Collaboration with The Broken Plate

A little while ago I gave Juliet from the Broken Plate Pendant Company a few little dishes I had in the studio. For those who don't know, Juliet makes lovely jewlrey from old and broken plates. Here is what she wrote about the collaboration....

One of my favorite parts of my job (you can call it that!) is being able to collaborate with some of the many talented ceramic artists of Etsy! This time around, I had the great pleasure of working with some pieces from Baltimore’s own, Pink Kiss Pottery. I have been in love with her work since I met her at a craft show many moons ago, so it was extra fun for me to make these. If you have not checked out her shop in a while, you are in for a treat because, armed with a new camera, her photos are as lovely as her new work!

As with all of my collaborations, $5 from each sale will go to a charity. This time we have chosen Art with a Heart , a Baltimore Charity that provides interactive, hands-on art activities to disadvantaged families and children, and to people with developmental and physical challenges.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed making them. They are now available in my Etsy Shop.

It's easy being green!

In honor of Spring and Earth Day I will be offering one of my handmade wash cloths as a free gift for every order in my etsy shop. These are made from 100% cotton and are fantastic for cleaning handmade pottery. They are very scrubby and tough on stuck on food yet gentle on the surface of your pottery. These last much longer than regular kitchen sponges and you can just throw them in the washer when they get dirty. So in honor of spring...it's easy being green, just head on over to the shop and pick out a new lovely for yourself!

Goat Cheese

One of my favorite things! It's a little tangy, a little creamy and can do so many things! Tonight I mixed up a goat cheese dressing by mixing it with some milk, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Sometimes I use a similar mixture over pasta as a cream sauce. It also yummy just crumbled over salad greens with cranberries and walnuts. I have made stuffed pork with goat cheese and figs...it's one of my staple grocery store buys because I know I can make something elegant and easy with it. Anyone have a favorite dish that includes goat cheese?

Necklace Design-first attempt.

I have recently been trying to come up with some jewelry designs. I don't really like making jewelry but I know of a show coming up that I would like to be a part of. I only want to participate if I can come up with something awesome so I'm trying to challenge myself to come up with some new ideas. I'm interested in the play between refined and rustic and have been experimenting with it in my pots as well as in the jewelry ideas. Here are some photos I took of the first one to come out. I made it more as a sketch, just with some beads and stuff I had laying around the house. The ceramic beads are made by me and finished with a metallic glaze just on the inside and around the edge. Hopefully they will get better but, boy, I am NOT a jeweler! I do have the utmost respect for them though:)

A sweet surprise.

Etsy Front Page 3/16/09 Admin
Originally uploaded by Etsy Front Pagers

What a nice surprise that my little garden mug made it to the front page yesterday for my birthday! I only just listed it Sunday:) Thanks etsy!

Happy Birthday to me:)

Today is my birthday, yay! I have realized that Monday is not the best day to have a birthday as all the best restaurants are closed. I am having trouble finding a place to go tonight. I'm sure we will find a place and we did celebrate over the weekend so I can't be too upset. I did receive some beautiful gifts from my friends and Michael that I will have to share as soon as I get some pictures taken. Where ever we wind up tonight I am definitely having some form of dessert!

Change in the S&P

I found a better font for the little salt and pepper pots. It's easier to read and a little bigger.

Teapot Update

Well I think these two are finished. Cute little sets, I think. I see some mistakes in both but I am now excited to make some more and improve on the design. What do you think?
P.s. I just listed some mini teapot "sketches" in my etsy shop! They would look so cute on a shelf as a little still life around your house.

A treat tonight!

Bugaboo Smoked Baby Back Ribs
Originally uploaded by disneymike

Yikes! I can't belive it's Thursday already! Where did this week go? I took the day off tomorrow to treat myself to a 3 day weekend for my birthday. Monday I will be 29 but we're celebrating this weekend with dinner at Clementine with Monica and Drew followed by drinks at the Tavern with everyone else! Tonight Michael and I are heading to our corner rib joint for a pre-celebration dinner. Hopefully tomorrow I will get over to Whole Foods and get some good food in the house. I think I really stressed myself out last week making me sooo tired this week and as a result I have done minimal cooking and zero food shopping. It's ironic since cooking and eating well make me feel so much better. Oh well, tomorrow I will be taking some new photos and posting new work in the shop so be sure to check it out. Also, if you haven't already head on over to lillyella's blog and enter the givaway....followed by a sale but you have to read about it there:)

Blog Feature Tomorrow.

