Learning Never Stops

This new age of learning technology and how to make the most of having an online business never stops.  It's interesting cause I feel challenged with what I can do, and can't do.  Trying to be current and relevant is challenging stuff.

I have added a email list to my website and hope that keeps folks informed and me a bit more organized.  Chimp Mail had a tutorial, so I hope I did it right.  Check it out if you have a moment!

www.NancyBloklandPottery.com


Kiln is firing again, and I just got a few more orders, so back to the wheel.

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On trend with my blokheads and having fun too!

I call them blockheads, my little clay people and animal creations that are whatever you want them to be.  Lots of people are using them for succulent plants, airplants, treasure jars, or even drinking from them.  I have a variety in my Etsy shop, and 2 went to Sleepy Hollow New York last week.


What I love best is when people see them all lined up at a show, they smile and gravitate to the creature that they resonate with.  Today my little miss sunshine is featured by the Etsy Mud Team

https://www.etsy.com/ca/pages/etsy-mud-team-for-makers-of-handmade/brights?ref=pg_index_11

sometimes the function of a pot is to bring a smile to people's faces or just hold onto an airplant.  Works in progress are a  pig, spotted puppy, and several sassy gals.

Announcement time

I have a website thanks to Etsy. It is pretty commercial , but it helps when filling in applications for shows and such.  Here is the link if you have a moment to check it out.

https://nancybloklandpottery.patternbyetsy.com

The  following are some of my new seasonal items that are available through the website , Etsy, Forks Trading Company or at Local shows.

Social Media is making me competitive!!!

Social media and Etsy are my idea of business life lines since I still work full time in addition to being a potter.  I can't be physically present at the shows due to time constraints but I can do coordinated postings that recently have helped me have my work shown in two more galleries, wholesale orders , and an up and coming opportunity at our local greenhouse and market.  I find it inteteresting that so many makers still say they spend 80% of the time on making and 20% on the rest of the tasks associated with running a business in this century.  I wish!! Maybe I just need another social media app to better organize my social media time.  I smile LOL when I write this.



I am developing a preference for viewing Instagram; visually oriented I like to see all that beauty at the end of my day, or when I need a different perspective.  @nancybloklandpottery is my Instagram, and I cant say that I am optimizing how to use it, but so far it seems quite forgiving. Pinterest is something that I try to give 10 minutes a day, and have found loads of inspiration there as well as use it to loop people back to my Etsy store. I have 72 boards, but am shocked to see that I have 72 boards with 3.6 k followers. Just having fun, it is quite effortless, and interesting to see the pins people pin every, and I mean every single day about things like wax resist techniques and handbuilt pottery trays.
This is one of my top Pins, which seems surprising to me.

Without Instagram and Facebook these people would likely never find me. Sometimes it can be taxing trying to get views, likes, knowing what will capture attention without seeming like I am only interested in shameless self promotion.  I get frantic at times about how many likes a picture got or how many followers have I picked up. then of course follows the internal debate about what does it all mean anyway in my "real" life?? Spring is coming and I will soon be in the dirt outside with weeds and bunny droppings, as Margaret Atwood says, at the end of the day in Spring our hands should smell like dirt. I must agree, not like a keyboard.



Holiday week coming up when I will unplug, which will be an exercise in restraint,  but Mr. G is my own personal police force on that one. Happy Easter and Season of New Hope.

Lovin' Local in the Peg

I am a committed Etsy seller for over five years now, and really love my WEST team and learning more from all the creative types in Winnipeg and Manitoba .  While it gives us sellers a global platform, it has become a great access point for being part of a great community and increasing my general visibility with a different demographic in Winnipeg.

This Sunday I did  a little pop up Shop with two other wild and wonderful Maker women, both from St. Vital.  Sarah Neville Studios and Tannis of Covet Design.  Also, thanks to our kind hosts at San Vito Coffee House.  While we didn't have stellar sales, talking and learning from their experiences is always time well spent. Thanks to those who did come by and pay a visit. Great way to catch up!






Sarah Neville Studios

Covet Designs



Country Kitchen and Day at the Beach Pottery at San Vito Coffee House


Starting this week I will have my work at Lagasse Studio  of Fine Art in Souris, Manitoba. I will post some pictures after the work is in place.

Pots for Foodies

this wanna be farmer is again making lots of food and beverage focussed pots. Real food and real pots just seems to be a good fit.  If you are going to the expense of finding real food for you and your family, it makes sense to serve it in and on real plates and containers.

Salt shakers, Salt pigs, butter dishes,mugs, tea pots,  bread trays... focussed on food for 2016.   For a change of pace from round I really am liking squared

 Sadly some of the square ones are cracking on the seam, so if I were logical I would charge double, but I dont see that happening. No pictures of any good ones, hoping for at least one in this kiln.

