What the heck is that? A fine question. I take every 7th week off to rest and recharge. A practice I started in October, 2015 inspired by seanwes.
(This is pretty much how I stay sane and don’t get burnt out in my biz.)
But I wanted to pop in and say hello!
I’m actually not feeling 100% this week, so this time off cameĀ at a perfect timing.
My week’s itinerary included:Ā sleeping more, organizingĀ my inventory for the upcoming holiday fair season, and just kind of hanging out on the couch a lot.
I also thought it’d be fun to show you what I’ve been working on in my pottery class at South Seattle College this quarter.
Tuxedo cat ornaments are comingĀ back!Ā
Once they’re glazed, these cutiesĀ will be going to King Street Maker’s MarketĀ 11/29-12/2. If I have leftovers, I’ll post them in theĀ shopĀ later!
I’ve also been working on some personal projects.
I plant toĀ mountĀ these mushrooms and theĀ hedgieĀ on a wall in our kitchen to create aĀ fun woodland scene š¦šĀ I wanna makeĀ different seasonal themes so we can switch them around throughout the year!
It’s taken me longer than expected to finish theseā¦ Making ceramic anything is a long process!
But good news, the wait is finally over.
They’re here and looking for a new furever home š
They come in 3 colors: Tuxedo (SOLD OUT!), Black, and Dark Grey Tabby. (* note Grey Tabby is very dark and appears almost black at a first glance.)
You can select the color upon checkout.
They’re hand crafted and painted/glazed individually by me.
Each one is slightly different and makes it a one-of-a-kind artwork.
They’re about 1.5″ round (35 mm) and attached to a waxed cord for easy hanging. The cord is about 4″ long (95mm).
You can hang them on your wall, from the rearview mirror in your car, your houseplants, or on your Christmas tree during the holiday season.
You can also switch the cord to a longer string/chain and wear it as a necklace! It’s lightweight but pretty sturdy.
These cuties will make a perfect gift for someone who’s lost their cats or for any cat lovers who just want to be surrounded by anything that has cats on them š±
I only made a handful of each and am not sure if I’ll make more in the future.
I may, but it all depends on the time/energy I haveā¦ I’m not promising anythingā¦ š
p.s. If you missed the link above, you can shop these adorable kitty ornaments here.
p.p.s. Are you a Seattle local? I won’t be selling these at fairs and markets, but I’d be happy to bring them to you if you want to pick up in person! Just write a note indicating which event you’d like to pick up your purchase at, and I’ll refund your shipping. You can check out my event calendar here.
I’m taking my mini sabbatical week off this week, so I thought I’d share what I’ve been working on in myĀ potteryĀ class.
I’ve been takingĀ a continuing education potteryĀ class at South Seattle College every Tuesday morning since the beginning of 2017.
{These are the pieces I made in my first class. I still use these cups almost every day. I use the pinch pots for displaying my stickers at craft shows, and I get people asking if they’re for sale, too. (The answer is “no” š)}
I love my class and the nice creative community there.
Making something with my two hands, away from my computer, feels so nice and meditative!
I mainly hand build my pieces. I triedĀ to throw a couple of times, too, but it’s hard š and I was more stressed than having fun, so I’m sticking to hand building for now.
I’m making a small batch of kitty ornaments.
They’reĀ glazed and being fired as we speak, and hopefully they’ll come out ok š¤
When they do, they’ll be available for purchase.
If you wanna hear about it first, be sure to sign up for my newsletter.
And THIS. This Kitty Garden vase is the largest piece I’ve made so far.
And I LOVE it!
āThe body was supposed to be more cylindrical, but I call it good as long as there is no hole and it stands up straight š
It makes me super happy to see this in our home!
I have to have pretty flowers every day now.Ā
Good thing our farmer’s market just opened up š
I just started working on small bowls. My goal is to replace our chipped cereal bowls with my handmade bowls!
I’m continuing to take the class this summer and am looking forward to learning and trying different pinch pot techniques.
(āIf you’re interested in pinch pottery, I love this book and refer to it all the time.)
