pinkkiss pottery

2011-12-12T14:55:00.001-09:00

My etsy shop is finally open for last minute Holiday Shopping! I ship priority so your package will arrive in 2-3 days, just in time for wrapping.

Gallery style photos

2011-09-01T13:12:00.003-08:00

Hi all! It's been a crazy busy summer and I know that I haven't been back here in a while but I wanted to share a new project of mine. I have been putting together a new photo studio for taking gallery style pics of my work. The goal is start submitting my work to a few gallery shows and publications. While I think the style of pictures I have been using for etsy (with the green backdrop) have worked for online sales, a gallery just won't take them for review. I will share my setup, which I did for under a $100 (not including my camera which I have owned for a couple of years now), but today I'm just going to post the pics I think look the best. I'm still working on lighting direction and detail stuff but this isn't so bad for a first try! What do you all do to take gallery quality shots?

Tumblers, perfect for summer.

2011-07-19T11:55:00.003-08:00

Hi everyone! It's been a super busy summer so far, I hope your all enjoying it. I know it will be gone before we know it so celebrate while you can. My favorite summer piece this year is the tumbler. Not only is it perfect for an icy cold glass of tea or a tall bubbly beer, it holds the beautiful wildflowers you pick along your morning walk. The tumbler is just one of those pieces I reach for over and over again and I know you will too!

Garden Markers!

2011-06-03T15:29:00.002-08:00

These babies will be available at Artfest tomorrow! I've been using the blackboard stakes in my garden and they are super cute. Write with chalk and change your message, use a china marker to make it more permanent! Both are made from terracotta and will last many seasons. Only available through shows right now:)

Boordy Vineyards Artfest

2011-06-02T05:12:00.002-08:00

This weekend I'll be at the Boordy Vineyards Artfest! Come drink some wine and buy some pots! It looks like it will be a great day for outdoor shopping. Saturday June 4th 11am-8pm. Hope to see you there!

Hi there!

2011-05-20T05:55:00.002-08:00

Remember me??? I know it's been awhile since I've posted here but I'm hoping to get back into it now that school is over, I'm sure your curious as to what I've been working on in my newly renovated studio! The truth is I've been a little frustrated in the studio lately. I started working with the porcelain clay, which I really liked in the forms of mugs and cups but when it came to plates I found that much of the details in my painted surfaces got lost. I tried a stoneware thinking that maybe a little bit of grog and a buff background would help retain the brush strokes but sadly, no luck there either. I just really like the terracotta surfaces. I'm now on a quest to find a new red clay body that I can work with and in the meantime, I've been going through my stash of Stan's Red in order to have work for the Spring Shows. If anyone out there has a nice red claybody that they like working with, I'm open to suggestions! Thanks:)

More Studio Shots

2011-01-18T14:23:00.004-09:00

Here are a couple more shots of my studio space starting with my painting table. This table came with our house and was originally an old door. Someone added some legs and it became a table! I just painted it to match the green color I painted the door. These baskets hold my stamps and decorating tools.
Here is where my little kiln lives! I was pretty much sold on this house when I saw that the basement had a small "kiln room" attached. It's the perfect size for my kiln and I love that it's separated from the rest of the basement so I don't have to worry about the cats (or eventually a child) getting too close to a hot kiln.
This is our studio sink. My husband and I share it which is why it's covered in screen printing ink. I didn't bother to paint that wall!
Here is my finished work storage, which I'm so happy to have added to the studio. I can't believe that I had such a crappy system before. Now I have everything separated by what it is (mugs, bowls, espresso cups...) so I can see what I'm low on at a glance. The bottom TWO SHELVES are filled with "seconds". Yikes!
This baby is my brand new work table. Bought from Ikea, it is supposed to be a kitchen island which makes it really sturdy. I have two boards clamped to the surface of the table. One is covered in canvas and one in smooth slab mats for hand building. I have another set as well so I can switch out boards when I switch out clay colors (white to red) and not get everything mixed up.

Today was my first real day of work in the studio and it was great! There is still a period of getting used to where everything is now but once I get into the flow I'll have so much more space to create! Hope you enjoy looking and PLEASE go check out my etsy sale and help me clear out those 2 shelves!! Everything is being sold at rock bottom prices:)

"After"

2011-01-17T19:06:00.005-09:00

Hooray! It's finally back to working order. Here is a mini tour of my newly organized studio space. Don't mind the dark lighting, it's really not that dark when your down there but it is a basement and it only photographs so well:)
This is my throwing area. The table is new and I love how there are shelves on one side and space for me to stand on the other. It's super sturdy so I can wedge and throw slabs with no problem!

Here is my packaging area. I hung some tension rods from the staircase to hold my wrapping supplies and it makes it soooo much easier!

This is my glaze table and dry material storage. Through the door is the kiln room. I wound up keeping my old metal chair and giving it new life with a can of spray paint. I'm still hoping for a more cushy chair to use in other areas of my studio.

Here is my in progress work storage and a wedging table. Michael gave me a little radio (above the scale) that I can plug my ipod in and listen to my music:)

I have a few more detail shots that I plan to share later. Of course there are still plenty of little things to be done but I'm just so happy to have everything back in working order. Tomorrow will be my first regular day back to work since the Holidays!

"Before " Studio tour

2011-01-16T12:39:00.003-09:00

I'm getting ready to post a photo tour of my newly re-organized and expanded studio space but first I wanted to be reminded of what it looked like before. This is a great shot because I think it was actually "clean" when I took this photo! Yikes!

STUDIO SALE!

2011-01-07T07:41:00.002-09:00

Well, I've been super busy this last week clearing out the basement, painting and re-arranging my studio space. I have lots of new shelves and a new kitchen island from IKEA to use as my work table. I love it! I haven't been back to work yet but I did start listing some sale items in my etsy shop. I have boxes of old work that has piled up over the years....pots that didn't sell the fist time around, pots that are from an old clay body, pots that have small imperfections, pots that were testers or prototypes and pots that I just don't like that much! I'm weeding through them and posting the ones that are still totally functional for a big discount in my shop. If you see something you like be sure to grab it since there won't be another one! I'll be sure to post pics of my studio space when it's all set up.

Back from the Holiday!

2010-12-29T06:28:00.003-09:00

Hi everyone, I hope you all had a lovely holiday! Today is my "official" first day back to the studio after my holiday break but to be honest I'm seriously considering taking until the new year to fully get back into it. Michael has the week off from school and I'm really enjoying spending some time with him that doesn't involve working, traveling or visiting with family. For the new year I plan to clean out and reorganize the studio. My goal is to make enough space down there to bring on an intern next year. Plus, it's a dingy basement and now that I'm down there 24/7 I could stand to see it a little more cheery. We have a little money saved and I'm going to paint, get some new studio furniture (as of right now I work on a folding table and metal folding chair, yuck) and more storage. Any studio design suggestions from fellow potters working in smallish spaces?
Also, look forward to a HUGE sale in my shop as I clean out a bunch of pots to make room for my new digs:)

Great Gift Idea for the Hostess!

2010-12-13T14:00:00.002-09:00

A great gift for your Hostess, breakfast for the next morning in a pretty ceramic bowl. I am restocking the shop this week so be sure to check it out! Lots of tumblers and juice cups:)

Shop is Empty!

2010-12-06T12:36:00.001-09:00

Hey everyone, thanks for coming out to the BEST craft fair weekend! The shop is currently cleared out until I am able to unpack what's left from the shows and restock. Thanks for understanding:)

Great Gift Idea for Him!

2010-12-05T11:17:00.003-09:00

It's so hard to find the guys in your life the perfect gift. Make it easy this year by getting him something he will definitely love, a handsome tumbler paired with his favorite beer!

A gift for the cook in your life.

2010-12-03T04:29:00.004-09:00

Spoon rests make a great stocking stuffer or pair one with a lovely tea towel and wooden spoon for a completely unique gift! Come see me at Holiday Heap this weekend to pick one out for that special someone.

Gift Idea

2010-12-02T12:30:00.003-09:00

Hi there! I'm gearing up for some super crafty shows this weekend and next. As part of my holiday display this year, I am posting some holiday gift ideas for creating the perfect gift using my handmade pottery as the center piece! I thought that I would share them here as well. I'll post more ideas throughout the month. Check my etsy shop to purchase the pottery or just send me a message if you don't see what your looking for. I have most of my inventory packed up to travel the Holiday Show circuit but will be happy to pull something for you:)
Cheers!
-Shawna

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T12:50:00.002-09:00

Happy Turkey day everyone! I'm so excited to be spending this holiday at HOME this year:) We always end up traveling for the holidays and while it's great to see the family, it's getting kind of exhausting. We always work so hard during the season, it's really nice to relax and not worry about fighting traffic! My mom is joining us for Turkey tomorrow and I'll be making all the fixin's! You can check out my post on Cranberry Sauce right here on the Lillyella blog. Hope you get some quality relaxation time as well, gobble gobble!

