New Dominion Blues Studios

Perfect Timing

2010-09-20T19:49:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I caught this shadow as it laid perfectly across this pot. The letters came from the sun at just the right angle for the painted words "Tin Barn Pottery" to cast a perfect shadow in the Manassas Clay storefront.

Chuck Sunday

2010-09-19T11:27:00.000-04:00

Mornings

2010-09-16T10:53:00.005-04:00

This is how I want my mornings to look. Is that too much to ask for?

All images from honeyandjamphotos (a shop whose name even makes me happy).

Tiny Happinesses

2010-09-15T07:54:00.000-04:00

Pine and Main

2010-09-12T22:57:00.002-04:00

I recently had the good fortune to come across a wonderful fellow Etsian, and I wanted to introduce you, too. Katie of PineandMain made a truly lovely treasury, and included one of my pieces of pottery. She then bought the piece, and replaced it with another one of my listings. Now she really had my attention! I don't know if this is typical of Etsy sellers, but when I sell something, I check out the customer's profile, feedback, favorites, and shop (if they have one) to find out as much about them as I can. Maybe I feel like it helps inspire me as I am deciding how to wrap their purchase, or to know what they might like for me to include as an extra little gift.

I was so charmed by the PineandMain shop. The selection is well-curated, and the pictures are fantastic. Everything looks like it belongs, and you get a real sense of place as you browse.

In her profile she lists her favorite materials as pottery, wood, and paper. Her shop has a great selection of each.

Katie opened up PineandMain in early August of this year, but she's already had a number of sales. She also runs a vintage toy and game shop.

After Katie received my little vase, she thanked me with a sweet little note and mentioned that she had included me in another treasury.

I feel like PineandMain embodies everything I love about Etsy - friendly communication, sellers as buyers, treasury curation, and the perfectly edited shops.

If you get a chance, stop by PineandMain and do a little browsing. You might just find something you need, and you might just get a glimpse of Etsy's finest.

Edited to add: The second treasury I mentioned just made it to the front page! Yay!

Chuck Sunday

2010-09-12T20:17:00.005-04:00

For today's Chuck Sunday, I thought we should go straight to the source. Did you know you can design your very own converse shoes? Of course I'm drawn to the drab colors, as you see below with the chocolate and taupe gray. You can turn the shoes around to see every angle. And don't miss the fact that you can add a personalized iD! I'm not completely brown and taupe... I like blues, too. What would you create?

Cruets

2010-09-11T10:29:00.008-04:00

Set of cruets with stoppers. Miller 70 clay, golden luster and opal glazes.

Snoopy Dance

2010-09-07T22:01:00.002-04:00

Also known as the Suppertime Dance.

Harvest Sampling

2010-09-07T08:46:00.000-04:00

Most of my first glaze firing was 266 clay, the dark brown clay that is one of my favorites. The oatmeal glaze went over it really nicely. Above, jugs and a handled wall pot. Below, the jugs again.

My kiln goddess. I painted her with blue and purple underglazes and wiped most of it off, letting it stay in the patterns I stamped on her. Most of the purple burned off, but the blue shows well.

Golden luster mugs.

Stamped handles.

Golden luster and oatmeal bowl.

Golden luster tumbler stamped with paisleys and an upsidedown wall pot in soda ash.

Paisley detail.

Turbulent indigo bowl.

Tiny turbulent indigo jar.

Lessons learned from the first glaze firing: I don't have to worry about the glazes running as much as I thought, so heavier application is possible, which will give me better color results. This is particularly true of the emeraude glaze, which you will notice is not featured here.

Change

2010-09-06T08:31:00.001-04:00

Change is in the air. Do you feel it? Life will never be the same as it is right now. (Above, Welcome Change, papermoth. Below, vintage autumn bounty watercolor, paddyridge.) Moments are fleeting. (Autumn Drive, terryhuey.) Seasons change. (Change of Seasons stained glass panel, FleetingStillness.) Leaves turn; as does the hourglass. (Ship Hourglasses watercolor print, studiotuesday.) Time passes. (Vintage sundial bookends, TheWhiteMole.) Celestial bodies realign. (Vintage armillary sphere, sevenbc.)

The sun shifts in the sky. (Savannah Sundial, cybergirl5710.)

The hours tick by. (Crescent clock, twigsoup.)

Leaving us to ponder our existence. (Kafka beetle steampunk watch necklace, bluesealbluth.)

Experiencing the metamorphosis of life. (Metamorphosis Girl, PhotogenicGallery.)

Watch what emerges. (Metamorphosis, agnisflugen.)

Embrace the present, look forward to the future. It's all we can do.

Chuck Sunday

2010-09-05T23:08:00.003-04:00

At the Birchmere.

Channeling Luck

2010-09-04T23:37:00.005-04:00

This week I'm looking for all the luck I can find. (Wish, SOMETHiNGMONUMENTAL, above; below, Choose Wisely, mercervernon.) I'm channeling crossed fingers, wishbones, and horse shoes. (Blue horse shoe set, solsticehome.)

(Cast iron horse shoe, primitivewoodworks.)

I'll be gathering up as many four leaf clovers as I can find. (Lucky clover vial, feistberger.) (Four leaf clover on old dictionary page, lunaclaydesign.)

I'll be knocking on every wood surface I pass. (Knock knock, Ketia.)

I have a glaze firing going right now. Of course, it's all experimentation with glaze, but it would be lovely to have a few pieces turn out okay on my first run. But I'll want to save up some of any luck that's coming to me for the rest of the week. In either case, I'm hoping I can open up the kiln tomorrow morning to get a looksee.

In the Matrix

2010-09-02T17:02:00.002-04:00

In the Matrix, this is what I would be wearing. This grey jersey long sleeve top, the grey v-neck jersey top below, and the next two below are all from larimeloom. Cream linen top. Chocolate brown linen top. When the weather gets chillier in the Matrix, I'll be wearing sweaters like the four below from designbynihan. LUCIA. Sculpture sweater. EMERALD. Boyfriend's sweater. A long linen blouse from ramies. Linen tunic from MinjiLee. Simple jewelry, of course. Like these studs from sproutonline.

And this tag necklace from soulyyours. (Some of my very favorite jewelry came from her shop when I first joined Etsy.)

Brown boots like these from purevintageclothing would certainly be in my Matrix wardobe.

As well as these lace-up Frye campus boots from goodstyleshop. ABleuLuna's brown villager boots can't be left off, either.

Obviously I have a thing for brown boots, like these harness boots from tigermountainvintage.

I can't always wear boots, so I'll need these grey adidas from gravityfree.

(Edited to add: It should go without saying that I'm wearing jeans with all of this.)

In Celebration of Laundry Day

2010-08-30T08:40:00.000-04:00

Set of four vintage white cotton napkins, shavingkitsupplies (above). French market basket, sadieolive (below).

Mason jar soap dispenser, postroadvintage.

Vintage industrial laundry cart, pinkbeeb0.

Bread pan full of clothes pins, oldohiofarmfinds.

Set of three vintage washboards, Momsvintagetreasures.

Summer wash print, maryvican.

Vintage retractable clothesline, magark.

Fragrance free laundry powder, GardenofHolly.

Vintage laundry pin, CoolVintage.

Hand carved wooden scoop, 5gardenias.

Chuck Sunday

2010-08-29T19:56:00.000-04:00

Respite.

Finally

2010-08-26T17:11:00.000-04:00

My plan for the next few days. At least in theory. (Tub caddy from PegandAwl.) Clay soap from RockTopSoapShop. Vintage uncovered book bundle, from vintagebyalexkeller. Square votive candles from DunwichCandleCo. Faceted shino teapot with four cups, wagnerpottery.

Chuck Sunday

2010-08-22T23:50:00.002-04:00

Vintage 70s chucks, found at bluebutterflyvintage. My chuck picture is still on my camera, due to a busy week, so I am sharing a lovely vintage pair I found on Etsy.

The Grind

2010-08-21T22:28:00.003-04:00

Time has been getting away from me lately. Far too much to do, not enough time. (Above, vintage telling time visual aid from ScottieinaCanoe, below, sadieolive's pair of alarm clocks.)

Retro clock from julesbrzez.

Vintage French wind up alarm clock from JoieDeCleve.

Vintage westclox clock, industrialrelic.

Vintage wall clock, havenvintage.

FunkyQuailVintage's blue wall clock.

Vintage electric clock from FreshEra.

Vintage electric alarm clock, compostthis.

Antique German clock, ClockworkUniverse.

Vintage wind up alarm clock, blackcatsupply.

I'm hoping to be able to catch a few more moments for the things I'd like to be doing with my time...

Chuck Sunday

2010-08-15T09:51:00.002-04:00

You know when it rains really hard and the water creates rivulets in the sand and gravel?

