Kalani

My sweet goofy Kalani.....16 1/2 year old!!! That's a long life she spent with us. Kalani has been slowing down for some time now. This past week she had front leg problems and with her arthritis of her hind legs, well she was no longer able to walk. We knew that the time was here that she would leave us.

I first laid my eyes on her as she was being born on December 30 1992 and took her first breath. Her pink nose and paws in a squirmy little body. I took her home 6 weeks later and that was the beginning of our forever love.

If you read the book or saw the movie of Marley and Me that was Kalani!!! Yes, she did chew a hole in the wall the size of a cantaloupe. And yes, she chewed up a brand new sofa. Oy! She loved to dig up my plants and it drove me crazy. She did all of this as a young pup. Eventually, she grew out of puppy hood and into a very spunky adult. She loved the water and she even jumped off the diving board into the pool. Most of all she loved it when we moved to the coast of Oregon and she could run on the beach and chase the birds. She'd find a tide pool and flop down into it as if it was the best thing on earth.

I remember when Kahuna ran through a screen door and treed a bear, Kalani was ran right behind her. All of a sudden she put the brakes on as if she were saying "whoa there, what am I doing chasing a bear??" and ran back in the house. Kalani loved her toys. Most of her life she carried one around. When you came home she would bop you in the butt or legs with it until you would play with her or take the dang toy away.

We sent her on her way today. I'm sure Kahuna was waiting for her and now they're running around on strong healthy legs and smelling the flowers and chasing squirrels.

I was there when she took her first breath.....and I owed it to her to be there for her last. I laid there on the floor of the vet clinic with her as she peacefully went on her way.

Raku Raku and More Raku!!!

It's been a while since I've updated my blog. Been super busy working in the studio. I have a raku show/sale coming up on May 9th here in Bend and I've had to really try to crank out more work. I recently got a new raku glaze recipe to try out. Boy do I love it!! The result is a stunning multi-colored piece.

While I have the whole set up for rakuing at my own studio, I have done the last two firings with RACO. That's the Raku Artists of Central Oregon. Pottery is a lonely art. Usually potters are working away...a one man operation shall we say. So it's nice to spend time with like minded artist. We ooooo and ahhhh over each others work. Oh, we're a motley crew to say the least. But it is a very laid back group and we share information and have a good time. What a wonderful way to spend a day!

It's Raining Chicklets!!!!

It's been some time since I tried my hand at making a teapot. I made four of them and you can really see the difference from the 1st teapot to this 4th teapot. I thought the fourth one really nailed it on the head. I had it bisqued for a long time but I just couldn't choose a glaze for this one. It had to be just right and the glaze really had to "speak" to me. Well, as you can see...it spoke to me alright!

As a kid I use to love getting the little packets of chicklet bubble gum. Yeah, I swallowed my gum. I couldn't help it...it was oh so sweet and yummy. When I saw this glaze I thought of the colors of that gum. I was nervous. I was hoping that the kiln goddess was going to be kind to me and fire this piece exactly as it needed to be. I peeked into the kiln last night at 900 degrees through the peep hole with flashlight in hand. Oh....is it???? Can it be??? I had a restless sleep last night knowing that I would be able to open the kiln as the peep see was hopeful.

With camera in hand in my silk not so warm robe... I skurried down the back deck stairs at dark thirty to the studio and BAM!!!! Slipped on the cold wet stairs and fell on my butt. Not to worry though, I held my camera up by it's straps and it was safe. Maybe my knee hurt a little but what the heck, my camera was safe and that was the most important thing. How else was I going to be able to share pictures of this fine explosion of color with the world???

Blogged by a blogger

Our Etsy Mud team has a loyal follower. One who loves pottery. Pixie of Pixiesoap decided she would interview members of the mud team and post each interview on her blog every Monday at http://handmadesoap.typepad.com/. This Monday she posted the interview she did on me and my shop. I am honored to have been interviewed by Pixie. I encourage you to read her blog weekly to learn more about us potters. Check out Pixie's soap shop....http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=102703 and make a purchase if you are so inclined. In these days of economic and financial hardship I encourage you all to support the handmade movement. By shopping handmade you are supporting your friends and neighbors.


