"She's so clever!"

Reproducing a Victorian tile fireplace - No. 5

2012-01-30T22:27:00.002-05:00

Jumping right in here.....as though my last post was only yesterday!


Here are my favorite tools to carve with. They range in cost from $3 to around $36. The wooden handed tools are available in any craft or pottery shop and are easily replaced, but these are the same ones that I've been using for over 30 years. I keep a sharpening stone nearby and sharpen them when they need it. I've also changed the shape of the carving end of some of them to fit my needs. The stainless steel ones are sold as plaster carving tools and are more recent additions to my tool kit, probably 10-12 years old. I wrap them in soft adhesive backed felt that I buy in the foot care section of the pharmacy. The steel ones really needed a larger, padded area to hold comfortably.

I use this beak tool to start the edge carving depth. Holding it upright gives a perfectly angled edge so that there isn't an undercut that will grab the plaster.


With a square edge in place I carve around the edges of the tile image.


Using one of my angled steel tools I start to carve away the wax surrounding the tile.

The blank now has about an inch of blank border space around the whole "tile area", with the "tile" raised about 1/8" to 3/16" higher than the border. This gives me enough space to easily set up my plaster frames around the design.


Here's the wax with the recessed border. I've also cut around the traced image and carved away most of the background. I find the first step of getting the wax ready for the actual carving of the decorative tile very meditative. It also prepares me for the actual carving, as I think about the style and design as I prepare the blank.

Carving and plaster pouring is up next!

How I reproduce Victorian Tiles - Part #4

2011-11-20T12:34:00.001-05:00

Thanks for your patience in waiting for this post - life has a funny way of side tracking things. So - I have the image, I have the blank wax, now to get them together for their blind date!

I lay the image onto the blank wax and secure it with tape on either sides. This keeps the image from slipping as I trace the details.

I use a square to trace around the edges, keeping them as true as possible.

Then I trace the details, using a ballpoint pen and firm pressure. I want the marks to be visible on the wax, as I use them as a starting point to carve the details.

Using a pen also lets me see if I've missed any details in the drawing.

And, just in case there are missing details, I untape only one side of the image and check the wax. If there are any parts of the image that I've missed, I can still lay the paper back down and have it line up, as the other side is taped in place.

Here's the finished tracing image on the wax. This is my starting point for carving.

Next I'll show you how I carve the recessed edge for the mould and you'll get a peek at my favorite carving tools.

Part 3 of Reproducing a Victorian Tile.

2011-11-09T19:14:00.000-05:00

Ok - I've got the original tile, or at least a photo of what needs to be carved. I've formatted the image to a larger size to compensate for the shrinkage of the clay body. Now I need the materials for creating a reproduction of the tile. There are many different materials that can be used to create the master tile that moulds will be made from. Some include clay, plasticine, plaster, beeswax, jeweler's wax.....I prefer "holy wax".

My Mom helps clean her church - St. Augustine's in Lansingburgh, NY - and has been saving the candle discards for me for 30 years now.

I have many, many, many boxes of candles of all shapes and sizes - but a LOT of these partially used vigil tapers.

I use this great old electric pot to melt my wax in, and set it at about 200* F to melt the wax. There's always some "starter" wax in the bottom left over from the last pour.

I add more candles to fill the pot up about 1/2 way full. It's about a quart of wax altogether.

I use a wooden kabob stick to stir the wax - everything melts together in about 10 minutes.

At this point I usually add a red candle to color the diluted wax. It took me about a year to decide what color I liked to carve the best. A light "emberglow" seems to be the easiest and most soothing on my eyes. I used to carve a light tone of lavender, but the wax moved itself towards more honeysuckle tones all by itself, and I let it go where it wanted to. I did discover early on that blue and green didn't work for me at all. And - never, ever, ever, add scented candles to the mix - big mistake.

When the wax is just about all melted I add stearic acid - about 1/2 cup to 1 quart of wax - but try it out for yourself to find the mix you like. It makes for a harder, more durable wax (but it won't save the wax from melting in the mid-day sun...so if your head is made of it, watch out.....inside joke for my dear husband). Also - if you leave your wax carving on the dashboard of your car - it WILL melt.

Pulling out the wicks from the melted candles.

I pour my wax, and have been for 30 odd years - into this enameled pan. It has a very smooth surface and is easy to level when I pour the wax into it. I heat it up over the hot wax for 3-4 minutes, so that when I pour the wax into the pan it melts smoothly onto the surface rather than cooling immediately and leaving pouring marks. Learned that one the hard way.

I lay the pan onto paper or cardboard, which helps to insulate it from cooling too quickly.

I unplug the electric pot and slowly pour the wax into the pan.

The wax is transparent until it begins to cool. At this point I level the pan out with folded pieces of paper. The black line around the pan has always served as a great leveling line.

I usually let the wax sit overnight to cool. It becomes opaque as it cools, and pulls away from the pan slightly. If I want to carve the same day, I'll put the pan with the somewhat solidified wax into the refrigerator or freezer. Cooling the wax quickly creates a very interesting textured look and feel to the back surface, but I prefer a nice smooth back. I always carve from the front - or the surface that has been against the enameled pan.

The wax just pops right out of the pan.

Almost as good as a large slab of dark chocolate...this baby is ready to be carved upon!

So - there you have it. Now that you know how to prepare a slab of wax for carving..what are you waiting for? Send me photos of your wax slab and what you're working on, I'd love to see!

Next up - I might have to add a bit of somewhat related art history here...or maybe I'll just jump right into the thick of it with the tools I use and how I start the art.

Stay tuned!

Reproducing a fireplace tile - part 2 - formatting the image

2011-11-07T20:06:00.000-05:00

As I walk you through the process of reproducing a Victorian tile, I'll try not to leave any of the steps out - which I'm finding is actually hard for me since I zip through the first steps without much thought!

Scanning the tiles.

After cleaning the tile to see the details, I scan the tile to Photoshop, where I need to increase the size of the image by the amount that the clay will shrink after glaze firing. Our clay body shrinks 10%, so that's what I increase the image by. Then I print the image out to use as a starting guide for my wax carving.

Scanned image increased in size by 10%.

I've also cut and pasted the image at the bottom as a guide for making corners. Since the clients didn't have any corners in their original fireplace set, and I can't find an image of the original tiles anywhere, I'll be designing them myself. It always adds a nice detail to have the design wrap the edges.

At the carving table with image and original tiles.

