31 Day challenge - Day 15 - Butter Dishes

Today was day 15 on my 31 day challenge and I decided to make a new design.  I had been thinking about this idea of making a three sided and flared pedestal vase with the garden theme on all three sides.   This is one of the pieces I am considering for a art show in a few months.

The weather is slowly getting warmer but every day starts at around 30 so it just doesn't seem any warmer to me.  This just makes me not very excited about being out there in my unheated garage (except a small space heater)  For the next week it's supposed to be in the 50's (by the end of the day) and on Sunday I will probably glaze.  I don't like my hands to be cold when I'm glazing.

I have also made in the last few days:  butter dishes, platters and a wavy dish.  See these on my Facebook page and all the other pieces for the challenge.

A few days ago I made butter dishes and I took some photos throughout the day.

First I cut out the pieces, textured and dried a bit.  Next I bevel the edges, slip and put together.  Then the handles are added.  The dishes are matched up with a matching tray.

31 Day Challenge - day 11 - making mugs

I am now on day 11 of the 31 day challenge.  This has been a bit of a challenge with the weather.  It's been a bit chilly here.  Today I worked on these mugs and thought I would share some photos of the process.  

If you would like to make your own mugs, I will be teaching a few classes in March at Ciel Gallery in Charlotte.  If you would like information check out the class page HERE

I have been working on an order for a gallery but starting this week I will be making some new designs for some upcoming shows.   Be sure to check out the Facebook Page for daily updates on what's happening during the challenge.

I feel like there should be more to say but all I've been doing is making pottery and reading.  I read a book every 1-2 days lately.  I get my books on my Kindle via the library online.  I couldn't afford to read if I had to pay for every book I read.  At least I don't have to drive 10ish miles to the library like I used to.

31 Day Challenge - Day 4

Day 4 on the 31 day Challenge and all is going well.  Today I made a new item, sugar and creamer set.  I wanted to try an idea for a slab built set.  I like the basic idea but I need to widen and shorten the sugar jar   With the knob it's taller than the creamer and my husband pointed out the a spoon won't fit after it shrinks. (oops... unless you pour the sugar?)  See the following photos as I made the set.  See Facebook for daily updates.

The last few days I have been making items for an order including: platters and sponge holders.  The order is finished being made but I will be working on other items to fill the kiln.  I have an idea for a new vase that I am excited to try and I need egg separators for the local gift shops.

I will be teaching 4 classes at Ciel Gallery in March.  The first class will be a starter class making mugs.  The next three classes will make salt and pepper shakers, vases and teapots.  Check out the details HERE

My husband finally got the kiln electronics put back together after the move into it's new location.  Now I just need to call the electrician to get it hooked up.

31 different items in 31 days challenge - day 1

Today starts my 31 different items in 31 days challenge.   Ciel gallery put out a challenge for members to paint a different painting every day.  Since I don't paint and I can make 31 items in 2 days, I decided to make 31 different items in January.  Today I decided to make a wine bucket. This is a new item.   I am posting photos of my process.

First I smooth my slab and cut out my shape using a newspaper template.  Next using stamps I made, I texturize my slabs.

Then I let the fan dry the slab out a bit so that it can stand up without flopping.  I score and slip the overlay, press the pieces together and put the bottom on the bucket.

That was all I planned but then I thought it needed more so I added a dragonfly at the top, curved the top back and added cutouts for handles,

This is a new item and I can't wait to see it completely finished.

 Check back often to how the challenge is going.  I will post the daily item to my Facebook page.

I had taken most of December away from the studio to recharge and so I was glad to not have any new wholesale orders come in during that time, but funny thing is that today I started back to work and I come back inside to check my mail and there is a new order for a gift shop in New Hampshire.  This is great because it gives me I reason to go out in a cold studio every morning.

Also I have a few custom orders from Etsy that came in during December to work on as well.

A recap for the month of December:

My mom came to visit.  We went to Charleston for a few days, went to the festival of lights and a Holiday dinner Cruise.  Then we came back to Charlotte for a few days, then headed to our cabin near Bat Cave, NC for Christmas.  Watched the Hunger Games movie and now I have started reading the whole series just so that I can know the end of the story and not have to wait for the last movie.  My husband, my mom and I all got the flu for about a week.  Luckily my kids did not get sick.  I had a New Years Eve party with 20 of my friends.  We played a card game called Nerts.  Today I back at work and ready for 2015.

Rearranged studio and holiday plans

This weekend I re-arranged my studio to make room for my new (used) kiln.  I had gotten it a few months ago and was too busy to mess with it.  Finally on Sunday my husband and two sons were all home at the same time and moved the kiln to it's new location.

I wish that I had taken a before photo so that you could see the difference, but I believe that the studio is actually more spacious and more efficient.

My plan was to take the month of December off to rejuvenate but I just had to try out my new space today.  I will probably work this week stocking up on wholesale items.

My mom comes to visit for 3 weeks next Tuesday and I will be doing Christmas things with her while she is here.  We are visiting Charleston, SC for a few days, taking a holiday dinner cruise and checking out the Festival of Lights.  We are also going to check out the Charlotte Motor Speedway light show.

