French Butter Keepers, or as I call mine, Butter Bulbs™!

Fresh out of the kiln are a few new Butter Bulbs™ (the name I gave my design of French Butter Crocks). I created a bulb shape for the butter compartment. I like the way they feel in the hand and the way they hold in the butter. I've listed them for sale over at my Etsy shop! 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/barbdunshee

French Butter Dish (or Butter Bulb™ as I call my design!)

I just mailed off this custom ordered Butter Bulb™. It's red iron oxide over my delicate ray pattern with a big aqua dot on top. It's glazed clear on the inside.
I love the way the red iron oxide looks and feels, especially over the texture!

If you're looking for a french butter keeper (also called french butter crocks or jars) I've listed them MADE TO ORDER at my Etsy shop.

French Butter Keepers, a sweet trio!

This trio of French Butter Dishes (I call mine Butter Bulbs™ as I designed the butter compartments to be bulb shaped) was a commission for a woman and her two sisters. They each hold 1/2 cup of butter (one stick, as we get them in Seattle). In bright yellow, with a big happy red dot on top. They are all clear glaze on the inside surfaces. I sell these through my Etsy shop and currently they are made to order so you can choose your colors.

Carved French Butter Dishes -I call mine Butter Bulbs (TM)

My simple French Butter Dishes continue to entertain me. I do call mine Butter Bulbs (TM) because of their butter chamber shape.
I've taken to carving into the soft clay during the trimming on the wheel. I'm experimenting with designs that play particularly well with my current glazes. Of course, as the French butter dishes get more refined the walls become thinner and the challenge is to get enough glaze on the piece itself. These are the times I wish I had a glaze spray booth! The water content of the glaze becomes less of an issue when spraying. When dipping into a bucket of wet glaze, the water needs to escape into the clay body. The thinner the piece, the less capacity it has for taking on that water. I've seen blisters form in the glaze coating as the water backs out, finding it has no place to go. Once the glaze has finally dried I can de-air those blisters and not end up with glaze faults. But if I miss one blister, it will "crawl"(pull away to bare clay during firing) and the piece becomes a "second". Not something a potter wants, especially with complicated lidded pieces with elaborate carving. But I love the thin walls because the pieces are lightweight. They also fit nicely in your hand and have plenty of room for butter! They're available through my etsy shop.