At this point I get to head over to my carving area - my most creative and challenging spot in the whole building. As I look at the photo and the original tile, my brain begins to tell my hand how to carve it......no, not that way, this way....watch out, not too deep, make it a smoother line....

Wow, I'm glad that internal dialogue doesn't really exist!

The 10% shrinkage that I'm compensating for.

So now that the formatting is all done.....I need a nice clean piece of wax to carve the design into. Join me tomorrow when we visit with Madame Tussaud and get the secrets of making great wax!

Anatomy of Recreating a Victorian Tile

2011-11-05T11:06:00.000-04:00

We've been recreating Victorian and Craftsman style fireplaces for 32 years now, and it is one of my favorite things to do. I thought it would be fun to walk you through the process from start to finish on this project....so here's the start of it!

Original tiles from fireplace hearth

It all starts with either an e-mail or phone call from a potential customer, inquiring about the process and costs involved. We need to see the tile in question, to get an idea of complexity of carving and glaze matching. An e-mailed photo is OK, but we really need to have an actual tile in hand to make a good reproduction.

Close-up of original tile detail

The original tiles are usually covered in dirt and grime, and have the highest raised details worn off through the glaze and clay surfaces. I start with a good scrub with a plastic scrubby using just soap and water. If the tiles have been painted or varnished over, I use a wooden rib to scrap those off the surface.

After cleaning and re-firing the original tile

After cleaning the tile I re-fire it in the kiln to a very low temperature to burn off the debris that has absorbed into the unglazed clay body of the tile.


Above - an original tile / Below - an original tile cleaned and re-fried

Next up - Scanning the tile and reformatting for carving.

November Treasury

2011-11-01T09:06:00.000-04:00

Thanks, tookies, for including me in your lovely treasury!!

The End of October

2011-10-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, I Am Startled Out of Myself,

by Barbara Crooker

like this morning, when the wild geese came squawking,
flapping their rusty hinges, and something about their trek
across the sky made me think about my life, the places
of brokenness, the places of sorrow, the places where grief
has strung me out to dry. And then the geese come calling,
the leader falling back when tired, another taking her place.
Hope is borne on wings. Look at the trees. They turn to gold
for a brief while, then lose it all each November.
Through the cold months, they stand, take the worst
weather has to offer. And still, they put out shy green leaves
come April, come May. The geese glide over the cornfields,
land on the pond with its sedges and reeds.
You do not have to be wise. Even a goose knows how to find
shelter, where the corn still lies in the stubble and dried stalks.
All we do is pass through here, the best way we can.
They stitch up the sky, and it is whole again.

"Sometimes, I Am Startled Out of Myself," by Barbara Crooker, from Radiance. © Word Press, 2005. Reprinted without permission, but I hope Barbara doesn't mind because this poem really struck me the moment I read it.(buy now)

As October comes to a close, a snow storm approaches - Hello Winter. No one can hold back the changes of the earth, no one can hold back the changes in one's life.

Autumn in the Northeast

2011-10-16T12:42:00.000-04:00


Out my studio window

Fall in upstate New York is a wonderfully colorful time of the year. Nature is slowing it's productive phase and getting ready for it's winter nap, but the oncoming chill always creates an excitement and anticipation of winter in me. It's the change I love so much.

We planted this sugar maple to celebrate Harry's 10th birthday...he just turned 21!

The milk weed seeds are ready to fly!

One of the things that fall ushers in is the celebration of Halloween, which I always have enjoyed. The costumes, the parties, the candy, the candy, the candy! I've been making small skeleton ornaments for a while now, and although they sell all year around in my Etsy shop, I especially like them this time of year.

Mrs. Fancy Skeleton

Skeleton Pirate Magnet

Fancy Skeleton with Tophat who wants to PARTY!

Enjoy the brilliant colors before they disappear!!

The Cabinet of Curiosities

2011-10-03T22:35:00.003-04:00

Ludolf Backhuizen I
Dutch, 1630–1708
Personification of Amsterdam Riding in Neptune's Chariot, from the Set of Seascapes, 1701
Etching
Gift of Gail A. Donson, Class of 1963

Last Saturday Don and I headed out to Cornell for a birthday visit with our son, Harry. It's a beautiful campus to explore and we always make sure to see what the current exhibits are in the Johnson Museum of Art. We were lucky enough to catch the last day of the exhibit titled "The New and Unknown World: Art, Exploration, and Trade in the Dutch Golden Age"
"During the seventeenth century, the young Dutch Republic rose to maritime and mercantile predominance, sending ships to trade around the globe. This exhibition brings together many material signs of the famous Dutch East India Company’s international success, including trade goods from China, Japan, and India, as well as documenting the appearance and significance of these items in art produced back in the Netherlands. The exhibition also presents the thirst for knowledge about the peoples, flora, and fauna of these far-flung areas as reflected in illustrated books and maps created by artists and scientists who sailed on Dutch voyages of trade and colonization. The exhibition’s centerpiece is a re-created cabinet of curiosities, which arranges European artworks and antiquities side by side with natural rarities (including seashells, mounted bird specimens, and even a narwhal horn) to acknowledge the way in which natural marvels of all descriptions were integrated with human accomplishments into the early modern system of understanding the world."

I was especially taken with the recreation of the Cabinet of Curiosities, and what having a "Room of Rarities" signified.

Shells, sketch books, pottery, and an armadillo

Shell sketch book

Shells, bones, pottery from other cultures, butterflies

Bird drawings and feathers

I have my own Cabinet of Curiosities that I'll share with you sometime soon!

Inspiration

2011-09-30T10:26:00.001-04:00

Dry Ice Pits on Mars
Image Credit: HiRISE,MRO,LPL (U. Arizona),NASA

Who wouldn't be inspired by such an image? The inherent beauty of the forms, textures, and colors instill such wonder in me at the natural occurrence of these magnificent landscapes, that I ponder the definition of "GOD". I believe that one can find the greatest religion through the explorations of science.

Thanks to Astronomy Picture of the Day for my daily ponderings on the meaning of life!

September Epiphany

2011-09-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

e·piph·a·ny

noun, plural -nies.

( initial capital letter ) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day.

an appearance or manifestation, especially of a deity.

a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

I doodle in my sketchbook all the time, as it sits just to the right of my wacom tablet. Chatting on the phone, waiting for photos to upload to my computer, simply responding to my day dreamy impulses....nothing amazing or frameable ever comes of it. But when I made this little absent minded sketch - at the moment I drew that intersection, I was somewhere else. My simple description of it doesn't give it the impact it had. For that fleeting moment I felt some kind of perfect truth, not just in my mind, but in my gut.