Craft as Economic Catalyst (Ignite Baltimore 6: Megan Auman)

2010-11-03T05:34:00.001-08:00

Mugs are out!

2010-10-12T15:12:00.002-08:00

I've finally started to unpack and photograph my work from Crafty Bastards. You can check it out in my etsy shop! Lots of new pieces are being unpacked so be sure to check back in the next couple of days to see what's new.

Spicy Sweet Potato Bisque with Smoky Bacon

2010-10-06T09:39:00.004-08:00

It's been a while since I shared a recipe on this blog so I thought I would share this tasty soup I made last night. I based it on a soup special Michael and I had last weekend at Annabelle Lee's after Crafty Bastards. It was the perfect thing to eat after a long day of hard work. It's smoky, sweet, a little bit spicy and perfectly comforting on a crisp fall evening.

Spicy Sweet Potato Bisque with Smoky Bacon
makes 4 servings

8-12 oz. thick sliced apple wood smoked bacon, roughly chopped(I used a whole 12 oz. package of Trader Joe's brand but you could use less if you don't want that much bacon)
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbs. dried sage
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/4-1/2 tsp. red Cayenne pepper (adjust depending on how spicy you like your food)
2 lbs. sweet potatoes peeled and roughly chopped
3 cups low sodium chicken stock plus 1 cup of water
1 Bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the bacon in the bottom of a large, heavy bottomed stock pot. When the bacon has rendered some of it's fat, add the onion and continue to cook until the bacon is lightly browned and the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the dried spices and stir to combine. Add the sweet potatoes, stock and water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are soft when pierced with a fork. Remove from heat and use an immersion blender* to puree the soup, leaving some of it chunky for a rustic feel. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
*If you don't own an immersion blender you can also puree in batches using a regular blender but be very careful of splattering....the soup is HOT!

This soup is really filling and delicious paired with a rustic rye bread for an easy supper. It's also pretty healthy aside from all the bacon:)

Plate 500!

2010-10-05T09:43:00.003-08:00

Yay! I'm super excited that my plate was chosen for the 500th plate on the "Plate a Day" blog. You can check out the post here. Here is what the juror, Carol Epp had to say about my plate...

"For # 500 I chose "Out of the way plate" by Pink Kiss. The aesthetic of this piece was quite compelling for me as it reminded me of a vintage prairie kitchen, where simplicity and family dinners coexist with hard work and the usefulness of objects, rather than excessive consumption. The statement, "because they were out of the way; no one would see them" printed on the plate opened a number of narratives in my mind. From heart racing love stories to an eerie "what's the building in there" sort of Tom Waits reference. The piece for me was so much more than a one liner. It was a conversation starter. I can picture the place it might hold on a dinner table between family members or close friends. Mealtime when stories are recounted and shared. This piece to me serves more than one function. It is a carrier for food, an instigator of daydreams, and a beautiful object to behold and cherish."

*blush* I'm really honored and blown away by Carol's amazing write up. I really try to achieve just that in my work and it's so great to hear that someone else gets my concept right on the money.

Crafty Bastards

2010-10-04T04:42:00.003-08:00

Well everything turned out ok. The kiln was fine and my glaze firing came out just peachy so I had plenty of work for Crafty Bastards. The show was great and it totally made up for all the headaches before hand. M and I even decided to take yesterday off to go to the movies and eat sushi with friends. Today I will need to clean up the studio as in the mayhem of wet-vacing I threw some things out of the way and there is equipment piled on other equipment as well as glaze buckets strewn about the basement. Ugh, I just depressed myself. I did decide during the big soak that it's time to clean up/ rearrange my studio for real. I want to make it feel a little more light and open and less like the basement that I am in every day. Once I do that I think I'm gonna put a call out for an intern. I could use the help for a day or two a week and I think I could be benificial to an aspiring artist....maybe? Anyway, here are some shots of Crafty, they aren't very good but it was the best I could do in the heavy crowds! This was the one time the booth was empty and I had to act quick! I'm really starting to get my display down, just in time for the indoor shows to start. As soon as the sun shows itself again I will be listing some of the work that made it home with me in my shop.

Bad day..

2010-09-30T18:45:00.002-08:00

I don't know where you are in the world but here in Md we are getting pounded with heavy rain. All day. I came home from class today to find my kiln room 4 inches under water. Luckily the kiln is on stilts and the electrical parts are up higher than the water can get to. Apparently the guy who installed it did know what he was doing. No damage but I did need to use the kiln tonight to fire work for a show on Saturday.

My original plan for the day was to come home from class, glaze my work and get it in the kiln by 3-ish. What actually happened was this... After scooping up two 5 gallon buckets by hand and getting no where I got out the wet-vac only to find it broken so (tick tick tick) off to Home Depot I go to buy a new one. Back in the studio I spent at least an hour (tick tick) sucking up 100 gallons of water from the kiln room floor. I could only afford the 6 gallon wet-vac and after heaving multiple 6 gallon containers of water into the utility sink I was actually happy I didn't get the larger size 'cause I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to lift it.

Once I got the water up I went around the basement to suck up any little leaks that pop up on our floor when it rains really hard (tick tick tick). I came back to the kiln room only to find that while I was gone another inch of water had crept back in. So I sucked that up. And it came back.

I thought it was coming through the door so I plugged that up the best I could with some old towels. Still coming through.

Then I saw it. The waterfall streaming down the stairs coming from one really large crack in the basement steps. Really it's amazing it took me so long to see this because it was shooting water in a steady 3 inch stream out of the step.

Frantically I raced around the house trying to find something to stop the water from coming in. Epoxy, water proof tape... anything! Everything I came across had to be applied to dry surface (hello, it's a leak?) and wouldn't work. I didn't want to drive back to Home Depot for fear that all 4 inches of water would creep back in while I was gone.

Then I had a brainstorm. I just needed something waterproof and moldable to shove in the crack. It only had to hold until the rain stops and we can properly fix the stairs. What I had that fit the bill was old modeling clay from college. I dug it out of my studio drawers (hey, sometimes it pays to be a pack rat), pulled off a hunk, rolled it into a coil and shoved it into the crack. The water stopped. I can't even believe that worked. I found every other major crack and jammed some it to them too. It's still holding.

I wet-vaced up the rest of the water and started glazing my work. Of course I realized that I was out of black liner glaze and had to run to the clay store to get more (tick tick tick). By now it's about 4:15 and the store closes at 5, since it's about 20 minutes away across town I hop in the car and take off. Of course since the weather is so bad there is an accident on the way and it takes me twice as long to get there but I do, just in time. I pick up my glaze and race back home to start my glazing.

It is now almost 6 by the time I get back home and in the studio. It takes me a few hours to glaze but I manage to get everything loaded by 9, which is exactly when it starts to monsoon again and other leaks start popping up. Bah! I am wet-vacing again! I hate the rain today!

Lessons learned:
1. If it's the weekend before a major show do NOT drink too much wine at a wedding on Saturday and decide that you can have Sunday off to laze out on the couch.
2. In a pinch, modeling clay will stop a leak.

I will let you know how the firing comes out.

More white pots

2010-09-29T10:37:00.003-08:00

Hi again! Two days in a row...aren't you impressed? Here are some photos I took quickly today of the porcelain pots I pulled out of the kiln last night. Like I said yesterday, still not there yet. I need the glaze to be thin but when it's thin enough to not pull the prints, it's too thin on the rim. Maybe my rims are just to thin structure wise? It's different from working with the red clay for sure. Any advice on glazing? I was thinking about a slightly more matt glaze on the interior and rim in the hopes that it won't break as thin. Any ideas or recipes for a good liner glaze?
I was also thinking of leaving the exterior bare with just a liner spilling over the edge like in these pots but I'm not sure how they will hold up to daily use.
This one came out nice, it most resembles my work in the red clay. I really prefer some sort of color on the interior.

