The latest in pottery

 We have been firing every two to three weeks. Our goal is to try to get orders back to a 4-6 week delivery time. Now that our shop is open 4 days a week, we will need to make pots to restock the shelves as well.

I had an order for a Bull piggy bank. They buyer didn't want white with black spots so we settled on this combination. I am really pleased with the results. They raise cattle so this is going to be sitting in their kitchen. 

This glaze is so hard to photograph. I thought it would be easier outside but I still got the reflection of the trees and sky. We have a dulling spray for photographing shiny glazes. I think I will give that a try to get some better photos before he is off to his new home.

I hadn't made coasters in a long time. A friend of a collector contacted us and ordered a set to give her as a gift. Once I am in the rhythm of making these, I like to make a bunch. The bottoms are covered with cork to protect furniture. I hope to get more in the next firing. They are great for filling up space. They can be stacked on top of each other since the glaze is only on the interior.

 

The weather has been so nice here in Seagrove, that it's been difficult to stay inside and work. The gardens are constantly calling us!

Garden Inspired

 Last week I completed another tiny accordion fold book made from playing cards.

front

inside

back

The garden papers that I am using came from a miniature book of papers that I found online. It was so adorable that I had to buy it. It's about 2" x 1 3/4".

The papers are quite eclectic and there are quite a few fun ones. Some of the papers are translucent. There are so many that it will probably take me years to use them all!

Dreams of Travel

 

I enjoyed every minute that I spent creating this little accordion folded piece! I am not sure what to call it. Is it a card or perhaps just a tiny bit of art? 

Inside

 When I started to create, I envisioned an imaginary passport that would take me on a trip to France.

The core of the project was created with playing cards that I covered in gesso and then connected using bits of cloth and washi tape. The collage was created using a combination of wine bottle labels, flowers from a tiny book of papers, and stamps.

I wanted a vintage feel so on the opposite side I applied crackle paste and lightly applied a gold wax paste. I used distress ink on other areas, including the ribbon, to give it that aged appearance.

Jeff cleaned out a drawer the other day and found a few more old boxes of playing cards. He has donated them to my cause. Now I am waiting for a delivery of assorted, cancelled world postage stamps. I ordered them for $2.00 from an Etsy seller. I can't wait to start creating with them!

Travelers Notebook

 

My latest book binding project was a midori aka travelers notebook. If you aren't familiar with this type of notebook, it's a cover utilizing elastic cord to hold the signatures and also to wrap around for a closure. Traditionally the covers are made of leather. The elastic cord allows you to add and remove signatures as needed.

I made my cover out of a cracker box that I covered with gel print papers. The signatures were assembled and saddle stitched using copy paper scraps that I save when printing shipping labels. I try to print two labels per page to prevent waste but occasionally one item needs to be shipped so I have a stack of half sheets next to the paper cutter.

It took me forever to finish this little notebook. I wasn't happy with how I assembled the cover. After gluing it down I realized the spine should have been a separate piece from the front and back. It would close a little more neatly if I had done that. It sat on the table for weeks before I could bring myself to finish it. I made it for myself so no one else has to deal with error! The next one will be better.

I'll use this little book to keep track of how much water I drink each day, as well as a log for exercise and blood pressure. Yes, their is a phone app for most of those things but I prefer to put pen to paper.

Spring Adventures.

 I thought I should begin the month of April with a blog post. Each month I say I will do better but I always drop the ball. Lately the weeks fly by while Jeff and I try to squeeze in everything we want and need to do. We have enjoyed time spent outside getting our garden beds ready for vegetables and flowers. Jeff does the veggies and I manage the flowers. I have the front flower bed ready for sowing seeds. I will do the usual zinnias and this year I am adding nigella, which I have never grown before. It's supposed to give me some nice flowers for cutting, as well as some interesting pods to add to arrangements. The variety I chose is called "LOVE-IN-A-MIST". Who couldn't resist that? I had to replace my sage plant. The last one died in the Fall. It seems I can only manage to keep them for about two years. I also bought a lavender plant. I have never had good luck with them. This year I am going to plant it in my small flower bed next the the vegetable garden. I am hoping it will be happier there.

Amid all the gardening, pots are being made and fired. We have ramped up our firing schedule and are feeling like we are getting closer to being caught up with orders. We unloaded the kiln on Monday and I was finally able to fire mugs and a bowl that I made more than a month ago. 

Last week I decided to challenge myself to eat vegan/vegetarian for one week. I dug out the cookbooks and marked some new recipes to try. It's been an eating adventure this week!

Last night we had a light version of macaroni and cheese from the the Moosewood Restaurant - Low Fat- Favorites. It was delicious and was easier on my digestive system than my usual rich mac & cheese. I tweaked the recipe some by adding sautéed spinach and garlic. I roasted some Brussels sprouts to go with it. We have enjoyed a casserole with bulgur wheat and ground soybean, as well as a spaghetti pie that got it's cheesy flavor from nutritional yeast. Tonight I am making a black bean and lentil chili. A recipe that we eat quite often. Lunches have been tofu salad and pita bread, homemade hummus, and tobouleh. I love sandwich wraps made with the hummus, toubeleh, and bean sprouts. Jeff has been keeping us in beans sprouts these days. He has his sprouting method perfected now. We will take a break from the vegetarian eating on Easter Sunday... I am roasting boneless leg of lamb!

My goal is to incorporate more meatless meals in our diet. This challenge helped me discover some new ingredients and recipes.

Next on my to make list is Laurie's Tomato Rice Loaf. She shared her recipe on her blog: The Clean Green Homestead.