Redskins pre-season game.

I couldn't let Chuck Sunday go by without mentioning these fantastic superhero shoes I saw in Etsy's Storque, from smallfly.

Biscuit

2010-08-14T23:14:00.000-04:00

14 hours, 8 minutes. That's how long it took to fire my first bisque load in the kiln. It took about that long again to cool off enough for me to open it up.

With great apprehension, I opened her up, and here's what I saw.

Success! My pots were bisqued, and none of them exploded. I was so excited I forgot to take pictures of all the shelves before I unloaded them all. I did get a shot of the last level.

I set them all on metal shelves to await glazing.

I have a lot of wall pots, mugs, and my kiln goddess.

I also have some test tiles (in the bowl on the left), and a bunch of pumpkins and pieces of pie (in the other bowl - I'll explain about the pie later).

I also have some stamps and molds I made.

Here's the set up after I unloaded, and before I organized and cleaned up.

I spent the rest of the day making glazes. Seriously. The rest of the day. It took me more than an hour (and more than 2 hours for two of them) for each glaze to add the water and get it through the sieve. So now that I am through the first bisque, I can move on to worrying about whether I mixed the glaze properly, whether it will stay on the pots, whether the kiln will fire the glaze well...

Form

2010-08-12T23:45:00.001-04:00

When I went to the Big Flea a few weeks ago, a certain stoneware form caught my eye a number of times. I am sure I had seen them before, but I noticed so many, and was so charmed by their shape that I started doing some research on them. These stoneware bottles are a historical form, often containing beer or ginger beer. They are often stamped with the location where they were made. I was struck by the straight sides, the clean edge of the shoulder, and the thick, chunky rim. It seems these stoneware bottles are collectible, and I'm enjoying the variations in them, ranging from pretty primitive to nicely glazed with clear lettering. I didn't manage to come home with one, but obviously I've caught the bug. The images above were collected with a quick internet search. I combed through Etsy, too, to see what might be out there. I was not disappointed. The pieces I collected below are not limited to the beer bottles, because I've found that these historic forms served a number of purposes, but had similar elements of design. Below, a ginger beer bottle from burrock. This stoneware bottle has a loop handle - found at artzybitz. TeaAtHomeWithOlivia has this great ink bottle from London. Below is a vintage wine decanter with cups from shopthrifted. KimmsAttic has this great shouldered syrup jug. The stoneware German wine bottle below is from fleabird. CoolVintage has this slick apothecary bottle. So of course I started thinking that I should try to throw this kind of bottle myself. I've thrown one so far, and I was pretty pleased with the result. I'll post pictures sometime soon. I did find another potter on Etsy who had the same idea, and his bottles are fantastic. While I'm waiting for mine to dry, fire, glaze and fire... I'll be admiring splitfirepottery's beer bottle collector series.

I had already been thinking of throwing historic-inspired forms, and I have a few in progress. And these beer bottles are keeping my brain fizzing with ideas.

Chuck Sunday

2010-08-08T09:51:00.000-04:00

Gathering up newspaper to recycle in my studio, plus an early adopter of autumn color thrown in for fun.

Tested

2010-08-07T23:23:00.001-04:00

CPLT, as in "complete." As in, I finally had a chance to do the test firing of my kiln. It took 17 hours and 38 minutes, which is why it has taken me so long to find that many consecutive hours of being home to supervise. Because you know, it gets really hot.

Red hot. And everything seems to have gone well, so I'm hoping to do my first bisque firing soon. And then a glaze firing with some glaze tests. So exciting!

Thanks to Curators

2010-08-06T09:51:00.006-04:00

I've been on the front page a few times lately. Last night my paddled stout bottle appeared with its rust counterparts, thanks to AmesHandmade. Then my vintage Audubon Society Pine Warbler card was on the front page with other items in the natural history vein, as a part of lauresaurus' treasury.

A couple days ago my vintage brass truck was featured on the front page, in an ethereal mixture of tone and texture by IlluminatedPerfume.

I really appreciate being included in these collections, and am even more grateful when their excellence in curation is recognized with a front page feature. It had been a long time since I'd been on the front page, and now I have had this rash of good luck!

Chuck Sunday

2010-08-01T09:15:00.000-04:00

This week, my chucks found friends! Thrifted. Sweet.

Vintage Illustrations

2010-07-30T16:04:00.001-04:00

I really enjoy old illustrations. There's something about diagrams, dictionary pictures, and old advertising images that get to me. I've been noticing a lot of items on Etsy that utilize these images. A while ago I started collecting these items in my favorites. Sushipot makes a number of items with vintage images adhered to them - above and below, light bulb pendant and pharmacy jars pendant. She also makes art blocks like this bird diagram below.

I've also taken note of SixthandElm, who woodburns images onto wooden boxes. Here is a vintage bike ad box.

A spencerian swallow box.

And a spencerian peacock with magificent plumage.

Then I started stumbling into vintage images printed onto vintage dictionary pages. I didn't even know this was a thing! Pocketwatch by BlackBaroque.

Badger by owlstudio.

Garlic by Winterberrycottage.

Octopus from VibrantWaters.

I cannot explain my adoration for frogs in suits. I found this dapper frog at numberninedream.

The rhinoceros is my most favorite animal (after canis familiaris, of course). Find this one at memorydust.

So with all that background, here's where my brain has been percolating... there is a technique to attach decals to ceramics, pottery, etc. It involves a third firing with the decal attached. For example, you can attach decals to existing ceramics, like this upcycled plate by metalandmud. The possibilities there blow my mind...

And by now we all know I can't do a post without including some Mudstuffing. The genius behind this work takes vintage graphics and alters them to his own (often delightfully bizzare) taste. Take this wood and soda fired yunomi, for instance.

Or this yunomi with the chickadee, which makes me weak in the knees.

Some of his designs are quite elaborate. This lovely teapot, for instance.

The applications of this additional level of surface decoration have been keeping me up at night. You could label your canisters, like this one from fetishghost.

Or help your utensils harken back to a simpler time with this utensil holder from dkpottery.

Okay, okay, most of you are probably thinking "but she hasn't even fired her kiln yet!" I know. Maybe this weekend, if the power looks like it won't blow out in a storm. And I would need to get the right kind of printer, and then order some decal paper. But I'm already collecting images. (I highly recommend the graphicsfairy; I have a hard time getting the pages to load, but I suspect that's due to high levels of traffic.) Today is my wedding anniversary, and despite promises that we would not buy each other gifts, my weasel left me a note in my carseat this morning, telling me to look in the trunk. He had stowed a scanner back there. (I told you I'd been percolating [and rambling] on and on about this.) I already have a few images in mind to play with - I like the idea of changing the vintage images to suit your own needs... maybe rhinos in suits...

Drafting

2010-07-27T08:39:00.002-04:00

Find of the month! Two vintage drafting stools, found at the Big Flea market this weekend. I got a pretty good deal on them, and they're in great shape. Their new home is in my kitchen.

Pulley Fixation

2010-07-26T17:14:00.000-04:00

Lately I've had a fixation on vintage pulleys. Heavy, rusty, metal, wood, useful... how could I not be fixated? (Above pulley from twoartdirectors.) I saw a ton of old pulleys this weekend at the Big Flea, and managed to come home with a few, which I added to my small collection gathered from Ruckersville several months ago. I will have to sit down with them, and decide which ones I can't bear to part with, and will list the rest in the shop. I've been thinking about useful purposes to pull these workhorses out of retirement. String a light fixture through one, rig up a line for hanging clothes or fresh artwork to dry, suspend a potted plant with style... Most of these ideas involve hanging them from the ceiling, which got me to thinking about sturdy ways to install a pulley. This thought experiment led me down another favorite path - ceilings with wood beams. I found a few examples on the Etsy There's No Place Like Here pool on Flickr. Below, Maya's kitchen. Below, mosey handmade.

Below, johnny&stacie.

Below, from absoluutly.

The next image is our den. We have a slanted ceiling in that room, and I've long thought that I would like to install some wooden beams in the ceiling, running left to right. Then I would have the perfect mount for a pulley or two.

I've collected my favorite vintage pulleys from Etsy, in case you can't wait for me to list mine (assuming I can let go of any of them!). CampHobachee, below.

TheVintageCabin.

solsticehome.

RuggyDesign.

QueenLondonsCarriage.

heavyhunter.

funretro.

everyeskimo.

dkgeneralstore.

chocolateforthesoul.

AMradio.

Thinking about all of this has gotten me inspired to even throw some pots that can be paired with a vintage pulley. Handmade and vintage together, for the purpose of using nature to decorate - perfection!