I had an epiphany!

I tried to think of historical forms that I've seen in the past that created such a feeling and the first one that came to mind was this one.

It resides in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, and although I walk through this room often, this time it just wouldn't let me walk away.

A strange and wonderful thing, epiphanies are, and I'm glad I had the presence of mind to revel in it for the few moments that it presented itself to me.

Front Page on Etsy!!

2011-09-26T08:53:00.000-04:00

Thank you, Marietta, for making this great treasury list! It's been a while since I've made it to the Front Page of Etsy, and even though it was at around 3 a.m., and didn't generate any sales, it's still my 5 minutes of Etsy fame!

Saturday Song of the Day 9/24/11

2011-09-24T22:42:00.000-04:00

I told you that I'd get this song stuck in my head....that's OK...because it's just so great! Enjoy!

September Treasury Favorite - "My Dreams in Teal"

2011-09-19T10:26:00.000-04:00

Here's a lovely treasury made by SilverLinesJewelry

My Trick and Treat Serving Dishes

2011-09-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

The weather is changing, fall is on it's way, and I'm filled with the creative air that autumn always brings to me. I'm loving the new slab bowls and plates that I'm making, and playing with decals has been fun, fun, fun.

Who wouldn't love to have a serving bowl with a large spider illustration?

This spider web dish is the perfect way to serve up some tasty treats with a hidden trick!

You can find them all in my Etsy shop. More will be added soon....stay tuned!!

September 19th is "Talk Like A Pirate Day"!!

2011-09-06T22:45:00.000-04:00

Well, it's getting to be that time of year again....yes, "Talk Like A Pirate Day" is fast approaching - will you be ready?????

Ahoy and Avast ye mateys!

You can find some very snappy pirates in my Etsy shop!

This little guy would love to hold all those important papers on your fridge!!

September

2011-09-01T10:42:00.002-04:00

September
by Linda Pastan

it rained in my sleep
and in the morning the fields were wet

I dreamed of artillery
of the thunder of horses

in the morning the fields were strewn
with twigs and leaves

as if after a battle
or a sudden journey

I went to sleep in the summer
I dreamed of rain

in the morning the fields were wet
and it was autumn

"September" by Linda Pastan, from Carnival Evening: New and Selected Poems 1968-1998. © W.W. Norton & Company, 2009. Reprinted without permission, but I hope she doesn't mind because it's such a lovely poem and I enjoyed reading it and really wanted to share it in my world. (buy now)


The Wars of Ashurbanipal

The empire inherited by Ashurbanipal (668-627 BC) extended from northern Egypt to the borders of Iran. The main campaigns fought during his reign were recorded on wall panels in his throne room and elsewhere.

When I read this poem many visuals come to mind. Change seems the overwhelming theme, both violent as in war and subtle as waking from sleep. As the earth changes seasons, so does ones life, both linked in time. I watch the leaves drop from the tree outside my window and wonder how my life will play with the new season approaching. I look forward to the swimming of my life and dreams.

Sharpie's new fabric markers at "Art in the Park"

2011-08-30T21:34:00.001-04:00

I love being on the Sharpie Squad and using all things Sharpie!

Sharpie has just released a great new fabric marker that has a brush tip and is perfect for creating original works of art on most fabric surfaces.

I decided that the perfect venue to help introduce this new marker would be at the "Art in the Park" event at Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs.

I set up a table next to our own tile booth and had free t-shirts and packs of the new markers to give away to kids who wanted to create an original t-shirt design.

Miriam, another artist who was exhibiting at the show, was the first Sharpie artist of the day!

A very enthusiastic young artist creates a fireworks and shooting star design.

Sharpie made this young lady smile!

BFF's


3 t-shirts, 3 happy young artists!

Inspired by the Carousel!

Scenes from Saratoga Springs

Not just a talented artist, but a very talented step dancer, too!

It was a beautiful day with a lot of very happy Sharpie lovers. I'll be posting some of my own Sharpie art soon, so stay tuned!!

Colin Hay at Universal Preservation Hall

2011-08-24T23:32:00.000-04:00

Don and I treated ourselves to a live concert tonight at the Universal Preservation Hall in Saratoga and it was great. Colin Hay performed a selection of old and new songs accompanied only by one of his four guitars. He's a very entertaining story teller with a bit of a warped sense of humor, and has some very funny stories to tell. His powerful voice and great vocal range coupled with a very pleasant evening breeze that found it's way through the open side windows of the hall made it a wonderful evening.

I love the painted performance area of the old church.

He opened with "Land Down Under".

He told some stories about playing with Ringo Starr's band and wondered what would happen if Jesus was in your band and was a bad drummer...what would you say to him if he screwed up......"Hey Jesus...that was terrible, can you try that again?"

The stage with his 4 guitars.

Take a listen to "Waiting for my real life to begin"

Summertime 2011

2011-08-21T13:39:00.001-04:00

Yes, this summer has flown by. Here are just a few highlights - more to follow soon!

"The last of Summer is Delight --
Deterred by Retrospect.
'Tis Ecstasy's revealed Review --
Enchantment's Syndicate.

To meet it -- nameless as it is --
Without celestial Mail --
Audacious as without a Knock
To walk within the Veil."
- Emily Dickinson, The Last of Summer is Delight

End of the Polliwog adventure as I set the last frog free.

First sunflower that blooms is a re-seeded one!

At the Saratoga Racetrack with William and Harry. I kid you not - how royal is that?

And They're Off! Don was the big winner with Cascadilla Falls. Named after a waterfalls in Ithaca, it was a sure bet!

Harry and Don.

A lovely day in Congress Park in downtown Saratoga Springs with the Illis clan, Bob, and Bruce and Harriett.

My garden.

A cicada shell on a tree in the garden - they are LOUD this year!

Abbey the Cat.

Full Moon Shadow!

2011-07-15T16:53:00.000-04:00

What an amazing moon there was last night. The calendar says that tonight is the official full moon, but I couldn't find the missing pieces of last night's moon as I stood out under it's reflected light! Jaye tells me that it's the "Buck moon", the Farmer's Almanac says "The Full Buck Moon – July is normally the month when the new antlers of buck deer push out of their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, for the reason that thunderstorms are most frequent during this time. Another name for this month’s Moon was the Full Hay Moon."
You can call it anything you'd like....just go outside and enjoy it!

Using my tripod and a long exposure - the moon over the back field.

Pulled in and longer exposure.

A bit longer exposure and the clouds are brilliant.

