Do As I Say. Not What I Did.

Anyone who has visited the studio more than once knows how much I nag about being constantly aware of the clay that you are using. There's a reason I'm so unrelenting on this point--which I reminded myself earlier today.

Yesterday, Mike and I spent several hours in the studio doing catch up work and I found myself with a couple hours on my hands and two slabs of white clay we had rolled out a few weeks ago. Although I couldn't remember which of the myriad of recent projects we'd rolled the clay out for, I must have been certain it was Standard 240 White clay because I got right to work and, within just a few hours, I had made 59 pendants and absolutely loved 58 of them!

Here's the problem: I got into Capitol Clay this morning and uncovered the pieces, I was surprised to see that, as they dried, they were looking less like the Standard 240 and more like Standard 910. Which is a self-hardening clay. No, go with me here: Self-hardening clay can't go in the kiln. Can't be glazed. Will likely end up a puddle on the kiln floor.

So, we tucked one piece into the current bisque load and here I sit waiting until we can open it on Wednesday and reveal whether I have 59 new pieces to glaze and wire, or one melted mess and 58 pieces of trash. Note to self: "Document your clay!"

UPDATE: Pulled the test piece out of the kiln this a.m. and, hooray, it's real. Dodged that bullet and won't make that mistake again. Although I am confident I'll make others. Many.