Faucet Rack

2010-07-26T08:12:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I finished a project I've had in the works for years. A long time ago I found these faucet hooks, and knew I would use them to great effect. Our laundry room/mud room has been in need of sturdy hooks for the dog leashes. I saved a few pieces of the wooden pallet my kiln was delivered on, thinking I would use them for something.

Combining all the parts, plus a few screws and a molly bolt (most of the screws went into studs), and ta da! we have a faucet rack!

The hooks accommodate the leashes nicely, and I can even hang my saddle bag.

I'm pretty pleased with the results, and feel justified in holding onto the faucet hooks for so long, waiting for their perfect purpose. I'm also thrilled that I was able to repurpose some of the pallet, to which I have an irrational sentimental attachment.

Chuck Sunday

2010-07-25T21:50:00.000-04:00

I'm starting a new weekly feature: Chuck Sunday. I plan to take pictures of my chucks, to give a slightly different perspective on my travels and activities. This week's Chuck Sunday photo was taken at Wolf Trap, an outdoor concert venue in Vienna, Virginia. Last Sunday, Brian and I went to see B.B. King, and of course, I wore my chucks.

Stay tuned for future Chuck Sunday posts, for a chuck's eye view of my life.

Raku Rainbows and Fish

2010-07-20T00:02:00.001-04:00

On Saturday I had the opportunity to raku fire some pottery. This was the best raku session I've had (see previous results here). I thought I would post pictures of the best two pieces. This first piece was textured with "Steve's Tool," and then I glazed it with Dan's Blue. I got some great color from the glaze. I glazed the fish vase with white crackle, and sprayed it with ferric chloride to give it the coppery orange color. Then I smoked the piece with saw dust to bring out the crackle.

He turned out pretty nicely, huh?

I accidentally broke the stopper I had made, but I think the fish is okay alone.

I found it interesting that the ferric chloride went to the edges and extremeties. The lips, fins and eyes, for example, are darker.

We had a great time on Saturday, even if it was incredibly hot with the sun and the gas kilns firing through the morning.

Glazes

2010-07-19T15:49:00.000-04:00

I just bought some glazes for my home studio, since I'm approaching the time when I'll have a few kiln loads worth of bisqued pieces ready for glazing. It was hard to choose just a few, but I had to narrow it down to just a few among the vast selection of options out there. Above is turbulent indigo, below is oatmeal (which had more brown speckles than the sample shown the last time I used it).

The next one is emeraude.

I also ordered some golden luster, which I use regularly at Manassas Clay, and soda ash, another favorite of mine. Below is spotted blue, which I resisted ordering just yet. It's actually basically the same glaze as turbulent indigo, but with less cobalt. But it sure is purty...

I can barely wait to get started with the glaze tests!

In Flight

2010-07-16T16:01:00.001-04:00

Every now and then I run into an Etsy shop that makes me stop everything else and browse through their entire offerings, including sold items. I found artocard the other day. These photographs are stunning captures of motion with such clarity I think you'll feel the same way I do. (Above, Fly. Below, Twirl.)

At first glance I honestly thought they were paintings, they were so amazing. No camera could possibly capture a moment so perfectly, without even a hint of blur, right? Surely these infinitessimal moments of motion were reproduced from a human's imagination! (Below, Hover.)

The artist explains that the backgrounds are desaturated to enhance the subject. (Below, Icarus.)

Incredible, right? (Below, Call.)

(Below, Swoosh.)

(Below, Spin.)

(Below, Sing.)

(Below, Moon Dance.)

(Below, Looking Back.)

(Below, Traveler.)

(Below, Float.)

(Below, Eye Level.)

(Below, Climb.)

(Below, Brown Pelican.)

There are more images, but I felt as though I had stolen enough of them. I keep coming back to look at them... they're poetry. Go check out the artocard shop, and give yourself a short furlough to visit with the sea birds.

Happiness Is...

2010-07-15T21:52:00.010-04:00

The hot sun going down, fresh cherries, and crickets singing welcome to the night air.

Treasure the Day

2010-07-12T14:51:00.002-04:00

I've fallen deeper into the rabbit hole of making treasuries on Etsy. As a result of this accomplishment/affliction, I have created a button in the margin that links to my treasuries. It's the one with the green paperboard box (treasure chest!) that is also in my shop.

Don't worry, I haven't given up curating lists on the blog. This is just another format for me to play in.

Rescued Plants

2010-07-12T08:27:00.001-04:00

This weekend, in my neverending quest to embarrass my husband, I rescued a few house plants from the curb in my neighborhood. Apparently some neighbors were moving, and they left a streetful of things in front of the house. I saved two plants, but left a few other things I had my eye on (having already pushed the limits of Brian's patience). The plants were in pretty horrible shape, and absolutely needed repotting. One of the plants was a pothos, the other I can't identify. I've had pothos since I was growing up, though I always thought they were called philodendrons. While I was repotting the rescues, I took the opportunity to repot a few of my plants as well. I potted several jade plants; one that had outgrown its planter, and two I recently found at Ikea. I was so inspired by my choices for new pots that I went browsing on Etsy to see what creative pots I could recommend to you. One of my jade plants went into a silver pitcher similar to the one below from AlicesLookingGlass. (I found the photo of the jade plant above at MonkeyShinesDesign.) Another silver pitcher that would make a lovely planter is below. As usual, oldcrowfarm doesn't disappoint. Hindsvik also demonstrates the lovely effect of alternative planters. 2BoredBunnies has this great retro planter with graphic designs (there are two!).

Can't you see a bunch of succulents planted in these little terracotta pots from Trampoline?

Lately I've taken note of vintage McCoy pottery, like this white pot from TheBarnofMiddleburg.

Below is another McCoy planter, from randomthingsand.

This McCoy elevated planter from ShayRose reminds me of a pot I kept a snake plant in when I was a kid.

I love this garden tote complete with terracotta pots. Find them at southrosewindow.

Of course, handmade pots make just as nice planters as vintage planters. I am enthralled with the elaborate carving on the pot below from thewheelandi.

LaCeramique has me completely charmed with this toucan planter.

The colors and textures on this soda fired bowl from joytanner just about knock me over.

This blue altered bowl from Claytastic would also make a great planter. The glaze is so refreshing, I wonder if plants would need less watering...

Do you have favorite planters in your home? Or other objects doing an unexpected tour of duty as a planter?

Making The Cut

2010-07-09T15:29:00.001-04:00

Lately scissors have been catching my eye. Vintage scissors, bonsai scissors, embroidery scissors... I decided to gather some for your viewing pleasure. Above, large metal shears from SleepyOwlVintage. Below, vintage pinking shears from NicedaySupplies. Vintage stork scissors, bluebirdsales. Stork embroidery scissors, YorkshirePuddYarns. Red wicker handled scissors, Vintage925.

Victorian sewing or embroidery scissors, from reminiscetreasures.

Funretro's red scissors.

Gold crane scissors, caroline1236.

Folding pocket scissors, BurnsvilleMN. FBvintage's snazzy scissors. Trampoline has this collection of vintage wire cutters. Bezel shears, theurbanbeader.

Microsnip from minordtails.

Handforged snips from AliceInStitchesArts.

Reproduction embroidery scissors, cheswickcompany. And who isn't charmed by this old fashioned string, spool, and scissors set from nothingelegant?

Happy weekend! I'll be thinking of all the things I could be cutting!

Vented

2010-07-09T11:28:00.001-04:00

My kiln vent is installed and ready to go! But it's hot enough to fire pots on the driveway, so unfortunately I'm waiting for a break in the heat before I fire the kiln. Above, the kiln vent hood on the outside of the garage. Below, the fan is mounted on the inside of the garage wall. The fan sucks air through the duct, which is attached to the bottom of the kiln. It then blows the air out the vent, which has a metal flap to keep birds and other critters out.

I should mention Brad Birkhimer, who did most of the installation of the vent and fan. He's an incredibly nice guy, and an extremely talented potter. He has an MFA in clay from WVU, and also studied abroad in China. Now he's working out of a studio in The Plains, and teaching at The Workhouse Arts Center. And from where I sit, he seems capable of doing just about anything ceramics-related. So if you're in the Northern Virginia area and need your kiln tweaked, a vent installed, or a wood kiln set up, he's an excellent resource.

Today's Scoop

2010-07-08T15:44:00.000-04:00

I spent most of the holiday weekend waiting around for a drywall contractor, waiting for him to finish working, and then waiting around wondering whether he was coming back after he left without saying anything. I managed to salvage 20 minutes on Monday afternoon, though, and ran out of the house hoping to catch a nearby shop before they closed. I scooped up several sets of print and tap numbers of differing sizes (and the grain scoop!). I also scored this mold with spades, clubs, hearts, and diamonds. And these heavy iron handles/feet. In other news, I'm working on a goddess to watch over my upcoming kiln firings [Viewer discretion advised.] Not quite done, but she's taking shape...

