Run, run, as fast you can...

You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!

A couple of weeks ago Linda Starr wrote a blog post about making holiday ornaments. I left a comment saying that I had made some in the past but they never sold. I had given most of them away as gifts. 

When I was packing for the the last show I came across a bag with the leftover ornaments. I decided to bring them with me and guess what... I sold quite a few. So of course I came home and made more. The last bunch I glazed half of them and left the other half unglazed. I like the look of the unglazed better. The best part is that no glaze means one less step in the process! Tiny things are great because you can tuck them in around other stuff when firing, but they are a pain in the a$$ to clean up before the going into the bisque kiln. I will be taking these to the Celebration of Seagrove Potters show next month. 

Jeff and I had a visit from Crawford Horne, yesterday. He is the wood fire potter that curated the W. Virginia show that Jeff was invite to this past summer. Crawford had been to Scotland awhile back and visited a potter there name John Christie. He told us about a video on Christie's blog that we might enjoy. It's beautifully done. It's about 12 minutes long, and I think you will find it's time well spent.

I can't believe it but...

it's true.

I am making Christmas ornaments this year. Jeff and I talked about this last year but didn't get around to it. Many years ago he made a press mold of an angel ornament he created in clay. I decided that these were something I could make while working my shifts at the Co-op. Yesterday I gave it a try but was having some trouble with getting the hands and nose coming out clean and crisp, and then there was the problem of cracking necks. After all, I hadn't used a press mold since my play dough days. When I got home Jeff gave me a lesson on the best way to get a good impression with a press mold... he said be sure to press it in really hard.

but probably not this hard...

 Yep, he broke the mold. I can still use the other half, but that one needs the wings attached separately which is a little more work.

Here are some in progress...

I will have to experiment with glazing. I might try using some Amaco velvet underglazes with my Temple White glaze over it. Jeff also mention trying just the underglaze and leaving the rest bare clay.
The one in the center is bisqued already, Jeff did that one this summer when we came across the mold. She is a footless angel (he forgot to add them) so she will be the first glaze test.

... I wonder if I have any cookie cutters in the kitchen? :o)

the rush is over...

The last pots for Christmas shipping went off to the post office this morning. It's a relief that everything was done in time. Last year we unloaded the kiln the morning before Christmas for a special order pick up. It feels like this year we are ahead!

There has been a long conversation about Etsy on one of LinkedIn's ceramic forums, concerning whether or not it was worth the time spent maintaining a shop there. There were lots of potters who felt it was a waste of their time. This year Jeff and I tried to keep active on Etsy. The site has made some changes to posting that has saved some time. We definitely increased our sales this year and I think we are picking up momentum. Jeff had a really and I mean REALLY good sale this month. All in all we feel it's worth the time. It put money in our pocket that we wouldn't have had if we weren't on Etsy.

We are going to enjoy a slower pace this week. The shopping is done, the tree is up and we are staying in North Carolina for the holidays. Next month I have plans to fly to Connecticut and spend a long weekend with Danielle. She moved to New Haven in November and I am excited to see her new place.
It will be a fun girly weekend... maybe we will take the train into NYC for a day! I will miss seeing her on Christmas, as well as my parents and siblings.

I am ending this post with a couple of random Christmas photos...

My favorite Christmas tree ornament... was my Dad's when he was a little boy in Canada... it was one of a set of three. My sister and one of my brothers each have one. My daughter thinks it's scary! I will be sure she inherits it one day (along with my great grandmother's ugly platter).

When I was little I couldn't wait for this santa to come out of the box and be put in his place of honor under the tree. My parents bought it the year my brother was born (1955). I ended up with it because no one else in the family cared about him. I definitely won't plug him in and leave the house... don't quite trust something electrical that is 56 years old!!!