Memoirs Of A Nipple Washer

It's like a metropolis. The counter almost always looks like this. We have a dishwasher but we also have hard hard water and so the nipples would have a residue on them that I couldn't tolerate so I was always washing nipples by hand. Made me crazy. Mr. Pearl and Pebble did something with the water softener so the last few days, the dishwasher has been a relief. Won't last though. We need a new softener. My sweet precious babies have begun to partake of solid food. Well Gerberized of course. We l-o-v-e our green beans.

And I guess a mouth full isn't complete unless we can stick all of our fingers in too.

Green Beans. I'm just thrilled they love them. Crazy here, just crazy. My indulgence?

Poor Yellow Dog. Life just isn't the same for her either. Couldn't give her chocolate, so I let her lick the wrapper.

I did a new bisque firing at cone 4 and they are fine. BUT my holes were too small for the rods after they dried and I hung them on a high temp wire. Good thing I tried in the bisque fire, because there was MAJOR saggage. If it had been a glaze firing, I would have had a huge mess. I ordered some high temp wire in a smaller guage, but I still don't know if I trust it. Might have to do really tiny loads so that each bead can be on an isolated stretch of wire. Can't wait to glaze and see though!

Teapots, Babies, Beads Oh My!

I found a teapot! I choose a little Bee House ceramic pot. Thanks for all your suggestions. I was torn really. I really liked the cast iron fish teapot that I saw at Enjoying Tea, a cool site Nan recommended. Ultimately though, I decided on this little beauty. The little guys are doing well. This week we got their helmets for their phlagiocephaly. We aren't starting off so good though because we do not have central air and it's been houvering near or at 100 degrees and I don't want them to start out in misery.

And my beads? Well I had misunderstood what I was reading on the various sites while researching product. My stoneware matures at a cone 6 and that's what I bisqued to. OOOPS! I was confused when I was looking at my glaze bottles and the label was telling me to apply to a bisqued cone 04. Now, I knew that the glaze could be fired up to 6 so that got me inquiring again. Good thing, because I am guessing if I had applied the glaze and refired it would have slid right off onto the kiln bottom. I've also purchased a shelf in the meantime so if I fufu I won't wreck anything. Hopefully. I did apply kiln wash to the floor, but I want a little more peace I guess. I suppose I should really take a refresher course, but I don't see me doing anything of the sort until about 2016. Bout the same time I get my hair cut again and this tooth filled-if it's still there.

I Need A Teapot

A nice cup of tea..... Don't get me wrong, the day doesn't start well without a nice cup or two or three of coffee. I am a purist. I like it full bodied and black. I do like a nice hazelnut, but only from my local market. If you live in southeast Michigan and are near a Nino Salvaggio, get their hazelnut beans. I prefer to grind right before I brew, but I prefer to not wake sleeping babies even more. Somewhere mid day I really dig a nice cup of tea. Earl Grey is my favorite, not so pure, with sugar and milk. I do prefer loose tea, but I suspect there is a world of tea undiscovered by me.

So I am asking for some enlightenment. First let me explain that this year for my b.day, I asked for a teapot with an infuser. I have been given funds to pick out one that makes me giddy with delight. But this is not an easy thing to shop for. Do I want glass, ceramic, iron?????? Who knew? I had seen one at the hardware store and when I sent Mr. Pearl and Pebble over there yesterday, he said it was "crap". So I need some recommendations from any tea lovers out there. Please. I don't want to use my little infuser spoons anymore. What kind of teapot with an infuser should I buy? What tea makes your toes curl with delight? By the way, don't you love the mug?!?! I got that years and years ago in North Carolina at a local art fair. The artist's name is Amy Hunt. I was delighted to see that she has an Etsy shop too. And just in case I still have to do all that "stuff", Twinings has no idea I like their tea or that I posted a picture on my blog.

Finally!

How long have I had my little Fire Fly Kiln?!?! It was my happy birthday present to me I believe, um, in '09. Finally I have my first baked batch of stoneware beads. Yay Me!!! Really looking forward to playing with some glazes. I chose a clay with alot of texture, so it will be interesting to see how they finally end up. I hope they won't be too scratchy. Thanks to all the Beads of Clay artists who have been so helpful and willing to share with me!!!!

Time is so limited with the babes these days. They are rolling and creeping and unless they are napping in a confined area, I can't leave them. Sooooooo I have also continued to play with my seed beads and trying to learn some patterns and following a few tutorials to see what I can come up. Pretty theaputic actually. The round beads are a tutorial from Etsy's The Crimson Moon.

Some really really really beautiful slag beach stone beads from Stone Me. I just love these blues. Indulged in this little purchase to whip up something special for my mom in law's birthday. She's so awesome. Never complains that all she ever gets from us is something handmade usually by me. Have a great weekend. Maybe I can get some glaze on my new babies and post that picture before next month. HA! Cross our fingers