A Few New Bonsai Pots Just out of the Kiln

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Some of my pots are sold as soon as they make it out of the kiln, so it's been a while since there's been some added to the blog.
For those of you who have subscribed and added me to their mailing list, I've given you first dibs on the 20 pots from the latest kiln opening this morning.  Here's a few of them.

There are quite a few new "crackle" pots ivory/white colour.  Haven't made these in a while, great to get back into the swing of it again.

I normally have a favourite in each kiln load....this one is it.  It looks even better than the pic as it has a quite old antique look about it. Took a while to carve the pattern - hence the price.

There was only one oval in amongst this lot. It's approx 35cm long x 25.5 x 6.5cm high.  A really nice looking pot, the top edge has gone a navy blue colour while the rest of the pot is a dark green gloss.

There's nothing better than to have a few accent pots to fill all the nooks and crannys in the kiln.

All 20 are on the blog/website now, so if you're interested just email and let me know.

For New Zealanders I can send 3 or 4 medium size pots in the same parcel by Courier for $15 (non rural).   

Playing Around with some RIVOTS (Drum Bonsai Pots)

NEW WEBSITE :   Fionna's Bonsai Pots

I'm using a new website for both Blog Posts and for Selling my Bonsai Pots.   Click the above blue link to be redirected. Thankyou.

_____________________________________Approx 620 rivots were individually placed on some "drum" bonsai pots today and this evening.

While it kept me rivoted and enthusiastic for an hour or two, after 3 hours it got just a bit monotonous. 

Normally I wouldn't make more than 2 or 3 of the same pot, I decided this time to make 8 all at once.

This one had a total of 126 rivots.   Yes, I got bored enough to sit and count them.  I think perhaps another layer could have been added to the vee shape, as it's a little out of proportion to the extra height of the pot. (maybe tomorrow)

My pottery area got itself in a bit of a state, nothing was put away after throwing them.  Tools of all shapes and sizes everywhere, as I find the best method of finding a particular tool is to chuck them all out on the table and fossick through.  I don't know how some people keep their studios etc immaculate, my clay slip just seems to splat everywhere....door, walls, surrounding shelves and me!  Everything seems to get wiped on my trouser leg, even though there's always a rag handy.

I manage to keep the shelves reasonably tidy though.  These pots have been bisqued and will be glaze fired in the next few days.

Still more ovals drying.  The cooler weather certainly slows the drying down, although I still cover them with plastic and newspaper to slow the drying down even more.

Eeek, kind of overdone this one.  It needs more structure to the bands of rivots.  Never mind, with a nice satiny earthy green glaze running down over the rivots it will look much better.   Some of my best pots are the ones that are a little different.

I'll be dreaming about little rivots tonight.....the thumbs are a bit on the tired side, rolling all those little balls, again and again and again.  GOTTA LOVE POTTERY! 

Bonsai Pots, More To It Than Meets the Eye

NEW WEBSITE :   Fionna's Bonsai Pots

I'm using a new website for both Blog Posts and for Selling my Bonsai Pots.   Click the above blue link to be redirected. Thankyou.

_____________________________________You'd think that once a bonsai pot was completed and taken out of the kiln, that would be the end of the process.
But for me, that is probably about the half way point.

There's a list of things to do next.

1.  Check each pot over for cracks and flaws.

2.   Bring them all inside to take individual pictures/sometimes redo/upload.

3.   Measure each of them in Centimetres and Inches. (not everyone is using metrics)

4.   Make up a tag and label each one (tags all hand made by me)

5.   Sort through SOLD/ON HOLD pots on the blog for a gap.  Pick out the best picture of each pot and add number/caption and export to the blog.

6.    Remove already SOLD pots from blog once received.

7.    Check emails regularly for orders. Reply/quote shipping/waiting on replys/payments all take time. I normally wait a week for a decision on a HOLD pot, for some I wait a bit longer, but I need to tighten up on this.

7.    Then once the pots are selected I go back and check I have the correct delivery address, check to see if address given is a sneeky Rural Delivery one. (yes, I've been caught out by people not mentioning they live in the middle of nowhere) Some try to avoid paying extra RDelivery costs - it then comes out of my pocket, and believe me...they aren't that full.  It only happens once, as I put a big note against their name in case they try it again!

8.     Then I finally get round to actually packing the pots up.
I've learned that to skimp on the packing is just plain stupid.  There have been a few comments about my packing....most say "well done", a few will say "over done".  Really I'm not too bothered if they think it's over done, at least the pot got to them in one piece. Don't even get me started on the cost of bubblewrap, I now have an arrangement with a chap in town who gets it by the bucket loads!  After all, there is such a thing as a recycle bin in New Zealand.  They quite like to gobble up newspaper and bubblewrap and the odd cardboard carton.  We all have to do our bit with recycling after all.

