I've had a mad few weeks setting up my new studio space at home and taking delivery of my very first kiln. In the final stages of functional fitout now and should be able to get my hands in the clay again very soon. #newkiln #newstudio

Goodnight from Scotty. As a pup he'd leap off the bed into that beanbag, race back onto the bed and do it again, like a kid on a slide. Now, at the ripe old age of 2, he snuggles in like it's a nest. ❤️ #dogsofbluesky

Australian natives in my garden. Things are coming alive for Spring.

I relocated and replanted my birdbath/planter stack today. Part of a bigger garden revamp. This thing took a crazy amount of time to make a couple of years ago. Mostly coil built, with a bit of slab, and a whole lot of additive texture.

Some more bear vases were fired last week. The later ones are holding snacks, because bears gotta eat! These are shaped on the turned timber forms I made with help from a local woodworker. #handbuiltceramics #bears

Remember this bonsai pot? Finally finished. The photos don't quite show it properly. There's a lichen glaze that is like little waves crashing onto rocks that brings the two textures together. The multiple glazes took 90+ minutes to apply so I am thankful it has come out how I envisaged it!

A change from pottery. Reflection images I took a few years ago. I'm not a very skilled photographer so was stoked to have managed these. If you look closely at the 3rd image you'll see the darter (bird) has friends. 😄

My mum has gifted me this mug. I remember it from when I was a kid. It's by Ellis Pottery which operated between the 40s and 70s in Melbourne. No idea where or when she got it. I absolutely love it and now want to get more pieces. #howobsessionsbegin

Another bonsai pot out of the kiln this morning. I experimented with layering oxides and glazes on this one and I think it's a success.

Feet added! I opted for fat coil feet so I could extend the texture onto them. First attempt at a cascade pot but might equally work for deep rooted succulents. So if my local bonsai crew aren't keen on it, I have some succs that would be happy in it! 😆

WIP Still deciding what feet to add. Weather is cold and wet so I've got plenty of time to figure it out before I can handle this anyway. 😄 Might hit the inside with the hairdryer to speed things up a bit though.

This guy's my favourite from the latest batch. I haven't named him yet. Suggestions welcome!

Rooster and hen vases from the latest firing. These crazy chooks make me smile.

Some new members of the family. Frankie, Sylvie, Tracey, Phil, Megan and Bianca. Yes, they all get names! Some even have backstories because they have more character than others. 😄

Experimentation with oxide washes on my bonsai pots. This is a strong blend of black and red iron oxides. Works especially well on the more heavily textured pot, I think.

Now that I've started giving the bears little treasures, I'm going to have to keep going. 😄 This one has a fishy feast. I keep getting ideas for other beary special additions! Teddy bear, flowers, ice-cream... What else might your average bear-about-the-town like? (Nothing gory! 😅)

In honour of Australia and Canada (mostly) rejecting fascism at the polls, this little bear has a maple syrup snack. Or it could just be that I really like maple syrup!😆 Or maybe both.

WIP bear vases. But what I really came here to say tonight is... Yesssssss!!!!! Australia joins Canada in saying "f$#@ you" to the far right, racist trash politicians. I am so relieved I nearly cried.

I posted a dodgy photo with Lavender Pup in it earlier, but here's some better ones. This is a chrome based green-pink glaze, but first time I've used it on one of my darker clays and it has come out a lovely dusty purple-pink.

Flashback to when I installed this two years ago. It's three planters with a birdbath on top. Biggest single project I've ever done. (Apologies if I've shared it before. It came up as a memory today.) #pottersofbluesky #pottery #handbuiltpottery #handbuildersofbluesky

Work in progress. New members of the Nosey Wingnut family. They'll get their character once painted, after being bisqued. This is the biggest group I've done, by far. It's taken most of the past week. I'm dreading how long it will take to paint them all!! #handbuildersofbluesky

Why I couldn't have indoor plants for over a decade! Thankfully our aged resident feline expends all her energy attacking the dogs now and I've managed to sneak a couple of plants in. bsky.app/profile/exoc...

I'm enjoying my move into hand pierced luminaries using my chunkier, darker clay bodies. Previously I have used lighter clays and simpler round piercing. Which I'll still do, but more of this too. Glazes are MPW-made dolomite loveliness.

Large square bonsai pot. The colour is hard to capture. Ranges from deep navy to lavender. This is one of my recent glaze experiments. I'm working on a number of dolomite glazes. Some very promising results so far. #handbuildersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky

Happy kiln day everyone! Meet Coconut Bear and its mini-me (vases), and Lavender Pup. Three more of the cone form test pieces, unloaded today. #handbuildersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky #cutecritters

No, NOT new work! These are from 8 years ago when I started teaching myself how to make lidded vessels. These were the very first attempts. Before I found foam sheet for templates. Before I had proper ware boards. Before I had my back yard studio, when I took over the dining room to make stuff!