Don makes shadow monsters.

Soaking up the moon shadow!

Handmade Top 10 Team Challenge

2011-06-28T22:38:00.001-04:00

Handmadeology is currently running a contest on their Handmade top 10 site. It is open to all Etsy Teams and the Etsy Mud Team has entered with currently 168 pieces and 35,610 votes as of right now!

This is the advertising that is up for grabs for the winning team.

1. The winning Etsy Team will get Handmadeology’s largest advertising package.

This will include:

* 3 month 250X250 ad space right on every page of the blog
* 1 spotlight feature article that will go out to our 150k+ readers per month
* 10 Twitter blasts across our entire network (50 total)
* 10 Facebook shares on our network of fan pages (30 total)
* Backlink Building Package (exclusive to top Handmadeology sponsors)

2. The winning Etsy Team will get special access to our top selling social media bundle in our Etsy shop. This bundle sells for $24 and every team member will be able to pick it up for only $5.

So please visit the Etsy Mud Team list and vote for your favorite pieces! And don't forget to share it around!

Lovely June Treasury on Etsy

2011-06-21T08:57:00.001-04:00

'O C E A N' by marbled

Specimen Crystal Stacke... elseetee2 $55.00	GreenWitch Natural Perf... IlluminatedPer... $8.00
Teal Green Swirled Lamp... GlitzGlitter $39.00	A New Day. early winter... zuppaartista $32.00
Aqua Green Recycled Gla... madebymoe $28.00	Oceans Melody Rose Ring... lizhutnick $13.50
GeNESiS original abstra... linneaheide $300.00	FisH Named RoXi ... Gir... buttuglee $45.00
leaning tree - 8x10 fin... LaloveBenedict $24.00	la mer appelle.....An E... DragonflyCove $10.00
NYS Fossil - Eurypterus... lesperancetile $18.00	JELLYFISH Tshirt Vintag... nonfictiontees $20.00
Gaialai-Lampwork - Ocea... gaialai $22.00	The Little Mermaid Neck... roomofyourown $29.00
Grassy Field. Hand Embr... merriweatherco... $45.00	Mare...Turquoise blue a... Textilemonster $16.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Delta Blues Night at Saratoga Arts

2011-06-12T22:17:00.002-04:00

Last night Don and I enjoyed a full evening of Blues as part of the SaratogaArtFest 2011. It was a very rainy evening, but there were still a lot of people on Broadway in Saratoga with their ArtsPass present!

First off was the film "Delta Rising" - here's a trailer of it. If you get a chance to see it - you should - I highly recommend it!

After the film director Laura Bernieri talked a bit about making the film. She just won the Director's award from the Beverly Hills Film Festival. Then there were boxed dinners from Saratoga's famous Hattie's Restaurant, which were delicious - fried chicken, coleslaw and biscuits...what could be better than that?

Next up was a concert by Saratoga's "Street Corner Holler", with much foot tapping, and chair dancing! Here's a sample of their sound, with the song "Kokomo Blues". Enjoy!!

Well, it's onto the glaze color for next year's ArtsPass!!

SaratogaArtsFest!!

2011-06-11T13:34:00.004-04:00

The annual SaratogaArtsFest is in full swing today and no amount of rain showers can dampen it's spirit!! Last night's performance by Triple Play was amazing, made doubly so with appearances by Chris Brubeck's dad, Dave, and Joel Brown's father, jazz clarinetist Frank Brown. This was my first visit to the Arthur Zankel Music Center at Skidmore College, completed 18 months ago....why has it taken me so long to get over there???

We've made the ArtsPass since it's inception 5 years ago, and this year I was really pleased to see so many people in one place wearing our creation. This year's color is turquoise, or as Pantone has labeled it "Lagoon".

Ken, Nan, Me, Sara, and Dave proudly displaying this year's ARTSPASS.

Close-up of the ARTSPASS -
designed by Christianne Smith of DesignsmithStudio
beads and silk cord from Linda Schrade's Saratoga Beads

Tonight we're headed off to

Delta Blues Night at Saratoga Arts

6:00 p.m.: Delta Rising (film screening)

Delta Rising is a fascinating film that documents the history of the blues, and more specifically, the birthplace of the blues, Clarksdale, Mississippi. With its abundance of blues clubs and museums, Clarksdale makes a legitimate claim for being the birthplace of the blues, a claim that is supported by the testimony of blues heavyweights. Featuring new interviews with, and performance footage of Morgan Freeman, Willie Nelson, Pinetop Perkins, Charlie Musselwhite, Mose Allison, Ruby Wilson and others.

7:25 p.m.: Dinner is Served!
Enjoy a box dinner of Hattie's Southern fried chicken (two pieces), cranberry cole slaw, and a biscuit with your Delta Blues!

7:45 p.m.: Delta Blues from Street Corner Holler (concert)
Street Corner Holler are traditionalists, but you won't find an academic bone in their bodies. With its raw, fearless, righteous mix of swamp boogie, buzzsaw blues and delta stomp, the street-corner sound of Mark Tolstrup and Dale Haskell has been honed to grab the audience as they try to stroll by. It's all achingly beautiful and haunting, music played with such honesty and abandon that you want to stay up til dawn.

9:15 p.m.: Open Blues Jam led by Saratoga Acoustic Blues Society
Bring your guitar or harmonica and stay after the concert for a round-robin jam session with Saratoga's own Acoustic Blues Society.

I'll let you know how much we enjoyed it tomorrow!!

But for now I'll leave you with a little of what we heard last night at the Triple Play concert - so good!!

Night Swimming

2011-06-10T11:29:00.003-04:00

Synchronicity is a wonderful thing and I pay a lot of attention to those events that make strange and interesting connections. Our son Harry has excellent taste in music - I say so becasue I really like his choices for the mixed CDs that he makes for us. A recent gifted group of songs included REM's "Nightswimming", and somehow that song snuck unnoticed from my radar when it was released in 1993. Now it is stuck in my head, in a very good way. So today, when Etsy sent an e-mail loaded with treasuries with the theme "night swimming", I knew I just had to post a link to this great performance by REM along with one of the treasuries.

I hope you enjoy them!