Moon Tea

2010-07-07T21:17:00.001-04:00

A few years ago, as I was pondering summer refreshment options, I remembered that my mom used to make sun tea on the deck. Since then, whenever I have a free moment and suitable container, I have tried to remember to brew some sun tea. Yesterday I put a carafe out on the picnic table, hoping that despite the finite number of sunlit minutes left, the record heat of the day would take care of the brewing. By the time I remembered to bring the carafe in, I decided I could call the beverage Moon Tea. Today I came across a few blog posts (at poppytalk and maya*made) that sealed the deal: I culled through Etsy to find a collection of sun tea-worthy vessels, just for you. Drink up! (Sun tea photo above, TheHourGlassStudio. Sun tea photo below, theartofemma.)

Quench your thirst with this complete Libbey sun tea set from SunnyDayVintage.

I found this solar tea jar at bigapplevintage.

Brew more in this similar solar tea brewer from RoomServiceVintage.

RiffRaffReview has this fantastic Tang pitcher. I am sure it would pour juice or tea just as well.

Typographic juice: I can dig it. Find it at picapicafound.

The pitcher and glasses below prove that not all summer beverages must come in yellow or orange vessels. Blue and green are more refreshing! Find the set at gizmos.

Be sure to hydrate yourselves!

Setting the Table

2010-07-05T20:24:00.003-04:00

I've been thinking about ways to enjoy meals more in ways that don't add calories, and I've concluded that a beautiful, homey table setting paired with small and healthy portions can help assuage hunger for extra calories. To that end, I've gathered a collection of Etsy items to fill a kitchen and warm your belly. I started with this 5 piece place setting from one of my favorite Etsy potters, khphillips (above). You may also notice that I added his blog to my Favorite Reads on the right. I needed a big farm table to set the dishes on, and the one below from brandmojointeriors was perfect to satisfy my appetite.

Next I needed a tablecloth, and I couldn't find a better material for one than this grainsack from the shop of the same name, grainsack.

We'll want some homemade bread, of course. What more appropriate vessel for the bread than this vintage dough bowl from snapsink?

Let's wrap the bread in these lovely napkins from twiddleANDtweet - we don't want it cooling too fast. We'll need a few for each place setting too.

This platter from cyrusthepotter will serve up some grilled vegetables beautifully, don't you agree?

The vintage milk glass serving bowl from highstreetmarket will host our soup with divine ease.

And the wooden ladle from GarageWoodShop will expertly serve up the soup.

These wooden candlesticks from EquilibriumDesigns will light up the table, enhancing the romance of eating healthy at home.

The other night we had some amazing soup, and I wanted to share the recipe with you: Roasted Bell Pepper and Grilled Corn Chowder. (Below, unforth's roast corn photograph.)

Ingredients

For the Chowder:

1 tablespoon butter

3 red bell peppers, large

1 sweet onion, chopped, large

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

4 ounces dry white wine

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

2 ears fresh corn

1 lime, juice only

cayenne pepper, to taste

Cooking Directions

For the Red Peppers:

Roast the red peppers over a grill or stove burner until black on all sides. Place into a plastic bag and let them sweat for 15-20 minutes. Using the back of a knife, scrape the skins off of the peppers and remove the seeds and stem.

For the Corn:

Grill the 2 ears of fresh corn just until they have lightly browned on all sides, then remove from the cob with a chef's knife.

For the Chowder:

In a large soup pot, sweat chopped onion, garlic, and roasted peppers in a little butter. When the vegetables are soft, season with salt and pepper, then add in the white wine. Reduce the wine until almost dry, then add in the cream. Simmer for 5 minutes, then puree with a stick blender until smooth. Add the grilled corn and lime juice last and taste for seasonings.

To Finish:

This is a rich and hearty soup that really needs special attention right when it's finished. The flavors need to be balanced right at the end to bring out all that this soup has to offer. If the taste seems a touch bitter, add more fresh lime juice and salt to balance it out. With enough seasoning and acidity, this soup just dances on the palate with richness and roasted flavor.

This soup was truly delicious, and enjoying it with all of the fruits of Etsy's shops would only improve the experience. (Above, artbylynn's Red Bells.)

The End Zone

2010-07-01T19:30:00.008-04:00

My large piece from the Kevin Crowe workshop in March is finally done! I glazed the vase last Sunday with Neal's Blue, and accented the rim and the shoulder with Black Lapis.

Where the glaze is thinner, the clay shows through and has a green undertone. The Black Lapis reacted just the way I hoped it would with the Neal's Blue base.

How does one get such a large piece home? Very carefully of course.

I'm so grateful to Manassas Clay and Kevin Crowe for offering the workshop, and extending my horizon.

Hot

2010-06-28T15:45:00.001-04:00

It has been blazingly hot here. My weather radio keeps blaring warnings that it may thunderstorm, but I'll believe it when I see it. Until things cool off, I thought I would share some Etsy items that capture the extreme heat. (Copper Pear above by dorndorf, Barbwire stemmed flower below, merritthyde.)

Sunshine Motel, RoadsidePhotographs.

Copper wire basket, Xanadu2You.

Vintage heels, raretreasure.

Handmade blank book by krispix.

Handbuilt porcelain mug by geobubstudios. Mixed media painting, DwellinStyle.

Copper Bird Art, CopperLeafStudios. Full Circle Tree Collage reproduction print, blockpartyprints. Stay cool, my friends! Meanwhile, tonight I hope to get some more work done on my kiln, so I can really heat things up.

Happy at Home

2010-06-27T22:39:00.000-04:00

Not much makes me happier than finding out that customers of my Etsy shop like the items they purchase from me. But getting pictures of my pots in their new homes is the best. One of my wonderful customers recently sent me these pictures of two of my pots in her home. Don't you love the star hook and the bird in the first image?

And I love that the white pot is next to the kitchen window, right where I imagined the pots would be perfect. Thanks, Laurie. I don't like to play favorites with my customers, but you have earned some major style points for sending me pictures of my pots in their new home.

New Old

2010-06-24T15:01:00.002-04:00

How is it that I am only now discovering this shop on the front page of Etsy?

Reclaimed wood and paws!

Look at that patina.

A caged clock. Love it. Love this quote: "I am inspired by things that are lost, tossed and forgotten. Items that are left by the roadside, buried in an old barn, or deposited at the local dump or scrap yard." Love PaulaArt. Go check it out!

Sacked Out

2010-06-23T08:18:00.001-04:00

So happy to be home.

Getting The Boot

2010-06-22T14:14:00.000-04:00

You know when you have an idea for something you think you can make, several years go by, and you finally have the skills and materials to give it a try? That's this boot. It isn't quite done yet, but I got to start on the details yesterday.

Out There

2010-06-22T08:01:00.001-04:00

Lately I've been creating some really strange pieces in between my standard forms. I made a vase for raku, and when it was done, it looked like a fish to me. So I added eyes and fins.

Then I figured it needed a stopper. So I made another fish.

Now the big fish has a little fish in his mouth.

But the fish are not nearly as out there as this next piece I've been working on. It's a watering can with half a handle, with teacups attached.

The teacups also have pieces missing.

I'm not sure what its ultimate use will be; maybe as a planter, or even a fountain?

I painted the entire watering can with red underglaze, and I carved overlapping squares into the clay, exposing the natural color.

I made one full teacup that is detached from the watering can, and underglazed the inside red to match.

I also painted the bottom red. Why not? I'm hoping that the red doesn't burn off the pieces in the kiln.

This may become known as a "period" within my pottery career, but I won't hazard a guess as to what art historians would call it.

Random Collection

2010-06-21T11:00:00.001-04:00

While in Chicago, I started taking pictures of manhole covers. There were so many different designs, and so many different utilities. I was captivated by the magnitude of the hidden underground network that runs a city. Of course, I couldn't capture all of the ones I wanted to - many were in the middle of the road, as I was scurrying across. I may have to revisit this idea. Wouldn't it make an interesting art installation, a collection of utility covers? (Just say yes.)

No Dust Bunnies Here

2010-06-20T09:16:00.001-04:00

We have dust frogs instead.

Chicago Highlights

2010-06-18T17:00:00.000-04:00

I culled through my hundreds of pictures from our trip to Chicago to share some of the highlights with you. I had to get a new camera right before we left, so I had fun getting to know the new one. Above is taken on the stage at Buddy Guy's Legends [blues bar]. If one photo summarized the trip, this would be it. Since I had a new camera, it didn't fit perfectly in my old camera case. Trying to avoid buying another one, I went through my stuff and found the perfect solution: my moop hip pouch.