Decorative birdhouses, made using a woodturned cone form. I'm so lucky to be collaborating with a local woodworker. I now have half a dozen (I think) timber forms to work with, and more to come. #handbuiltpottery #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky #birdhouse

Today's work in progress. This is over 2kgs of clay in a big pot. The clouds will be refined tomorrow once it dries off a bit more overnight. #handbuildersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky #bonsai #planter

Yesss!!! (New to bluesky and no idea about the usual way to reskeet(?) stuff, but hopefully this does the job.) bsky.app/profile/donn...

More pots underway. I automatically add the extra holes these days to accommodate wire for bonsai, but they are also handy extra drainage for other uses. My passion is succulents, so additional drainage is a bonus. #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky

Managed to get some time in the studio today and made a round coil built pot, which is now drying on the shelves with the large square one from my last studio day. I'm sneaking in as much making as possible around other commitments. Been busy with life stuff! #handbuiltpottery #handbuildersofbluesky

Succy Street planters with interchangeable yard features and drip tray yards that I made in a moment (actually, MANY moments) of madness. Tidied them up and rearranged their adornments today. Like doll houses, for plants! (Sorry for multiple pics. Couldn't decide which one I liked most.)

Supervision crew in place. I can start work now. #studiodogs #handbuilersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky

Spent a while with my woodworking collaborator on the weekend and have a few more moulds to test. Chubby bear vase, anyone? 😁 I'm calling it Coconut Bear, because when I went to cut out the holes that's what it looked like. 😆 #handbuildersofbluesky #bearycute

I've been teaching for 7 years. Using the same neat wheel thrown slip pots and having slip brushes rolling off, across the tables, onto the floor...for seven years! Finally made some notched slip pots. Better late than never, hey? 🤣 (Still greenware, awaiting firing.)

I think this is my biggest piece ever. It's actually 3 planters plus the birdbath and the spacers. Took such a long time to make, but worth it. One of the few things I've been 100% happy with out of the kiln. (Photo taken last winter.) #handbuildersofbluesky #birdbath

Part way through testing colourants in a basic dolomite glaze. Pictured are 6 test glazes, on three different clay bodies. (I use heaps of different clays so always need to remember how much that can impact glazes!)

Pretty jade bonsai pot also out of the kiln today. I went rogue with this one and fully glazed it. Didn't happen to have my wax handy and tbh was too lazy to wipe the glaze back inside. I'll be happy to adopt it if it doesn't sell. 😁 #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky

Unloaded the refired pieces today. Rooster vase turned out SOO cute! #handbuildersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky #funkychicken

When the world is too depressing, I go talk to my plants. Or cuddle a dog (because cuddling some of my plants would seriously hurt! 🤪). Or read a cosy mystery, where the evil is always low-key and always loses. Or get into my studio. What's your escape?

Went in to unload the glaze firing last night. $#@!ing kiln malfunction!!!! 😡😡🥺🥺😭😭😭 Such is #potterslife Cross your fingers for me that everything refires okay. Don't think it even reached bisque temps so here's hoping! 🤞🤞🤞🤞

Thoroughly cleaned my studio this morning. Then promptly covered it in brown clay again. Then the dogs joined me this evening and chewed up sticks all over the floor. 😆😝🙄 #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky #studiolife #potterydogs

Set a glaze load running today, so I'm reminescing about old work while waiting for the new. This was a gift for my husband. World's fanciest pen holder! #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky

Flashback to the time I coil built an enormous egg on legs. 😆 It was a technical challenge to see if I could transition from two forms into one, and my first time coiling an enclosed form. I was successful (not a single crack!)... and I called it Eggwardine.

Ornamental birdhouse. One of the cone form test pieces. In the house it just looked brownish, but in sunlight... ❤️❤️ Love how some glazes really pop in natural light. #pottersofbluesky #handbuildersofbluesky #birdhouse

The previous bonsai pot has a slightly larger sibling, and this is a closeup of the glaze and carving on it. The glaze is much more subtle on this one. It feels lovely to touch. Both pots are glazed in MPW-made glazes. I swore I'd never make my own glazes... but now I am glad I started! 😄

These two test tiles looked identical colours before firing and I had to explain to my husband about the raw glaze colour not representing the finished result. When teaching, some students struggle with the concept too. My new saying about glazes is "It's not about how it looks, but how it cooks!"

Kiln opening this morning revealed one of the best bonsai pots I've made so far. Oh, happy kilnday!!!

Very handy having a woodworker just down the road who has not only made my prototype cone form, but also started teaching me how to turn to get the curves I want. And he made me a handy dandy handle/stand for them. More turning fun to come soon! Can't wait. 😁 #handbuildersofbluesky #pottersofbluesky