'night swimming' by blackbirdtees

Fathoms - 8x8 photo ErinTyner $35.00	Oil Slick - Handmade Ir... JarosDesigns $
Sparkling Galaxy Druzy ... HouseThatCrowB... $75.00	Ghostfish fine art prin... studiomme $12.00
Smile -photo art earing... Raceytay $14.00	Cross bather minn0wbathers $135.00
Pine and cherry tree un... WinchesterLamb... $5.00	Polaroid Clock - How to... jerseymaids $55.00
Claylight Pendant - 5.5... lightexture $175.00	Peaceful Clarity Print StudioZen $20.00
EMBROIDERY HOOP ART Scr... sweetharvey $12.00	My delusions - Signed p... movezerb $19.00
aelalabbe $	The Stars Look Down Moxiedoll $110.00
Cosmic Tortilla 04 - Ne... LeiliDesign $45.00	black & white shore pos... treefox $50.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Thunderstorm!

2011-06-09T21:56:00.002-04:00

I do love storms - blizzards in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer. When I was a kid, my brother Chuck, our best friend Tom, and I would wait for the storm clouds to gather. Then we would set up cardboard boxes, grab umbrellas, and sit out in our backyard with the storm on top of us, feet drenched and shoulders hunched for protection. My Mom would yell out the back window for us to get inside, but we never could hear her......until after the best of the storm had passed.

I admit that we were very lucky and that it could easily have been a case of natural selection in action. But we're still here and I do love to stand with the door open watching the storm approach. Yesterday's storm approached quickly and ran away just as fast.

Take a peek and enjoy!

I don't know what it is....but it glows in the dark!!

2011-06-02T19:39:00.005-04:00

The other evening Don was mowing the lawn and somehow it got dark outside!? A tiny glowing dot caught his eye and, of course, he had to share it with me. I do love things that glow in the dark. I always have. When I was in 2nd grade I received a glow in the dark statue of the Madonna for being able to recite "The Lords Prayer" in Church School. In my personal search for that transcendental experience of being submersed in the glow of my Madonna figurine, I decided that leaving it on top of my bedroom lamp with the light bulb on, full glow saturation would be achieved. Sadly, that wasn't what happened, and the smell of melting plastic was impossible to clear from the house that night. Back to the bug.

I tried very hard to steady my hand to take a photo. Hand held wasn't the way to go, I know, but I was way too lazy to set up the tripod. So what looks like a full worm glowing is really just the tip of the insect reinterpreted with a shaky, long exposure. I do love that color!

And here's the little bugger the next day in the sunlight. Very cool, I think. I love the salmon pink color and shrimp-like appearance. A great color combination with it's neon green glow at night.

Here's a photo I found on the web - I think it's the same bug, but his one is a little more developed. My guess is that it's a glow worm. Anyone?

New Work - Ornament Tiles!

2011-06-01T20:38:00.002-04:00

I finally decided to experiment with an idea that I scribbled in my notebook at least 6 months ago - combining my decorative 4x4" tiles and my ornament tiles together by pressing the smaller mould into the larger tile. My very first pressings came out of the kiln a few weeks ago. I was able to sneak them into a production kiln, and I was so happy with the results that I've decided every kiln should have at least one experimental piece included!

Production kiln with 3x3" field in green and "Celtic Circles" in blue.

Two new "Ornament Tiles" on the bottom level of the tile crank.

"Celtic Circle" 4x4" decorative tile for a kitchen backsplash.

"Apple Blossoms with Sunflower" and "Twain Coral with Frog Drummer"

"Twain Coral with Frog Drummer"

I'll take photos of the process to show you how I make them in the next few days. You can find them for sale now, in my Etsy shop!

Sunshine and lilacs!

2011-05-21T09:42:00.003-04:00

Sunshine at last! We've had 7 straight days of rain - torrential at times - but the sun has finally decided to appear. When the lilac bush began to bloom last week, there were predictions of a week of non-stop rain. I look forward to the blooming of lilacs every year and this seemed as though a wash out was inevitable. Well, the sun is finally out and the fragrant scent is filling the air!

Soaking rains not only weighed the flowers down, but held their sweet scent close to the bloom.

Lavender against azure blue - a most pleasing and pleasant combination to the eye!

Memories of the tiny bottle of toilet water perfume that my Grandmother gave me when I was 12 are vivid. A small indigo blue glass bottle with a tiny gold metal cap that screwed off to reveal the scent of lilacs whenever I opened it.

Water that drenched the buds just a few hours ago still hold tight to the tips.

Perfection!

The Kiln Room at L'esperance Tile

2011-05-18T20:27:00.006-04:00

It's not always pretty, or completely organized, but the kiln room is certainly the hot spot of our ceramics studio. We love the heat source in the winter, but aren't as thrilled with the added temps in mid August.

Seven kilns rotate firings, depending on the size of the orders in our shop.

We have two separate electric services to our building, one is on a demand meter. We rotate our firings in the hopes of keeping it at only one - demand meters can add a substantial cost to the electricity that we buy.

We have kiln logs for each kiln, in which we write down the date, the cone or program it's firing to, what's in the kiln, and the end time and temperature of each firing. When a kiln takes overly long it's notated in red and gets a check-up and band-aid for what ails it.

For really large orders it's important to plan ahead to keep the kilns firing to capacity in an organized system.

Each kiln is vented and we have a large exhaust fan at the top of the windows to pull out the heat and fumes when needed.

A movable metal shelf holds kiln furniture, but most of our tiles fire on tile cranks. We cut up old kiln shelves and tile cranks to create stilts for the shelves for bisque firing.

And I love my welders gloves - I can pull tiles out of 350• kilns with those babies!

Any questions? Ask away!!

Our Singing Tiles

2011-04-22T16:25:00.002-04:00

We began making reproduction tiles many, many years ago. Customers wanted a white clay body with a crackle glaze, so I manipulated the glaze to not "fit" the clay body perfectly. The crazing in the original tile occurred over many years, but we needed ours to happen as the tiles cooled coming out of the kiln. Crazing happens because the glaze contracts more than the clay body does, creating tension between the two.

We never realized what happy music it would make!! We've even had customers call us with concern, that there is "singing" coming from their newly arrived boxes of tiles. They usually settled down before they are shipped, but the water that the tiles absorb during the setting process will also start the symphony in motion.

So there you have it....we are tile musicians!

Visiting the Johnson Museum of Art on the Cornell Campus

2011-04-19T09:04:00.003-04:00

Last weekend my husband and I went to visit our son, Harry, who is a junior at Cornell this year. We took a quick tour through the Johnson Museum of Art, heading up to the 5th floor for the view and a look at these wonderful Babylonian terra cotta pieces.

Look for inspirations from these carving in some of my upcoming tile work!!

Etsy Treasury Favorites

2011-04-18T17:16:00.000-04:00

'Beautiful Spring' by HoodooRoots

Some pretty things for spring!