Wanted to let all the blog readers in on a contest I am participating in with the Manitoba Etsy Sellers: great chance to win lots of goodies, and my friends and family are eligible to win:  here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/ETSYManitoba/posts/978409025561210

WEST Handmade and Vintage VIII just around the corner, still learnin' lots

Helping organize a sale with all volunteers, is an organizationally huge task. I am really lucky that we had so much pre work done by the Team Leadership of the WEST, our local Etsy team who put together all our other events, and the hugely successful Etsy Made in Canada events.

When I threw out my name, our team captain asked if I was going to give up work, my child, or sleep. Well truthfully , it has been sleep. Keeping track of details is pretty challenging, but it does get me off of the pottery wheel. Social media is not my best thing, but thank goodness there are so many others that are savy. I am not whining or whinging really, there has been lots of cool learning that I can apply to other tasks in the future, like making myself at peace with excel spread sheets, who woulda thunk a luddite like me would actually gain some skill in that area.

I started this process off with an old school notebook, but I misplaced it last month and am now in a coexistence with my phone and computer that I never would have dreamed of.  We are really happy that we were able to do the live shoot with CTV and Rachel Lagace last week at Jonnie's Sticky Buns. I love media and television stuff, which I had forgotten. That was certainly the fastest mug handling I have ever done! under 2 Minutes!

So grateful to have people that can jump to the pump and get stuff done, like buttons for Vendors, some more raffle tickets, sure helps as we are in crunch time.  One more glaze firing this week so that I can have plenty of mugs of all my favourites on hand. Hoping to have some rich turquoise for Prairie Vista. Fingers Crossed, here are some sneak peeks.

lots of ornaments that will have ribbon added tonight after they cool. 

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Fall is here! New line in production

I am so very happy with the response to my Day at the Beach or Prairie Vista line of products.

People get the landscape idea, and it is so interesting to hear people talk about prairie pride, and it makes sense to them that we celebrate where we live.  Each piece is a bit different in terms of glaze overlap and people can pick the pieces that speak to them. I am making bigger pieces like teapots, utensil holders and serving dishes to go along with the mugs and bowls.

So, now my mind is percolating to something new, something simple and post modern.  I haven't come up with a name yet, as it is still bubbling around and pieces are thrown but not yet glazed. This will be another one I can fire in my kiln at home, as part of my goal towards self sufficiency and less dependence on the gas firing kiln.  It is good to more or less be in charge of when I can fire, it just gets less comfortable as fall sets in and I will only have a few more weeks of glazing outside in my backyard glazing area.

This weekend we have our big Etsy Made in Canada market at the Neeginan center, but on Sunday I will be madly working on firing more buttons and yarn bowls for the Manitoba Fibre Festival on October 2 and 3rd at the Assiniboia Downs.

If anybody has requests for items for either show, send me a message at nancyblokland@msn.com.  always aiming to please my peeps!

Fall is in the Air, time to get a sellin'

It's September so Etsy Made in Canada is just around the corner time to make Fall stuff!

the kiln should come out this afternoon with at least 3 or 4 Sunflower leaf plates. They will go off with me to Saskatchewan tomorrow to the Sunflower Festival of Arts and Crafts in Yorkton.

I hope they catch the beautiful colours of the sunflowers in my garden.  I guess I am seasonally inspired because these are the colours I want to use right now, beautiful rich oatmeal, golds, and rust.

More pictures to come from all the Festivals and shows, especially pumped to be here in Winnipeg at the Neeginan Centre (formerly known as the Aboriginal Centre)  at Main and Higgins for our MIC Etsy Made in Canada Sale in only two weeks and two days!  70 vendors, most of whom I know.  Hope to see a great crowd to rival last year's 3000!

Trimming mugs is really hard when snot is running down your face, just sayin....

I loved our time in Costa Rica, but since I got off the plane 9 days ago, I have been getting sicker and sicker. First it was utter exhaustion that went on for days, then the razor blade feeling in the throat, voice disappearing and now I am a complete and utter mucus factory.
Here are a few of the utterly beautiful vistas from Costa Rica.

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Orchids everywhere!

Mountain Lion in a Refuge Center at La Paz Waterfall

I am utterly shattered, but trying to keep on target with production.  I have lots of little bits and bobs, but I really need to have a new good selection of mugs, butter keepers, garlic pots, salt shakers and serving pieces for all the shows I have now booked myself into. Glad to be accepted, but I need to produce some stock to make it all worthwhile.

I have just applied to Etsy Made In Canada Day, know that I will be at Homespun in Carlyle, Sunflower in Yorkton, Manitoba Fibre Festival and Brandonès Big One....its a little overwhelming to put it all in one sentence. Yikes! Spring means I am still making some fairy houses, mushrooms and more goodies to spur on the imagination as well as some plant pots for the deck and garden.

Now to get serious.....

I have had a marathon week of prepping both stores and one feast, and feel happy to say that they were satisfying and now am raring to get back on the wheel and wedging board. this is a photo of the front window of our latest Pop Up Shop with Etsy and Centre Venture backing.
Downtown Winnipeg has been struggling to keep retail outlets open for the last 20 years with suburban sprawl and a overall flee from the downtown.