Carlos Johnson and his incredibly handsome guitar (seen above as well).

I can never get enough of the faded paint and bricked in windows on urban buildings. And nothing beats old business signage.

We saw a lot of outdoor performances, including a jam with a stand up bass,

and this slide guitar.

I've seen this sign at the Kingston Mines blues club before, and it always cracks me up.

I think Otis Taylor was my favorite "new discovery." His "trance blues" style really spoke to me - successful incorporation of a violin into blues is beyond cool - I think its inspiration may actually manifest itself in my pottery.

This piece is familiar!

We visited Willie Dixon's Blues Heaven Foundation, housed in the original building of Chess Records. You may have seen the recent movie Cadillac Records, based on the rise of Chess, where Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Etta James, Howlin' Wolf and Chuck Berry recorded.

Buddy Guy's Legends is where we spent perhaps the majority of our time. They just opened a new location, and we were there for the grand opening celebration.

The man of the week was Buddy, who appeared on stage twice at the new club, at the Blues Fest kick off and the grand opening of the club.

Reunited

2010-06-18T08:22:00.002-04:00

The pups were just as happy to come home as we were. Above is Angel sitting in the front, since there isn't any room with Mato and his tongue in the back, below.

Angel has a habit of "huffing" the air conditioning. I don't know whether to worry about that or not.

Mato had to roll all over the bed to make sure he was really home.

It's nice to have the whole family together again.

Souvenirs From Chicago

2010-06-17T23:29:00.011-04:00

I wanted to show you some of the things we got in Chicago over the last week. Above is a stack of cds from a variety of blues artists we saw. Almost every single one is signed, and most of them also have a corresponding photo of Brian with the artist. If we had a previous photo of Brian and the artist, he had them sign that as well. You can see where David "Honeyboy" Edwards signed the cd above. While the cds are much more representative of our trip, I think you'll find "my" souvenirs more interesting. Below is a tile from Motawi Tileworks, a book on Chicago architecture, and two wooden ornaments.

These are a set of three Motawi tiles. I was so pleased to find a set that would work well with our decor. I think these will wind up in our foyer, where we have an autumnal theme.

Here is the back of the Motawi tiles. You can see the stamp, plus the notch for hanging. Additionally, the artist who (painstakingly) glazed the tile has signed the back. My guess is that they used an underglaze pen.

Finally, here are a few more things I picked up along the way. I went to the Benjamin Moore tent that was at the Blues Fest (probably the least blues-related tent I saw, but I was thrilled to see it), to see their promotion of their new Natura paint. I got a book and a brochure.

Fun stuff, right?

2010-06-08T11:52:00.001-04:00

When vintage goes bad. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jun/8/vintage-plane-accident-closes-national-airport-run/
Delaying our trip to Chicago.

Chi Town

2010-06-05T23:48:00.006-04:00

On Tuesday we'll be heading to Chicago for vacation. We haven't been in a few years, so we're really looking foward to it. (Chicago train steps photo above by rebeccaplotnick, Chicago Loop canvas below by bigNickelgraphics.) I'm sure we'll be taking plenty of public transportation and checking maps, even though we've been to the city many times. (Chicago in pen and paper by studiokmo.)

Our main mission is to attend the annual Chicago Blues Festival. (Blue Chicago, RetrospectPhoto.)

Chicago has such a great skyline. (Chicago skyline plate, printedg.)

Our favorite is the John Hancock building, since we got engaged there. I'm sure we'll find time to stop in again on this trip. (John Hancock Chicago, from ktwphotography.)

The Bean is super fun, too, and I know we'll be spending a lot of time traveling around, next to, and under it. (Below, Millennium Park, geminicomplex.)

(Chicago's Cloud Gate Windy October, by Pleyades.)

Even the place names associated with the city make me happy. (Chicago typography type print, PaperBleu.)

(Chicago streets typography, geministudio.)

We may pay a visit to the Shedd Aquarium again. (Shedd Aquarium Octopus, also by geministudio.)

So look for us in the blues bars, at the sites, and on the streets of Chicago. (Chicago Love, artsharkstudios.)

[I feel compelled to note that anyone who thinks this is a great opportunity to burgle my house should know that my sword-fighting brother will still be here. The shop is still open, but I won't be able to ship orders until my return.]

We're Wolf

2010-06-02T16:18:00.002-04:00

She slays me.

Shop Crush: Native Vermont

2010-06-01T14:54:00.002-04:00

I have a new shop crush. I have noticed the shop's pieces before, and even recognized the brand over time. I have mentioned the shop on my blog before. But a few days ago, I found myself browsing the shop, and I had to do a full post on nativevermont.

It may have been Ryan Fowler's treatment of dogs that first caught my eye. By now we all know I am a sucker for dogs, especially Labradors. Aren't these just the perfect depictions of the outdoorsy breed? I also love how the pieces are advertisements.

This simple maple leaf channels Vermont's reputation for stunning autumn display, which speaks directly to my affinity for the season.

And how cool are these bears? Again, the leaf and advertising themes, plus the assonance of Leaf Peeper makes it even better. And you can't tell me you don't want to join this black bear for a swim. If polar bears are your thing, nativevermont has you covered. I can't get over the fantastic colors and texture in these pieces. I would love to know more about his process. From what I can tell in the shop, the originals are made on canvas with a combination of collage and painting techniques. I have a soft spot for foxes, too. They are, after all, practically dogs. The fox below is so charming I think he and his crow friend with mistletoe would look great all year 'round.

And this chilly fella with a snowy background would be equally welcome in my home, no matter the time of year.

All of the nativevermont pieces speak to that little girl inside me who used to run through the woods, and considered the outdoors a second home. This Lake Dunmore piece takes me back to memories I'll have for the rest of my life.

I'm sure many of you will recognize this whale, as I've seen him on the Etsy front page a number of times. The listing references the story the artist heard from a friend about a whale encounter on a kayaking trip. These are the kinds of details you just can't replicate with mass-produced art, right?

The nativevermont shop also offers typography collages that can be personalized. These remind me of the bus rolls and other word art I've previously blogged about. Be sure to check out all the fonts nativevermont has available. I see from the shop announcement that nativevermont is traveling and moving its studios currently, so if you make an order, it may be a little while before your original can be sent (but prints will be sent right away - yay!). I just couldn't wait to share the shop with you, though. I love the subject matter and the recognizable style - they hit just the right spot.

Art For Dogs

2010-05-25T12:27:00.003-04:00

I knew I had to do a post about this shop as soon as I saw it. I've done posts on decorating with dogs, but what about decorating FOR dogs? Wouldn't your hounds love some artwork that fit their tastes? Run over to straydogarts and fetch a Kong or tennis ball. There is a whole section of Art For Dogs. Sniff around the website, too. Meanwhile, I'll be looking for the perfect spot on the wall... maybe above the leash rack in the mudroom...

Grey Day

2010-05-24T14:58:00.000-04:00

It desperately wants to rain today, but the clouds can't seem to get their act together, so it's mostly just grey. A few sprinkles here and there, but no real rain. (Vintage umbrella from bellalulu above, starburst pillow from yorktownroad.)

Felted slippers, onstail.

Set of four natural linen napkins, from JBworld.

Gray willow branches by GollyBard.

Gray pussywillow sachets, SewnNatural. Collection of vintage motorcycle mirrors, ethanollie.

3 baby pears, elementclaystudio.

White bud vase, carnevaleclay. Vintage baby cup collection, calloohcallay.

Vintage industrial mirror on tripod, bellalulu.

Vintage platinum starburst teacups from amye123.

I don't mind when it rains. In fact, usually, I Wish It Would Rain.

In Situ: Studio

2010-05-20T16:53:00.003-04:00

Some recent shots of the studio - not cleaned up, clay everywhere. Inspiration board, bulletin board, letterpress trays, vintage T square. It's interesting to see the evolution of what winds up tacked to the boards over time. Above the utility sink, calipers as paper towel holder. Clock, chalkboard, gourd owl, raku bowl, shadow boxes, one of my first pottery pieces, a tiny mason jar, plant, remote controls. Plants by the window and a salt lamp. The plant is growing through a rake, and you can see my (paternal) grandfather's fishing poles in the corner.

My (maternal) grandfather created things to serve a specific purpose or solve a problem. This contraption was a remote control holder (I think). It's made from scrap pieces of wood and trim that he used for his many projects. The remote controls would lay on the flat area, and I'm sure every other slot coordinated with something he wanted to keep near the arm chair.

I think the paperclip on the side held a piece of paper, probably a list of channels. I use the contraption for pens in the studio. I also keep his plumb line handy.

Technology and plants. Succulent closeup.

