Don't let your head swell...

This was blogger awards week. No one told me, and I didn't even buy a dress to wear to either party. Heck, I didn't even have time to wash my apron.

The first award bestowed to me was from Feedspot's Top 50 Pottery Blogs, where I ranked #16. A few days later, Pottery Making Info announced their list of Top Pottery Blogs of 2016, this year I moved up in the ranks from #11 to #9.

Award Acceptance Speech:

I would like to thank all my readers for hanging in with me through the exciting times, as well as the mundane and often boring times. Thank you to Feedspot and Pottery Making Info, for spreading the good word of pottery bloggers everywhere. Most of all I would like to thank Jeff Brown for all of his support and creative encouragement. You push me to the next level in creativity, and encourage me to continue with all this blogging stuff. 

and now it's back to work...

Jeff and I are planning to do a raku firing in the spring. In between making work for orders, we will be making things for raku. This week I worked on a tile with ginkgo leaves. I finished carving yesterday. It will get cleaned up once it's dry. Carving on this groggy clay is a little challenging. The carving tool doesn't flow easily through the clay. Next on the "making" list is orbs. We should have our new raku work available for the Celebration of Spring Studio Tour - April 22nd & 23rd.

Vasefinder International 2013

Jeff and I were once again invited to participate in the annual Vasefinder International Exhibition. The awards were announced yesterday and Jeff's vase won an honorable mention! Clicking on the photo will take you to the exhibition. The juror this year was Phil Rogers. I am really happy for Jeff. This is the second time in the last 12 months that a potter he really admires, has chosen his work in a jury process. The other was Jack Troy, who juried Strictly Functional in 2012.

Congratulations Jeff Brown! You are off to a great start for 2013.

Not so slow after all...

When Jeff was heading home from South Korea he decided to ship a box at the airport since it was cheaper than checking it as luggage. It came by boat and they said it could take up to three months. Of course they told him that AFTER the box was sealed and he had filled the extra space with his hoodie and his best GAP pajama bottoms.

We were pleasantly surprised when it arrived yesterday. Each international potter received a very nice plaque, commemorating their invitation to the event.

They also produced a nice catalogue of both the Korean and International potters.

Inside the box, were bags that the some of the pottery Jeff purchased, came in. He saved them because he knew I would think they were cool.

I think the fancy bags (and often times wood boxes) speak volumes of the importance placed on pottery in South Korea. You won't see pots wrapped in newspaper there!

A couple of years ago I all but banned wrapping pots in old newspapers for us. I just can't handle setting up a show and having my hands black from ink. We purchase newsprint in bulk and also buy the least expensive bags we can find.

Someday I would love to have some classy bags printed... it doesn't hurt to dream. :-)