Cake in a Coffee Mug
This is a wonderful recipe for single people, college kids, afterschool snacks, etc. They make lovely gifts and are delicious.

1 cake mix any flavor
1 ( 4 serving size) instant pudding mix , any flavor

Blend ingredients well until completely mixed. Measure ½ cup dry mix into sandwich bags, Makes 8-9) & tie it closed using ribbon.

Glaze mix : In a separate bag combine the following ingredients:

1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 ½ tsp dry flavoring
( ex. powdered lemonade mix, powdered orange breakfast drink mix, cocoa powder)

Grease or spray coffee mug with cooking spray. Empty Cake Mix into mug and add 1 egg white, 1 T. Oil & 1 T water. Blend with fork until smooth. Place in microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes. While cake is cooking add 1 ½ tsp water to glaze mix in baggie. Close and gently rub baggie until glaze is smooth. When cake is done, remove from microwave, cut a small hole in the corner of glaze packet and apply glaze to your mug cake.
Eat while warm!

I got this off of Clayart.

3" in diameter, 4" high with a little flair at the top

 

5 Minute Yummy Chocolate Cake

4 T Self Rising Flour
4 T Sugar
2 T Baking cocoa
1 Egg
3 T Milk
3 T Vegetable Oil
3 T Chocolate Chips

Small splash of Vanilla

Spray Yummy Pot with Pam. Mix dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients
and mix again. Pour into Yummy Pot and microwave on High (in 1000 Watt
Microwave Oven) for 3 minutes. Cake will rise over the top of Yummy Pot,
but don't be alarmed! Allow to cool a few minutes and enjoy. It is even
yummier, if you add a scoop of ice cream. Serves 2.

With a Yummy Pot and this recipe, you are only 5 minutes away from chocolate
cake any time of the day or night! Enjoy!

This blog complete with pics and videos is a great way to spray glazes efficiently and economically.

 

www.wooditis.blogspot.com

While on Clayart this video was made available and its so simple

 http://silverlight.services.live.com/75958/Ugly%20Mug_2/video.wmv

Elizabeth Priddy had this on her website. The center goes all the way down to the wheel head and pull the outside higher than the center if you want to trim it.

View Larger Image Affixing wax handles to the bottom of a difficult-to-dip pot will make glazing quick, neat and simple.

March 28, 2008

Tip of the Week: Wax On, Wax Off

by Peter Sharpe | Read Comments (3)

Anyone who has ever struggled with unwieldy glazing tongs or dropped a piece into the glaze bucket because they lost their grip on the foot will appreciate this week’s Tip of the Week. Peter Sharpe of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada, came up with this clever solution for glazing difficult-to-dip pots. Thanks Peter!

Dipping a bowl in a glaze bucket can be frustrating if the sides of the bowl are steep, and if the foot is difficult to grasp. After I wax the foot, I attach a 3-inch length of red extruded wax that is sold for bronze-casting sprews. An internet search for extruded wax for bronze casting should help locate suppliers. The wax is available in 1/4 and 1/2-inch diameters, and is very strong. I use a small soldering iron to affix the red wax to the waxed base of the bowl, and then dip the pot in the glaze as desired. After the glaze is dry, I simply snap off the red wax cylinder and reuse it. For heavier vessels, I bend the 1/2-inch diameter wax cylinder into a handle shape, so it attaches to the base in two places.

Alisa Clausen's website with tons of glaze tests

http://www.alisapots.dk/glaze.htm

 

This is from Ulfe Cordes of Clayart

http://www.ceramics-glazes.com/

 

This is a well known ^10 glossy clear glaze by Bernard Leach that is

simple to mix with commonly used ingredients.