Ok, so life has been a little crazy this past week and I have been neglecting my posting. I have been going through a whirlwind of emotions and have now settled on being excited and ready for the change. I may end up working the counter at Starbucks to pay the bills but it will be worth it to leave the stress of living 2 careers for one dream job. I have to say a big thank you to everyone who has been leaving me little words of support both here on the blog, on facebook and in person! You have all inspired me. I see that people do make this work and not a single person who has taken the plunge says they regret it. Actually, the only people who say I'm crazy are the non art types who can't imagine what I will do with all that "free time":) Now that I've calmed down a bit I will be back to more regular posting.
Tomorrow fellow etsy artist and blogger (and self employed quit her day job!) Nicole from Lillyella is featuring me on her blog starting tomorrow. She makes lovely jewelry like the Silver Garden Branch Bracelet above.You should make sure to check it out because I will be offering a discount and a giveaway throughout the week! Also, stay tuned for some more free stuff I'm cooking up in April to celebrate spring and Earth Day:)

Big news today!

Lion Heart spoon rest.

My little heart hasn't stopped beating out of my chest since this afternoon. After much thought and little to no preparation today I quit my job. I wasn't planning to but an e-mail came out which made me realize that Monica would need to fill out a transfer form if she was going to take my position and it's due tomorrow. I will still be working until June when school lets out but I let everyone (well 4 bosses but not the school) know today that I will not be coming back to the classroom after the summer break. (Of course if I totally panic and lose my nerve nothing is in paper yet. Still, saying out loud that I am starting a new path in life is the scariest thing I have ever had to do.) I am lucky enough to have supervisors who wished me a heartfelt good luck and let me know that they would hire me back if things didn't work out as planned, which I am not to naive to admit might happen. I hope not, but today I am feeling shaky and worried that I will not be able to pay the bills when the time comes. We are keeping it under wraps until I am positive but I couldn't help telling someone, and not too many people I know or work with actually read this blog so I think I'm safe. Don't tell, ok? Anyway, right now I could really use some words of encouragement so if you have some words of wisdom, make a living off your art or even if you are planning or want to too please let me know...I would love to hear from you!

New work up!

Stag spoon rest.
The Hunt mug.
Su-shi set.

Today I had planned to take the day off of work since I spent the weekend painting my mom's shop but Mother Nature decided that I didn't need to take another "sick" day and instead provided a snow storm which closed school for the day. I guess I owe her a big thank you and I promise to plant in my garden this spring:) Anyway, I spent the morning taking some new photos and posting to my etsy shop so be sure to stop by and check out some new work. Hopefully this week I will spend some quality time in the studio and give some updates on those teapots that are waiting to be decorated!

Help The Baltimore Clayworks!

Maryland Citizens for the Arts has asked us to ask YOU to send an Email to Legislators .
The House Appropriations and Senate Budget & Taxation Subcommittees held budget hearings on February 19 and 20, 2009, and a large group of representatives were in Annapolis to testify and support the MCA advocacy goals. Thank you to everyone who participated!

Today, we are launching the next step in our Advocacy Plan - an Action Email Blast.
For this, WE WILL NEED EVERYONE'S HELP!

The process is very simple. As soon as you have read this alert, click on this "Take Action" icon. That hyperlink will take you directly to the Maryland Citizens for the Arts website. There, using a prepared letter which insures that the issues are properly identified and our advocacy goals are clearly defined, you will be able to contact your legislator directly. Enter your zipcode, which will identify the senator and/or delegate from your district who serves on one of these subcommittees. After you have provided your home address, you will be able to read the letter, edit it, and provide your e-signature. Please take a few minutes to do this right away!

NUMBERS ARE IMPORTANT! Encourage your friends and associates to join in sending this message. Pass this message on to the local arts advocates in your region, and urge them to send this email. *Please note that CapWiz will ONLY allow you to send this message to the legislators from your district. That is why we need participation from every part of Maryland !