It is really exciting to be part of these ventures and have artists working together and reaping the rewards and losses of these bricks and mortar ventures.  Stay tuned for special events and parties through the holiday season.

Keeping up with the Pop Ups

This week it is game on, for transitions and setting up another Pop Up Shop here in Winnipeg. The demand shown for handmade and vintage yesterday at the Etsy MIC sale yesterday, which was attended by 3000 people makes me very hopeful for our next three months at Exchange Uporium at 164 McDermot and the new shop, FLASH at 438 Graham Ave. This is a photo from one of our television spots on Global, and CTV the other day.

Today me and Mr. G will go over to FLASH and set up my space with the black and white, turquoise and red pottery. Our soft opening is October 1, from 6-8 pm. Consider yourself invited!!! Kat has lots of dynamic activities planned, and I am pumped to be part of this. I am mindful that I need to find time to create and fire during this time too, so glad I dont have any more Saturday shows until November 1, 2014 at Morden in their Access centre. The Pembina Hills Arts Council broke a record and sold out the show in less than a month.

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.

Time to get my head on Straight!

Yet another wonderful expression from my moms collection. Today this Muddy Mama is avoiding the mud, as my congestion and sinus headache are making me feel completely incompetent of making any decisions.  The reality is that I must glaze this afternoon, for all the upcoming sales and stocking stores.  Expansion everywhere, except in my energy.

This weekend is dreary and rainy inside and out, hoping for a  burst of sunshiney energy to help me thrugh glazing today and tomorrow. Next weekend is the long weekend, and I have a need to enjoy our last summer weekend of 2014, so we are joining the Norwood Naughty Knitters on their annual train ride on the Prairie Dog Central, with  a potluck lunch.

Manitoba Fibre Festival is September 6th at St. Norbert Community Centre, and I am sure with all the great workshops and vendors, it will be a really great day. I am madly making buttons, yarn bowls and mugs.  Of course, there will be BIG ones, to meet customer demand.

The Exchange Uporium is going to continue at 264 McDermot Ave until Christmas, where I will continue to rent space.  Time to begin the seasonal ornaments and gifty type items.  Vitamin C and a good nights rest should get me back on track.

Later this month, there are more good things like the Homespun Show in Saskatchewan,,,,and then closer to home....
WEST, Compendium Artist Market and Etsy Canada are joining forces to bring Manitoba an Etsy Made in Canada event!
September 27
10am to 4pm
St James Civic Center
2055 Ness Avenue
Winnipeg Manitoba

Over 40 Manitoba Etsians from vintage curators to handmade mavens!

Free admission

Free activity room with demonstrations and more!

Events will be happening across Canada! Check it out!

Fibre Festival and More....

July 21st and we are on holidays. Had a great visit to Assiniboine park and the butterfly garden. Definitely a highlight for me!

I am already obsessing about fall shows and sales. The garden is off to the races, starting to harvest some zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, and picking beans later today, it is Casi Cielo, (almost heaven).

Fall is super busy , well August too.  Off the top of my head, I will be doing Sioux Narrows Arts Festival, Matlock Art, Music and Nature Festival, the Barge Festival, Homespun Sale in Carlyle Saskatchewan, the big Etsy Made in Manitoba show, and more!!!

Right now, it is yarn bowls that are  foremost on my mind.  I want to make them useful, beautiful, and special.

Tricked again....

I was feeling a burst of energy earlier this week, we had temperatures over zero degrees.  That lasted one day, and more snow.  Seriously...in April.  I like everyone else here is very weary of winter, and my sense of exhaustion is part of that. I really dont want to schlep pots back and forth from the kiln into the house over incredibly icy and treacherous conditions. another kiln is firing right now, fingers crossed that I wasnt so tired that I forgot to glaze the lower half or anything scattered brained like that!

I find myself super tired, and have this gut feeling (literally) that I need to slow down a bit.  So, I need to change my focus from making, to selling, a different kind of energy.  Grateful that my time on social networking appears to be paying off, and seeing more orders coming out of Pinterest  and Etsy. Happy to see pottery in Royal Blue, which I can make at home going far and wide. I have some easter baskets ready to go, just need to do the photos, but I am pretty happy with them, hope they find good homes and get filled with really creative things!

My new Etsy shop is open!!

Sometimes we just need a little magic, a little fun. Even though I pride myself on being a functional potter, I love whimsy and child focussed elements to my creativity.  I have been thinking for over a year about my second Etsy shop, SecretGardenSupplies.  I was shocked to see the retail prices for Fairy Garden or Enchanted Garden supplies, and thought wouldn't that be fun to make.


So far I have birds nests, gnome houses, beach glass for paths and will keep adding pieces to the collection.  I home to build my newest fairy garden indoors after this weekend's kiln and will post pictures , but for now here a few of the goodies and a link to my shop:https://www.etsy.com/shop/SecretGardenSupplies?ref=l2-shopheader-name