things with lids

I can't even begin to tell you how many times I have had people ask if we had covered butter dishes. I have been working out how to do them the same way as I make lidded ovals. I found a youtube video of a potter that makes them in much the same way I had in mind and I incorporated some of his techniques.

I started by throwing a ring of clay and splitting it. The first two didn't have enough clay in the center. It took a few tries to get it right.

I then shaped the two rings into squared off ovals.

I then added slabs for the lid and bottom tray, knobs, feet, and decoration.

They took FOREVER  to complete!

And I only ended up with three. The next ones should go quicker, now that I have worked out the kinks.

It took me awhile but I am finally feeling productive once more. I finished these casseroles as well as some oval bakers this week.

Today we unload the kiln and pack for the Potters of the Piedmont Show in Greensboro. This is our first year there. The weather is looking great. If you are in the area be sure to check it out!

Family

My sister in-law, Gigi, texted me this photo yesterday of my brother Roger and their silly dog. The dog goes to work with Gigi everyday. They own a plumbing company in Wasilla, Alaska. Evidently she likes to stand on counters and desks!

It's been a rough couple of weeks for my family. Since I returned from New Hampshire my mother has taken a turn for the worse. She went for a pre-op exam before her skin graft surgery and they found a heart murmur and poor blood work. She was getting weaker each day. They hospitalized her, did some tests and diagnosed her with stage 4 colon cancer. I am so saddened that at 87 years old she had to go through the car accident trauma and now have to be hit with this news.  Up until this point she was very healthy and active... she has never been on any medication, unlike my Dad who takes a bunch of different pills everyday. Needless to say the skin graft surgery was cancelled.

Roger is flying out of Anchorage today and will be in New Hampshire tomorrow. Of course now all I want to do is hop on a plane and head back there to be with everyone. The reality is, I have work to catch up on here and I need this weekend to digest everything and decide what is best.

On the home front it's been hard to be productive. My greatest accomplishment this week was throwing the parts for 7 casseroles. At least today I won't struggle with what to do... they will need to be put together!

food that warms the body, heart, and soul...

casserole on left by John Zentner, plate by Kari Therrien, small casserole by Kate Johnston

When fall arrives I am always happy to take out that old favorite sweater to snuggle into and I am also excited to spend time with my favorite handmade casserole dishes and make some warm, hearty dinners. This week I was in the mood for macaroni and cheese. My favorite recipe is a four cheese recipe from Emeril Lagasse, you can find the recipe here. This week I modified it slightly to make it more affordable. This isn't an inexpensive dish to make. I substituted muenster for the fontina and used a little less parmesan. Jeff likes ham in his mac & cheese so I included it this time. It was the ultimate comfort food!

I have a few casseroles of different sizes and this one is my absolute favorite. JZ made it the last year he was able to work and it's the perfect size, 2 quarts. The cover fits perfectly and the interior is glazed with tenmoku, a good durable surface that is easy to clean. Do you have a favorite recipe that warms your body, heart, and soul? If you do, I hope that handmade pottery adds to the enjoyment.

Put a lid on it

I really don't care to make lidded containers. I stress too much about whether or not the lids will fit. This year I am forcing myself to just do it. Practice makes perfect, right?

 Jeff wanted me to turn the jars into garlic keepers, but I decided they would just be small jars.

I unloaded the gas kiln yesterday morning, which means I have lots of mugs for our shop, the Co-op of Seagrove Potters, and Etsy!