Kokegama

Kokegama in manganese glazed dish

Our friend makes beautiful kokegama (Japanese moss balls). We had a show earlier this year and we got a few from him to put in our booth. Standard show booth advice invariably includes instructions to place flowers or plants in the display, and I can't deny the positive impact of having a few lovely kokedama scattered around. 

The kokedama can also include a water element because it is fine to fill the bowl to the point of a little pond forming, and that feels peaceful and calming. I loved having them for the show, and we sold a few too. Mr. Cranky made an assortment of low bowls especially for the plants; the natural/bronze-y glaze really compliments the kokegama, I think.

I love time lapse videos; here is one showing an Amish barn-raising that takes place in one day. My favorite part is putting on the roof around the 2 minute mark~

Carved Fireplace Surround

Carved earthenware tile

This is the fireplace surround I made when we built our house. 

I never intended to offer this carved tile as a line because it is a pain in the neck to make. Our house was featured in a magazine (way back in the 90's) and I was contacted recently by a client who still had the magazine after all these years (!). The couple had fallen in love with this fireplace and the right time to remodel their existing one finally came. I do love carving tile, and it had been so long since I did these that I kind of forgot how hard they are to make. Sooooo...

Carved fireplace surround, bisque state

Here's a little video of the process~

Completed fireplace surround

afternoon watermelon break

At the top of my list of the-best-things-about-summer just has to be watermelon. We simply gorge on it once the fabulous Hermiston seeded melons are in season. It is Mr. Cranky's habit to pair watermelon with something salty, like potato chips or pretzels, and that is rather irresistible, hard as I may try. Those tiny little grapefruit spoons are the perfect implement to remove the seeds, by the way.

Speaking of utensils, here is an article from NPR about how the color, shape, size, and material of your tableware and utensils can affect your perception of the taste of your food as well as how much of it you consume.

More summery-ness

Betsy's bed is just too tempting in full sun in the early afternoon. Just look at the color of that sky!

(click on the picture for a better look)

I'm rather smitten with this new bronzey glaze; it's just plain manganese at cone 6.

It's no good for functional ware, but so pretty with textures and how it catches the light..

I made a bunch of these little hand-built planters.

 I haven't made flowerpots in years and years.

I planted slips from my succulent collection in a few of them.

I'm experimenting with pastel colors a bit too.

 Could a penchant for pattern be hereditary?

Yup, I think so.

Check out this stunning installation of ceramic poppies by Paul Cummins~

888,246 red ceramic poppies

Summer, so far

The summer beds are out~

one is under cover,

one is under the stars.

Our best seller this summer, for wedding presents, is this origami dish.

It seems to be a match between the perfect size + fanciness 

and a fairly typical price point for a wedding gift @ $125.

Mornings feature breakfasts of raspberries from our bushes and eggs from our hens.

Our cat makes good use of the bird watcher's table.

It takes a floating dahlia

just this long

to break apart.