Coffee addiction pays off...

I recently went to Peet's Coffee to get my daily fix. Peet's is one of my favorites, I've been going there a long time. Usually when I get coffee I use one of MY handmade mugs-  it saves me a little money, it's environmental, and it's free advertising. If anybody says, "I like your mug!" I say, "Thank you, I made it!" and I hand them a business card.
This last time I went in the manager asked me if I'd be interested in selling my mugs at Peet's. Um, YES!  I will have a table set up at Peet's Coffee on 29th Street (located off Canyon and 29th), July 10th, starting at 12 PM. All mug purchases will get a free cup of coffee! As a further bonus for anybody who reads this, mention this blog and get 10% off!

New mug!

I was very happy with how this one turned out. A long time ago I made one with a similar design... Then dropped it on the floor and broke it! So I'm happy to have something like it back in the world. The design is inspired by a textile. I created it by carving the shape out, then applying slip to the design to raise it up from the surface and give it more texture. If you would like to purchase it, visit my etsy store HERE!

A collection

A bit ago I mentioned the open house at Caroline Douglas' home. I got there on the early side (it started at 1:00, I got there at 1:30), and I'm so glad I did! People were already grabbing at things they wanted to buy. I had planned on just looking, filling my eyes with inspiration, chatting with Caroline... But I fell in love. First I fell in love with a wall sculpture of a girl riding a zebra. The price tag, however, made me realize that it was love I couldn't afford. Then I fell in love again and this time it was love that could be mine. I rarely buy art because, well, I can usually make it myself (even though I rarely do!). But this piece had a certain soul that I knew I could never reproduce. When I brought it home and found the right place to hang it I realized that I have a little collection happening!

Made by Caroline Douglas

...With other things hanging on the wall- a salt shaker and a bull I made out of porcelain.

A rhino head I made!

The full collection, hanging in my bedroom. 

Me, My Cast, and Crew

I realized that I haven't written very much about my life and the people that are a big part of it... Or myself. So here goes:

Has anyone ever asked you to sum up yourself in three words? I was first asked that question about 15 years ago. I've been thinking about it since! I've come up with a good one: Creative.  I need to be creative; it is a huge part of me. When I am making things I feel very balanced, and when I'm too busy to be creative it starts to seep out of me. I used to work in a real estate office. I would make paper clip sculptures or copy paper origami- I found all sorts of unintended uses for office supplies! Shortly after quitting that job (in order to preserve my sanity) I began to teach art to kids at a private non-profit art school called Clementine Studio. I don't think I've ever loved a job more! Of course I go through lulls and ebbs of inspiration, but I know that if I'm triggered I could stay up all night working on a project without realizing the time.

Another word that describes me: Mom. I became a mom at the age of 19. When I was pregnant I had the invincible attitude of a teenager- I thought I could do anything. How hard could it be? Bjork became a mother at the age of 19, therefore, so could I (I honestly thought this!). I guess I was right about being able to become a mom- I did it. My daughter, Hana, was born June 5, 1997. I was so wrong about the difficulty of it though. I had no idea how hard it would be to be a mom... I'm sure every parent knows the challenges of having kids- the way that kids just know exactly which buttons to push and when to push them for maximum effect. And still you love them so dang much it's heartbreaking. Since becoming a mom that's part of who I am. I ask my friends if they need a coat. I encourage everyone to drink a glass of water with their beer. I caught myself giving my roommate unsolicited advice the other night. It's annoying, just like moms sometimes are!

I'm still working on the third word.

Until then I will introduce my little family:

This is Hana, my daughter. She'll be 14 next week!

Hana is a fabulous, funny, smart person. She's an incredible drawer, has recently become addicted to Glee, loves Indian food and sushi. Her hair color and style changes weekly- currently it is black with hints of "coon tails" (sort of striped and feathery).

This is our dog Rosie.

Rosie makes us laugh every day. We've had her for almost 3 years and she has made our lives so much better! I chose these photos because they sort of show her personality. Rosie weighs about 50 pounds and thinks she's a lap dog....She loves to have her pink pig belly rubbed... And she has these soulful eyes that are impossible to resist.

More Mugs

These are the latest mugs I've gotten from the kiln! They will all be posted in my Etsy shop over the next few days. I just got done posting this one:

New Work!

These are a few of my new pieces! I have more that still need to be photographed that I will post soon.

Moroccan Pottery Part One: Tagines

I have always been fascinated and intrigued by Morocco. The more I learn about it, the more I want to know... I've cooked Moroccan recipes, I've been to Moroccan restaurants (If you live near Denver check out Mataam Fez. They have amazing food and a fun experience!), I've collected books about Morocco, and since buying a Moroccan Wedding Blanket (shimmery and magical!) from Maryam, I'm a regular reader of her blog, My Marrakesh. I can't figure out how I've never looked into Moroccan pottery, which it is famous for. Again, the more I'm learning about Moroccan pottery, the more I want to know! It is so multi-faceted! There are gorgeous design elements influenced by Berber, Spanish, French, Islam, and Portugal. Beyond the design, there are pottery pieces and there are tiles. Because it is so multi-faceted I'm going to break it down into parts. 

Moroccan Pottery Part One: Tagines
Tagines are a culinary dish, and also the name for the pottery it is cooked in. In Morocco, the word 'tagine' means 'stew'; I think of it as a crock pot of sorts. A tagine consists of two pieces- a wide, deep plate, and a cone shaped lid with a knob at the top. These are examples of great tagines by Clay Coyote, found HERE on Etsy. The description says a lot about tagines, so I included that with the photos.

"The tagine is rooted in Moroccan history and symbolic of Moroccan cooking. The big advantage of the Clay Coyote flameware based tagine is that you can do any high temperature pre-cooking like sauteing onions, garlic, etc., then lower the heat to cook the traditionally simmered tagine all in one pot! This enhances the flavors, and makes for easier clean up.

Tagines are traditionally done on the stove top so the moisture condenses on the cool top and drops back into the dish. The lid on the Clay Coyote tagine is specially designed inside to encourage this condensation. The necessary moisture loss (to thicken the broth) occurs in the fit between the lid and base.


Here is a link to our blog for a wonderful Moroccan spice blend, La Kama.
http://www.claycoyoteblog.com/2011/02/09/moroccan-spice-mixture-la-kama/ "

Some tagines have more detail and intricate designs, like the one below, however, they are used for decoration or serving, not the actual preparation of a tagine.

This tagine can be found and purchased HERE.

Next up: Moroccan design!