Before reclaiming clay talk, here are two of my favorites- my niece and nephew. I love it when they hear my name and RUN--- I mean run to me. Age 4 1/2 and 2 1/2. They are among the best.
Even though the ground was wet we picked black raspberries, mulberries, and in this basket is peas and also some mint tea. They both ate as many berries as we picked. They choose fruit over ice cream often for dessert. I love this!
Now onto reclaiming clay. I brought this bag full of clay trimmings and these plates and another whole bag to begin to reclaim. No pug mill. Just the old fashioned way. I usually just put it out to dry in blobs in the sun, yet there isn't any sun these days. Might put it downstairs next to the furnace to dry out a bit. Any reclaiming clay wisdom? It just takes SO MUCH TIME. Oh well...
Went to the nearby Roots Auction market with my sister Marcella this morning. It was so funny how just about ANYTHING, and I mean anything was for sale. Like these old soda pop cans above. Mello Yellow, RC, Crush, sarsaparilla, you name it!
And then things were for sale that I never imagined would be. Like an old E.T. metal tray and play cars that didn't have all their wheels. Worse than a yard sale, but oh so funny!
Back at my parent's house. So much rain that the flowers and plants are so green and the soil is just wet. The caladiums are gorgeous and well, there's even a mushroom of some kind in the bottom left hand corner of the picture.
Didn't go dumpster diving but got these boxes at the old auction market from the candy stand. My parents also save and keep an eye out for peanut fillers and the plastic poppers that I'll take back with me as I'm out...
More gorgeous flowers... my mom is the best gardener I know. She makes it look easy.
Oh, and back to the Roots Market. Marcella loved the $1 table. She ended up buying a necklace for well, $1.
Even the coca cola display had some interesting things on it. Notice- more cans!
And then there's James, Marcella's boy. Another favorite. He's almost 13 mos. old and loved throwing the peas out of the basket. Crawling everywhere and oh so cute! Next summer he'll be running around.... And he has more curls than some 2 year olds! Sweet, caring boy.
Thanks for reading... and I'd love your reclaiming wisdom! I wonder if there is a faster way for those of us who are pug-mill less.
4 comments:
Hi Amy....We seem to paddling the same canoe! I rigged up my heat lamps for indirect heat with an exhaust fan...it's slow but working. As for wedging....I get Proge to do all my initial wedging and finish it just before I use it. So you need some willing hands to help.....perhaps offer some sort of small reward? (Proge wedges for beer)
Yes, laughed when I read your post. thanks! creative to use the heat lamps.... and thankfully, the sun finally came out here in PA, so my clay is out in the sun as I type.
Having the same problem. I was going to put some clay outside too, then remembered the forecast- rain, rain, rain.
One thing that helps me with recycling clay is lining a bucket with a plastic grocery bag and plopping my slurry and trimmings in it. When you're ready to dry turn the whole thing upside down over whatever surface you are drying it on , remove the bag and use it to level out your slurry.
In the past I was clawing it out with my hands, which gets highly annoying.
Also, plastic grocery bags again- This is going to sound silly, but once the slurry has dried enough I use double bags to hold about 10 lb.s each, close and knot them, then slam them on the floor several times. Makes the wedging you do later on a lot easier. The bags will get somewhat destroyed in the process, so more packaging will be required.
I have a five quart bucket and lid with some water in it and i keep it by a plaster block. When the bucket is full of used clay I take it out and let it firm up on the plaster, just enough to be able to wedge it. I keep the bags my clay comes in nearby and just put the wedged clay back in the bags. Would be nice to have a pug mill, but since I don't I just stay on top of it.... What a pain it is, though.
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