My most recent pottery class ended last week, and yesterday I went to pick up my final batch of glazed goodies that had come out of the kiln. You guys, this is my favorite batch yet! I made a LOT of stuff this time around — I really wanted to experiment with different glazes and to start to get a feel for what type of vessels and forms I really like to create and how I like to decorate them — and I can honestly say I am hooked on clay. It is SO FUN. (Here’s a peek at some of the stuff I made in my first class, too, back in June.) I think I’m starting to find my ceramic style, and seeing how all this stuff turned out is making me want to create more more more! Have I told you that Ryan and I are knocking down our detached garage and building a new one with a brand new studio on top for me? I’ll tell you more about that when construction is underway! There will be a kiln in the studio…… what a dream that’ll be! I can hardly wait.

Above are a bunch of little bowls that I made, a little cobalt blue + white spice dish, and a couple larger dishes. I used an underglaze pencil on the little bowls, so I could draw directly onto the clay (which was fun!). The spice dish is just underglaze painted right on and then dipped in a clear glaze. I used hand-carved stamps on the larger dishes and a combination of glazes and oxides to make the patterns and textures stand out. I’m so happy with how it all turned out!

I made some test tile type things, with different stamps and glazes and oxides, that I turned into a couple wall hanging type things:

I attached them last night with wire, and I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to hand from those holes in the bottom. I’ll share a pic when they’re complete!

I didn’t make these forms (there’s a shelf of old and/or unclaimed bisque ware (unglazed pottery) at the studio that you can use to practice different glazing techniques, so I grabbed a couple and tried out overlapping some different underglazes and then dipping them in a clear glossy glaze to finish them up:

I think they turned out pretty cool!

I also made some more spoons this go-round:

And this dish may be my very favorite:

Those textures are all made from stamps that I carved out of rubber that I normally use for the backgrounds of my paintings, but they work just as well for clay!

Here’s a pitcher I made, also using one of my hand-carved stamps for the texture:

It’s a little crooked, but that’s ok with me. ;)

And a funky little dish, again just experimenting with different glazes:

I wish I could have signed up to continue on — the next class starts this week — but since I have no idea when Baby Swift is going to arrive, I decided it’s best if I take a break for the time being. Yesterday marked 36 weeks in this pregnancy! I can hardly believe it. Ryan and I spent the entire past weekend at a childbirth class, and that started to make everything feel a bit more real. This baby could actually come any time now, whoa!

Here’s a pic from a couple days ago:

I’m feeling less-than-comfortable these days, but it’s exciting, too. The baby is squirming around like a champ these days — he’s really in there! What a bizarre experience. Trying not to think too much about the birth…. that part feels a little scary, considering I’m planning to be completely unmedicated, but women do it every day and make it through, so I can, too. Right?? I can’t wait to see who this sweet little being is inside of me. Baby Swift! :)