Neko Case

We had a fun time out on the town with Ron and Sara Philbeck last night.We went to a Neko Case concert and it was wonderful. Some dinner, alittle drink, fresh air and some good music and conversation. What else does anyone need to jump start their engine again? I for one needed alittle break so I was glad I took some time off. Today I kept making stuff and loaded a kiln. Onward and upward!
( This is Ron and Sara by the way....aren't they cute!)

Calendar

This is what I did today to start my studio time. I have to have a calendar so I know when I need to stop making stuff, when I need to glaze, when it will be out and all that "jazz".

(Don't you love how I didn't care about the shadow when I took this shot?)

This evening we are off to see Neko Case with Ron Philbeck and his wife Sara. Joey LOVES Neko Case and since we really didn't do anything for his birthday, I guess this is his treat for the month. I plan on having a beer and getting some breathing time in that I need.

Today Mckenna got to go back to school. She was a little scared this morning and I had some issues getting her up and feed. Being alone with Mommy for 8 days is a treat for the twins. Naturally even though she wanted to see her friends, she still wanted to just stay home with me. I felt my whole body relax when everyone got out of the car this morning at carpool. Even Mommies need some down time.

Off to throw more stuff!

CDC Information

I managed to scan..well half of the wonderful card the CDC organization sent to all of us participating in the show this year. Just a little "sample" of what the card looked like this year! This is the 40th year of this show. WOW! The Friday night preview party this year I think is suppose to be a little bit more elaborate than last year. Maybe there will be champagne this year instead of just wine. ( but don't quote me on that...)At any rate, its fun!

I'm moving along. Last night I started on my flower blocks and more candle holders. Today I think I'll make some olive dishes. I'm trying to think about all the space and pockets in my kiln once the big pieces get in there. Its always about efficiency once I get to this point. Keep sending those good pottery vibes my way!

This evening my Winthrop class will be finishing up their end of the semester projects. Boy that went by so fast! Getting back into the swing of teaching college kids this Fall has been a good thing for me. I have alot of ideas in my head for next semester. This fall I pretty much stuck with projects that Jim Connell has used in the beginning clay class for years and that worked out well for me. Over Christmas break I plan on looking through some of my old East Carolina projects and seeing what else I can come up with.

You all have a good Tuesday! Jen

Mural

I finished up the pillow-tile mural this weekend. Here it is before I was almost all done. Pretty cool thing I think. I always marvel at those people who make stuff like this and look...I did it! ( Of course, I still have to get it through the kiln...)Here are my new covered jars. The tops reminded me ( before the final went on..) of the middle of flower petals so that was kind of my inspiration for these. We'll how how the public at the next show likes these.

...and finally, Joey has taken to snatching the camera and ambushing me at what seems to be the most unflattering times. Which in a way is funny...well amazing to him. He fallows me around saying " Smile..you look fine?" Usually I'm running out the door or working sort of in a state of panic or stress. Yesterday I was just kind of tired and ready for a break. I was thinking around the Christmas season we all get this way. Lots to take care of and do to get ready for the endless amount of show we all sign up for.

Today Mckenna went back to the doctors. We are on day 8 of the H1n1. Her flu has turned into the croup and of course we needed to take care of that before it goes further down into her lungs. I was a little stressed out about more days of this illness but than I just realized that its not worth the worry and I just do what I can do. Maybe less dishes will get done, or we'll be having some cereal a few nights for dinner but it will all be Ok. It always is and since she has requested Christmas music to listen to today while she draws, everything seems to be going quite nicely...just rolling along.

Ah yes...some photo's

As promised some quick photo's and commentary to go along..... Here are those oval dishes I posted a few rows back. The brown on the bottom is the Terra Sigg. I'm really trying to make this stuff work with my pots and glaze...its sort of hard but I'm thinking, thinking, thinking about it every time...

Here's a cream and sugar tray. I'm into the little feet!

