Year in review: 2018

Another year is coming to an end (the same opening as last year 😛)

It has been quite a year and I needed to review my last year review prior starting this one.

It was a tough year at work especially the second half of the year.  Things unfortunately didn't go the right direction and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't steer back to the right path.  At least I can say out loud that I'd done my very best.  

Work affected me negatively for the most part of September and October, but with what I hear from the news (the natural disasters, the fights between countries), I find myself extremely lucky to have a great family, friends, a job and my hobbies.  I am thankful for this and have left those negative thoughts behind me (at least I tried).  

I started the pottery season early this year as I had a great show in 2017, made something new (garlic keeper) in December/January and it's now in a good home.

I also made my 10 bowls for Great Bowls of Fire, however I missed the deadline for this year.  Plus these bowls seem to have pointy rim, not sure if they are acceptable.  Guess I will look into it in March.

I did make quite a number of mugs and 4 of them are now in Hong Kong with my parents' friends.  I hope they like them.  And 4 others will be travelling with my in-laws to Malaysia at some point.
New mug


I kept my promise (at least the first half of the year) to make more pottery pieces, however, the Summer months didn't go as planned.  We had an extreme hot Summer (many days with the high of 40 degrees) and it was relatively dry.  As a golfer (my other hobby), I spent many weekends on the course this year.  Plus it was too hot to start the kiln anyway (my excuse).

Golfing finally ended at the end of October.  And October was a busy month, it was between golfing and pottery making as I was away in most of November.  I was rushing to get as many pieces ready for the December show as possible.

Just before our trip, OAG reached out to let me know all my pieces were sold and they were looking for more.  Good that they caught me early enough so that I was able to drop off more pieces the night before our vacation.  

With many late night for the first week of December, I had a relatively successful 3-day show at the Horticultural Building.  It wasn't as great as last year, but I still packed less than I brought over.  I also received a commission from a lady who stopped by the show.  The commission is 6 plates and 6 soup bowls.  Let's see how this will turn out.

Thank you to those who dropped by OAG and the Guild show.  You are all my motivation to keep up with pottery making.  And thanks to everyone who gave me new ideas and new challenges.

Plan for 2019:
1. Need to find out if those bowls I made last year good enough for Great Bowls, if not, I will need to make some more.
2. Work on the commission
3. I promised a pair of blue mugs for someone and I would like to get them ready in the first quarter of 2019
4. Perhaps I should make a teapot and a casserole?
5. Oh yea, I didn't make any cappuccino cups this year

Another good list.  Let's hope I will get most of them completed. 

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