Photo love

2010-09-28T17:03:00.004-08:00

Ok, ok, ok! I didn't forget about you promise....it's just that things have been kinda busy around here and the blog had fallen off of my "to do" list. I'm putting it back on though....I swear! I've been playing around with a little more white clay, porcelain this time. It's not quite there yet but it behaved way better than the little loafers. I was getting some major weird cracking and it didn't like the pressure of me printing on it AT ALL. The porcelain is better at that but I still haven't gotten the glazing down yet. It takes such a thin coating for the prints to not run but then it can get too thin and the surface doesn't feel comfortable for use....if you know what I mean. I'll be taking some pics of the latest pieces soon but for now I'll just share this photo I took today for my Lillyella post that goes up tomorrow.
You can check it out...here (scroll down to Slow Food in a Modern Kitchen for previous posts) but you have to wait until tomorrow for my popcorn post! Really I'm just liking this picture right now and am feeling pretty proud of myself for taking a nice shot (among many many more that were not nice at all) that's kinda food photographer-ish. Maybe all those hours pouring over food blogs and home magazines "in the name of research" has finally paid off!

Blue Water Lily

2010-08-29T07:34:00.002-08:00

Hi there! I just wanted to share some new designs I have been working on. These dishes are made from my usual red clay, painted with white slip and printed with a vintage blue water lily and black stitch design. They are now available in my shop or you can come see me in Chicago at the Renegade Craft Show...more info on that soon:)
Hope you enjoy!

Best of Baltimore;)

2010-07-23T05:55:00.003-08:00

Woohooo! I'm so excited that Baltimore Magazine gave me a Best of Baltimore award this year!! I just got the letter yesterday:) Of course I had to run out and buy a couple copies of the magazine right away! (sorry for the crappy photo) Hopefully Michael and I can go to the big party they host in celebration. Yay! Just had to share my news;) M and I are off to NY for the weekend, it's gonna be HOT. Luckily we are there for fun and not for standing behind a booth for long hours in the ridiculous heat. Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Single Serving Coffee Maker

2010-07-20T11:27:00.003-08:00

Artscape is finally over! For those who don't know, Artscape is the biggest arts festival in the USA an it takes place right here in Baltimore! It's 3 days of scorching heat, thousands of people and long hours of standing at your booth. I was lucky enough to have some wonderful booth mates and my super awesome mom who came for the weekend to help me survive. I met some wonderful people and sold lots of pots, thanks to everyone who came out for the weekend! Now that it's over I'm taking a couple of days to recover on the couch and get some work listed on etsy.
One of my favorite new items is this single serving coffee maker. Just add a #2 coffee filter, a few scoops of your favorite ground coffee or loose tea and set on top of your favorite mug (fits all my handmade mugs as well as standard commercial mugs). Slowly pour hot water over the grounds and let the coffee maker drip your hot fresh coffee into your mug. This is a perfect way to make just one cup of coffee without all the waste (and expense!) of a commercial pod coffee maker. Keep one at your desk so you can have a fresh cup of coffee anytime you like!

Get Ready Ashville!

2010-07-07T07:05:00.002-08:00

Tomorrow Michael and I are heading down south for a mini vacation and craft show. I'm so excited because we are planning to visit the Penland studios while we are there! I've never actually been and can't wait to see....I'm hoping someday to be able to do a small reidency there. I'll share some pics when we return but if you are in the Ashville area be sure to stop by my booth at the Big Crafty on Sunday and say hello! I will be taking full advantage of the time off because when we return the next weekend it will be Art Scape which is CRAZY! I will surely need another vacation after that.

Photo Booth

2010-07-02T05:09:00.002-08:00

Happy Friday and 4th of July weekend! Here are our pics from the Pile of Craft Photo Booth. I clearly didn't see the first shot coming:)

Getting back to work.

2010-06-30T05:53:00.003-08:00

Pile of Craft was so super fun but M and I needed a couple days of recovery! We took pretty much all of Sunday to veg out and eat Chinese food on the couch, thank goodness for Netflicks! Monday and Tuesday were still a little slow but we managed to restock Red Tree, unpack the car and get some pots going in the studio. Here are a few shots of my booth that my friend Jenny Strunge took and sent to me....I totally forgot so I'm glad she was on the ball!

Technical Question

2010-06-25T05:01:00.003-08:00

So it seems that last night my kiln took extra long to glaze fire. I'm thinking that my elements may be starting to go. I have had the kiln for a couple years and it's on it's 215 firing or so, does that seem like when you would need to change the elements? I've never had to do this before so I also don't know if it's something I can do myself or would need professional help. I have an L&L easy fire with the automatic programing. I also have only been using it for bisque and low firing until recently. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks in advance:)

Pile of Craft this Saturday!

2010-06-23T11:43:00.005-08:00

Hey everyone! I've been busy getting ready for our 4th annual Pile of Craft Show at St. Johns Church this weekend! It's gonna be great so I hope you can come out. We have over 40 hand picked vendors, food and drinks from Red Emma's coffee shop, a raffle basket to support the Village Learning Place , a FREE photo booth from Magnolia Photo Booth Co. , demonstrations and more! Come on out and do some summer shopping! Make sure to stop by my booth, check out the new stoneware work and say hello!

Craft Party TONIGHT!

2010-06-18T06:54:00.002-08:00

For all you Baltimore folks....tonight is the ETSY Craft Party in Roosevelt Park. Come join the Charm City Craft Mafia and BEST as we host one of the top 50 craft parties! It's supposed to be a lovely evening and fun for the whole family so bring a blanket and join us for some outdoor crafting:)

In a hurry

2010-06-17T05:55:00.003-08:00

Yesterday morning I threw a bunch of mugs, here is one tray on the shelf. I trimmed most of them last night and today I am hoping to finish them up before my family from out of town gets here. I also need to run to the clay store to restock some supplies. It's gonna be a busy day!

Also...if your looking for something to do tomorrow evening there is an ETSY CRAFT PARTY going on! I'll be there with more members of the Charm City Craft Mafia and BEST. Hope to see you there too:)
Click HERE for more info on the craft party.

New Stamps

2010-06-16T05:21:00.002-08:00

I'm so excited! The other day my new custom stamps came in. I found a site that will take my (and Michael's) drawings and turn them into rubber stamps for me to print with. I'll share more later but for now here are my new stamps:) I will be ordering more pronto!

Adventures in White Stoneware

2010-06-15T05:40:00.004-08:00

I know a while back I promised to share some of my white stoneware work with you and today I finally have some pieces (espresso cups thrown off the hump) that work and that I have pictures of. I forgot how different this white clay behaves. My first batch I applied the glaze the same as I have been doing for the red clay and it ran all over! Low fire stays put but mid range runs when it's thick....duh! So I thinned out my glaze, added a pretty Celadon interior and got printing. I'm so excited that this is finally working out. I really love the throwing body (I use a white stoneware similar to a porcelain) and the way the final pot feels in your hand. It's such a pleasure to work with. There are still some kinks to work out but I'm having fun playing with the surfaces and experimenting with different slips and underglazes. Now I just need to see if my hand building techniques will still work on the white clay without major warping and cracking. What do you think? Any suggestions for hand buliding with a porcelain like body?

Berry Strainer

2010-06-14T10:04:00.002-08:00

New product! This cute little bowl will wash up your fresh berries and catch the water drips while the drain. Each bowl washes about 1.5 cups of fresh berries but can hold a little more. You can use them to wash up cherry tomatoes, peas, herbs or any small produce. Perfect for the home gardener. Check 'em out in my etsy shop!

Planter Vases

2010-06-10T05:28:00.004-08:00

My friend Jon is great at giving me ideas for new products to try, he's very creative. The last show we did together in Philly he suggested that I make these hollow stakes that are unglazed at the tip and decorated at the top. The idea is that you stick them into a potted plant, fill them up with water which slowly seeps out of the unglazed part and keeps your plant watered. Great idea. As soon as I was back in my studio I thought I'd give it a shot. The first batch really didn't work out. For one thing, they are way to small to keep a plant watered. The water would last about a day. Second, the top layer of glaze ran all the way down the interior sealing the inside of the tube. That totally defeats the point of the object. So I'm left with a few of these weird stakes that I'm not really sure what to do with. My best idea is to use them as mini flower vases to spruce up some potted plants. Sadly I don't have any potted plants in my house since my kitty is partial to eating them up. This looks like another "mom gift", she loves my rejects and can always find something to do with them!
On the plus side, I tried a new stain on top and really like how the unglazed surface came out. That may be showing up in my real work soon....not sure if I will give these plant stakes another go or not.

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-31T16:53:00.004-08:00

Yesterday we had a few friends over for a BBQ in our backyard. I made all the food which was a little exhausting but well worth the effort. The menu consisted of egg salad and crackers to start with, I used freshly grated horseradish in the salad for a little bit of kick. Rosemary studded burgers with homemade brioche rolls, marinated chicken kabobs with roasted peppers and for dessert I made s'mores treats with homemade graham crackers, and my cardamom marshmallows. Yum! I also picked a bunch of mint from the garden and M made us fresh mojitos. Let summer begin!