This is the covered pot idea that sort of pulled my in another direction yesterday. I did get back on track this evening and back to my list. I worked a little more on my tiles mural and threw some flower blocks. Here is one of my big urns. I haven't gotten the other one in the kiln yet. As you can see the terra sigg is at the bottom with some glaze accents. I neglected to add stain to the covering here so that really isn't working for me and I guess that is good thing because......to top part of this huge pot has two cracks where I cut the edge. So sad...but, since these are new, things like that I think happen for a reason until I work out the other glaze/decoration bugs.

And finally below here just some happy mugs. I won't to throw more SO bad, but alas, I have other things before more mugs on my list so I need to just keep going with that...drats!

I'm Here!

I just realized when I went to post some photo's that I didn't have my card in the camera and the cable is now where to be found.......soooo..so much for some shots of my pots!

I did unload a kiln this week. Some good stuff, some stuff that wants to be re fired. I have also been able to get in the studio a bit more. Joey had to stay home today because I think this "stuff" we all had is slowly getting him as well. I am happy to report that all the kids ( knock on wood) are on the mend including myself.

I have my "eye on the prize" this coming week to really push myself in the studio. The CDC is only a week in 1/2 away!! I was in the studio this evening and even though I have a list in front of me of what I need to make, I got side tracked on these covered jars that popped into my head today. Will my mind ever stay on track?

I'll take new photo's tomorrow and I promise I'll get the card in the camera this time around!

I thought you all would like a little Psychedelic Fur's for a Friday "chill" song. Enjoy a little "Ghost in you".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RQd2JyXF1E&feature=related

Show Post-poned

Lisa Oakley and I have decided to post-pone our holiday open house this weekend. Lisa is home sick with kids as well as myself. In someways I sort of have to chuckle about this because it really shows how two Mommies who are also craftspeople have to just put our little one's first before this career we have chosen. It just way to hard to get out to your studio to work when you have a little person inside who just wants you to sit with them and read them a book. Both Lisa and I also have husbands who work away from home so even though our "Better-halves" help out a great deal, they don't work from home and we don't have the option of a few hours of trade between being nurse-maid and craftsmen.

So, we plan on having a Spring show together. Both of us hope that we'll be able to get enough work together now for the Carolina Designer Craftsmen show we will be attending Thanksgiving weekend.

I have a glaze kiln that I'm unloading today so I'll have some finished work to show everyone! Yah!!

And the flu goes on....

These little play dough cups where the only pots that got made today. Actually even though all three children where sick today and I was a little "wiggy-headed" myself, I managed to get my kiln load glazed and stacked today. Joey was awesome and stayed home to help with running everyone to the doctor and getting all the tama-flu and essentials for the long week ahead of us. Here are the pitchers I promised from my last post.

These where the start of little trays and some cream and sugar holders as well. They are all done now...but I know sometimes its nice to see pots in various stages of development.

This Sunday I spent time in the chicken-coop down the road trying to get some good Hen House shots. Coming up with interesting postcards is a new thing for me. Chickens are just so cool I couldn't pass up the opportunity to take some up close photo's of them. I wanted them to peek the gift box but after about a 1/2 taking many photo's of them, this is about as close as they wanted to get. I gave Joey all the artistic licence with the photo's to come up with a cool postcard for my home show. Stay tuned and we'll see what he comes up with!
I'm off to take more Tylenol.

Monday....

I unloaded a bisque today and played nurse maid to our girls. (I'm not feeling to hot either!)

I may be a bit absent from the blogging this week but you never know....I did take a nice photo of some pitchers I finished up this weekend. Maybe in the morning, I'll down load them and share!
Jen

Saturday...

The kids and I whipped up a quick birthday cake for Joey this afternoon. Nothing like homemade birthday cake! Those cheap, sugar letters are always a hit with anyone under the age of ...well...20? I had left-over Halloween green skull plates for the "theme" of our party. Here is what I did the rest of the day......
Worked on pitchers, bowls and some oval serving boats below. I even got a bisque kiln loaded. Tomorrow I'll add some handles and finish the boats. Next on the list are olive dishes, cream and sugars and maybe the start of some flower blocks. On Tuesday I will need to start the glazing stage so I can be ready for the home sale I"m doing in Charlotte next weekend. Hope the computer doesn't call me away this week from all my studio work!