Bottled Luck

2010-05-19T22:40:00.002-04:00

While antique shopping this weekend, I stumbled into a find that was not in fact vintage, but better. This tiny bottle is wood fired, with a great shino glaze.

It isn't signed, but I recognized the stamp near the bottom. It's a Kevin Crowe. I'm so glad to have rescued it from obscurity, and to give it a home that appreciates the piece.

Closet Shelves

2010-05-19T17:10:00.002-04:00

Here are the shelves I got from Ikea - all set up and drying pottery already. They're set up in the closet, next to a black milkcan full of willow branches (and a wooden spigot). The antique bread box belonged to my grandfather. This one loves spending time in the studio.

The Questing Beast

2010-05-18T17:45:00.001-04:00

I am sure that I am not the only one among us who often embarks on adventures, hoping to happen upon that elusive find. It has been a while since I had a satisfying Quest, but this last weekend my mom and I set forth and traveled afar in pursuit of bounty. We were well prepared for our mission, laden with picnical nourishment. It was a wonderful day for a picnic, and a picnical day for a lark. As you can see above, I was quite successful in the hunt.

We headed out early, driving south on Route 29 towards Ruckersville, Virginia, which is just south of Charlottesville. (Charlottesville is home to a particular Virginia University, and though my loyalties lie elsewhere in the state, I can admit that their institution is not without worth.) Our destination was the intersection of routes 29 and 33. Our first stop was the Greene House Shops Antique Mall (14843 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968. 434-985-2438). I can give the establishment two thumbs up for variety, prices and ease of navigation. I found a ton of items, and nearly left with an antique ironing board. Our next stop was across the intersection, to a row of shops. We started at the far end, with a shop called Backwoods Antiques (14936 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968. 434 990-4232‎). It held some potential for some diamonds in the rough, if you didn't mind searching amongst some fewments... I didn't find anything that called to me, but my mom bought a little something. When she asked for a bag, she was reluctantly given a bag from a trash can, complete with bloody tissues and other unmentionables, which we discovered when we returned home. (I pondered whether I should include that bit, but I figure if you're going to pull that kind of stunt in this day and age, you'd better be ready for it to hit the interwebs.)

The next stop was the shop nextdoor, Rambling Rose Antiques. (14926 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968-3033. 434 985-2932‎) I had better success here, most notably several wood and metal pulleys with great charm. The photo above is taken from the intersection towards this row of shops. The nearest shop was our next stop, and as you walk down the sidewalk you approach Rambling Rose and Backwoods.

I found armloads of goods at the Country Store Antique Mall (14918 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968. 434 985-3649‎). This was where I fulfilled my obligation of finding the heaviest, most awkward to carry items. The store is pretty big, and very full with a pretty good selection, but we happened to be there at the same time as every other shopper in the Greater Ruckersville Area, so navigating through some narrow spots and between oblivious customers was frustrating at times. But I wouldn't hold that against the establishment. A note to anyone considering a visit, they only take cash or check.

Our next stop was the Antiquers Mall (8287 Seminole TrailRuckersville, Virginia 22968. 434 985-1977) It's a bit down the road from the intersection we had been prowling, and you'll know it when you see the giant statues and yard art out front. (Hence the bull above.) This shop had the widest aisles, making navigation easier, which was especially useful because I picked up a long wooden yoke pretty early on. The range of items catered a little higher class than I typically shop - I like to find the junk and clean it up myself, and nicer antiques are not likely to withstand the daily stampedes at my house. But I found plenty of pieces nonetheless. Our last stop was Cattail Creek Antique and Garden, which was on our way home, just north of the intersection. (9157 Seminole Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968-3320. 434 990-0090‎) It's a nursery and an antique/gift shop. I was hoping they would have a fiddle leaf fig tree, but alas they were sold out. Next time... The plants looked fabulous, the setting is amazing, and the shop is charming. I would call it less of an antique shop than a gift shop, but it is very well curated and pairs very nicely with the garden theme.

But you want to see more of the bounty, right? I will relent and show you some closer shots of my spoils (or tower of junk, as my husband called it).

Having been to the antiques cluster of Ruckersville, Virginia, I can say that I will not have been there just Once, but will Quest there again in the Future.

But I may allow myself some time to rest, because Questing is a tiring business.

Sneak Peek

2010-05-07T23:51:00.005-04:00

... at what I've been working on lately. Hedgehogs. And nests.

And a few other prototypes in my last kiln harvest.

Shelving It

2010-05-06T15:05:00.000-04:00

Now that I'm trying to step up throwing pottery at home, I have found that I need more shelves. I've been setting pots all over the place to dry, covering all my work surfaces. I also need some metal shelves to set up near the kiln, for pots that are waiting to go in/have just come out. The other day I saw a mention of the Ikea Hyllis shelves, and they seemed like just the thing I needed for both problems. So off I went to Ikea after work, and after a lot of wandering and looking through the displays, and then wandering and less happily looking through the warehouse aisles, I found the shelves (not where the piece upstairs had directed me, nor where the internet had directed me). But I digress. At $15 a bookshelf, I believe these galvanized steel shelves were worth the hassle. And once I found the bigger Phillips head screwdriver to actually grip the screws, it wasn't that hard to put together. I have two in the studio now, and I'll put the shelves in the garage together soon. I will post pictures later, but in the meantime, here are a few I found on the interwebs. This picture appears to be from a catalog. I like all the pots and plants and books.

I found this one on Flickr.

Another Flickr find. I had to include this Ikea hack, too. Greenhouse shelves.

I already have a number of pots drying on the shelves in the studio, and I can see my wedging table and craft table again. Yay for little victories!

Catching Up

2010-05-05T08:45:00.003-04:00

There are a few things I've wanted to share from the last few weeks. I potted a small piece of jade that I had been rooting. I used a short copper and brass goblet that I thrifted, but decided I couldn't part with.

Similarly, I planted some chicks in a pair of copper cups that I just had to keep.

The wall pot below is one of my most recent pieces to come home.

This metal stand is one of my best recent thrift finds. I actually found a pair of these black stands, and I knew immediately that they are exactly what I have been looking for. They are perfect for hanging my wall pots for pictures.

These photos feature my longest lasting air plant.

Even more exciting than my thrift finds is the purchase I made last week from solsticehome. It's one of my favorite vintage shops on Etsy. I couldn't get these vintage pots out of my head, so I finally ordered them. I love them even more in person - I plan to use them as models and inspiration for making vintage-inspired pots.

I use a spray of honeysuckle from my yard in these pictures.

This last photo is of two tea bowls I recently made using 266 clay. I've been practicing the organic form from the Kevin Crowe workshop I took in March. I threw these at home, and fired them at Manassas Clay. I glazed them with Smokey Brown, dipped the tops in Italian Straw, and dripped Opal glaze on them. I didn't expect the Italian Straw (typically yellow) to go blue-gray, but I love how it turned out. You just never know with those tricky kiln gods. (The t and B are for tea bowl.)

I also want to direct you to a lovely blog that featured one of my items - Random Occurances, written by a fellow Etsy shop owner. Check it out, and visit her shops, too if you get a chance - WantedCreatures and MDCardsandGifts.

Red

2010-05-04T14:17:00.001-04:00

Today's post is inspired by some news a co-worker and I received today. I am told I was about this red during the pleasant surprise. Tomato still life, from sharonschock. Tomato red bowl, glyntpottery. Lean on Me, TorrieSmiley.

Ash Hold My Heart, holzfurhaus. Pomegranate, octoberphotography. Three red koi nesting bowls, dbabcock.

Origami decoupage eggs, CatnipStudioToo.

Textured salt and pepper dishes, artsielady.

All of these items are courtesy of the Design Style Guide ... and now back to the grind!

Juice

2010-04-30T15:39:00.001-04:00

This week, I am celebrating juice. Morning Sun, by briefmoments. Vintage Juice-O-Mat citrus juicer, TheFrontHouse. Vintage Aluminum juicer, RedHenStudios. Vintage glass juice reamer, TranquilityFarms.

White stoneware pitcher, TimeValley.

Pair of vintage drinking glasses, greenandpretty.

Pair of vintage juice glasses with wheat design, thesmittenmitten.

Set of four glasses, pocketvintage. Juice glasses, halcyon.

Bright Morning Print, jjmillustration.

Carrot juice print, dowellart.

...

Why juice, you ask? Because I finally got juice to the kiln. Don't get too excited, though, because I still have to have the vent installed. And then I have to work up the courage to actually fire it.