It's me again...

2010-05-27T06:24:00.003-08:00

Well, hello there. It's been awhile. I do apologize for my absence but it's been a crazy crazy month. That's not entirely true, it's been a crazy crazy year so far. I haven't written on this blog because to be honest, I was feeling a little down and beaten by the world and I don't want to spread the negativity. But, things are turning around, I can feel it.
Just to fill you in a little this year so far I have had my mother's illness (which you know about from other posts), came home to be snowed in for 2 weeks, my kiln needed repair, my clay supplier stopped selling my clay body, my husbands car was smashed with a brick through both front and side window, my car was totaled while parked outside my house at 8:30 in the morning (we just got a Honda Element to replace it), my mother had to have cancer removed from her lip, twice, and my father whom I haven't spoken to in 2 years went in for open heart surgery and still didn't call me. Don't worry, I'm over it.
Like I said, I feel a change in the universe. The second half of 2010 is going to be soooo much better. I'm working on getting my buisness together, shows are going to pick up, I found a new clay body that I like (it's actually an old friend but I'm making it work with my way of decorating now) and summer is coming. I love summer. It means long evenings sipping wine on the porch, BBQ's with friends and fresh veggies from the farmers market in my kitchen. I just changed my display a little (you can see it in the pic above, but please note that that was a very rainy show so it's not the best set up) and can't wait to get my hands in a little more of this white cone 6 clay body. I've started doing yoga and strength training to help clear my mind and keep my body healthy. I'm a firm beliver in not letting life get to you. Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off and try something else. There is always a solution, you just have to think outside of the box, or in this case...wait for the storm to pass. Here's to more sunny days ahead:)
p.s. Sorry about the grainy iphone pics.

The Mafia is Looking for an Intern

2010-04-28T04:14:00.001-08:00

If you or someone you know lives in the Baltimore area and would like a change to work with some super crafty folks for college credit please pass this along!

The Mafia is looking for another intern! This could be you (if you're in college and fabulously crafty)! Please send Carlybird an email with your resume and cover letter at carlygoss -at- yahoo -dot- com if you'd like to spend the summer semester working with the craftiest kids in Baltimore and get real, live college credit for it! Check out the tasks you'd be responsible for below.

The Charm City Craft Mafia seeks an ambitious student to join us as Mafia Intern! The two main responsibilities of this internship are to assist our members with studio work and, most importantly, to help us prepare for our spring 2010 craft show, Pile of Craft! The intern will work along side the Mafia communicating with vendors, performing organizational tasks and marketing, contacting sponsors, as well as carrying out day-of-show tasks including setting up tables, decorating, assisting vendors, making food runs, etc. This internship is a wonderful opportunity for an artist who is interested in community building, hosting events, and the indie craft community. You must be motivated, flexible and fun. You will see the inner workings of the Mafia and what it takes to put on the best indie craft show in Baltimore. You will have the chance to work with a group of 14 zany and talented artists whose work includes painting, drawing, sculpture, weaving, bookbinding, ceramics and much more. This opportunity begins as soon as possible and can last through the summer and even beyond, if we find the right candidate. Other tasks may include assistance with other art and craft shows, studio maintenance, etc.

The intern MUST be available to work the evening of June 25th and all day on June 26^th 2010. Please do not apply if you cannot make yourself available on both of those days.

Send Carly an email now to apply! Resume and cover letter! Do it!

Looking forward to getting crafty with you!

KC Teabowl National

2010-04-27T11:18:00.003-08:00

Hey everyone, I just wanted to shout from the rooftops that my teabowl was accepted into the KC National Teabowl Exhibit juried by Pete Pinnell. Amazing! Here is my little teabowl that will be traveling across the country for it's debut. Sadly I won't be able to attend the opening (unless fedex can ship me also) but if you are in the area please stop in and let me know how everything looks.

Drool worthy.

2010-04-25T07:21:00.002-08:00

Just popping in to share this drool worthy photo of an amazing kitchen display of pots. I totally need this:)
Via Style Files.

Come see me this weekend in Richmond!

2010-04-15T10:25:00.003-08:00

I'll have brand new pots fresh from the kiln at the Spring Bada Bing this weekend. If your in the Richmond area stop by to check it out and say hello!

Spring break comes to an end.

2010-04-12T06:09:00.002-08:00

Well we did it, we finally finished our upstairs room. Since our basement is used as our studio we have a major storage issue in our little house and up until last week this room was the dumping ground for all of our show displays, boxes of comics for M and just about anything else we didn't know what to do with. After 5 years the piles were just plain embarrassing so for this year's spring break I asked M to help me refinish the room into something we could use for storage, office space and guest quarters. I started the painting a couple of weeks ago when M was out of town for a show and this week he helped me rip up the old nasty blue speckled carpet (you know that 70's style muddled carpeting, yuck) and paint the floors (I know, I know painting wood floors is a "no-no" but they were already half painted and now I have a usable room so I really don't care). After many hours of hard work, several trips to Lowes, Target and Ikea, we are finally almost finished. There are still a few more things that need to be taken to goodwill or the dump and a mountain of recycling to be dealt with once my car is back from the shop (don't ask) but once that is taken care of as well as some picture hanging and minor decorating touches, we will be DONE! Hello new office space (not the dining room table as it had been previously), guest room, drawing studio (not for me) and sewing area (for me), I am sooooo happy to welcome you to our home:)

Terrasig Tests

2010-03-26T06:58:00.003-08:00

Good morning! I wanted to share some dishes that I tested my terrasig on last week. I like the way they came out and how they reacted nicely with my glaze. I am able to print easily on the surface and there are a few more texture possibilities since the sig is so much thinner than the slip I was using. It also seems to work nicely with the underglaze. I still need to do a little more testing but so far I am liking it. If nothing else I really like the red sig on the bottoms of pots to give a smoother texture without glaze. Today I have lots of decorating to do and hopefully a kiln to unload. I might take a break this weekend to paint our upstairs and if I get a chance I will share some pics of the process since I think it will be a major change (it is soon to be our office/guest room) for that space!

New Platters

2010-03-24T10:32:00.002-08:00

Just a quick post today as I am super busy rushing to the bank, post office, supply store, grocery store and vet for cat food (Mex is on a special diet) all before 7 when I have a Mafia meeting to attend. But I did want to post the finished platters from the last post so you could see how they turned out. I'm pretty happy with them and am liking the new layers I am working with. I started using some new colors for some of my images. What do you think? The long tray would be great for tapas or bread and the shorter tray is just begging for some freshly steamed green beans or spring asparagus! Yum.... pots always make me hungry:)

Still here!

2010-03-22T05:32:00.005-08:00

Hi guys, sorry I dropped off the blogging world for a week or so! It was my 30th birthday last week and we were super busy doing a bit of celebrating... dinner out , friends over for dinner and then a birthday bash on Saturday which was so lovely because it was in the 70's all day! We spent the day cleaning up the house and outside areas. Our outdoor furniture didn't make it through the snow this year so we had to replace it. I'm trying to do everything on the cheap side since being away for a month also resulted in no income for a month. I'm still getting orders ready and pushed through the kiln but man, is it taking a while to get back on my feet! I have quite a few shows coming up, gallery work and orders to fill and I am still trying to get some new designs out in between all the production. Sometimes your brain just needs to be creative and free for a day. Here is a new platter form I have been working on. It's all painted and waiting for me to unload it from the kiln today. I can't wait to see it finished! I'll share some pics as soon as it's done:)
Oh, and here is a picture of M and I at the beach last year...it just popped up on my facebook and I had to share it because I can't wait for summer again!

Ready for spring already!

2010-03-13T14:02:00.003-09:00

That's it. I'm soooo ready. I'm done with the cold dampness that has been hanging over us for the last couple of days. I can see some bulbs starting to poke out of the dirt and I can barely contain myself from shouting "go little bulb, go!". I have been stocking my shop with some garden markers to celebrate the season and to encourage a little more green growth to free itself from the frosty ground. Hope you enjoy!

Apply Now!

2010-03-10T08:04:00.002-09:00

Applications are open for Charm City Craft Mafia's Pile of Craft 2010!!!
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Pile Of Craft is our annual juried Spring craft fair, featuring handmade and original items from 40+ talented artists from all over the country. Apparel, ceramics, handbags, jewelry, fine art, scuplture, homegoods and more - made by hand, sold by the artists themselves!
Want to be a vendor? You can APPLY HERE. Applications to Pile Of Craft 2010 are open until April 2 at midnight, and we will be announcing the accepted vendors by April 9th.

Good luck!!

Keping one for myself...