New Location

We celebrated a little bit this fine Friday evening. Lark and Key, a gallery that represents my work along with several of my other pottery pals, moved to a new location in Charlotte. Joey also turns another "shade" of 40 tomorrow...so we needed a night on the town which is always an event with three little children in toe. We did manage to survive the car ride to Charlotte, the opening and some good Mexican food. I had pumpkin/spice beer which was really needed after the week I had. Everyone conked out in the car on the way home and here I am catching up on emails while Joey enjoys some couch time and a movie. I'm really looking forward to a nice sunny weekend and a lot of studio time.Wish me luck! Today we pretty productive so I think I'm on a roll. I think I may even tackle a birthday cake for Daddy with the girls!

Enjoy some photo's of our night below. I"m not sure my phone takes the best photo's but Joey and Quaid had fun playing with it this evening!

Quaid looking at Charlotte Foust's work. I love her stuff!A view into the new gallery.

Here is Amy Sanders and myself....and kids in toe. That is Amy little boy Guthrie and my two below. Looks like Amy and I are in a pretty heavy conversation about babies, motherhood and pots I'm sure.

Exhausting day....

I had an exhausting day with my online students. I had planned on a whole morning and part of the mid-day in the studio but found that I had to race back and forth to the computer all morning with student issues and complaints. Thank goodness this evening all my little one's went to bed on time so I could get out and work some more. That was a treat!

I've realized over the last two years that emails can really be upsetting if not written correctly. This issue has been played out a lot in my life lately. You always hear something different than what is really being written. I wonder what kind of effect this is going on have on our younger generations who only know the Internet as a form of communication? HUUUUUUMMMMMM

At any rate, I did get some work done in the studio today. Soup bowls, tumblers and I stated to stain some of my pieces for the bisque kiln. I'm hoping tomorrow that everything with my students will have died down and I can get some uninterrupted time being creative. We'll see!

In the process of...

Oh the site of mugs, could anything make a potter more happy! I'm working away on several things. I plan on making a bunch of drinking vessels this season because I have this really cool new display unit being made. If you recall I had bought a CD holder at IKEA a while back to use for my display but it didn't really work for me. So, the perks of working at a University is all the hungry grad students around who need money and are willing to use their skills and talents to help out. I found a very nice woodworking student who is currently helping me out with some of my display issues. This is SO exciting to me! Forget making the pots, its all about your display at a certain point in your career. ( I say this with zeal and much enthusiasm...surely someone out there can relate to this!) Anyways...I plan on having a bunch of different mugs to fill my new display unit.

Here are some large bowls under wraps drying.

These tall vases seem to be very popular these days. I've been sort of obsessed with getting my handles to match up just right, not only with each other but with the cuts I have on the tops of these pieces. I love the fact that I still find new things that need improvements in my work.

I love this "gal" here, look at those hands on her hips!

Goblins a foot!

Quaid went as a Star Wars "wookie" with red glowing eyes....I of course could not resist the devil horns this year!
I just got in from finishing up spriging a bunch of stuff.....What a weekend and most of it I"m thankful to report was spent in my studio with NPR, Noah Jones, Cold play and a host of other great musical artists.


Aydan...my little turtle.Halloween was a little off this year. We got some rain which threw us into a little bit of frenzy. I didn't get as many "spooktacular" photo's this year as in years past. I may have bribe the kids with more candy next weekend just to put on their costumes again! ( First I guess I'm going to have to let them eat all they got last night.) No matter if it rains or not, its always a good Holiday. Now the race is on for the finish line.....December. I know everyone else out there is doing the same!

Tomorrow will be some photo's of white pots in various stages.

Mckenna, the princess vampire!

Home show in Charlotte

I was asked again by my glass friend Lisa Oakley to join her for a home show here in Charlotte. Her sister in law, Claire Oakley is hosted it and it is near the South Park area of town.

You can see more information about Lisa by just visiting the site for Cedar Creek Gallery. Lisa has a wonderful sense of humor and I enjoy having a chance to hang out with her, admire her glass work and have many good laughs...all while selling some pots! Friends in the craft world need to stick together and I always enjoy opportunities like this one where I get to visit with an old friend.