One person CAN make a difference! Hundreds of people can make a HUGE difference!

If this cut is sustained, Baltimore Clayworks will lose approximately $40,000 in funding, and murals like this one made by residents in our urban community, classes for children in city schools, exhibitions like Tour de Clay and much, much more will be in jeopardy. Please act NOW!!

Thank you for caring and transforming your care into Action!

PS:
MCA WILL HOLD AN ADVOCACY CONFERENCE CALL TO THE FIELD ON TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2009 AT 3:00 P.M. TO UPDATE YOU ON OUR ADVOCACY PLAN AND TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS. THE CALL-IN NUMBER IS 1-800-935-3856 PASSCODE: 465287

(not so) Secret Recipe, shhhhh...

I just whipped up a batch of my wildly popular chocolate bark candy for work tomorrow! This recipe is one I keep in my "secret weapon" recipe box. It's really good but terrible for you so I only make it when it is going somewhere that is not my fridge! Tonight I made it for a work potluck we are having tomorrow afternoon. It's my go-to for any kind of event because it's super fast, super cheap, super easy and super tasty! So....want the recipe??? Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you.
1 cup of stick butter
1 cup of sugar
2 packages of saltine crackers (they come 4 packs to a box so save the rest for the next time you need to pull out this secret weapon!)
1 package chocolate chips of your choice, I used milk chocolate this time.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.In a small saucepan melt the butter and sugar, the sugar will not dissolve but you want it mixed in with the butter. While that melts, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and break the crackers over it so they are in a single layer covering the cookie sheet. Ladle the butter mixture over the crackers and bake for 10 minutes or until the butter is bubbly and the crackers are starting to brown. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the cracker mixture and place back in the oven for a minute or two, just until the chips are shiny and easy to spread. Take the tray out of the oven and using a butter knife or spatula, spread the chocolate over the crackers, like icing. Let the whole tray cool in the fridge until the chocolate is set then break into small pieces. Make sure to bring the recipe wherever you bring this because I guarantee someone will ask you!

Sleepy time.

Is there really anything better than a nap in the sun? This is a shot of my little mexi-cat napping on our living room couch. This week I'm gonna need a nap. Wednesday and Thursday I have to work the day job until 8:00 and then this weekend I'll be heading to PA to help my mom paint her shop. I think I'll take Monday off to re-coupe!

Happy Friday!

Ah, the weekend is finally here! It was super nice to have a short week. This weekend I will be working in the studio trying to finish up those teapots and orders from last weekend and relaxing with a few beers with our friends Monica and Drew. We are planning to go to the Hamilton Tavern for burgers, the last time they came out the Tavern was closed! Seems the Tavern burger is the only meat I've been eating lately:) Hope you all enjoy your weekend too!

Etsy purchase!

I have been on the hunt for a pair of small everyday earings. Tonight I saw these on the front page and thought they would be perfect! Right place, right time, right price! Don't you love when that happens? They are from Carolinableu and I can't wait 'til they come:) Have you bought anything good lately?

Meet Lorikoop

Today I found a new potter on etsy, lorikoop. I love that she gives all her pots names and back stories! It makes them so personal...like they just want to be your friend. Anyway, Lori's a new favorite of mine and I hope you check out her shop too, she has really reasonable prices if you want to take home one of her friends, I mean pots:)

Teapots in progress

Here are some pictures of the teapots I have been working on. The pictures are the best I could do in my dark basement at night. The plastic on the lid is just to keep it from sticking. They still need to be decorated but I really dig the shapes so far. I also made some little tea cups to go with. Let me know what you think!

Lazy Monday.

At the moment Michael, myself and our kitty are lazing out on the couch watching TV. It's a very lazy Monday afternoon. Well deserved though, this morning we had our meeting to plan our spring craft show with the craft mafia and then I spent a few hours with my camera and Monica's cards. Here are a couple of the pics but with minimal editing:) Looking back on my list for this weekend I did pretty good, the only thing I still have left is working on those orders which I plan to do once I peel myself off this couch! We (well mostly Michael) even had some time to straighten up the house, which always makes me feel better. Later this week I hope to share some photos of the teapots I am working on. I think they are turning out really well so far and can't wait until they are finished! One already has a home with my friend Liz but the other might end up in my shop.