2010-03-06T12:44:00.003-09:00

It's not very often that I keep a pot for myself that hasn't been somehow damaged in the process or has an ugly glaze. Most of the pots in my kitchen are pretty ugly and I'm actually a little ashamed when I pull them out for guest. There is always the "this one isn't my best work" disclaimer to go with the mug of coffee. Recently I have started a really nice collection of other potters work as I travel to shows and workshops, some of which I reach for everyday and some have special homes on a high shelf where the cat *hopefully* won't knock them over. These beauties are making my own collection look even worse! So this round of pots I'm keeping one. And not because it's ugly or glazed wrong or a little too wonky. I just like this pot and it now has a home in my kitchen.... happy birthday to me:)

New work is out!

2010-03-05T15:07:00.002-09:00

Finally today I pulled out my first batch of pots this year! I can't believe it's been this long since I had new work out. I'm in the process of getting them listed on etsy so be sure to check in this week and see the new pots.

A lesson in photographing jewelry

2010-02-25T11:24:00.002-09:00

What I had intended to be an hour or so of photographing the pendants I got back from Clayworks yesterday turned into an entire day of frustration, a giant headache and oh yeah, no new listings in the shop to show for it. I'm kind of a perfectionist especially when it comes to my work which is why a few snapshots just will not do. There should be a dynamic photo for catching your eye plus enough descriptive shots to show the entire piece to someone who can't pick it up and try it on. I have pretty much figured out my formula for photographing my pots and can do that in just an hour or so depending on the amount of work that needs to be listed. Easy. Jewelry, not so much. I'm sure it doesn't help that for most of my shoot today I had left my overhead lights on and couldn't figure out why my sunlit photos had this yellowish cast over them. Duh. I finally built myself a modified white box with a dark gray backdrop and a sheet of picture glass on the bottom to try and simulate that professional looking reflection that you see in fancy catalogs. I tried some with props (pretty much everything in my house that is not nailed down), some without and some hanging. Here are my favorite from about 150 pictures I took today. Let me know what you think, I would love some feedback!

Spring sneak peek!

2010-02-24T15:49:00.003-09:00

I finally got my thermocouples in today, yay! That means tomorrow I will be taking my kiln apart to try and replace the old ones. Then maybe I can get some of this new work through and listed in the shop. This is just a teaser but you can see some of my new designs for garden markers. I have both the kind that sticks right in the dirt and some that will hang from a wire. All of them are designed for you to write on. Can you tell I'm ready for spring???
Don't forget to check out my post on the Lillyella blog today. I highlighted some of my favorite ceramic soup bowls on etsy.

February is a bust.

2010-02-23T15:54:00.004-09:00

I thought that February would be a little more productive than January but alas...not so much. As soon as I got going on my huge back order of work my kiln gave out on me. I am 99% sure it is the thermocouples which I have on order and hopefully will get here before the next snow storm hits. As of right now my bisque shelf is filled to the brim with work waiting to be fired and I'm going to have a mountain of glazing to do soon.

I did however give myself permission to try out this scoop I saw illustrated in the new issue of Clay Times magazine. The one they made was thrown but I used my hand building techniques to create my own version. I have been wanting to make a scoop for a while now and am pretty excited to have a prototype. I have also been working on some garden markers for spring! I'm ready for it to be here already!! Hopefully I will have pictures of the new designs soon.

Snow Days

2010-02-09T11:54:00.003-09:00

Well we are officially snowed in out here on the east coast. It's deep, cold and still coming down!! I made it back home on Thursday just in time to be blanketed in 30 inches of snow. Luckily I work in my basement so I have still been getting some work done. I decided to take the day yesterday and clean up the studio. It's been a while and when I left I wasn't expecting to be gone for very long and I was in a panic so I left a few things out that I would normally clean up right away. So yesterday in the hopes of clearing my head, and some space for new work, I spent the better part of the day locked down in the basement clearing out boxes and dusting off my work space. I always work better when everything is in it's place. Here are some shots of my little corner of the world, nothing fancy but all nice and clean, waiting for me to create!

Coming home.

2010-02-03T15:24:00.002-09:00

Thanks for all the well wishes, prayers and general good vibes sent over this past month, they were all very much appreciated! My mom is doing much better now and is home recovering. I should be able to come back home and to the studio this weekend so if I still owe you an e-mail or contact I will hopefully get caught up next week. I will also be starting on all those orders that have been piling up while I was away.....anyone want to be my intern/clay slave? I can cook for you:) I will sadly not be participating in this years ACC show (had to cancel) but already have a space reserved for next year and hopefully will have my mom there to help me! Be sure to check out my shop in the next few weeks as I restock with new work that I started at the start of the year including some mid-fire white ware.

Away from the studio

2010-01-11T19:53:00.002-09:00

This is just a quick post to let you all know that I am currently out of town due to my mother being rushed to the hospital on Friday with some pretty serious breathing problems. She is still there and I will be staying here in PA until all is right again. If I owe you an e-mail or phone call please excuse my delay, I will get to you as soon as possible. I will resume the blog when I am back in the studio or if I get super bored sitting in the hospital (and the internet works!). Until then, thanks for understanding.

Cardamom Marshmallows part 2

2010-01-05T17:30:00.003-09:00

This morning I un-molded my marshmallows and cut them into squares perfect for floating on top of yummy hot beverages. They are so delicious! The perfect amount of flavor and a beautiful texture, they truly melt in your mouth.
A quick toss in powdered sugar to prevent sticking and they are ready to float on my morning coffee.
I gave a few away to my friend Ali from Pistol Stitched. She was working down the street and when I delivered them she promptly popped one in her mouth, so irresistible. M and I ate a few through out the day but the rest are for our dinner with friends on Wednesday. I'm sure they will enjoy this yummy treat in an evening cup of coffee.
I would highly recommend giving this tasty treat a try in your own kitchen, I think a box of these would make a super gift for your valentine! Imagine the flavor possibilities....

Cardamom Marshmallows part 1

2010-01-04T16:01:00.004-09:00

This summer I had the pleasure of attending a show in Brooklyn where Whimsy and Spice was vending a few spots down from us and I made sure to bring home a package of their Cardamom Marshmallows which we enjoyed floating in hot cups of coffee for the next week. I have had the flavor in my memory ever since and so tonight decided to try my hand at making my own cardamom marshmallows to take to a dinner with friends on Wednesday night. I don't know if they will be quite the same but I'm excited to try them! I have done a bit of research on making marshmallows (yes, I am that girl) and most recipes seem to be pretty similar but the one I used tonight (no, it's not my first time....don't judge!) can be found here.You will need a candy thermometer to make these but other than that these are a pretty simple treat to make. The first time I made marshmallows it was a super sticky mess but this time went pretty smoothly. I'm not sure if it was due to the change of recipe or just that I knew what to expect and practice makes perfect! I added 1 tsp. of cardamom powder to the gelatin mixture at the beginning of the recipe.

Make sure to prepare your baking pan with parchment and lots of pam so the marshmallow mixture doesn't stick. You will have to leave it out overnight to dry, mine is on the counter as we speak so tomorrow I will let you know how the final product comes out.
I'm such a big fan of marshmallows, I could eat them straight from the bag and have been known to make hot chocolate purely for eating the warm gooey marshmallow topping, and then putting more on only to eat it right off again!
Tomorrow I will unmold them and toss in powdered sugar. Look forward to some better photos as well, my night photography isn't very good!

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T06:39:00.002-09:00

Happy New Year! Michael and I are back from our trip to Savannah where we spent the week with my brother, sister in law, mother and 2 adorable little munchkins. I thought I would share some pictures of our Holiday trip since the studio has been closed for the last week and I don't have anything new to post yet. The photos above and below are from our Christmas day which we spent at the Ronald McDonald house (if you don't know about this amazing organization click here to learn more) cooking dinner for the families who were staying there. Actually, my brother cooked and gave us directions, so technically we chopped, sauteed and stirred while he whipped our prep work into a delicious turkey dinner for 30.
After Christmas day while we were all relaxing M, my mom and I made cookies with the kids. The kids did most of the work...and taste testing while I directed, M got himself covered in flour trying to navigate the kids measuring cups and my mom handled the oven.
I think these two will be growing up to have their own show on the food network!
This isn't flour, it's powdered sugar which Tru cleaned up from the counter by scooping it into his mouth!
The original recipe we made didn't call for chocolate chips but the kids took a little creative licence and M thought they were even better with the chocolate decorations.
We had a great time in GA and can't wait to go back:) I hope you all had a lovely time with your family also!