Vain Kiwi 6x6 Original ... shelbydillon $75.00	An Angel GoosebumpHotel $50.00
CELEDON, oil painting, ... paintingwell $	Robin 4x4 ins original ... VitecArt $60.00
SALE 20% Off August - L... MaiAutumn $28.00	Authentic Kate Spade To... belmodo $43.00
Yellow Pear on Lavender... paintedmoments $40.00	Forgotten Path - A Stud... vanderhoekart $50.00
Goose egg Pysanka with ... ukrainianeaste... $69.95	Vintage Sprinkling Can,... annmillerpaint... $18.00
Sheep with Blue and Yel... tilebyfire $	Karen Tarlton Original ... Karensfineart $175.00
I love my dog print jillmayberg $25.00	Afternoon Sail in an Eg... lesperancetile $40.00
Blue Rabbit margaretwoznia... $95.00	California Poppy Seeds Brookingham $1.85

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

All the Frogs are Singing Nicely!

2011-04-11T08:34:00.006-04:00

Finally complete, all 3 frogs are happily singing away, and ready to be shipped to their new owner. Yes, these projects do take longer than ever anticipated, but the rewards of seeing them complete is many times greater than the anxiety produced by the lengthening of passing time!

Photoshop layout of fireplace for job bid.

Photo of finished fireplace.

Closeup of frogs with black liners above and below.

You can follow the whole process from start to finish on these blog posts -

Frogs - My newest carving project!

Frog #1....carved and really for casting!

The Frogs are Singing!

This Frog is Singing the Blues

And...you can even buy one of the center frogs in my lovely Walden Green glaze - he's currently in my Etsy shop!

Next carving project? I'll let you know as soon as I decide!!

April 1st and My Beautiful Daffodils!!

2011-04-01T08:55:00.003-04:00

I always look forward to the profuse and delightful blooms of my daffodil flower beds, which become more abundant and dense every year. The lush grandness of voluptuous bright yellows, as brilliant as the resplendent plumage of the Goldfinch's breast in springtime. For your viewing pleasure I present my daffodils on this April 1st, 2011.

Yes, that is fresh snow on the ground....but, hey - it's not the 6" - 12" that was originally predicted!

To take the sting out of this dreary entrance into April, visit my Etsy Shop and use coupon code APRILFOOLSGOLD and you'll receive 50% off any purchase until 5pm today.

And that's no joke!!!!

This Frog is Singing the Blues

2011-03-27T21:58:00.007-04:00

It's always very exciting for me to press brand new moulds. Today was the day to turn my plaster moulds into wet tiles. My ambition was to press 3 to 4 sets of my new three frog panel. If you don't know what the frogs are all about you can check my post about them here - FROGS!
And here - MORE FROGS!! And don't forget to listen to them sing!

I noticed that the moulds for the frogs on the left and right sides each had a slight rocking action to them as they sat on the table, and I thought to myself, "Drat, that's not right...I must not have leveled the framing very well before I poured the plasters." I decided that by pressing lightly it would be fine.....but no. There is a very distinctive sound that a plaster mould makes when it cracks under the pressure of my hand-press....and a deep sinking feeling follows, especially if it's the very first pressing of a brand new design.

I gently lifted the plaster mould out from under the press and very carefully set it onto the table, clay tile still attached underneath. I eased one half of the broken plaster off the clay, then the other piece. I felt some relief to see that the broken plaster line wasn't visible on the surface of the tile - at least I had one tile pressed. Thinking I might just push my luck and try for a second back-up tile I tried to hold the mould together as I tapped a wet slab onto the top of the the broken mould.......nice try, but never mind.

The broken mould....a heart breaking amphibian experience.

Second view of the plaster gone wrong.

Second try - pressing a tile with a broken mould never turns out very well....the center part of the image isn't fully detailed, and a piece of the plaster sticks to the clay. The thin line of the broken mould is also visible.

Here's the full set pressed and drying....crossing my fingers that the one good piece of the right frog tile makes it safely through the bisque and glaze kilns.

Guess what I'm doing tomorrow? That's right, pouring more plaster moulds!

Bright Lights...Big City

2011-03-26T15:47:00.004-04:00

It was tile delivery time again last week. I always love visiting NYC, and since we haven't seen Times Square since they made a pedestrian mall at the center, we decided to spend our one overnight at the Center of the Universe. We didn't get to the City until 11 pm, checked into the Paramount on West 46th and headed out into the very foggy, damp, and chilly evening for a walk about.

Harry and I on the red stairs.

Lights disappear into the foggy night.

The pedestrian mall - no big deal.

Yeah...that's it.

And now for your listening pleasure...a little George Benson.

Cycladic Art from the Met

2011-03-24T19:19:00.007-04:00

Last Monday Don, Harry, and I headed to NYC to deliver some tiles to a client in Soho. After a brisk walk down Mercer Street and a hearty lunch, we headed up to the Met for a quick visit. My intention was to photograph some of the tiles on display in the American Wing, but I was drawn into room 161, or there about.

I've been a huge fan of Cycladic art since I took my first art history class many moons ago, and these simple, but elegant renderings always fascinate me.

No one knows for sure what the purpose of these stylized figures was, but since they all have been found in graves, perhaps they served some religious significance.

These three are my current favorites!

We did eventually get to the American Wing......after the exhibit on Guitars.....and the elegant Box Show.....those photos to follow soon!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2011-03-17T19:33:00.002-04:00

I fondly remember my childhood St. Patrick's Day celebrations. They always included a cupcake from the local bakery that was embellished with a plastic shamrock or dancing leprechaun on top. I'm not sure how much Irish is actually in my genes. My Mom tells me that she remembers her great Aunt McDougall living with her family when she was very young, and the thick Irish accent she spoke with. People tell me I look Irish, and although I used to drink whiskey, I'm not fond of beer. Go figure.

Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone out there - whether you've any Irish blood in you or not.

May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the hollow of his hand.

On to the musical section of the program...from my favorite Irish singer, and the song that won me over to him...."Moondance" by Van the Man.

The Frogs are Singing!

2011-03-13T20:51:00.026-04:00

The Victorian Postcard that inspired the tiles.

I reformatted the image in photoshop to create 3 single 6x6" tiles.

Here are the completed waxes with the corresponding images above them, along with the postcard and some frog images from the internet that helped me with details.

The three waxes.

The Conductor
"Woody" Sylvaticu
A very talented composer and conductor, he occasionally joins in with the chorus, much to the dismay of the other singers.
Woody sings.