Today's Adventure

2010-04-27T13:00:00.001-04:00

I locked myself out of the house today. I took both dogs out on their leashes, and when I returned, the door into the house from the garage was locked. I had no phone, no key. Anyone who I might have called (using a neighbor's phone, I suppose) to bring me a spare key was either very far away or unavailable. So I had to kick the door in. The good news is that the guy we had fix the door from the last time this happened did a great job. The bad news is that he will probably have to come back. You're probably thinking I need to keep a spare in the garage, since this has happened before. I do keep a spare in the garage, but last week when I rearranged the garage to prepare for the electrician coming to install the kiln, the spare wound up inside. Obviously I need a key storage solution like the key rack above from halfpintsalvage, and I should have been wearing boots like these from indai.

Instead I was wearing a business suit and these heels from Frye.

The dogs were just thrilled to wait for me to kick the door in. The routine is that they get their puppy chow as soon as we go back inside, and the big dog was pretty anxious to get inside. He didn't understand why I wouldn't just open the door, and stood there barking at me. The little dog happily snuffled around the garage eating bits of stick and leaves. The story has a happy ending, though. The spare key is back in the garage, and the dogs did get their puppy chow.

Ingenuity On Display

2010-04-27T12:30:00.001-04:00

Recently one of the blogs I follow did a few posts on decorating with Mason jars (here and here). I thought this was a happy coincidence, since I had just re-done our mantle with Mason jars. I sent the author the picture, and what do you know, she posted it. Yay! Go check out Ingenuity On Display, she has lots of great ideas.

Starting Seeds

2010-04-26T08:58:00.003-04:00

We recently started a bunch of seeds in little pots, and I've been very pleased with their progress. I've been less pleased with the delight our dogs have found in sneaking "dirt snacks." They seem to have especially enjoyed the hot pepper seeds... We have the pots set up on a few plastic trays, plus a galvanized garden tote, and inside a small greenhouse I bought at Ikea several years ago. If you want to join me in growing dirt snacks, I've found everything you'll need (excepting the dirt). Below is a seed starting tray from andrewsreclaimed.

This seed starting planner from aQuickStudy is just the thing to help figure out when to plant those green beans.

Dabble with planting with this garden dibble from woodenapple.

We planted mostly vegetables, but I couldn't resist starting some black eyed susans. Thebearfootshaman has black eyed susan seeds.

I adore these antique terra cotta garden pots from solsticehome.

MakeScentsWithNature has these wooden paper pot makers - I recently bought one from their shop and I love it. It's even easier to use than I thought it would be. Can't wait to make your own pots? RushofWings has newspaper pots already made for you.

You could also start your seeds in a sweet little vintage coffee cup from ARareThread. Don't forget to water your seeds regularly. It's very important. Remind yourself with this Water Me garden marker from monkeysalwayslook.

Once you've transplanted your plants outside, you'll need garden markers to keep track of which plant is which. MakeThyme has these copper garden markers that will do the trick.

Wish us luck that the seedlings continue to grow, and that the dogs don't indulge themselves too frequently. Are you starting seeds indoors this year?

Naked Pots

2010-04-23T10:28:00.000-04:00

Lately I have been taking notice of unglazed pottery. Glaze offers infinite depths of color, but somehow the breadth of unglazed clay seems just as vast to me. The range may be more limited without glaze, but the soul of the clay is exposed. Perhaps my romanticizing bare pottery stems from the brain freeze I get every time I'm standing in the glaze kitchen at Manassas Clay, wondering how to glaze each piece. But I find it compelling, and as I begin to find my own voice as a potter, I think strategically unglazed pots will be an important part of my expression. I have already made a number of pots without glaze or only with soda ash, and they have been among my favorites. I have been collecting unglazed pots in my Etsy Favorites, and I wanted to put them all together for your viewing pleasure. The vintage ramekins above were in sevenpoppies' shop, but have sold. TheoHelmstadter's planter below has some glaze, but also has iron stain accenting the natural clay.

The vintage primitive vase below by puscake has a pleasant combination of glaze and bare clay.

The brown and green bowl below is from nestingemily. Earthy perfection.

Nanbanceramics has pots with great character, like this nanban tea bowl.

Simple perfection from lorikoop in her Hip bowl below.

I love how the unglazed clay of this fortune cookie mimics the texture of real fortune cookies. I found it at linzb's shop.

These bowls from JclayPottery have already sold, but I had to include them.

I love the subtle variation in color in this tea bowl from FredParkerPottery.

These sweet little white dandelion wall vases from eikcam have glazed interiors and designs, but an unglazed background.

I love this vessel from claynfiber's shop. The iron oxide showcases the naked clay perfectly.

The unglazed bonsai pot from clamalleypots below has great variation in color in the speckled clay.

ChrisGreenwood's shop has this lovely little unglazed cup.

I love this swirl tea set from amyhuntpottery - it has the perfect combination of bare clay and decoration.

If you're aware of other artists who leave their clay naked, let me know. I must feed this fixation!

Swept

2010-04-22T14:37:00.001-04:00

I swept out the garage yesterday, preparing for the electrician's visit. Sweeping reminded me of these sweet little brooms I had recently noticed on Etsy. Above, witch hazel brooms by jasperjane, below, rust colored turkey wing broom by BROOMCHICK.

Either of these would make a fairly mundance chore a little special, no?

Treasury East

2010-04-19T20:46:00.002-04:00

Etsy has introduced its new beta Treasury, Treasury East. I gathered 16 items that would create a perfect evening on the back deck. Unlike the original Treasury and Treasury West, the Treasury East doesn't expire. I could get used to this new feature...

I'm A Big Teapot

2010-04-14T11:27:00.002-04:00

My teapot from the Kevin Crowe workshop in March is finished. I glazed it with Golden Luster and dripped some Opal, since lately I've been fascinated by the reaction between the two on the Miller 70 clay. (If you use Opal by itself, it's this yellow/gray yuck color, but it does incredible things when matched with other glazes.)

I was so happy that the lid came off; you fire them together to retain the shape of both the lid and the body of the piece so that they will still fit together. But sometimes the glaze fuses them together.

I am also happy to report that the holes on the inside were not filled in with glaze, so tea will actually come out of the vessel, and the teapot pours nicely.

My gigantic pot is still drying. I modified it slightly from the stage I last posted about, just refining the shape and the surface. It will have to dry for weeks and weeks before it's ready to go into the kiln. The wait is almost a good thing, though, because I'll need that long to choose a glazing scheme. I used the same clay as I did for the teapot, so I am tempted to do a similar glazing (it's been nice every time I have done it so far, giving me a small hope that it would turn out similarly on this "important" piece). But I think the girl next to me in class will slap me, as she seems tired of my boring glazing choices. As always, I think way too hard about these things. Pottery is supposed to be zen. Not stressful.

Stool Followup

2010-04-13T14:31:00.000-04:00

If my post yesterday whetted your appetite for your own unique wooden piece to stage your photography, I've culled some options for you. Above, an accent stand from natureinspiredcrafts. Below, a primitive bench from treasureagain. MonkeysOnTheRoof has mushroom stools.

This wooden folding stool is from lacklusterco.

JoyandJoshua have this primitive stool with iron legs.

I found this cherry and walnut footstool at inthewood.

Fabulous eco tables from ecotables.

AusableRiverTrader has this vintage child's folding chair.

This vintage handmade driftwood end table is in assemblage333's shop.

This little barn wood stool is from ArtDivaCompany.

The [Anything but] Ugly Step from ADrauglis.

Vivaterra has a ton of options right now, so I wanted to pass them along as eye candy if nothing else. Their wood cube is below.

Root of the earth stool.

Twisty stool.

Mushroom stool.

Salvaged wood nesting tables.

Window stool.

Mango wood round stool.

Timber block stool.

Do you have a favorite spot to photograph things? Some of my favorite shops have great backgrounds for their shots, and it really unifies the shops. lilfishstudios, scabbyrobot, Trampoline, moxieandoliver, highstreetmarket, khphillips, and lilarubyking are great examples. Are there shops you admire for their aesthetic? Help me add to the list!

The Stool

2010-04-12T15:56:00.001-04:00

I get so many exclamations about the stool I photograph my shop items on that I decided it deserved a post of its own. I bought this stool a few years ago, probably around this time of year, because I remember we had just moved into our new house. I had gone to a craft fair with my mom, and afterwards we stopped in the neighboring antique shops. There is quite a cluster of antique shops in Lucketts, Virginia. I enjoy tromping through them, but it's not nearly as close to home as it used to be, and in several of the shops they have already done a lot of the styling of the items, and marked up the price to go with it. I prefer finding junk and styling it myself, but browsing is indulgent, too. Anyway, I found this little three-legged stool, and thought it was just the addition I needed for the new house. My mom discouraged me from buying it, trying to play the angel on my shoulder to balance the devil on mine. I got it anyway, though, and I think I paid less than $30. When it isn't serving as the backdrop for photos, it usually sits across the room and keeps one of my slate coasters ready at the arm of my side of the couch. One of my favorite things about it is the way the wood is all joined together.