Here are a couple of Pixies soaps.

Kahuna......my best friend

Kahuna.......I lost her. I called her Huna, babygirl, princess. She was 16 years old and she was my best friend. She was funny, sweet and lovable. She first came into my life when I found a note on the kitchen counter...MOM, DO NOT LOOK IN THE LAUNDRY ROOM. Love Brad. Uh, yeah right! There she was this pitiful sad eyed little puppy. What was my 12 year old thinking?? We can't have another dog. What kind of fool has 3 dogs?? Uh, that would be me. Three months later I gave her to my friend Traci who would take good care of her. Two days later she called and said "Ceci, you have to take Kahuna back. Kahuna was miserable. O.K. I said bring her back. Traci drove her back and as soon as Kahuna saw she was on our little street....she pooped in excitement! Lordy! I guess Kahuna knew where she needed to be.

One of Kahuna's little habits was to drag toilet paper from the bathroom through the house when we were gone doing errands. We'd come home and "Kaaaahuuuunnnaaa" I would drawl out in a low tone. Her floppy ears would pull back and just the tips of the bottom of her ears would curl under. At the same time she had this funky drawn back grin and she would squeal because she got caught....again. We don't have to close the doors anymore.........I wish we did.

She was always watching out for me..her mama dog. When we lived on the Oregon coast. I used to sleep with only the screen door closed so we would have fresh coastal air circulating. One very early morning she saw a bear on my back deck and she went flying through the screen door and treed the bear barking like a mad dog. Ah yes, thanks Kahuna for protecting me. In these last years she loved to sit outside smell the fresh cool air and watch the neighbors walk by with their dogs. She would bark in protest to let them know they were in her space and she was watching over her family. That's all she could do was bark. Only her barks would not be strong but would fade out due to her age. But still, she was doing her "job" of protecting her family.


As she got older she really stuck close to me. Wherever I was she wanted to be there also. Even with her aching hind legs she would force herself to get up and follow me. As she aged she had physical problems. When she was not feeling well and scared...yes she would get scared. I would lay with her on the floor sometimes for a couple of hours. I would stay with her there until she was calm and comfortable petting her rubbing her ears and talking to her in soft tones all the while. She had been there for me during the best and yes some very awful times in my life. She knew when I was hurting or sad and she would lay at my feet or put her head on my lap and one little lick on my hand to let me know that she loved me and would always be there for me.

Those of you who share the love of family pets know this same loss. There is an emptiness. So I grieve the lost of my best friend. I love you my Huna girl......kisses.... Aloha

And The Results Are......

Wow, so this is the result of my testing new glazes and using what was great, on my hand-built pitcher. Love love love it! I can see more of these in my future in the studio. I'm prepped and ready to go!


This baking dish is also something else that is new in my studio. Again testing of glazes have resulted in this yummy combination of glazes on this baking dish. If you want to see more



views of these items click on my shop link in the right hand column and check it out!

Art Appreciation

Check out these yunomi mugs!!! These mugs were made by another potter named Matt Brown in Moss Beach California (www.MossBeachCeramics.etsy.com).

The sculpture behind the mugs is titled "Deep Peace" by artist Sally Kimp an Arizona artist purchased at the Mockingbird Gallery in Bend Oregon (www.mockingbird-gallery.com)

I was lucky enough to have this potters help in fine tuning my blog site. Hey! I'm a potter not a technoid. Anywho I purchased from him these 3 yunomi mugs. There are no handles and they have the most beautiful earthy texture and I love the colors. Since I've received these in the mail I make every excuse to have a nice hot drink so I can use these mugs. Yeah yeah I can make my own mugs since I'm a potter also. Sure but every individual is different and every potter has their own take on their art. Not to mention that the art of clay is so diverse from low fire to high fire. Salt firing to Raku, High fire, electric, gas, Anagama and the list goes on and on. As an artist, I can appreciate the art that others create. And now....these belong to me, go get your own!