The Bass

"Bully" Catesbeianus

Bully's deep voice adds depth and dimension to the groups classic canon rounds. When the waters run warm, Bully can be found leading the group in song well into the dawn.

Bully sings.

The Soprano

"Peeper" C. Crucifer

The well deserved nickname describes Peeper's never ending and sometimes unnerving croonings during the warm summer evenings.
Pepper sings.

What's up next on the carving table??? I'll be sure to let you know as soon as I decide!!

Etsy Treasury Features

2011-03-10T08:31:00.001-05:00

Wow! This is a stunning treasury collection!! Thanks Karen!

'Forest Ferns around the Studio' by ClayLickCreekPottery

Some days the studio feels so green while I'm working solitary. In the end, grab a cup of coffee and wash up.

Pedestal Bowl mikepaluska $69.00	Green Leaves...(matted) thegreenefairy $30.00
Lost in the Wildwood pr... marisolspoon $18.00	Fern Stemless Wine Glas... marywibis $30.00
FERNS, Original Paintin... 2blackbirds $32.00	Fern Stoneware Pie Dish mississippimud... $26.00
Peace Bird on Branch - ... lesperancetile $10.00	Green Fern 8x8 Fine Art... ModernToile $25.00
L106 --- 2 Ferns on fel... kutz $2.50	Shenanigans, Mineral Ey... SweetPeaAndFay $3.98
Leaves of Green- Organi... BeadinBabe $28.00	Before the rain PatriciaPhotog... $20.00
Fossil Fern Dish - Han... justmare $12.00	Mug - Copper Brown, Blu... MarkHudak $20.00
Green Forest Fern/ Ital... chinmayo $200.00	A Walk in the Woods Lux... paintboxsoapwo... $6.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Etsy Mud Team Platter Challenge

2011-02-23T20:51:00.004-05:00

The Etsy Mud Team is hosting a Platter Challenge this week. Vote in it and you'll receive a coupon code for 20% off at dozens of etsy pottery shops.

Here's my entry in the challenge

The Ants Come Marching Flying Carpet Tray

I created a series of small trays after playing with my tile moulds and stamps - they remind me of flying carpets. Use these trays to hold snacks or appetizers....anything you'd like to display on a fancy flying carpet!

This small tray started it's life as a thin slab of porcelain clay, which I impressed with some of my handmade stamps - dogwood flowers in the center with a line of fun little ants, and finished on the edges with a triangular stamp. I then laid it over a slump mould I made, and added 2 small stamped coils of clay feet to the bottom. It measures about 5" wide X 8" long, and about 1 3/4" high. I've glazed the flowers in peach satin matte, the ants in a mottled gloss transparent blue/green and the triangles in gloss black, The tray is nicely off-center and very light. The glazes are mid-range stoneware and non-lead.

Please go and vote in the challenge - HERE!

Cornell Chorale sings And So It Goes by Billy Joel 4-24-09

2011-02-22T18:57:00.002-05:00

Someone just posted a comment on this YouTube video that I uploaded all the way back in April, 2009. I filmed it on a little camera that had a video, so the quality isn't terrific, but it certainly is a lovely song, and well done by the Cornell Chorale. My son Harry is a bass in the Chorale and it's always a thrill to be in the audience when they sing.

Thanks to whoever posted the comment - it gave me a chance to go back and listen again!!

Frog #1....carved and really for casting!

2011-02-21T21:13:00.008-05:00

I've posted before about this carving project and finally the first frog is done and ready to have a plaster cast made of it tomorrow. I usually have a feel for how the glaze will look on the tile just by looking at the wax, but this one has me a bit perplexed. I say it's done, but I'll leave the final judgment on it until I get a tile out of the glaze kiln.

I especially fussed over the background and the water. I want that to be really subtle, and I just can't tell how much detail will show through the glaze.

Next up is the left hand frog. Hopefully this one won't take me as long to carve...after all, there aren't any big holidays to distract me, only the usual life distractions!!

Celebrating a project completed!!

2011-02-09T22:27:00.005-05:00

I know a few posts ago I said that the very next post would be about my new pots....well here's something that I just have to show off before I get my pots photographed.

It's a commission that has been a very long time in the works, more months than I'd like to count, actually. I was tasked to create one section of a 3 piece panel that depicts a reclining soldier. With only a copy from a page of a 1902 American Encaustic Tile Company catalogue, and the original 2 sections of the panel to work from, I had to carve the head section of the soldier 11 percent larger than the finished piece needed to be. Check out my first post about it HERE. My second post HERE.

Well, after getting the tiles out of the bisque and cut and ready to glaze, I realized that I still needed to match the glaze. That took 5 alterations of materials, but I must say, I'm very pleased with the results.

Ready for it?

The full panel with my recreation of the head section.

I'm very pleased! Now, onto my next carving commission....3 singing frogs!

An Etsy Treasury.

2011-02-08T22:49:00.002-05:00

Thanks, Luna, I love this collection!!

'A Little Bird Told Me.....' by LunaTerra

... that these items are amazing!!This is an Etsy Success team treasury. These items were all chosen from fellow team members' shops. Enjoy!

Little Birds on Branche... nikku $18.00	Popcorn - queen anne ... bomobob $30.00
Twin Buckle Lace Belt C... AudraJean $47.00	Feather Your Nest Laven... bstudio $15.00
Sweet Orange Ylang Ylan... ettaandbillie $10.95	Beaded Hoop Earrings, V... BohemiaJewelle... $42.00
Frog Fiddling - Small H... lesperancetile $10.00	Set of 3 Assorted Owl N... BeeDazzlesGift... $
Vintage Luggage Blue Sa... Flyingace $42.00	Seagreen - wire wrapped... MGMart $15.00
fashion doodle 5x7 prin... TinfenaStudio $6.00	Ponytail Felted Sand Fl... Baymut $23.00
handmade blue porcelain... monalina $29.50	Fragment: Dawn 88editions $125.00
Ceramic owl With her ow... claylicious $38.00	VALENTINE Sale 30 Beaut... KAPARA $2.38

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

A few new pieces.

2011-02-05T12:27:00.006-05:00

I've been having an amazing season of creative play in my studio, working out ideas that have been brewing inside for a while. I can never figure out exactly why it takes so long from the idea to the finished piece, but when they're ready to happen, they do.
Using the hand-carved tile moulds that I've made over the years, I've impressed clay slabs with different parts of the designs from my inventory of 100's of patterns. Then I take my smaller hand made stamps and add details and diversions to the image.

