A story of a cat with a past

Hello everyone. I caught a cold. Already? Yes. I disappointed myself, too. I have had robust health since I caught a terrible (probably swine) flu in Christmas 2010. My immune system had been boosted after that. I have had no cold or flu until today. It seems I returned to a mere mortal.

Saturday morning we started the kiln for glaze-firing. I was a bit nervous because this firing had commissioned works which I was re-firing and also their replacements in case original ones wouldn't improve. We opened the kiln first Sunday morning. The top shelf where I placed commissioned works had some under-firing. Shiny green transparent Oribe glaze on new pieces became semi-matt. Ah---gh!  There was more unexpected sight. Clear glaze was too thick, it became white to obscure my decoration on cups and little rabbit objects. Our crests were fallen. Although this was meant to be the last firing of the year at home, apparently we need to re-fire lots of them.

Talking about failed glaze firing, once I smoke fired two pieces, a cat and a mouse, which didn't come right after glaze firing. The results of smoke firing were good. I made this cat probably too thin so it didn't absorb enough  glaze. Although I reapplied the glaze and refired it, it didn't make any difference. So, I decided to smoke fire them. I put a lots of leaves, stalks and all other plant materials with the cat and the mouse in a metal bin and put fire on them. After while, I placed a lid on it so that it would make (terrible!) smoke. It did. After that, I washed them and wiped them clean. The cat has rich yellow glaze underneath, so it became as if old Japanese lacquer. I like it. The baby mouse had intricate greyish brown colour. After smoking, it became even more complex surface. It went to a lovely elderly lady's home. Her husband bought him for her on their wedding anniversary.  So this story had a happy ending.

Old Japanese lacquer feel

  

She decided to stick the tongue out.

Last Saturday I went to registration for my course in Canterbury Christ Church University. It went smoothly. After that I was given a bag and a lollipop. : ) I put a lollipop in my pocket and felt much younger!

I was given a lollipop. 

Everyone was carrying this bag around there.