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.
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.
The hot sun going down, fresh cherries, and crickets singing welcome to the night air.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 juice glasses with wheat design, thesmittenmitten.
Juice glasses, halcyon.
Bright Morning Print, jjmillustration.
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.
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.
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?