40 Custer Feldspar

30 Silica or Flint

20 whiting

10 EPK Kaolin

Randys Red Adjusted

Cone: 6 Color: Olive Green with Red Crystals

Firing: Oxidation Surface: Glossy

Amount Ingredient

18.6 Nepheline Syenite

29.9 Gerstley Borate--1999

4.5 Kaolin--EPK

14 Talc

28 Silica

5 Bone Ash

100 Total

Additives

14 Iron Oxide--Red

Randy's Red makes a nice purple with .5-2% cobalt carb substituted for the iron

This festival was postponed due to rain. It will now be on May 17th, 2009. Its going to be a fun one. I have new pieces for the show.

trimming, handling, cleaning, glazing, cleaning, firing. . . so much to do, so little time.

Ok, I'm on my way to being ready for this season's shows. Please check out the events page to keep updated. Applied to 7. I've gotten 1 reply so far and I am in. Dover Days on May 2nd.

I made sooo many berry bowls this week that when I drilled the holes in them, my drill battery went dead.

 

New clay is stiffer than I am used to but it throws nicer. Kiln test will begin next week. In the mean time I will continue to throw for the spring and summer season:

berry bowls

lotion/soap pumps

juicers

large colanders

mugs

sugar/creamers

pitchers

vases

pasta/veggie bowls

and lamps, yes, lamps. This clay should be perfect for them

I have a new rotation of pieces at The Curioaity Shoppe. The opening was last night and it was pretty crowded. The music was good. My pottery has been seeling good there so I am confident that my new items will be a hit as well.

 

I have been accepted into a show in New Hope. Look on my events page. Hopefully I will see some familiar faces there. I am looking forward to it. I only got 1 pieces in the show. I like it. Lets hope that someone lese will too. You know, maybe buy it. Plus, it is a competition where the customers are the guests. Soooo, vote for me!

So, I have new work at The Curiosity Shoppe on 4th & South. Also I have just been invited to show work at Once Upon A Gallery on Germantown Ave in Phila.

The spring shows will be coming up soon. I will keep everyone posted on where they will be.

 

Thanks for your support!!

I sold just about everything I made over the holidays. Yeah! So, now I am making glazes and inventory. I will concentrate on the most popular items - berry bowls, large colanders, and lotion/soap pumps. I have also gotten myself to a level where I can make very tall pieces. Usually, I can make large bowls easily, say 8-10 pounds. Now I can get them pretty tall with the same amount of clay.

I am also in the process of applying to galleries and other shows.

This holiday season was my best ever! I sold almost everything I made. Now it is time to build up the inventory and get ready for some upcoming spring shows. Thank you to all who supported me!!

Let me just say, it way cold out. I have been outside almost every Friday & Saturday in the Italian Market. I rent a stand in front of Gleaner's Cafe. Between the vegetable guy that doesn't speak English and a gigantic mural of Frank Rizzo.

The opening at The Curiosity Shoppe was pretty crowded. They had live music, beer & wine, and tons of art work displayed.

The next opening is Dec 5th at The Fuel House on 2nd & Arch in Northern Liberties. 1000 pieces of work. Hopefully, for those who can make it, will be able to find me there. It is quite a beautiful space so try to make it.

Also, Teacher Karen will be having an Open House on Dec 5th & 6th at her gallery. I'll keep you posted with an exact address. I'll have new work there. She has a great selection of fabulous local art work.

And, its soo cold in the studio that my clay froze. The heater I have isn't quite doing the trick. It is going to be difficult to keep up with all the work I need to make.

The Curiosity Shoppe already has my pieces for this show & sale - 18 pieces to be exact. They will gladly bring more in as the items sell. The opening is going to be FUN. They'll have a band and about 40 other artists' works. I think there is only 1 other potter whose stuff is nothing like mine. From 9-10:30pm, just off the corner of 4th & South. I can't wait. The shop will host my pots for 2 months with a possibility for more.

Italian Market seems to be doing pretty well so far. New celadon glaze in the kiln now as a test. Berry bowls are quite popular. Made a dosen more yesterday. And, of course, more lotion/soap pumps. Sugar bowls and creamers are in the kiln now as well. I have a very exciting covered bowl in also. I would like to use it for the FUEL Collection.

I unloaded the last load this morning. I have been getting ready for The Italian Market in South Philly tomorrow. I have to have more made by Nov 6th for a show in University City. And Teacher Karen wants things for her gallery for the holidays.