Having a creative outlet outside ofĀ my biz has been really awesome.Ā
It allows me to just play and experiment without worrying about it being “successful.”
Do you have a “thing” you do just for fun? Just for yourself?
Or if you’re in a maker/art biz yourself, how do you balance making things to sell vs. just for fun?
I’ve been enjoying taking a pottery class this year, and here are some of the pieces that came out of the kiln this summer.
Small & medium bowls made with slip casting techniqueHomegrown blueberries & gooseberries!I LOVE stone fruits ā¤Dahlia dessert plates. I use these pretty often!My recent favorite – I made this plate to ripen avocados on, but of course it works for other things, too.I’ve tried wheel throwing – it’s hardā¦ I definitely prefer hand buildling, but I’ll continue to practice next quarter.
Our cupboards are getting pretty crowded with things I’ve brought home from the class š Even though they’re not perfect, it makes me happy when I use my handmade wares.
I’ve also been experimenting with clay pendants – if they turn out OK, I’ll be offering them at holiday fairs!
I can’t wait to share what I make with you this fall!
I’ve been taking a pottery class at a local community college since January.
And, I LOVE it.
Growing up in Japan, I’ve always loved pottery and wanted to learn. My husband gave me the classĀ forĀ Christmas last year, and it’s turned out to be one of the best gifts yet!
Black poppy tiny dishes
First of all, I appreciate having a creative outlet that’s not related to my business.
When I’m playing with the clay in the pottery studio on Tuesdays, I’m there to enjoy myself and create whatever I feel like creating. It doesn’t matter if it looks wonky. I don’t have to wonder if it’s going to sell.
For a few hours, I can focus on the joy of simply creating for the sake of creating, which sadly, gets buried under a pile of business tasks in my day-to-day.
Tiny bowls. I use the ones with line drawings for nuts, chips, dips, etc.
When I’m making my pottery pieces, I feel like a total beginner.Ā
When I’m hand-building a cup, 95% of the time it flairs out and becomes a bowl. 2 out of 3 mugs I made has cracks where I attached the side to the bottom piece.
My tall cups are definitely not round when you look at them from the top, and it’s not level when you look at them from the side. None of my pieces are even in thickness.
More wonky bowls and cups!
I see the beautiful pieces my instructor and more seasoned students (some of the students have been in the class for 15+ years!!) make and get so inspired.
Some of them make stunning wheel-thrown bowls and cups while others make complicated and unique sculpture pieces. They’d come to the studio with a big bag stuffed with their own tools, brushes, and bottles of special glazes etc. (All I bring to the class is my brushes to paint underglazes on :D)
Throughout the quarter, we do a critique every time our pieces come out of the kiln.
AlthoughĀ I love all of my pieces, including the flaws and wonkiness,Ā I feel a little embarrassed to see my pieces on the table among more sophisticated pieces other students had made.Ā
Being a beginner allows me to be humble and reminds meĀ to be patient. It reminds me that only way to get better is to make less-than-great work many, many, many times.
Poster by Nikki Hampson
You may have seen this Ira Glass quote about imperfection. It’s a classic and such a good reminder for any creatives learning something new!
Being a beginner also allows me to be less precious with my work.
I don’t know what I’m doing, so I’m less afraid to make a mistake (or don’t know if I’m making a mistakeā¦:D) It’s like I have a permission to be more experimental and playful, which I tend to forget when I’m doing my “work” work.
And, when I make something for myself purely for the joy of it, it often resonates well with my audience, too.
Cats & dog bowls. Underglazed and fired once.
This is another lesson for me – Sometimes I think too much about what other people may want from me when I create my illustration work, and I’m no longer listening to my intuition about what I want to create.
I have to remind myself that people can tell whenĀ I create something from the place of joy and delight, and that’s what speaks to them the most.
I’m continuing to take the class this quarter and can’t wait to make more wonky pottery pieces!
Fellow artists and makers – do you have a creative hobby that’s not related to your regular work?Ā
Honeyberry Diary 