The last few weeks I have been busy adding new items to my online shop.  There is now a large selection of pottery available for purchase.  I ship to the continental USA.

There are berry bowls, brie baker and cracker trays, butter dishes, gravy boats, vases, bowls, platters, sponge holders, salt and pepper shakers and many other fun handmade gifts.

Help me make room for new art next year.

Ciel Sidewalk sale and other news

You are invited:  Ciel Galleries Holiday Sidewalk Sale - Saturday November 29th and December 6th.  I will be bringing in the items shown on the right and they will be marked down 50%. Of course inside Ciel many pieces of my new work will be available. 

There will also be ornaments from many of the artists and the proceeds will be going to loaves and fishes.  Please join us for cider and cookies.  

Art makes a great gift for the Holidays.

I notice that I am only blogging about once a month now.  I guess since I opened myself up to wholesale orders I have been so busy that after everything else I just haven't had time.

Just yesterday I shipped out an order for The Annapolis Pottery.  It was quite a large order going to two stores in Annapolis Maryland. 

Check out my Gift shop and galleries page for a full list of where you can find my pottery.

I just did my last glaze load of the year today.  I needed one more piece for a gallery and just filled the kiln with pieces that were made previously and never needed but many are quite nice so look for those pieces to show up in my online shop this week.  

The gravy boat and platter shown above were listed today.  They are a few of the extras made for wholesale orders that were not needed.

In more personal news,  we finally had some time to get away, so we went to St. Marteen.  The photo above is the view from our condo looking out across the bay towards St. Phillipsburg.  We were on the Dutch side.  I preferred the shopping and on the French side.  We were told the food was better on the French side but we got lucky on both sides and had great food all week.

The view to the left was from an area just steps above our condo where there was an old fort with the cannons still there.  Around the other side there was a beautiful beach with great snorkeling.

We had a good time but I was ready to go home at the end.  I am not a laying about the beach person, so got a little bored.

Never too early for Christmas shopping

Well, I have finished all my shows for the year.  This is a month earlier than usual since I changed most of my art shows this year.

So now I am listing all kinds of new items in my Etsy shop.

I'm listing old favorites, like brie bakers and cracker trays, plus yarn bowls.

And new favorites, like butter dishes.

And sponge holders.
And for the first time, Ornaments

Also, new work can be found in a number of galleries and gift shops.  Ciel and Ruby's in Charlotte get new work monthly.  Mountain Nest in Black Mountain, Middle Earth Olive Oil Company in Florida and the Golden Feather in Hammonton, NJ recently received new work.  And next week the Wild Fern in Bryson City, NC will receive a shipment that I am glazing on Wednesday.

Just remember that many of my pieces are one of a kind so be sure to pick up anything you like, when you see it.  It is not to early to get started on your holiday shopping.

Show season

Shows and more shows.  I just got back from the Art in Autumn in Weaverville, NC. In two weeks I am back in Blowing Rock for Art in the Park and the a week later I am at the CCM Pottery Festival.

Then I am done with art shows for the year and it's time to concentrate on Holiday sales at the galleries and on Etsy.

You may have noticed that I am back to using my old display.  A woman had a diabetic attack (she was unhurt) while driving and ran into 7 park cars ending up ramming into my husbands truck over and over, so our truck is in the shop.  We are lucky we can use the crossover to haul the old display.  I am actually liking the old display for a few reasons.  One being that it's so easy to put up and take down.  Second I think it is more approachable for the customer.  I noticed that people seem to come into the booth for a look around.  The pedestals may be to fancy, making it somehow intimidating.

This week I am finishing up the orders from Mountain Nest and Middle Earth Olive Oil Company.  I will be doing the final glazing tomorrow.  Crossing my fingers because I will be delivering the Mountain Nest order in Black Mountain on Sunday.

Also, on Sunday I plan on picking up a new (used) larger kiln.  Hopefully we don't have any trouble getting home and get it wired without problems.  Here's hoping that I start getting more wholesale orders to fill up this big kiln.

Wholesale

While I knew that September and early October were going to be my busiest 6 weeks of the year with 4 shows, I did not imagine how busy it would end up being.  

First off, I decided about a month ago that I was going to apply for Wholesalecrafts.com, which for those that don't know is a website that brings artists and galleries/gift shops together.  I was accepted yesterday and my page is now open for ordering.  If you are not registered on the site and you are a gift shop / gallery send me a note and I will get you a guest pass.  The items I decided to wholesale are from the dragonfly line (see a few pieces to the left)  plus complementary items.  Crossing my fingers that I start getting some orders soon.

Then a little over a week ago I got a large order from Mountain Nest in Black Mountain.  She wants me to deliver the pieces when I go up to our cabin at the end of September so I am working full time on the order along with pieces for shows.  Of course, it is the hottest it's been this summer and the garage/studio is HOT.

Then last week I got an order from the Middle Earth Olive Oil Co. in Florida.   They want 20 of these olive oil bottles and 10 dipping dishes.  So they go into the rotation as well.

It is a great feeling to be busy and I am excited for the possibilities.

I am working on my Fall Newsletter so if you want to receive it, sign up on the right.