Today I enjoyed some pancakes with my pottery pals Amy, Ron and Julie. Julie ( Wiggins..that is) will soon have a web page and I think even a blog! The three of us have been encouraging her in this direction and she announced this morning that she's working on a site! YEAH....another good soul to add to the blogging community.

I did spend the whole day with my Mommy cap on. This evening I got a few things done and tomorrow I'm hoping for a really productive day before all the spooks and goblins come out!

Quick update on the week...

I just got in from class. Wish I had some photo's to download, but I don't. I've been working on my tiles, bowls, large vases, bottles and mugs. The tiles I sort of put on the side mid-week because I realized I have a show coming up in two weeks and not a whole lot to sell. YIKES!!!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow morning because I'm meeting some of my pottery "peeps" for breakfast and I'm sure pottery talk. I have to be near the kids school for most of the day because I'm the room mom for Quaids Halloween party. The adventures never end!

As you know....I can not wait for this weekend. I LOVE when my kids dress-up. I'm also hoping the Daddy is going to take them a good old fashion field trip for most of Saturday so I can lock myself away in my wonderland of clay.

You all have a good Friday! Jen

Cool Invitation

Last week a got a neat invitation via Facebook.

A potter by the name of Jeremy Randall found me on the web and asked me if I would be interested in having my work in a gallery called Imagine That, in Skaneateles New York. If you recall..this is where I was for vacation this summer with my family. This town is only about 30 minutes from where I grew up and is a wonderful tourist location in central NewYork. Jeremy had no idea I was from that area so when I said "YES" and told him my back ground, he was pretty excited. Here is one of Jeremy pots! Pretty cool stuff!

So nice to have a new gallery and it will be my first in the State of New York. Ye-ha!

Monday in the studio

I'm working on what seems like a 100 tiles. Here are some boxed up so they don't dry out before all the other one's are finished. I have them stashed all over my studio in plastic bags and cartons. I have to make a bunch because I need to make sure all the one's for the mural are pretty level. These pillow tiles that I make tend to vary in "puffiness". (I guess that is the best way to describe it.) I'll just use the ones that don't fit in the grouping for my regular production and this way nothing will be wasted. Back to making more families of bottles.

Today Mckenna was home sick from school. She spent time on a little towel before her doctors appointment coloring Tweetie birds for all her friends at school. We had a nice day together and I am happy to report that she'll be back at school in the morning. I'll miss her little company but I really need to get crackin' in my studio!

You oughta' where shades..

Today I spent most of the morning with Quaid at Sam's club getting his vision checked out as well as my own. Can you believe this was my first time ever seeing an eye doctor? The verdict did come back that I need some spectacles when I'm reading and here at the computer...or just doing any kind of activity up close. Yet another sign of the impending truth that I'm aging.

So, Quaid and I did a little fashion show for each other and tried on a number of different styles. Quaid of course went for the practical frames that would not slide down his nose anymore and I felt like a babe lost in the woods with all the various occupations I could pass for with just a different style of frame! I've found the my 8 year old boy is my most honest and truest critic when it comes to dressing his Mom. If he laughs and I know I'm way far off and if something just doesn't look good he'll honestly tell me "Mom, that's just not you". In the end I found a nice pair of Liz Claiborne frames in black and we'll see how they work.

I've had a lot of needy students online this week who have kept me from my normal amount of time in the studio. Today I got a lot done and I"m getting ready to go back out this evening. The tiles are coming along and the design has been changed a bit for my mural piece. Hopefully I'll have something to show you around Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Hen House....Home

Just a quick post to say that the Hen House Sale that I loved putting together and doing with my gal friends here in York had to scale down a bit this year. Its going to be at my house!

I haven't had a home sale for about 2 years so although we won't have as many folks with us, Colleen, Mary Anna and I had to find a place super quick for the Hen's to go. So, here we will be on December 5th, which is a Sunday. ( Personally I think this is a wonderful day to shop for Christmas gifts). And we'll be here for most of the day along with a few goodies but some local folks here in York.

Please mark your calendar and plan to come say HI. Now that my kitchen has a new floor, we are not so embarrassed to have quests over!

I'll post more about this soon along with a map.

Out to work on some tiles. Have a good middle of week day!