"Say hello to my littl' frien'" (a la Al Pachino)

My Peter Pugger has arrived...Look out all you clay scraps that have been accumulating for the past 10 years or so...
Now all I need is a new power outlet since the thing breaks the circuit every time I fire it up!
Very excited to be able to mix clay from dry ingredients!

My new pugmill

Anxiously awaiting the Peter Pugger...
Just purchased enough dry clay to make pots for the next year or so.
Really enjoying all those of you who are blogging away.

Thanks to Gary for his sharing. This sure beats group therapy.

Here's the latest firing. Trying some new underglazes over white slip. Also wanted to make a series of creamers. Again, the handling of a piece is such an important asthetic and functional detail.
Cheers to everyone...

New class and new pugmill

Took the plunge and signed up for Diana Fayt's online workshop on decorating. She does wonderful work, and I love the way she uses color and lines. I'm pretty psyched to get started. I have a new appreciation for decoration. It's funny how you move from trying to get one thing right in the craft of pottery only to realize that there is a whole world of techniques that makes a pot wonderful rather than just another pot.
In other local news, I purchased a Peter Pugger VPM-9. I asked to purchase a used one, but the new price was about the same, so I went for it. I have buckets of scrap clay that I have tried for sometime to reclaim, but either I can't mix it well enough even when it stays in slop for long periods, or I can't wedge it enough to get it right, and adding ball clay still doesn't always get me to the place where it is suitable for throwing. (How about that for rationalizing buying the pugger?) Hope it works on my wife... :) As one of my mentors used to say, if you start buttoning a vest on the wrong hole, no matter what else you do, it won't turn out correctly. I feel the same way with reclaiming clay. I think I've tried everything else. I hope the pugger gives me the results I desire. I'm sure I'll have to practice with that as well. Any and all suggestions appreciated.
Hope everyone is well out there. Thanks to all the pottery bloggers who do so well with making films and educating everyone. It is a great encouragement to me. All the best...