FLASH in the pan.... not by a long shot

the folks of Etsy and West are combining forces for yet another Pop Up shop in Winnipeg, opening October 2, 2014 at 438 Graham Ave in Downtown Winnipeg. Our name is FLASH, like a Pop, get it??? I am going to focus on my black and white Urban looking pottery as well as some flashes of colour in turquoise and red.  My junior photographer took this video, which is pretty repetitive but awfully true. I am wiping the glaze off the bottom of the pots before they go into the kiln.

Two days later and here are some of the results.

Whats up in the studio

I am hard at work, so here is a peek at what, in pictures.

black and white yarn bowl

black and white series, the mugs

Turquoise Rutile combination now available at Tara davis studio

buttons

Location, Location what it can mean

Location, Location, Location or in the crafters case, venue, venue, venue!  Maybe we see a listing for an art show or festival, and think sounds neat but I dont fit that category.  Well, I now want to give my show time to Fibre Festivals.  Wow! The two fibre festivals I have gone to this year with my Yarn Bowls and buttons have been fantastic!  I was able to meet the owner of PoCo Creations and Beads of 575 Archibald St. who is now going to be carrying my buttons!  More local collaborations, I love it!  Spent the day with Louise May of Aurora Farms and that is always time well spent! We are cooking up more projects, and of course a customer gave me a new product idea!! That is why I dont just stay in my studio creating alone. My extroverted self needs the input of others.

my booth with great natural light

My former neighbour and lovely lady Daria of Cloud 9 productions.

The inside scoop on my mugs, lots of them left for sale.

Jam packed with folks who appreciate and understand handmade, so they can enter into great discussions about what they like and want in the future and are prepared to spend on my product, because they are MAKERS too.


And for those who think you shouldnt put too many fiber artists together, it was like a multipication of interest and buzz in the room. The great thing about the arts is the individuality and how we use the medium we have in front of us.. There was no duplication at this show, at least not from my vantage point. 


I will be looking for more new and different venues, since I think that is why my customers yearn for, tried and true doesnt always translate to success.  I am madly making and firing again today because we have almost half a week off for a family celebration and then it is back to back shows. WEST, Scattered Seeds, and Hot to Shop!
 

Here come the First Manitoba Fibre Festival

One of my unrealized dreams is to be a fibre artist, felting specifically.  As I hope I still have another 50 years of life in me it may happen.. However,   in the meantime I will continue to work on collaborations with fibre friends like Margaret Brook of Cloverleaf Art and Fibre.

This weekend is the first festival of Fibre for Manitoba, and I am a vendor with buttons, yarn bowls , mugs and necklaces. 

I am really enjoying making these items and seeing them be used by creative people to enhance their creations.  Thanks to Wolseley Wool for carrying both my yarn bowls and buttons. Just had a great email from someone who picked up buttons for their creations and as for gifts for other knitters.  So cool!

Making Salad from the Garden

Been pretty smoking hot, so I better get those greens out of the garden before they go bitter. Going to harvest a great lot of spinach, mesclun mix, and more.

Here is a great summer supper salad recipe, courtesy of all places Super Valu!

8 cups mesclun salad mix
1 cup sliced chopped sweet peppers
1/2 cups toasted walnut or pecan pieces
1/2 cup dired cranberries
1/2 cup soft goat cheese
Balsamic or red wine vinaigrette dressing.  Nasturtium blossoms if you have them.  And we do!!!

Place salad mix in large bowl.  Add peppes, walnuts and ried cranberries and toss. Crumble goat cheese on top and drizzle with vinaigrette, to taste. Tope with nasturtium blossom for garnish.

Harvesting rhubarb, sunflower and coleus leaves for lots of little plates, hopefully get them into the next kiln along with about 1 bazillion buttons.

Pottery exploding in my brain!

Spring is coming, at least in my heart and mind, so my head is going faster than usual with ideas!  I have started making wedding items and Spring.  Egg cups , ring bearer bowls, cake plates on pedestals and lots of flowers and leaves in my decorations!

Here are some of the cool seeds that have arrived for my CSA.  I am planning to start seeding the root vegetables on the first weekend in May. AFter the WEST sale on the Saturday, stretching in different directions, is my theory.

Heart bowls for ring bearers, or just to say I love you

buttons, with dragonflies, trees, and more to come

flowers all over yarn bowls