Snowballs

2009-12-17T16:37:00.003-09:00

So I've actually done quite a bit of baking this year, mostly due to craft related responsibilities (like baking 100 chocolate chip cookies for the vendor lunches at Pile of Craft). I also did a bit of pie baking for Thanksgiving. Yesterday I had to make something to bring for a holiday potluck with the Charm City Craft Mafia so I decided on "Snowballs", which were (and still maybe are) my favorite holiday cookie. I had all the ingredients on hand so they were a snap to make up. My only rule for baking is that I a only allowed to do it when the baked goods will be leaving my house within 24 hours! Bring on the butter!!

Snowballs (or Russian Teacakes or Mexican Wedding Cookies)
1 cup of butter, room temp.
1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts (I put mine through a mini food processor)

Mix butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Mix the flour and salt, add to the butter mixture. Mix in nuts. Chill the dough for 1/2-1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place about an inch apart on a baking sheet. Cookies don't spread. Bake for 10-12 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Let the cookies cool and roll them in the sugar once more. Store in an airtight container.
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Check out my super famous hubby!

2009-12-16T05:24:00.003-09:00

This Monday I was given the job of photographer at M's book signing at a local Barnes and Nobel. It was a total mad house! M does a wonderful job of speaking to the kids and interacting with them to explain how he comes up with his characters. He even draws some of the kids as space creatures or evil monsters! It's so fun to watch and the kids really get into shouting ideas out and watching M turn their words into crazy drawings. Monday he wound up selling out of books and the line was around the store! I actually left to do a little shopping in the middle of it all and when I came back there was still a line! So I just had to share some of my favorite pictures of the night and brag about what a super star my husband is.
If you want to see what all the commotion is about you can check out his new book for kids Adam Wreck by Michael S. Bracco or his more adult series (rated PG-13) Birth and NOVO. They would make really great stocking stuffers and he will even sign and draw on the inside cover!

Last Chance for Snowflakes!

2009-12-15T15:34:00.002-09:00

Tomorrow I will be unloading the last batch of snowflake dishes for the holiday season. If you missed out on the last batch now is your chance to grab one up! They will be ready to ship by the end of the week, which is the last day to order to ensure christmas delivery. Three sizes are available in my etsy shop.

Shop is being Stocked!

2009-12-13T08:26:00.002-09:00

I just finished my last Holiday craft show and am now restocking the etsy shop! It's pretty much the last week to order in time for Christmas so be sure to stop in and check it out:) I also have some more snowflake dishes just listed! This lovely new flower brick is also now available in the shop.

Holiday Heap is this weekend!!

2009-12-03T16:16:00.003-09:00

If you are in the Baltimore 'hood make sure you don't miss this years Holiday Heap Craft Show put on by our own Charm City Craft Mafia. It's gonna be THE place to get your holiday shopping done this year. I will be there bright and early on Saturday (like really early 'cause it's our job to set up!) selling my wares so be sure to stop in and say "Hello"!

Adam Wreck! A great gift for the children in your life...

2009-12-02T05:39:00.003-09:00

I don't know if you all know this but M recently came out with his first all ages graphic novel. He's been on the book fair circuit and signing books like crazy! Of course I'm majorly proud of him and can't tell you how cool it is to see a line of kids waiting to talk to him and get a book signed. This would make such a cool gift for any children in your life, if you get it from him he will send a signed copy but you can of course buy from your local Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
Click Here to go to the website and Here to go to Michael's shop. While your shopping for the kids in your life, M just added children's T's to his line hand illustrated apparel so make sure to check that out too, available here.
Adam Wreck is trapped in the deep cosmos of space…with his parents!!!
For two years Adam has traveled through the universe with his genius parents - on a ship they invented called EARTH 1. This may sound like every kid’s wildest dream, but what fun is being the first kid in space if there’s nothing cool to see like comets, planets, or giant cyborg space aliens? Well, life for Adam is about to take an exciting turn when his family's ship is attacked and his parents are taken captive! Shipwrecked on a strange planet filled with even stranger alien creatures, Adam must find a way to save his parents from the diabolical and dastardly, Kalosian Space Pirates!

Happy December!

2009-12-01T13:46:00.003-09:00

I can't believe it's December already! Where did the time go? Sorry to have left everyone after my rant about grad school, I didn't mean to leave things that way. I did decide to put it off for now. It's not the right time and if M and I are ever going to start a family that would put a major shift in our plans. So it's on the back burner for now.
Otherwise, I have been totally lost in my own little world of Holiday Prep for a show at the end of November (yes, I know that's over), Thanksgiving with the in-laws (and 2 days of baking to prep for that) followed by a weekend of back to back craft shows until December 13th. Then I will be getting ready for a trip to Savannah to see my brother and his lovely family. Is it January yet?? I will try to keep up with blogging throughout this crazy Holiday Mayhem to keep you posted on events and work in the studio. I have had this itch to dive back into the white mid-range body that I had used before but am fighting the urge until after the holidays. M seems to think I get my greatest ideas that I have to try right before a major deadline or swam of shows. Then I'm really cranky when things don't turn out the way I had imagined and I am left with no work for said major event. So I will save him at least one headache this year and contain myself until slower times.
Click here to go to read my post on the Lillyella blog and get the recipe for the Rosemary Walnut Shortbread Cookies!

The MFA factor

2009-11-12T11:52:00.003-09:00

So I have recently been looking into getting my MFA. Well, ok....I've been thinking about it for a while...like a few years now. My dilemma is this....I have a degree from MICA ( a very good art school) and a teaching certification. I have always dreamed of going to one of the big ceramic programs for my masters but the truth of it is, I don't live near any of them and we are not in a position to move any time soon. Plus, we own our house and I have worked really hard to get my studio set up and everything. I have been looking into the program at Towson, which is very close to me, and they are about to get a new program director in ceramics (don't know who yet). I can start taking classes there as a non-degree seeking grad student until they have the ceramics program in place and then transfer over. I need to do something by next semester (it's a job thing). Does anyone have any experience with grad school or opinion about where to go? Does it matter where you get your degree from? My head is pretty much spinning. I'm not sure how I'll handle going to grad school and keeping the business up but it's really important for me to keep that going. Any thoughts....advice?

Place Settings

2009-11-10T04:48:00.002-09:00

I don't have too much time to post right now as I am about to head out the door for my class this morning but I wanted to share a quick picture of these place settings I just started working on. they include an appetizer plate, a salad plate and a dinner plate. They all have themes as well. This one follows science/ natural history. I'll share more new stuff later when I have a little more time:)

My new postal scale!

2009-11-04T12:31:00.004-09:00

I decided to invest in a postal scale a couple of weeks ago and today was the first day I tried it out. I packed my pots, weighed the boxes and printed my postage, set the packages out to be picked up and they were!! I was checking the door every hour or so, nervous that they would remain on my step but sometime between 3 and 4 they magically vanished leaving me post office free. YAY! Not that I don't love the lovely people at my neighborhood city post office or standing in line forever, or showing up during the hour in the middle of the day when the post office closes for lunch (??)....I'm really going to miss all of that. Don't get me wrong, I have lots of love for the postal workers (some of them anyway), I even brought cookies to my last post ofice just 'cause they were so nice. My father-in-law is a mail man (is that PC?). It's just that Baltimore city post offices are generally not nice places to be. At least not in my neighborhood. So farewell to that daily errand, postal scale ...I think this is the start to a beautiful friendship!
Oh and by the way....new mugs are coming soon, no really....see them in the picture? Just waiting to be fired and glazed and then off to the etsy shop, I promise!

New batch of tiny vases, just out!

2009-11-02T08:34:00.003-09:00

Today I'm listing a new batch of tiny vases that I just pulled from the kiln. Get 'em while their hot!

Happy Halloween!!

2009-10-30T12:54:00.001-08:00

Halloween #25
Originally uploaded by stevechasmar

Have a great Halloween weekend everyone! I think my brother was a pumpkin on a table for Halloween one year, if I remember correctly he got his head stuck and there was a bit of drama to get him out. This photo from steve chasmar on flicker reminds me of that Halloween.....

Slow food in a Modern Kitchen

2009-10-29T16:14:00.003-08:00

Hey guys, make sure to check out my new monthly feature "Slow Food in a Modern Kitchen" on the Lillyella blog! On the last Wednesday of each month I will be sharing some of my favorite kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, recipes and decor. Click on over to check out my first post on bread baking.

Spoon rests in progress...

2009-10-28T11:30:00.004-08:00

Bisque kiln is cooling....cups are drying....belt buckle design is waiting for decoration and I think I have my new spoon rest design. I had a request for some round spoon rests from one of my wholesale shops and I thought it would be fun to come up with a new, larger, spoon rest design. Here are some drying, all they need is to be cleaned up and decorated. I think I am going to keep one for my own stove:)

DIY Magazine

2009-10-27T18:13:00.003-08:00

This totally made my rainy day:) Check out the winter edition of DIY magazine by Better Homes and Gardens in your local bookstore, you might just see a familiar dish on page 35.

