Sunday, August 18, 2013
Mollie
Mollie is our newest member of the family! We got her from the local shelter. She was 6 weeks old when we got her. Abbey and her are great friends! She has been with us for about a month now! She is golden lab and very mellow! She has just fit into our lives perfectly.
She loves to swim! During our last irrigation, she jumped into the deep part of the ditch and swam around. At first I thought she fell in, but watching her jump in over and over made me realize she wanted to be in that water. I think we may have a future dock dog!
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Loading The Kiln!
Friday, April 26, 2013
Bowls: Calico Style
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Catladydi Gone to the Dog!
Abbey is our newest member of the family! She is part Australian Shepherd, part Border Collie. She has totally taken over the house and our hearts!
I knew dogs needed more attention than cats and now that I am retired and can devote time to her, it was time to get a pup! Abbey is a very easy going pup and fits right in with our family.
Abbey is a working dog and knows when it is time to feed the chickens and get the mail. She gets me out more and that is a good thing. She and the cats get along quite well (they are all in the kitchen at dinner time and eat together).
I can't imagine life without her!
I knew dogs needed more attention than cats and now that I am retired and can devote time to her, it was time to get a pup! Abbey is a very easy going pup and fits right in with our family.
Abbey is a working dog and knows when it is time to feed the chickens and get the mail. She gets me out more and that is a good thing. She and the cats get along quite well (they are all in the kitchen at dinner time and eat together).
I can't imagine life without her!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Class projects done!
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
Cat Plaque Done!
I love how the cat plaque turned out: I used Duncan Concepts Sprinkles under gloss for the cat (ginger sprinkles, briarwood sprinkles and black sprinkles)
I used 3 coats of underglaze and 3 coats of glaze!
Now that I know how the underglaze turns out, I am ready to try a couple of more cats for the walls!
I used 3 coats of underglaze and 3 coats of glaze!
Now that I know how the underglaze turns out, I am ready to try a couple of more cats for the walls!
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Wild & Crazy Slab Bowl
This slab bowl was fun. The first firing of it was pale and plain. I was able to re-glaze it and I threw on tons of glaze: literally cleaning out jars of glaze and throwing it on! I wasn't sure what I would end up with, but I like it!
My next project will be the cat plaque! I have the paints needed and instructions from a pro!
One bad thing, I had a huge plaque of the sun and moon I came up with. When I went to pick it up to take in for it's first firing, it fell apart. Darn it! It was done with red clay. I do have some pet bowls made out of the red clay drying.
I am still enjoying the process! Each piece is a lesson!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Clay Class Projects (so far)
Clay Class Projects
(so far)
Coil projects |
Coil projects: Pot: needed to put the glaze on thicker. My new pencil holder! Spoon rest: I love the glaze on this one! This is now in use by my coffee pot.
Wheel pots |
My first couple of throws on the wheel. Again, a long ways to go. I really enjoy working the other methods right now: wheel will come later!
Pinch pots are fun: The one on the left has a confetti glaze. I tried to make the one on the right like a big flower:
Pinch Pots |
Slab boxes. The one on the right has every mistake that can possibly be made! The one on the right has some cat and fish indentions. The glaze came out interesting.
Boxes (slab) |
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Strawberry Skillet Cake
Strawberry Skillet Cake
1 Cup Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar Plus 2 Tablespoons (divided)
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup sliced or quartered strawberries
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 1/2 inch cast iron skillet.
Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar over strawberries and gently toss. Set aside.
Whisk together: flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
In a larger mixing bowl, whisk 1/4 cup brown sugar and egg until smooth. Whisk in the sour cream until blended, then repeat with the melted butter. Dump in the flour mixture and gently stir to combine. Do not over mix or you will have a tough crumb.
Scatter the berries over the batter and gently press down. Drizzle any juices from the berry bowl.
Bake in the center of the oven until golden about 20-25 minutes.
Serve warm with some half and half, or whip cream! Yum!
Friday, January 25, 2013
Beer Grain Bread
Oven ready |
Beer Grain Bread
My husband brews beer. When the brewing is done, there are a bunch of spent grains. Here is a recipe I made using the spent grains. My chickens will be missing out on 3 cups of spent grain this round.
The bread is heavy and grainy, but it is absolutely delicious! The spent grains still have nutrients and flavor. The grains can also be frozen for future use.
I had very good luck with this batch: good flavor and good texture.
Ingredients:
3 cups spent grain (wet, straight from the bash tun)
1 1/4 cups warm water
1/4 cups sugar
4-5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 packet dry active yeast
Instruction:
Mix yeast, water and sugar in a bowl to activate yeast: Allow 30 minutes for yeast to activate.
Add Yeast starter, salt, egg, spent grain and milk in a bowl and slowly add flour (I started with 2 cups whole wheat then kept adding unbleached flour until it was the right consistency. If the grains are wet, more flour needed).
Knead the dough until it is smooth and no longer sticky.
Place dough in a large greased bowl and cover it with a towel. Let rise to double in size: takes about 1-1 1/2 hours. Punch the dough down.
Split your dough into the desired amount of loaves (I made two) you want and shape on a cookie sheet.
Cover with a towel and let the loaves rise again: another 1/2 hour.
Bake at 375 for 35-45 minutes. Bread should be a nice brown and a knife comes out clean after being inserted into the center.
Baked! |
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Pottery Projects
Cat plaque, spoon rest, bowl, box and coil spoon rest |
I am taking a clay class through Rising Sun Gallery and Art Studio in Fallon, NV
Rising Sun Gallery & Art Studio
Here are some projects in the greenware stage:
Greenware (noun) is the term given to clay objects when they have been shaped but have not not yet been bisque fired, which converts them from clay to ceramic. Greenware may be in any of the stages of drying: wet, damp, soft leather-hard, leather-hard, stiff leather-hard, dry, and bone dry.
These will dry and then be fired in a kiln, then painted and fired again. The 1 1/2 hours of class flies by! These are projects done at home. I am really enjoying it!
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Clay Class
A couple of pots I am working on. I am taking a clay class through our local art gallery:
Rising Sun Gallery and Art Studio in Fallon, NV.
The art gallery is trying to raise funds to help provide the community with art classes for all ages. Here is the link to help out. Every little bit helps!
Fund Raiser
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