Extruder Workshop at Tacoma Community College

I like to teach and it was a while since I was teaching in a large group. Last weekend I did a 2 day extruder and surface decoration workshop at Tacoma Community College organized by the Clay Club students at TCC.

A big thanks to Clay Art Center for letting us borrow the Scott Creek Super Duper clay extruder for the workshop. I LOVE this extruder because of its design and its ease of changing dies. With this hands-on workshop, everyone got to try it out and unleash the potential of extruded work. Here are some picture of the workshop.

Discussing Die design and making your own diesAlways fun working on butter dishes

Attaching spout to a teapot

Making a pillow bowl. Love the finishing sponge from Mudtools

Working with students making a butter dish

Some of the pieces in progress, oil bottle, butter dishes, pillow box, sugar creamer, etc...

A big Thanks to AMACO for sedning their velvet underglazes for the workshop.

Techniques for slip decoration

One of the oil bottles decorated.

Overall it was great fun with a great group of artists. Contact me at creativewithclay@yahoo.com if you would like to arrange a workshop.

Earth Day Giveaway and Mother's Day

I am few days late to wish everyone a Happy Earth day but everyday should be Earth day.
This year to celebrate Earth day, I am giving away reusuable foldable tote bags with your purchases in my Etsy shop

Even the small steps we take to reduce the number of plastic bags we use can make a huge impact on the plastic wastes. I know several plastic bags do get recycled, but that costs energy too. So why not walk around in a fashionable tote bag at your local farmer's market with a resusable bag?

Every purchase of $50 or more gets one of these tote bags for FREE

And every purchase of $100 or more gets an upgrade to these animal print bags.

And don't forget, Mother's day is just around the corner!

These lidded teacups are sure to make her happy.

HURRY UP! This offer is valid only till 30th April!

Besan Puda from Manjula's Kitchen

This is one of my favorite food that we enjoy for breakfast/brunch over weekends. It is Besan Puda, savory and can always be varied with the vegatables to add to it. Think of it as a vegetarian omlet without eggs.
The one I made is made with zuccinni and I got the recipe from Manjula's kitchen. I know I have a strong Indian accent, but she takes the cake. I love the way she talks and you feel you are really in her kitchen when she cooks. Lots of great indian vegetarian recipes on her website.
Here is the recipe I followed. I did add cilantro for extra flavor. I have made variations of this with bell pepper and that comes out good too.

What is your favorite brunch? Comment below.

Extruder die storage and Kiln posts storage

I have a pretty small studio space as some of you who visited my studio must have noticed. I try to make the most of every inch of space I have.
Early this year I visited Barbara Dunshee's studio who is just great at managing here studio space for teaching pottery in her basement studio. What she shared with me were here IKEA CD shelves used as storage for kiln posts. I loved the idea and was on Craigslist hunting for them right away. Found two of them for $30.
With adjustable shelves these are perfect for arranging kiln posts by height and they work great for storing all my extruder dies as well. Make sure to attach them to the wall so they don't fall over. And they have such a small foot print fitting perfectly in the dead corner behind the kiln.

What are your favorite storage solutions in your studio? Comment away.

Indian recipe: Eggplant and Potatoes in tomato curry

This is one of my favorite Indian dishes. Eggplant with potatoes in a spicy and tangy tomato curry sauce. I usually use the small Indian eggplant, but the green thai eggplant taste equally good. I use one tray of these small eggplants (10-15) and slice them in quarters. Keep them immersed in water so they don't blacken. Also peel and diced potatoes to the same size and keep in water.

In a pan, heat up 2 tbsp of oil and temper mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies he mustrad seeds start to split and crackle.

Add in 4 fresh tomatoes blended to a smooth sauce and cook on high till the water is almost gone and it reduces. You can see that it really reduces in volume.

Then just add the potatoes and and eggplant with salt and red chilli pepper to taste. Add 1/2 cup of water and cook on medium heat for 10-12 minutes till it is all cooked.

And there you have it! Enjoy it hot with naan.

How to make a Packing peanut Dispenser?

If you ship orders on Etsy, Ebay, for wholesale you know what a pain it is to deal with packing peanuts. With pottery being fragile, you just have to make friends with packing peanuts. I had been struggling with removing peanuts from bags and boxes and all it created is a big mess and I had to come up with a solution.

Sure you can always buy a packing peanut dispenser but it is going to cost you big time and it might not be the size you want. Here is a simple plan that was fairly easy to do and you can do it too. I also got some great ideas from Jim Bridgeman who has an awesome dispenser which holds the peanuts on the upper floor of his studio. 

The best part is that it costed me peanuts. LOL! I actually had everything at home and just needed the tarp which was $10 and the damper.

Cut out the tarp to the dimensions that work in your space. Above are the dimensions that I used and this can hold  a LOT of peanuts. You do need some sewing skills. Make sure you use a needle for thick material like denim. Fold the top and sew the top so as to fit a 1 inch pvc pipe in the loop.

Pass four 3 feet pvc lengths in the loops and connect them with elbows. This helps in maintaining the top of the dispenser square and steady for loading.

I attached a 6" duct with a damper. With this you can open and close the damper for flow of peanuts.

Then with some rope and pulleys you can bring it down to fill and pull it up out of your way for packing.

Feel free to share this with your friends and Etsy teams who do a  lot of shipping online.

If you have any suggestions on improvement of the design or other helpful tips on packing, feel free to comment below.

Pottery Studio Tour and Sale

In all these years of doing pottery, it is hard for me to beleive I still have never done a studio tour. I have usually joined potters and artists and did a show at another location.
With NCECA in Seattle this year, I thought it would be great opportunity to open the doors of my studio. I do show the happenings in my studio all the time through my blog, but this time you can actually step in.

Plus it will be fun to meet other potters and artists coming for NCECA.

Great deals on Older Stock and Seconds!

Plus buyers get to put their name for a chance to win one of my gallery pieces.

If you are out of state, you can have a virtual tour of my studio here and browse through my work in my Etsy shop

When: March 31st - April 1st (10am - 5pm)

Where: 32706 5th Ave SW,

Federal way, WA 98023

Directions: From I-5,

Take Exit 143, 320th St and go west

Drive 2 miles and turn left on 6th Ave SW

Drive 0.5 miles and turn left on SW 327 Pl

Take first left on 5th Ave SW

I look forward to meeting you

As part of NCECA 2012 in Seattle, do look for my work at the following locations

• Pillow bowl being displayed in theSeattle Convention Center for Potters Council Show "The Chromatic Edge"
• Ceramic shoes and bag displayed at the Nordstrom window in Seattle Downtown for the "Feet of Clay" show.
• Two platters at the Platter Tectonics/Specific Rims exhibit at the Kirkland Arts Center Store
• Dancing Divas and a platter are going to be at the Pulse: Rhythm in Clay exhibit at the ArtEast Art Center in Issaquah
• Beer Stein Live auction at the HopVine Pub in Seattle March 29th 9pm.

Other places you can find my work in Seattle area

City Kitchens

JF Henry Kitchen and Tableware

Throwing mud gallery

Ginger Street