Pea Soup with Shredded Pork

2009-10-25T15:29:00.003-08:00

This weekend left me stuck in the house with a head cold. Whenever I have a cold all I want to eat is soup, bread with butter and ginger ale. I happened to be left with half a large pork roast from a dinner I made earlier in the week so on Saturday morning I made a big pot of pea soup. I'll tell you about the sandwich later this week....

Split Pea Soup with Shredded Pork

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 lb of dried split peas, rinsed and soaked
6 cups of water
2-3 Lb. pork roast, trimmed of fat
2 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cups of Chicken or Vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

In a large stock pot heat the olive oil. Add the onion and saute until translucent, add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more. Add the rest of the ingredients through the broth. Cook, covered until the veggies are soft and pork is cooked through. Remove the roast and shred the meat using two forks. Take the soup off of the heat, remove the bay leaf and puree using an immersion blender or regular blender (if using a regular blender, let the soup cool a bit and leave room for steam. Cover the hole with a towel to avoid a mess). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the soup ladled in a shallow bowl with a mound of pork in the center.

My Dream Dinner Party

2009-10-22T14:07:00.003-08:00

Ok. I admit it. I get way too excited about the food network, I read Martha Stewart Magazine and Real Simple while I wait in line at the grocery store and I tear out pages from cooking magazines and paste them in my sketchbook with little notes next to them like "great pot" or "love the colors". I'm a domestic junkie. There, I said it. I also dream of how I will decorate for my (completely fictional because really who has the time for this kind of thing anyway?) fabulous fall themed diner party. I would invite all my closest friends and we would nibble on goat cheese appetizers and sip crisp red wine while the fragrance of sauteed mushrooms mixed with rosemary and garlic wafted from the kitchen. My tiny dinning room would magically expand to fit everyone comfortably and they would find their seats by way of the beautifully hand lettered place settings. My house would be covered in arrangements fall flowers, branches and berries which the cats would not eat them and throw up on the rug later. A delicious apple pie with homemade caramel ice cream for dessert and then we would say farewell to our friends and fall drowsily on the couch, sipping the last glass of wine while the dishes helped themselves into the dishwasher. If I were to host a dinner party like this one here are some things that I would decorate my table with.
1. PopMat paper placemats by Publique Shop
2.Vintage Milk Glass Bowl by Full Circle Retro
3.Felted Wool Acorns by Lilfish Studios
4. Vintage Bird Salt and Pepper Shakers by High Street Market
5. Vintage McCoy Green Bowl and Pitcher by Lil Thrifty Girl
6.White Ironstone Ceramic Gravy Boat by High Street Market

Interview....

2009-10-21T05:19:00.002-08:00

Check out this interview I did with Purple Lemon Designs! She was so sweet to interview me for her blog...

8 Years

2009-10-20T13:37:00.006-08:00

Today is the 8 year anniversary of when Michael and I met. We celebrated by stopping by the farmers market so I could stock up on my favorite Pear and Cardamom jam (I bought 4 jars since I may not see them until next summer!) and then to Clementine for Taco night! Finish it off with a mug of steamy Chocolate Bar Chai tea topped with a cardamom marshmallow *sigh* how perfect:)
Image by Ashley G

Time to restock!

2009-10-19T08:39:00.004-08:00

This week I will be busy restocking my etsy shop so make sure to check it out! I will have some new tiny vases as well as some great gift ideas. It's not too early to start thinking about picking up some sweet little gifts for those you love! The cold weather has me thinking of toasty dinners with friends and what better way to say thank you than with a crisp bottle of wine adorned with a peace dove they can later hang around their home? Also keep an eye out for new bowls and cups to serve up hot beverages and comfort food as the weather continues to cool off.

Come see me tomorrow in Philly!

2009-10-16T06:43:00.002-08:00

Come check out all the new work! I'll have new tiny vases and the new hot air balloon design:)

SquidFire's 2009 Philly Art Mart
Saturday October 17, 11-6pm
Old Pine Community Center
Philadelphia, PA

Tools of the trade.

2009-10-14T05:37:00.004-08:00

Throwing and trimming tools. I actually trim my hand built pots on the wheel.
My pounding and rolling tools.

This morning it's back to work, break over! I will spend my day glazing the pots I took out of the kiln last night and hopefully will be putting back in this evening. The mad rush to get everythign ready for this weekend is on! If you are going to be in the Philly area you can come see me at the Squidfire Philly Art Mart, it will be held on Saturday October 17, from 11-6pm in the neighborhood of Society Hill. More info coming later. Until then here are some more studio shots....tools of the trade!

In the studio

2009-10-13T16:21:00.004-08:00

A close up shot of a plate waiting to be glazed.
Stacks of bowls waiting for glazing.
More tiny vases (and a cup) since the first batch sold out already!

Ok so it's been a little quite around the blog lately...don't fret, it's not at all quiet around here! I have somehow managed to produce 2 kiln loads in less than a week and the first of the glaze firings is on as we speak. I have decided that with all that work done for now I am taking the night off! I am 2 glasses of wine in and it would be a bad idea for me to work with breakables right now:) I thought I would have some fun with my camera instead. That will give you a sneak peek at what I have been working so hard on. I don't know how many of you know this but I started my artistic life wanting to be a photographer. I have quite the background in it and love that doing what I do lets me play with my camera and call it work! Now that I said that, pay no attention to the yellowish hue that comes from shooting in my studio under IKEA lights.... I haven't the energy to edit right now. I will share more throughout the week, until I have some finished work to show for myself!

The pots they fly!

2009-10-07T18:06:00.002-08:00

Currently I am slumped on my couch in an almost dark den after a 13 hour day of making pots. I am so happy that my work is going over so well but I never expected to have this many orders so fast! I feel like as soon as I make them they are photographed and out the door. To be clear I am NOT complaining. It's really nice, to be able to say I'm a working artist, how many people have that opportunity? Anyway, I hope to post some work in progress shots this week....um, I guess this week is almost over so maybe next week:) Until then enjoy this new bowl that celebrates the journey of flight!

An art opening, Baltimore style.

2009-10-06T17:21:00.003-08:00

Tonight Michael and I went to an opening put on by our friend Bovie (pictured above) who puts together a Halloween show every year at a local Baltimore Dive Bar. Baltimore has some really awesome dive bars and most of the time they are the best place to find great art. I know, it sounds weird but you gotta love the dive bars and the art support they show. Michael's piece is the funky orange chicken:)

A quick trip to Booklyn

2009-10-05T06:56:00.004-08:00

This weekend was so incredibly crazy busy, we went from Crafty Bastards in DC (which was an amazing show, thank you to everyone who came out!) back home to Baltimore to restock Mikey and then hit the road to Brooklyn NY where we crashed on a friends floor to wake up early and show at Atlantic Antic street fair. Then we drove back home that night. I was so excited to see Brooklyn for the first time and was super excited to see that Whimsey and Spice was located just a few vendors down from us! Needless to say we had Pumpkin and Ginger cookies for breakfast, Earl Grey cookies for dessert and Mikey and I are now enjoying one of their Cardamom Marshmallows in our morning coffee. I just love their treats! The photography on their site is just lovely and the treats are just the right amount of sweet. Yum all around. Now that I am back we have 2 weeks until our next show and I have lots of work to do until then. I'll keep you posted on my etsy updates and a new design I've been cooking up in the studio.....stay tuned!

Come see me tomorrow at Crafty Bastard's in DC!

2009-10-02T04:18:00.003-08:00

If your in the DC area tomorrow make sure to stop by Crafty Bastard in Adam's Morgan. It's always a great show! Also, vote for "Spaghetti Kiss" for the Craftiest Bastard! My husband and I are sharing a tent so if you vote for us it's a 2 for 1! Yay!! Click here to vote. Thank you:)

Now in it's 6th glorious year, Crafty Bastards is a marketplace of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists countrywide. The show is presented by the Washington City Paper and is all-day, outdoors, free to attend, and will offer goods for sale, DIY craft projects & activities, food, music, prizes, and more! In past years, the breakdancing contests have been a huge hit. Crafty Bastards will take place Saturday, October 3, 2009 in Washington, DC.

Saturday, October 3. 10am-5pm.
Marie Reed Learning Center
Washington, DC.

