Not a whole lot going on here this week...

It's time for what has become, apparently, my weekly update.  There's isn't a whole lot of pottery-related craziness to report, as this week has kept me busy otherwise.  Specifically, Krystal is a lucky woman in that her birthday gets to share a week with Valentine's day.  So, "Birthday Week" blurred into "Valentine's Week" blurred into "I've-Done-My-Best-to-Effectively-Spoil-My-Wife-for-Two-Weeks-Straight Week" which equates to "Luke-is-Not-Running-Off-to-the-Studio-for-Hours-at-a-Time Week."

So there you go.

We did break away from festivities for a little bit Sunday afternoon to go check out the new stuff coming out of the kiln, specifically as some of it was a specific commission piece.  So, after stopping at the studio we delivered the large bowl below to my generous friends and patrons.  They will also be keeping that platter, which was finished back in November.  They're a lovely set and I think they make a nice pair of centerpieces on their custom table (Jim is a carpenter - like, the artistic, architecturally-minded-furniture sort of carpenter.  You can check out some of his custom work at his site here).

I guess my only real complaint is that it's not a fair trade, as far as hours of work go, between pottery and custom woodcraft, so I haven't been able to convince Jim to do a straight trade for a nice new bureau, or cabinet, or desk, or paperweight...

I also had a couple new mountain vases come out, of which this one I am proud.  It will be staying with the other pieces for a life well-loved.  Not a bad use of Sunday afternoon.  I'm grateful that Krystal had her camera along so I could snap some shots of these pots in situ for my personal records. 

I did get into the studio Monday night for a couple hours and had loads of fun putting handles on mugs:

So there's half of the mugs, with handles.  I should clarify, after last week's rant on mugs, that I am still willing to make them.  I just kind of really need a solid reason to do so.  Such as a special order.  Life isn't always rainbows and butterflies, and sometimes you have to do some stuff that isn't as much fun to accomodate the rest.  And Laura, rest assured that these mugs are no great hardship to me, but I'm happy to make them for you.

Besides, despite my absolute loathing the process of handle-ing mugs, I really do appreciate and enjoy a well made, well handle-ed mug.  So that's a plus.  So that's what I did on Monday night.  I also decorated and trimmed a bowl.

Well, if that isn't the most exciting picture you've ever gotten here, then I don't know what is.  I hope to secure a couple hours in the studio this weekend, and I'll be back in again Monday night for sure.  I should make an effort to get some pictures of some of these other new pieces up here too.  In the meantime, have a great weekend!