Catching Up

I am starting to feel like I am catching up on work. Since the last firing was a good one, lots of orders were shipped out. I am also feeling more confident moving forward with new work, knowing that our firings should be more consistent since Jeff has worked the kinks out of the new kiln.

I have been working on a wholesale order that includes lots of mugs. Some in designs that I haven't made in awhile. I enjoyed getting out the slip trailer and making dots. 

And then there were pigs to assemble. Not sure if a making cycle would be complete without the pigs.

News from the shipping department

The first wholesale order for 2015 is almost packed. This is a totally different method of packing and shipping for me. Typically piggy banks go to galleries and gift shops that place them on shelves. That being said, all the pigs get bubble wrapped and placed in a box with cardboard between each layer and off they go. These pigs are being shipped to a warehouse and will be sold online or in a catalog. Which means that each one is individually boxed before shipment. Included in the box is an artist card with the company name and a little story about Jeff and me. Each box is also barcoded. 

I set up my shipping station in the kitchen because the supply room is right off of it. I can clear off the island to work on. Yesterday with all the little boxes covering the floor, Sophie cat thought it was quite an obstacle course. She finally made her way around the boxes, and to her food bowl, to remind me it was time eat.

Weekend Update

I have a new book! Don't you love the 500 series from Lark? Last night was the Carolina Claymatters Guild, post holiday meeting/party. Everyone gets a ticket upon arrival and after dinner they draw numbers for prizes. Everyone goes home with something, either a new pottery tool or book. I was so excited to receive this book.

Before heading to the party, Jeff took down the door to the kiln. It wasn't as exciting as some firings, the majority of the shelves were filled with green and white piggy banks. This is our first wholesale order for UncommonGoods in NY. We didn't unload them all but so far they look great. I did manage to get a few new bowls in the kiln. I have made the altered rim bowls in the past, this is the first time that I incorporated the Korean stamps into them.

Today it's back to building piggy banks. Happy Sunday y'all.

Pigs on the wing

Last week Jeff and I went to Greensboro and stocked up on goodies from the Asian market. We can get lost for hours in that store! Needless to say, since then we have been eating lots of Asian inspired dishes. A tasty and quick meal to throw together is Spicy Pan-Fried Noodles. You'll find the recipe here. It's very adaptable for vegans and those who can't eat gluten. Jeff grilled up some chicken wings with Korean bulgogi sauce and it was a delicious combination.

Jeff and I love chicken wings and we are always amazed at how much more they cost than boneless chicken breast. I remember some years back, that wings were cheap eats. The other day I was listening to Market Place on NPR, while working in the studio. Our favorite guy, Kai Ryssdal, was interviewing a chicken producer in the midwest. The chicken guy said that we are coming into "wing" season and the price will rise... and what is "wing" season? The season starts with the Super Bowl and continues through March Madness.

Yes folks, sports drives up the cost of your wings.

Meantime, back in the studio I have managed to make a few bowls this week. I squeezed these in in between tackling the year end, much dreaded, paperwork. I am trying to figure out a new routine in the studio to balance out pig assembly and creating other work. The good news is that we have landed a new piggy bank wholesale account. The first order is not overwhelming and we have already started on it. There is the possibility of needing to complete 300 +/- by late spring. The good news is that glazing will be easy. They are all going to be the same. No figuring out how many of this color or that. Finding a balance between the pig production and making other pots will be the tricky part.
I am already hatching that plan in my head.
Hey, who knows... with all these pigs flying out of the studio, we just might be able to eat more wings.