In other news, it seems I will be participating in an art festival on April 17th, 2010. One of the potters at Manassas Clay said that they Manassas Art Guild was looking for potters to participate, and three of us decided to band together and put together a booth. If you're local, come check it out at the Harris Pavilion at 9116 Center Street, Manassas Virginia. The event is called eARTh 4, and will go from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. There will be exhibits, art activities, door prizes, music and artist demos. This also means that if you've had an eye on any of the handmade items in my shop, you may want to pounce before I deactivate the listings before the show. No pressure, but you can't say I didn't tell ya.

Variation on a Theme

2010-04-11T08:08:00.002-04:00

I recently made one of my wall pots, but once it was leather hard, I didn't punch two holes in the neck. I went a little crazy and instead attached three handles. Then I figured I should add little divots in them as if they were attached that way. Feeling I wasn't quite finished, I carved a chunk out of the shoulder between each of the three handles, and added a divot for flourish.

I decided to sign it towards the bottom of one of the handles, and when it was time to glaze the piece, I opted to glaze over the signature and date. You can still see it peeking through the weathered bronze glaze above. Once it came home, I laced polished hemp through the handles and added a few vintage wooden beads. I think it came out with sort of a Greek flair, don't you? Almost as if it could have been unearthed from an archaeological dig. I may continue to play with more variations on my wall pot theme.

Rain

2010-04-09T13:46:00.001-04:00

We had a gullywasher yesterday. And so, inspired by the rain and while poaching, er... browsing the favorites of tugboatprintshop, I gathered these rainy items. (Above, Little Cloud Painting by Ambera, and below, Wavejumper from tugboatprintshop.) Glass fishing float, from GlassFloatJunkie.

Light blue enamel cups from Hindsvik.

WAC WWII raincoat from foxybyproxy.

Deluge original watercolor painting from GollyBard.

Collect Your Tears, still life photo print from illuminession.

Storm Watcher from lewfoster.

Crocuses in Spring Rain print, by veeninga.

After The Rain, by PoetryAndCloth. Enjoy the Spring while it's here, in Virginia we always slip into Summer far too quickly for my liking.

Lichen It

2010-04-07T16:38:00.000-04:00

Vermilion Lichens, MaryIrene.

Pixie cup lichen photo, NatureMandalas.

Lichen, crazymtnwoman.

Handmade paper and twig art lamp, wyldewoodpapers.

Green tea with lichen terrarium, weegreenspot.

Seven nesting lichen bowls, whitneysmith. Lichen for your wall, Ottoman.

Algae, Fungi and Lichens illustration, vintagehomerecycled.

Wool and birch bark brooch, lilfishstudios.

1907 Lichens Antique Print, thinaircreations.

Moss topiary wall plaque, NaturesCabinet.

Porcelain Spores, karliloveslichen.

Botanical print, slinkymalinkicat.

Weathered American chestnut weedpot, timberturner.

Gray lichen specimen, elinart.

Lichen, Alerion.

Textured wall tile, Lichen, elementclaystudio.

Urban Lichen 002, bettula.

Lichen Study No. 3, annarubyking.

acabinetofcuriosities digital image.

Hippity Happity Day

2010-04-05T00:03:00.000-04:00

Happy day! I bought some plants for the yard this weekend. I got some old favorites and a few new ones. I had silvermound (below) planted at the old house, and it grew really well, so I thought I'd give it a try here. (We moved about 2 blocks away, so we're not talking different zones.) Hellebore is new to me, but I've been intrigued and thought I'd give it a try.

I love violas. Way more than pansies. I typically won't plant annuals, but I can't resist a few violas.

Creeping phlox is one of my favorites, especially the periwinkle colored blooms, because they bloom around my birthday.

These were sweet, too, and I can't resist blue flowers (obviously).

Happy day, happy week, happy year.

Siblings

2010-04-03T12:36:00.000-04:00

Lately I've been thinking a lot about siblings. Specifically the little things that you shared for so long, they're experiences and references that will be a part of your lives forever. You grow up, you move away, you don't see each other every day the way you used to. And then when you do see each other as adults, you start to remember all of those things that both of you know, but no one else knows. It can be almost like twins who invented a secret language that no one else understood. So this is my tribute to siblings, mostly big sisters and little brothers. (Above photo from astimefliesby, as is the photo below, which does bear some resemblance to us as kids.) Rocking the Hulk tshirt, from VintageFunland.

The photo below from thevintagemode reminds me of some pictures we took back in the day...

Definitely related, right? From ShadowsPerch.

I suspect these two don't always get along so well. Found at NostalgiqueArt.

This is truer to the brother-sister relationship. Find these scowls at MarthasAttic.

It is possible to have fun together, though. See below from jessicavintage.

Another from jessicavintage: even though the brother is older, how could I not include this moment in time?

I would not have been happy in either of these outfits. Found at jenniedots.

It's so much easier nowadays that boys are typically dressed like boys, unlike the poor kid in this pram who I found at happysteiler.

Matching outfits. From DogDayAfternoons. In our case, I was Alice and he had ears and a giant alarm clock.

debsatticfinds offers us this dour pair.

Not a photo, but too good not to share. Intelligence is hotly debated amongst siblings, isn't it? Now we have a chart for determining the likely range. Snatch it up from VintageButtercup. Give your kid brother (or sister) a squeeze for me this weekend. Just make sure he doesn't fall off the bench.

Flash Bulbs

2010-04-01T21:11:00.000-04:00

When I was a kid, I used my dad's childhood camera. I took a lot of pictures, and I must have inherited my dad's eye, because I would take artsy pictures of fallen leaves (rearranged for better effect, of course) and brick walls. The camera was a lot like the one above from noodleandlouvintage. It had these great flash bulbs that would rotate when you used each side. I still have the camera and some flash bulbs. Somewhere.

And that's the problem. After I arranged a glass hurricane with a bunch of old lightbulbs, I thought it would be great to add some of the old flash bulbs to the mix. And I can't find the camera. I know I still have it somewhere, because I never throw anything away, and I definitely wouldn't throw away a family heirloom like this camera. So while I'm turning the house upsidedown to find the camera and bulbs, I thought I'd share some I found on Etsy, and maybe I'll earn enough karma to find mine.

Blue flash bulbs from ethanollie. Sky blue bulbs from LilThriftyGirl. I get such a kick out of the colors of these flash bulbs I found at oldthings.

Nice styling of flashbulbs at possumgully (so nice they've already sold).

This lot of flash bulbs is already reserved, but I had to include them because twoartdirectors does such a good job of photographing their items.

Blue flash bulbs in original box from Vintagegoods2.

Let's hope this sheds some light on the matter of where mine have gone...

Industrial Print and Tap Letters

2010-03-30T22:14:00.002-04:00

Industrial Print and Tap Letters, originally uploaded by New Dominion Blues Studios.

Cool. From the set I bought from everyeskimo.etsy.com.

Little Happinesses

2010-03-26T12:01:00.001-04:00

This week, a friend gave me 5 boxes of vintage jars, and my brother brought me a dozen eggs from his chickens. It's the little happinesses in life, isn't it? I thought I should share some happy little items inspired by my jars and eggs.

Vintage English silver leaf dish from ethanollie.

Half gallon Ball canning jar from vintagehomerecycled.

Shino mixing bowl from TXHillCountryPottery.

Antique canning jars from TheLovelys.

Mini white porcelain vases from RouDesigns.

Ball jelly glass jars with labels from ModishVintage.

everyeskimo's classic arabia pitcher by kajfranck.

Purple Mason fruit jar from mattlaurajones.

lithicastoneworks' hand-chiseled modern limestone bowl.

Set of vintage turquoise Ball jars from havenvintage.

TheBrickyard's egg beater mixing bowl.

Have a lovely weekend, filled with little happinesses!

Moo You

2010-03-23T00:13:00.001-04:00

Okay kids. I previously extolled the virtues of Moo (and here), but today I am going to encourage you to put in an order for a free pack of cards. It's quick, it's easy, and it's free. Through April 30th. I put in an order last night. These are the regular Moo cards, not the minis I recently ordered. They'll have both the Moo and Etsy logos on them, but I don't think that's a bad thing, to promote the site we sell on and the company that produces such lovely (and sometimes free!) cards. All you do is upload as many pictures as you want that will be on one side of the card (pictures from your shop, pictures from your harddrive, or any other image you want, including any of their pre-set designs). Then you enter the text you want on the other side. I suggest your shop name, your name, and your shop's address be included. Then you confirm that everything is entered right, pay for the shipping (I paid $6), and you're done. Seriously. Free cards.