New listings!

I have a lot of new listings in my Etsy shop!

Spring Update

I apologize for the crickets around here. I've been so busy with everything that I've been forgetting to eat! Today I am home sick (I suppose the busy-ness has finally caught up to me) and am finally able to catch up. I have SO MANY exciting things to share!

1. Trident Cafe is now carrying teacups made by me! I glazed them, pulled them from the kiln, and immediately brought them to Trident. I've felt so lucky to be creating mugs for them and didn't want my luck to run out! They were very well received. The manager kept saying, "Wow, these turned out REALLY well." He put two out and a woman in line next to me requested one of them for her tea.
I will be having a tea party there soon to help support Trident and to celebrate them carrying my mugs! Please let me know if you'd like to be included and I will make sure you are invited.

2. I was a vendor in the Whole Foods Market Whole Planet Foundation sale! It was a great experience all around. I got myself set up to accept credit cards, I sold about half of the work I brought (and made some money!), and heard so many nice things about my work. I've been hesitant to take part in markets and fairs- I've heard some horror stories, but now I am planning on applying to more sales and markets.

3. I have been making lots of new work! Some of them are custom pieces, but I've also made a few just for fun. They should be in my Etsy shop in a bit, but as always if you can't wait until then let me know and we can make an arrangement. 

Ghost

When I was in college majoring in ceramics I heard the worst pick up line. I was in a bar, making small talk with some guy and I told him I was studying ceramics. He brought up the Ghost scene and asked if I had ever tried it. I said, "Uh, no."  
"Neither have I. You wanna?" He said raising his eyebrows up and down.
Even though the scene in Ghost was very well done and quite sexy, after working with clay I shudder when I think about it. First of all, a lot of clay is gritty and rough. While my hands have gotten used to the exfoliation, I do not want any other part of my body to endure the constant roughness of throwing. Second, if the clay is good and ready, it stinks. Really, it smells like moldy vinegar. I love the earthy smell, but it is definitely not a turn on! 
So needless to say, that guy in the bar did not reenact the Ghost scene. Not with me, anyway!

Keep Versus Sell

Lately I've been challenged by what to keep versus what to sell.

Exhibit A: A green dotted air plant home. I photographed it, listed it in my Etsy shop, posted it on Facebook- everything I needed to do to sell it. I wanted to sell it!

... But then today I bought a new plant, which fit perfectly in the pot and looks so cute with all of the others. Now it is mine! (The other pottery in the photo below was made by me too).

Exhibit B: Awhile ago I made a mug that was kind of a disaster from the beginning. I mentioned it here.

Despite its flaws I decided to go ahead with glazing it. When it was finished was quite lovely! It has been awhile since I've kept a mug for my own personal use, and cappuccinos would be so nice to drink from it. However, I have a cupboard brimming with mugs. When I asked my daughter if I should sell or keep it she said, "Sell it! And can you sell our other mugs too? Our cupboards are too full." 

I'll probably put it aside for a little bit while I think about it. We'll see what happens with this little mug.... Feel free to comment on your opinion of whether I should keep it or sell it. And just for the record I will not sell my cupboard mugs!

Sometimes I intend to keep things and then the rightful owner emerges. Like my Snigel Mug. I made a bunch of mugs, one of which had a snail on the side and the word 'snigel' (Swedish for snail) carved in. I made it for myself and had no intention to sell it. But then someone fell in love with it and I knew it was meant to be hers. Now I'm making myself a new one- maybe!

Fall Update

 I've been busy lately! Between teaching at Clementine Studio, my various childcare jobs, gearing up for the holidays with ReLove Projects (I've been an ornament factory), and raising a teenager, I haven't had as much time with clay as I would like. However, Thanksgiving Day, due to some miscommunication, I was completely free to do whatever I wanted. My daughter was with her dad, my family had other plans so I glazed ALL DAY. I've written about glazing disappointments  but luckily I had very few of those with my latest firings! The colors were exactly as I imagined (or better), the glaze didn't run... Even some pieces that were experiments turned out well! 

I'll be adding a few of these to my Etsy shop as I photograph them.

These ones sold about 10 minutes after I took these photos! I pulled them out of the kiln, took pictures, and brought them to my local coffee shop. The guy interested said, "I'll take them all!" He gave the flower one in the center to one of his employees as a holiday gift. It's such a great feeling when someone appreciates my work. 

I've also been experimenting a lot with plant homes. This is a small hanging planter that I made from porcelain and macrame.  What I learned: I have to make it BIGGER! I had to finagle quite a bit to get a very small plant to fit happily in it. I do love the way it looks in my studio window though, so at least it wasn't a waste! 

New listings are coming soon! And as always, if you're interested in a custom piece please you can email me with details. If you are looking for a holiday present let me know ASAP so that I can get it finished in time! 

Custom Mugs

I've been working in my studio every chance I get lately, especially at night. I stocked up on more porcelain and new glazes and have been happily using them! I've received a few fun commissions for custom mugs, which is keeping me busy and inspired. I am especially excited about this mug for a bird watcher:

This mug was sort of a disaster. There were tons of air bubbles when I was throwing it, then I trimmed the foot off center and too far. I think I fixed it, but it may end up in my cupboard! 

I'm also working on a mug for a teacher, one with an earth sign, and a mug for a friend.

If you're interested in a custom mug let me know! I can pretty much work with any idea you might have. 

Air Plant Homes

I'm quite pleased with how these little porcelain air plant homes have been coming out. I think I'll make LOTS! I sold a few of them last weekend but I still have some left. As soon as I can get some good photographs of them they will be added to my Etsy shop! Let me know if you're interested in purchasing any of them and I can create a custom listing for you (the ones with lines and polka dots have both sold).