Just say no to poison

I haven't written here much because I've been at school doing an independent study on glaze chemistry. CL and I are hoping to give OCAD better glazes than the ones they've had for years.

A fine example: "Frosting", a low-fire glaze that gives you a soft white effect - great for students who want to bring back the Bauhaus - but soluble if you soak it in everyday acids like vinegar...not good.

So we're hoping to enable design students to make ceramics that aren't covered in poison. Neat.

Fun with Sandpaper

The weather's been crazy-hot, so I've been whittling in cherry wood, a fabulous thing to do on a hot day. The spoon is for ice cream (probably inspired by the hot weather.) This may force me to buy some so I can give the spoon a try.

The tea scoop is thinner and more delicate than the one I did for thesis (you can see the thesis scoop at the top of the blog, under the title.) It'll be good combined with a smaller tea caddy or bowl, or for use in springtime.


I'm happy I managed to get a wicked-subtle curve on the new scoop. It also rests well when flat on a tea caddy, something you don't appreciate until your badly-balanced scoop falls on the floor while you're doing tea.

Things to do on a rainy day

So...I got a wheel. I've been grinning like a fool ever since. Sure, I don't have anywhere to fire anything, but who cares?? I can make oodles of stuff, and worry about that part later. [insert dubious looks from everyone I know]

This is what I made on my first try on the wheel, using an old box of porcelain I've had sitting around in my apartment for years. Considering it's pouring rain out, it'll probably take years to dry too. I can hardly wait to try trimming 'em tomorrow.

In case you're wondering, I've got the wheel in the front entrance of my apartment because it has the only easily cleanable flooring. It's the first thing you see when you come through the door, and will probably give a bizarre first impression to visitors. Bonus.

I've been busy

Yep, I've been busy. I've been up to a different kind of making from the ceramics/metal that I'm used to, but it's all good. And the deliciousness is a bonus.

This month, I've made two kinds of double-berry jam, made cherry preserves and canned asparagus with garlic and hot peppers. (Major thanks to Ian and CL for the help...it's been a bit insane around here, and sometimes this really does take a group effort. At this rate, we're all going to be expert canners! Yay!)

This is a pic of the raspberry-blackberry jam (with just a smidge of lemon rind). I am soooo making more of this while the season lasts, because this is gonna go fast! (Trust me, I know: I've been eating the small bowlful of jam that was too small to can, and it's amazing...sweet with just a hint of tartness from the lemon. It looks really dark in the jars, but on bread it's a rich ruby red. I'd show you a pic on bread, but I only have wonderbread, and that would be a sorry thing to do.)

At least now I know what I'm giving everybody I know for Christmas this year: seriously good jam. Unless I eat it all first.

Midnight Snack

These are some tiny little gooey-on-the-inside chocolate cakes that Ian and I made up tonight. The recipe was from a link Helen sent me from Les Foodies, and it worked like a charm.

I highly recommend it. It's quick to make, only involves a few ingredients, and two of them are dark chocolate and mascarpone. Who would say no to that?

And so it begins...

I've wanted to start up a blog about making *forever*, but with school I never had the time. Until now.

I know that I work mostly with fine metals and ceramics, but I've been a fibre girl from way back, and I had the best luck last week, so I must gush.

I got a sewing machine last week.

This isn't just any sewing machine, it's a 1917 Singer, and it's in fabulous shape. [swoon] I've wanted one of these since birth, so this is major. (HUGE thanks to Carol-Lynn and her father...they found it, and they got it for me. Truly, they are saints.) They found it in a barn in Picton near CL's studio.

I cleaned it up, and right now, it's sitting in the middle of my living room. My plans: clean it a bit more, then oil it with some 3-in-1, then see about attaching the treadle belt. Then sew a TON.

Who knows, I might even make a few extra brass bobbins sometime, just to see 'em shiny-new.