These pieces actually made their first appearance in my "Flying Carpet Trays" almost 2 years ago now (!), and although I really liked the trays, it never felt as though that's the form I wanted them to take.
I usually work with a very fussy porcelain body and, sorry to say, I lost more than 1/2 of the pieces I first made. But I'm so happy with the final product that there are more on the way.

These initial 3 pieces were entered into a show called "10x10 = $100" at the Mimosa Gallery in downtown Saratoga Springs. I'm thrilled to say that they all sold on opening night!!

Actually, these pieces never got the finishing touch on them, which are laser decals that I print from my new laser printer. The base glaze I used didn't hold the decals and they disappeared completely. Not a problem, as I have MANY glaze bases to use in my shop.

I've started throwing pots again and my next post will show the results of some small bowls, with decals intact!!

Playing in the winter cold - making a colorful ice column.

2011-01-29T10:44:00.014-05:00

Last week there wasn't much snow here in Rock City Falls, but it surely was cold. With night time temperatures in the -12 to -15 range, I figured it would be a great time to make some ice columns. There's a real learning curve, even with the cold temps.

I started with two 5 gallon buckets with only about 5-6 inches of water, and some smaller buckets filled with water tinted with food coloring. My idea was to have all of the water freeze, then put the colored ice into the 5 gallon buckets and fill with clear water to create colorful frozen chunks of ice in the center of the clear ice.....guess again.

After about 4 hours at -12 degrees everything looked frozen....so I dumped the small container of red onto the clear.

Oops....not frozen yet. OK I'll just go with it. I added more water and let it sit overnight and into the next day.

The next day it was still cold - only in the single digits, so I made a few buckets of slush ice as a base. The slush buckets got dumped out and carried to the highest point of a hill that snow plowing has created.

Two buckets of snow slush base to build on.

Next is the first bucket of colored ice.

Two full 5 gallon buckets of colored ice and a topper of blue in a smaller bucket - and I'm almost done.

On lookers are impressed....somewhat.

The finishing touch is the candle on top!

I did shiver for a while after getting inside, but it really is fun to play outside in the cold!

Candles in the Snow!

2011-01-15T20:15:00.006-05:00

I told you that I love snow!! It provides me with a huge blank canvas, that I love to sculpt. I shoveled a maze of paths out to the back garden area for Abbey the Cat to run through just as dusk was settling in. The lights from the back windows illuminated the tarmac, and I wasn't ready to go in, so I began to shuffle through the snow. Spirals began to appear before me.

When my husband, Don, got home he suggested the candles, and Abbey came out to play with me. She cheated a lot, and stepped out of the spirals to get to me, but I forgive her!

Walking the spirals is very calming - come on over and walk with me!

Paul, who plows the snow for us, will be by sometime tonight and all will be gone by the morning. I hear that more snow is coming on Tuesday. Yippee!

January Snow...half way!

2011-01-15T13:10:00.008-05:00

I LOVE SNOW!!!

Considering we're only halfway through January, I'd have to say this has been a very good year for snow, as it is! I love everything about snow - watching the way it falls, walking through it as the flakes coat me in chilly wetness, shoveling paths through it as it piles up, blinking in the brightness when the sun finally comes out, building Suessian structures when it begins to melt (and becomes one of my favorite sculptural materials), and the lovely crunching sound it makes under my boot step on those crisp afternoon walks. Everything and so much more!

Abbey loves it too...at least for a little while.

The back corner of the old playground.

Snow on marble.

Backyard today with more snow falling.

And, they're predicting more snow on Tuesday....wet snow, which I can sculpt! Bring it on!!

Etsy Treasury Favorites

2011-01-13T20:08:00.000-05:00

What a lovely treasury collection!! Thanks

photohale

'Activity Feed - ing Frenzy' by photohale

Whenever I check out my activity feed, I am amazed at how nice the new listings from my favorite shops look together... very treasury-like...

Maine landscape paintin... artman757 $455.00	Rustic personalized ste... tinahdee $90.00
Blue Urchin Bowl elementclaystu... $	5 antique spoon garden ... Hammermann $35.00
Talk Like a Pirate Skel... lesperancetile $10.00	Watercolor Illustration... silverridgestu... $250.00
Cleveland neighborhoods... smalltower $18.00	after the rain's ca... levansphotogra... $40.00
Russel Wright for Steub... modernspecific $38.00	The Paisley Tree origin... TheJoyofColor $24.00
A pocketful of posies h... dbabcock $	sterling leaf ring READ... SilverMadeStud... $39.00
LIMITED EDITION - PEBBL... lorisworld $12.00	Mod Porcelain Vase shoshonasnow $28.00
Lake Erie 4 - 16x20 Lan... jennifersquire... $320.00	Krasner Kitty. 8.5x11 ... matteart $35.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-01T14:06:00.005-05:00

Don, Harry, and I welcomed in the New Year of 2011 in downtown Saratoga Springs at their annual First Night celebration. A mild night, a great meal, some excellent music venues, and seeing old friends, made this a wonderful evening!

Of course, the fireworks ended the celebration....."more, bigger!" is what I always say!!

So Happy New Year to you and may 2011 find you happiness, peace, and great pleasure!!

Packing and Shipping out Etsy orders - Happy Holidays!

2010-12-12T21:12:00.009-05:00

This is the busiest time of the year for my Etsy shop, and I think that for most of you Etsy sellers out there, it's the same. I love the feeling of sending my work out into the great big wide world.....as sometimes I feel so isolated in my own little space.

I must admit that this year's sales don't compare to last year's, but I did just reach my 1,100 sale, so I'm very happy about that. Last weekend was the busiest so far this holiday season.

My very messy office with orders to ship laid out on the table and overflow onto a work cart.

Weekend sales.

I ship my ornaments in bubble envelopes, and my tiles and spoonrests in either USPS Priority flat rate boxes, or the very cool foam padded boxes I got from a local phone store on freecycle. Bowls get shipped in USPS Priority boxes, or a slightly larger box, also a freecycle score.

Ornaments are the biggest sellers, but I usually sell out of my small bowls, spoonrests, and other pottery items. Why not make more, you ask? My Etsy shop is my "spare time" business....when I'm not running L'esperance Tile Works, with my husband Don. So, as soon as I clone myself I'll be adding to the inventory!

Weighing the envelopes that I ship my ornaments in.

Printing out shipping labels from Endicia.

Abbey always watches over the action. I think she'd give me a thumb's up....if she had one!