I did get my hands on the camera long enough to take a picture of her roasting a marshmallow. Like the gloves and flame retardant shirt? I'm quite the fashion statement when I'm working don't ya think?

What I Learned

Remember my kiln shelves beautifully covered with a new coat of kiln wash? I showed them to you in a post a couple weeks ago. Well… here is why I love that kiln wash so much.


These are glass like pools of glaze fused to my shelves. What happened???

Apparently the dance I did for the kiln gods was in some way insufficient to garner me their favor for a successful firing. But, I learned so much about refiring the pieces that had been in my kiln when the elements failed. Mostly I learned not to chance refiring them, but I did get some fun, funky looking pieces from this “learning experience”. Check out this lidded jar.



This like so many other times, I am incredibly grateful for my roadie, studio assistant and hard working husband Kevin to help me scrape the glaze puddles off the shelves. Without the kiln wash the glaze would be permanently attached to the shelves and they'd be in a landfill by the end of the day. Kiln wash saves having to replace very expensive shelves when "learning experiences don't go so well.

Notice the disgusted look on his face and the gesture from his scraping hand.