9.  Then after packing and weighing (to make sure I haven't gone over the weight limit) it's out to the car for the trip into town.

10.  Yes, I live in a rural area, so I need to make a special trip into town to send off Courier parcels and parcels being sent via NZ Post. (ahh yes...the cost of extra petrol that I don't pass on for postage)

11.   Filling out the paperwork for Courier Dockets has become fairly automatic and a daily occurance at times. All of these need to be filed away until after the package has been delivered and the buyer has emailed back to say they're happy with them.

12.   Then there is the occasional parcel that seems to get stuck in transit somewhere and needs me to harass the Courier Company to find out "why". There appear to be alot of "New Courier Drivers" taking the blame for delays etc.  Sometimes a parcel going to Auckland may be delivered the next day, while something much closer to home like Dunedin will take 3 or 4.  It's something I have no control over.....everything else in the bonsai pot making process is controlled by me....but not that.

13.   Then before you know it, the process starts all over again.

So if I am a day or two late in sending the odd pot away, just think about the process I go through.  I'm it.....no helpers now...just me and the clay. 

Happy days.

A New "Willow" Bonsai Pot

NEW WEBSITE :   Fionna's Bonsai Pots

I'm using a new website for both Blog Posts and for Selling my Bonsai Pots.   Click the above blue link to be redirected. Thankyou.

_____________________________________Waaay back a couple of years ago I made a pot when I was having a bit of a play round with shapes.  It was bought by a lady who was going to use it for her willows.

They need plenty of water and are quite at home being left in a dish full of the stuff....especially from Spring to Autumn.

Another bonsai enthusiast asked me about the middle of last year if I could make another one about the same.   The pot was made in no time at all, but waiting on the creation of another glaze that was similar to the original was...well....as about as time consuming as watching paint dry :)

Well after 8 months I finally have a glaze that is pretty similar.

After the glaze was poured on.  This plain powdery looking glaze doesn't look anything like a blue/green....but after the kiln does its "magic" the result is nothing but amazing.

I use pretty basic equipment to do my glazing.  A glass jug, and a large washing/laundry basin.  Oh yes...and a stirring stick. The glaze ingredients tend to settle on the bottom of the bucket, so there is a compulsory stirring time before I begin of at least a couple of minutes with this one.

Snugly nestled in amongst some other pots.  I was a little worried that it may have been too close to the kiln elements, as sometimes these type of pots can "move" at high temps.  The last thing I needed was a pot stuck to the kiln wall with rock hard glaze.  Closed the kiln up....crossed my fingers and hoped the "kiln gods" would look over it favourably :)

Two days later!!   Really pleased with the outside.

The thicker this glaze is, the darker the blue.  The parts of the bonsai pot with just a single layer on the outside are a greenish colour.  The added grog in the clay adds to the inside texture of the "willow" pot.

I didn't put glaze right down to the bottom of the pot as was asked because I was a little unsure if it would run and stick to the kiln shelf below it.  With a single glaze layer, this one didn't run at all. 

It can be used for lots more....just the name "willow" pot stuck with me after that was what was planted in the original one.

It's always good to try something new.

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Another Opportunity to Display our Club Bonsai

NEW WEBSITE :   Fionna's Bonsai Pots

I'm using a new website for both Blog Posts and for Selling my Bonsai Pots.   Click the above blue link to be redirected. Thankyou.

_____________________________________That time of year rolled around again.....the opportunity to display/show some of our club bonsai at the Gore Garden Club Show.
They support us every year with quite a long layered shelved space in their hall full of prize flowers/veges/crafts and childrens competitions.

It had been raining for the last couple of days so all of my trees were soaked and heavy to carry.  Not wanting to ruin the lovely material covering the show shelves, I bought the ones I was taking inside to dry out a bit.  They needed a big tidy up and a bit of trimming off of scorched leaves to make them look half pie decent.

Note to self....never leave scissors laying down on the floor.  Wee "Alfie" managed to chew off the end of the thumb hole on my only sharp pair.

Tidied up and put in the back of the wee car.  Quite a snug fit, but at least they wouldn't fall over.

Being the first to arrive with trees, I had the pick of positions in the different categories.  In the back of my mind I was really hoping that the other club members would bring quite a few more along.  It'd be a bit embarrasing to not have enough to cover the large area we had been given.

This group of Alders has been struggling all summer, not alot of leaves left on it.

The leaves on this Chinese Elm are on the verge of turning into their Autumn colours....perhaps the result of stress with a hot January 

I wasn't going to take this Pine, but I thought it was something a little different....as it turned out, quite alot of people loved it.

This maple is displaying its Autumn colours a tad early....just beautiful.

Two days later I ventured back to Gore to collect my trees.  Thankfully another 4 club members had managed to bring along quite a few more trees as promised.   Phew!

We had a nice wee display of different styles and sizes of bonsai....even if we were gate crashed by some rather cute looking handmade dolls.