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.

House Birds

One of our outlets is closing, so I picked up a group of House Birds from them.
Now they are Studio Birds, as I put them up all around the studio entrance.

nuthatch

pileated woodpecker

I'm adding the leaves to the house bird group in front of the house. Pics to follow...

On an unrelated note, I am attempting to scrub the words "amazing" and "awesome" from my vocabulary, but  think you will agree that this video is rather remarkable~

Three weeks until Showcase

large oval platter w/ wavy lip 

Production is going full tilt with only three weeks left until Ceramic Showcase. I'm switching things up in the studio, moving back into animal and plants in addition to dots and stripes, and adding color to the black & white.

tray with scalloped edge

Despite that Portlandia episode (you know the one), I persist in putting birds on everything. 

Platter with green fish

I'll have to stop making pots soon and get my booth figured out, there are so many details to track when getting prepared for a show. I feel like I am starting from zero, it has really been years and years since I've done this.

This video of pendulum waves is mesmerizing.

Gearing up for Ceramic Showcase

bear with branch (unglazed)

We haven't done a show or craft fair for many years. It seemed to be about time to show our faces in public, so we signed up for Ceramic Showcase this year. Scheduled for April 26, 27, & 28th, it is the largest pottery show and sale in the country. Lucky for us, it's right here in Portland.

tests and stains and brushes

I'm still working with my dotty black & white series, but I have been tempted into adding a splash of color here and there. Just like in the children's book, If You Give a Mouse a Cookie, one thing leads to another, so now I am back to drawing animals and flowers too~

origami bowls & mini plates (unglazed)

I am currently favoring birds, bears, and fish. But, as you can see, the barnyard is not off-limits either~

a couple of goats (unglazed)

I go through a lot of slip-trailers. My current favorite is the homemade version, formed like miniature pastry bags from mylar or plastic gift wrap. There is very little hand fatigue when using these little dears~

spent slip-trailers

Here is a post about how to make them if you are interested.

A Priestess in Myanmar has to kiss an enormous King Cobra three times to save her village from a curse caused by its anger, watch this to see how that worked out~