Signature chops and grad school

There seem to have been a few folks talking about signing work and making a chop and such lately (MudStuffingSketchbook, Colorado Art Studio). I have always tried to sign my work, partly because that is what we were asked to do in school and partly because my wife gets on my case when I don't. I tried making a chop a couple times but never ended up with anything I was happy with. I wanted my signature to be impressed in the clay, but carving backwards into plaster clay anly made a raised signature. I finally made one this week, though, that I am pleased with so far. I'm not sure why I didn't think of doing it this way before, but I didn't. I guess I'm just foolish. Anyway, here is the leather hard clay "mold" where I carved what I wanted my chop and a few other stamps to look like.

Then I "cast" the stamps by pressing wet clay into the molds and attached handles.

Again, I have no idea why it took me this long to think of this. I have yet to try them on a pot as they still need to be bisque fired, but I think they should work.

Now, for more interesting fare than making stamps, I finally finished putting together my application for grad school. Yes, I said application in the singular. I know it is wise to apply to more than one program and I would not mind doing this, but my wife and I recently built a house in Southern Illinois so I am kind of limited in the range of schools I can go to. But that is ok. I took a summer class and attended a workshop at the school I am applying to (SIUC), so I am somewhat familiar with the program and the instructor, and I like what I have seen. Now all I have to do is get in...