Making basic cream lather in three different ways

Making basic cream lather in three different ways

I am finding out more than I ever wanted to know about how men shave their faces since I started to make shaving mugs. I first added little ridges to the bottom of my mugs so that the soap would sit up out of the water...did I know that there was some cool lather in a tube? Noooo.
I joined this website the straight razor place wanting to know what constituted a good shaving mug. I feel like I've wandered into the men's locker room by accident. Well, I'm looking around before I leave to see what I can learn.
Hmmm, didn't I just say I was going back to basics? Just as soon as I'm finished here I am.

Back to Basics

Way back when...I first fell for clay it was the late 70's and the attitude that I learned (for lack of non pun word) was "Earthy". My clay is returning to that attitude I hope. I have played around with form and finish for a looooong time it feels like and I am turning around at the end of the lane and heading home. It feels good and right.

I have a friend who calls himself Stan the Drunk, an old sober hippie that had a loft in Berkely in the 60's and 70's. He lived in his loft and made his living selling his pots. Christmas time was when he made the money he lived off of the rest of the year. So I asked him to help me get back on track and if he would "mentor" me for a while and he said he would.

I checked out Pioneer Pottery from the library and read it like a text, uh, I did have to skip the part about soil analysis and making my own clay body as well as finding the proper earth elements to make glazes. I do need to support my local clay shop, don't ya think? Building the kiln was interesting since I secretly would love to build an anagama in my back yard....I do have a hill behind me!

I have made some slips to decorate my pots, one red and one white. Next a cream color I think. Not only will slips bring me back to honest simplicity (I hope) but I will also work on strong, simple shapes with strong, honest decorations. That's a lot of strong and honest, huh? With some simple thrown in for good measure.

Pioneer Pottery was written by Michael Cardew after spending 20 years making pots in Britain and I can't remember how many years (30?) making more pots in Africa. Of course the first years had to have been spent finding the clay and all of that. I included the hyperlink but haven't yet read it....there it is for us though! The bowl at the top is his.

yak, yak, yak, it feels so good to talk the honest clay talk I just can't stop.

I am soon off to Vegas where I plan to drop in to check out Pottery West and decide whether or not to hook up my kiln there - bring $$ if I do!!!! I tried to find Pottery West once before but failed to find it...I'll have to get out of my car this time I guess!

More Magazines...Out They Go

Freecycle again...Coastal Living - out
Threads - out
Metalsmith - out (wah-wah).
National Geographic Traveler Magazine - out.

Did I mention I nearly chased the Freecycler down the street screaming, "Wait, I want those back?" LOL!
Actually, I ran up my stairs and didn't look back as she drove off in her pick up truck.

Too Much of a Good Thing

I won't go on and on about how stressful certain things are...not too much I won't.

National Geographic is just the best magazine ever! Who can argue with that? I have too much of a good thing then I suppose.

Thanks to Freecycle I am 30 years lighter. The photo I took shows the collection that someone is coming to get today at 4 p.m. It took a while, I kept wanting to look at the pictures again and tuck just one aside to re-read later (I did keep 5)!

Recology Revolt

My community is having conniption fits over our new waste management company. As much as I hate to admit it, I am too.

The cans are HUGE and tipsy and I have a terrible time controlling them when they are full and I have to wheel them down our driveway. If I get in front I fear it will mow me down and when I hold on from the back it pulls me making my terminally sprained ankle scream. Ours is a community of hills and I'm in fairly decent shape and not THAT old! How are our real seniors doing this I wonder?

The size of them is crazy, they look awful out there in front of the house so I'm hiding them in some bushes and behind one fence (there are 2 monsters the recycle one and the green waste one). Don't forget the usual garbage can either!

The man in the photo makes it look so clean and easy doesn't he?

Help! I just had to gripe a little.

Maddi Needs A Friend

This person seems to need friends so I'll post this on my blog. She's moving to your area .

Hey you..I got your reply in my other inbox.. from craigslist.. ur the only onewho replied.. anyways im Maddi:) I'll be living in your area in abouta week and would love to get to know ya as I wont know anyone else.I'm recently single. 5'3 blonde, 25, cute, in shape etc.. dont worry..anyways if u dont mind can you add me on AIM? I prefer IM chat insteadof email.. my info is below. I am on now so add me.. XOX MadisonA.I.M - RollerHugzyD

Uh, yeah Maddi, good luck to Ya.