Tiny Vases

2009-09-25T04:00:00.002-08:00

First of all thank you so much to everyone for their kind words and a really big thanks to all my new and returning customers:) I have almost finished packaging and sending out the orders that were in stock so yours should be on the way soon. I had been so busy trying to catch up from Chicago that I really haven't been blogging that often. Now we have to catch up! I'll start by saying that last week I went to a workshop with Jenny Mendes who I have been a big fan of for several years now. I love love her work and I think you will too so be sure to click on her link and check out her stuff. She is a really sweet person as well as a great artists. She taught us a method of coil building which I just had to come home and try. She simply took a long coil and wound it around a dowl then worked the coils together. Here is a picture of some tiny vases I made using her technique. You will be seeing the set of them show up in my etsy shop real soon!

Thank you etsy!

2009-09-21T09:06:00.003-08:00

Thank you etsy for making me a featured seller this week! Check out my interview here.

Planters and the end of the Sale

2009-09-17T17:29:00.003-08:00

New in the shop! I made these hanging planters to decorate my porch and I love them so much I'm made some for the etsy shop! Great for growing herbs or feeding birds:)
Due to a really really great show in Chicago this past weekend I have to end my free shipping sale a bit early. I am just about out of snack pates! I will let you know when I make some more and when the next sale will be. Thanks to those who participated and I'm sorry to those who didn't get a chance!

Antler Magazine!

2009-09-15T17:29:00.002-08:00

Just out today! This is a really cool FREE online magazine. I'm really honored that they asked me to do an interview for the September issue. So go check it out:)
http://www.antlermag.com/blog/

A moment to relax.

2009-09-09T13:44:00.004-08:00

Something I enjoy about working from home now is the freedom to cook at any point in the day. I'm not too tired and since I am only working down stairs from the kitchen I am able to bake or simmer while I work. My kitchen has been quite full the last few weeks. Today I needed to use up a banana that was about to turn so I whipped up a loaf of cranberry walnut banana bread while I was working on some computer stuff. It made the house smell so home-y and now we will have a healthy snack for our trip to Chicago this weekend. This is just a little slice I had to have....you know to make sure it was good:) Just one of my new found perks of working from home.

Low Fat Banana Bread (a Weight Watches recipe that I put my own spin to)
1 3/4 cups of four
3 Tbs packed light brown sugar
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup of dried cranberries ( you can sub any fruit or nuts here. The original recipe called for 8 chopped dried dates and 6 chopped dried apricot halves. This is just what I had on hand.)
1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
1 egg
1 very ripe banana
1/3 cup fat free milk

Preheat oven to 350, spray a 8x4 (I used 9x5 because that's what I had) loaf pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon; stir in the fruit and nuts. In a small bowl, beat the egg; add the banana and milk. Pour over the flour mixture, stir until combined. You may have to get in there with your hands as this makes more of a dough than a batter. It will seem dry at first but mix with your hands and it should come together, if not add a little more milk. Transfer to the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about an hour ( check on it after 30 minutes because mine was done in about 40.) Cool completely on a rack. Makes 12 (small) servings at 111 calories, 1 g. of fat and 3 g. of fiber. Not bad for a breakfast on the go!
(Nutritional info is based on the original recipe, I can't imagine my version is very far off though.)

Little Art

2009-09-06T04:32:00.003-08:00

I started making these little tags a few weeks ago. They were originally meant to be garden stakes but since the season is almost over it seemed silly to start making them now. Next year. Some of them became these little tags. I put them up in my shop to see how they do. I'm very hesitant now of putting smaller things out at shows because the last 2 or 3 shows we have done, as I packed up I noticed that at least one of my mini salt and pepper's had walked off. (I can tell because I will have a random S or P without a mate.) I have to re-think how I display smaller items, which is a shame because who steals from artists? That's just not ok. Not that it's ok to steal from anyone but it's just really wrong to steal from an artist at a street fair who is standing right there! Anyway, got off track there for a minute, sorry. I made the tags thinking that they could be hung on the wall as mini art or as a holiday ornament if you liked. I'm sure you could even put them on a chain as a necklace. Let me know what you think. Does anyone make small items?
p.s. I will be back later this week with some new glaze tests....

Snack Plates and FREE SHIPPING SALE!

2009-09-03T10:41:00.005-08:00

**This sale had to be ended early, the snack plates were a big hit! Sorry for those who missed out and thanks to those who made a purchase. Keep reading the blog to find out about other great sales!**
In keeping with the back-to-school theme I developed a new plate shape just for snacks, as in the after school kind:) I personally love to eat (duh, like you didn't already know that!) but I have to keep my portions in check to keep myself healthy and slim. It makes it more fun for me if I can eat my mini-meal snacks off of a sweet little plate. It makes it special in some way. So I have had a plate in my kitchen that I used for a test glaze a while back and it's the one I always reach for when I get that "need to snack on something while I veg out" feeling. It's the perfect size for a portion friendly snack and it has a little rim so your food doesn't slide off onto the couch while you cheer wildly for your favorite designer of Project Runway.....ok, maybe that's just me:) Lucky you though! I am now offering my favorite snack plate design in my etsy shop. There will be more listed as the month goes and as a special treat if you buy one in the month of September and leave me the name your favorite TV show to veg-out to I will refund the shipping cost through paypal. That's right, just leave me your favorite show in the notes to seller section of check-out and pay as you normally would. I will refund you the shipping cost through paypal. Sorry but this offer is only for those living in the USA, I love my international friends but I can't offer you free shipping at this time due to the nature of shipping ceramics, please understand. This is only being offered to my blog friends ;)

ABC's and 123's

2009-09-02T09:05:00.004-08:00

Well school has officially started for me....again. I am loving that I only have to work on Tuesday's and Thursday's though! I am having fun, it's a lot different to face a class of college Seniors compared to a class of 5 year olds. I have to be reminded not to call them "kids" when I talk about my classes. I have been busy getting things ready for the class but I have also been busy in the studio. I am playing catch-up right now, trying to get some work done for the shows coming up, to restock my etsy shop and for a couple of charity events that I donate to. I don't have money to help other people out but if I can donate work to an auction (one that I believe in) to support a cause then I do. I hope it does something good. I have work about to go to the SPCA and work going to Clayworks "Clay Ball". Both are very important, I think. Anyway, be sure to check out some of the new work I just posted on etsy today. I took a LOT of photos this morning so hopefully I will be listing more and more work as the week goes on. For now, check out this sweet little "back to school inspired" cookie plate I just listed today, perfect for an after school snack!

Interview with Indiefixx

2009-08-31T08:06:00.002-08:00

A while back Jen from Indiefixx asked me to participate in her "When they were kids" feature and of course I said yes. I had lots of fun setting up the pictures and making the cookies to go with it. What a great excuse to bake! Anyway, hop on over and check out her awesome blog and my super silly feature (with the "now" picture to go with this one!

Giveaway!

2009-08-24T06:21:00.003-08:00

Right now I am offering a giveaway through the ILash Girls blog. You can win 2 of my "Simple" dishes just by leaving a comment. How easy is that? You should hop on over there for a chance to win......well, what are you waiting for? Go! (click here)

Taking a leap.

2009-08-23T06:43:00.002-08:00

This post isn't really about the pendants I have posted above but I don't have any pictures to go along with this topic so instead I'm sharing the pictures I took yesterday. I'm trying to clean up the pics for Clayworks but I lost the light yesterday when a storm rolled in and blocked out the sun so I'll try again today.
This post is really about the god things that can happen when you take a risk and follow your heart. Most of you know that this spring I quit my job teaching elementary school. I just felt that there was more out there for me and I really needed time to work in my studio. I've been really stressed this summer wondering what I was going to do to make ends meet, if my pottery was really going to support me and pay my share of the bills.(By the way I just have to add that Michael has been so supportive and never doubts me one bit...all this stress is self induced) My studio is really bare at the moment and I have lots of work to catch up on but a few great opportunities have come my way, I will share them as they get closer but for now are still secret:) It still takes a LOT of pots to make a living and since I really have trouble charging what I should for them it's a slow process of bringing in money. So how does any of this relate to the good that comes from following your heart? I just accepted a job offer from Towson University to teach a couple of their Art Education classes. Having student teachers is something I have always loved doing and I think I'm pretty good at so this will be a really neat opportunity. It's only 2 days a week so I will still have plenty of studio time but will also have a paycheck coming in. Not to mention I've always wanted to teach at the college level. It's funny how things sort of fall into place when you just give yourself up to fate. This might not be a long term thing but for now it's helping my stress and opening a new avenue for me. I really do love teaching I just couldn't do it full time, 1 hour away anymore. Towson is only 15 minutes from my house so no more highway commute!! So from now on you can call me.....Professor. Just kidding!