Anyway, if all goes well tomorrow I will be down there more often.

 

Check all the new pics!!

I just love the glaze combos that came out of the kiln today. Waterfall Brown is still one of my favorites. The lotion pumps came out exactly as I planned and will surely be a big hit. I will throw off the hump from now on with those. It will be easier to keep up.

 

The lamp bases are perfect and I also found the perfect 'leather' shades. They match the bases and I am very proud of how they have come along. These are small desk lamps. Bigger table lamps will be next. I thought the wiring would be an issue but, I have managed to keep the studio from burning down.

 

I have an appointment to see a gallery/store in Malvern on Friday. She has a Nov/Dec holiday show that I'm interested in. Plus she might be willing to keep my things in there throughout the year.

I have been reclaiming my clay since I have made my plaster table. I just don't have the patience to allow it to dry well. So, I throw it when it is soft. Hard to bring the walls up on large pieces when it is really wet. I'm loosing too much and since I can only spread out about 6 or 7 lbs on the table, I'm not getting much done. I will have to buy some clay. This way I can throw more while I allow the reclaimed stuff dry better.

I am also loading the kiln as things dry. I have several lamp bases now and a handful of lotion pumps. There are also plenty of good size bowls and 2 pitchers that I hate and should really smash and start over.

 

Fired the kiln last Friday. Everything fired exactly like it was supposed to although the bottom was slightly cooler. I'll have to keep an eye on that bottom element since it was all but destroyed in the move.

I have been throwing mostly bowls. I did, however, get the lamps started. I think I have my 'shape' and size down. I have also been working on the lotion pumps. What a pain in the ass. It's hard to throw small things.

Today, I poured my plaster wedging table. Used Pottery Plaster #1. Its self leveling. The guy told so and I just did not believe him. I watched it, got nervous and ran a straight edge across it. Lets just say - it IS self leveling and does not like it when you try and mess with it.

I will take pictures soon

Finally, there is heat in my kiln. But, during the move to the new studio 1 of the cone supports was lost. So, the sitter doesn't stay on and neither does the kiln. Going today to get a new pair.

I will be picking up the plaster for my new wedging table today too. I need 130#. What the hell am I going to mix THAT in?

I have been throwing with some old clayI found in a bag. And the buckets of dried clay are coming along with the water I had added and are ready to be reclaimed.

The forms I will be throwing will be for lamps and lotion pumps. And, of course, nice big bowls. I'll put holes in them for washing fruit. I guess I'll have to throw plates to go under them.

And my next project will be - where to find lamp parts and nice shades that don't look like they came from Target. I saw some great examples at Village Pottery in Lancaster last weekend.

Electrician #5 - Supposed to come yesterday. But, of course, there was some excuse. Something about their supplier being out of the wire they needed. We'll see if they actually come today.

I then have to fire empty to see if it actually works - with cones on each level. What a waste. I really want to put SOMETHING in there.

4 galleries that want some of my things. Pretty awesome but the kiln is not hooked up yet.

My son has helped me with my work/wedging table. He has a great idea about attaching the work top with hinges. I can wedge with the top up and not on the floor where I would be kicking it. Then I can glaze or wax or whatever with the top down. We'll make the top just a little short so that I can have a wire attached to one end. The shelf under the table is braced really well to store clay and everything is bolted to the studs. A tornado might bring the shed down but the table is staying right where it is.

Well, the electrician didn't show. Apparently his wife had a baby. He's supposed to be here tomorrow. But, I did get the floor in with Jo's help. And, then I caulked around the edges so that when I mop the water won't get underneath. I hung up a bunch of hooks for the shovels and rakes. Yes, I have to share my studio with the lawnmower, the bikes and the garden tools. I hung almost everything. So, that gives me about a 12' x 15' space. And, I have 2 windows and 2 doors. I didn't have any of that in my old leaky basement.

Almost finished with my new studio. Putting down the floor Tuesday. Electrician is coming Wednesday. Can't wait.