MRD Pottery

06/25/2026

Finally got to take a photo I liked of the Americana piece I took to Local Focal Marketplace today. Little bit of fluorescent light showing, but it is still a good photo…
One of the ladies there suggested a quilt piece, something I never would have thought of. So I tried my hand at a big platter, something subtle yet powerful in meaning especially with July 4th coming up. Would like to thank Shawna Kiddy Cole for this design. She is amazing.
Hope it finds a home that will treasure it for years to come!

06/24/2026

In the “Making Mood”, so decided to make something Big!Tall! Kinda Girly, but still something for an Entry Table, full of flowers, Greenery, anything that you would want to put in it. Now I will say I have not decided what glazes to put on this. I never do until they go thru their first fire. But for now, it is resting, drying, getting ready for that first step in the process of becoming beautiful. And if the Kiln Gods are good, in 10-14 days it will have bloomed….and on its way to Local Focal Marketplace!
let me know what you think so far!

06/24/2026

Just a few more pieces headed to Local Focal Marketplace this morning, plus a absolute gorgeous piece that is perfect for July 4th picnics, outings, etc. just could not get a good photo, but if you like Americana you will love this Red, White and Blue piece. If I can get a picture I like will post, otherwise you really need to come by the shop this afternoon and see just how much you will love this piece! For now, here are the other pieces for shop!

06/22/2026

Doing a happy dance twice in a row!! Couldn’t wait to stage these, just put them on my Sunflower table I painted years ago, and thank goodness the light was pretty good!
These will be going to Local Focal Marketplace tomorrow, am hoping these will find the perfect home for them.
The mug and the tray are glazed alike, and have the same texture on them, you can see the soft red pooling in the deeper sections of the pieces.
But holy moly cow, the Blue Platter about blew me away! I so wish cameras could capture the essence of pottery, but can only do so much. I honestly cannot remember what glaze is in the middle, but so glad I chose it.

Here they are!!

06/20/2026

06/19/2026

Left Local Focal Marketplace this afternoon, but here are a couple photos of the “Hot From The Kiln” shelves with new pieces. There are several in bisque fire. Ow, with several more waiting their turn. The last batch will not go to Local until a few days before July 1. I try to stay balance and done want to have all my Peas in a Pod at one time so to speak, so I try to bring in several things each week. Summer is hard for Makers of Beautiful Things wherever their space is. So all those I know try to keep their spaces new and intriguing, spontaneous and most of all “oh My I Just Have To Have That _____, (you fill in the blank)….
Anyway, I love love what I do, and I know others love my things. So come see my things, if you think you might want something kinda like what I have there, but in a different glaze, message me or let me know here. Be happy to see what we can do..
Enough rambling now. Gotta go watch a little Baseball and figure out what I am making tomorrow. Oh, this mug sold about an hour after it came out of kiln. Early Bird Got The Worm! I thing this mug’s color and texture is one of the most beautiful I have made.

C ya!

06/16/2026

Don’t ya just love it when things go right? Especially when it has to do with Clay/Pottery when you realize that you don’t have control over anything really once you put your items in the greenhouse to start their drying process. Cracks can pop up, heck handles can just break in two and there isn’t a lot you can do. But when the stars align, the glazes you have chosen seem to love each other AND the clay you put them on, which, sometimes they do not and B-a-a-a-a-d things happen, the Kiln Gods like you that day.

Today, they liked me! THEY LIKED ME!! And I thank them profusely…..

4 mugs, new glazes which I have never used, different styles, little bellying out going on, different style handles. Can honestly say everything fell into place and I can’t wait to get them to Local Focal Marketplace! Gonna be Thursday, Dr appts tomorrow and just need to rest this afternoon, admit haven’t been doing that enough. But anyway, here they are. Plan on being at Local at 10:30-11:00 a.m. Thursday morning. Hoping these will bring a smile to your face!

06/14/2026

Happy Sunday!
On my last post I showed you new pieces that are drying and said several were in kiln going thru first fire, the bisque fire. They came out this morning, I have sanded and rinsed now they are in my oven drying from that then it’s GLAZING TIME. You might ask why so few. It’s because I am not totally able to make 8-12 pieces at one time yet so when I make what I can I stop and those start drying . A couple days later I come back and make several more, which were those I showed you, still wet. In a few days the first ones are ready for first firing and while I know it is more cost efficient to wait till ALL are ready I like to make sure I have a few new pieces for Local Focal Marketplace as often as I can. Let me say while I am recuperating from the 2 surgeries and firing half loads I DO NOT PASS THE ADDITIONAL COST OF THAT to the price of the piece. It is my choice to fire like this. It isn’t how I would do it if there hadn’t been surgeries. Just wanted to get that out there.
So here are the 3 mugs, Sunflower platter and the rubbing Stones for your pocket or purse or where ever you can get to it and rub it between fingers. I think they are Stress Relievers honestly. They take your mind away from your worries. I want to thank MoniKa Borras Bigsby for sending me a link to try making them. Hopefully they will do the job they were made for. These haven’t had design on them yet nor glazed but they are on today’s schedule too.

Here ya go!!

06/13/2026

Ok everyone! Several pieces (3 mugs, 1 Sunflower platter, and 6 what I call Rubbing Stones or Worry Stones, so forgot to get photos first, they are in First fire, so we all gotta wait till tomorrow to see how those turned out, then glazing them.
BUT, these are about ready to be fired their first time. I am sure you will notice a color difference in some of these pieces, boy I did when I opened the clay bag. RED!!!! Not what I was expecting, so called manufacturer and did find out just different raw materials, same color when fired, so the red pieces will take just a few days longer to be ready. But gotta say I love this clay. Reminds me of my childhood playing in real in the ground squishy red clay. Oooh la la!!
So anyway, just took photos before putting them in greenhouse to dry, and as always lil touch up when they are dried enough.
Texture is so cool, you will see I have a quilt pattern on a big platter and a bellied mug. Can’t take my eyes off of it.
The white flecks are cornstarch to keep things from being sticky……
Here they are, have a slab I need to get done this morning, so let me know how you feel about these. Once ready and glazed they will go to Local Focal Marketplace, I think they will have no trouble finding a new home!!!
Sarah, at Local, thank u for quilt suggestion!