ShellHawk's Nest

So, lots of stuff going on! Throwing a bunch of jacks, cups, bowls, etc., plus doing a little handbuilding, too, to give myself a break.

I fixed the overfiring problem with my old kiln and did another decal firing, which turned out beautifully! It was a very satisfying test run, and now I have a clearer idea of what I need to do to get some decals done properly and speed up my production a bit. I've got too little time left before Scare LA, and I need to focus and maximize it as much as I can!

I've been making some big candy bowls, too. I'm looking forward to underglazing these guys and making them super Hallowe'en-cool. Stay tuned!

Speaking of Scare LA, I'll be speechifying there. My class will be on setting up a home haunt (so very much to cover in an hour!), and I've been sending out emails to various haunters to ask permission to use their pictures and videos in my lecture. I sent one out to a YouTube user who did a great Pepper's ghost illusion in his front window. We emailed back and forth a couple of times, and it turns out "the guy" is Paul Lasaine, of Lord of the Rings visual effects fame! And? He said I could use his video! Woo-hoo! After our conversation, he got around to posting his how-to on getting the illusion up and running properly. See his Pepper's ghost how-to here. The original video is here.

The brewing tanks came in at Oak Park Brewing Company this week, as well. Step by step, things are coming along, and it looks like our opening will be somewhere around mid- to late-August! We're really excited at the progress. (If you're interested in tracking the progress of the brewery, follow them on Facebook or Twitter.) I sat down with them on Saturday to start planning for the Hallowe'en season, and man, am I tickled at some of the ideas we came up with for this year and the thoughts we have on what to do next year!

OK, that's it for now. Back out to make some more Hallowe'en fun!