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!

End of Year looking back on 2014

2014 was to be my year to burst forth. I am proud that I took risks with new ventures, some were more successful than others, but overall I am pleased with this year. I promised myself that I was going to launch a new line of urban pots, in a minimalist black and white theme. The reception has been mixed but I am going to forge ahead

I will continue to make more espresso cups and shot glasses.

The christmas ornaments, in particular the polar bears did well and are a good symbol of Winnipeg and Manitoba.

Yarn bowls and fiber festivals with my buttons are fun and financially rewarding.

The Pop Up shops supporting local and handmade have had ups and downs, but I have been really happy about feeling a greater sense of community and support from makers.   We will see how that goes in 2015, but paying rent for 2 shops was harder than I anticipated, and will have to consider that more carefully for the coming year. Gman is becoming a good support and help when on the road, we will do more of those in 2015 and find more travelling companions, where we can split costs when doing out of town shows. I know that I am doing the Fiber Festival at the Norwood community centre on January 10 and the Big One in Brandon in October. Other than that the year is an Open Canvas! Here are a few of my favourite pots from the year.

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.

Fibre People are friends

for 2014 I am thinking about how much of my business is related to knitting and fibre arts.  My newest item is knitting needle vases.  They would also hold flowers in case you wanted to ask.  I am refining them as I go along

Knitting Needle Vases

 Yarn Bowls are in four stores, and still a great seller

Buttons are fun and evolving as I go along, and enjoy doing custom buttons

Wolseley wool made up these great kits with my mugs.

In High GEAR

What, how did we get to the end of October, I cannot speak.  So instead I will throw and trim for all the upcoming shows, sales and orders.  Yet again, it is hard to know how busy I want to be.  Halloween is a big deal at my house, someones favorite holiday.  He was my little photographer yesterday in the studio, so forgive a bit of blurriness, we could call it an artistic interpretation.

Lots of sales, but next is Hot to Shop at the lovely Dalnavert Museum, a first time event, but Tammy Vogel the organizer is really promoting, so I am hoping for a stellar sale!

St. Boniface Hospital Science and Craft sale, November 14th 10-5pm.  Kids will be in school, so easier for me and hopefully some of the shoppers.  Kiln is firing up some tests today for a new store and one of my soapy Louise friends of SoGa soaps.

fingers on the clay guiding the trimming tool

 

Bidding for bowls with birds

this yarn bowl found a home yesterday at the WEST Craft and Vintage Sale.  I actually had two women at the booth at the same time, but one got a phone call from her mom.   little did I know they both wanted to buy the same bowl.  I almost had it wrapped up, and the 2nd woman said howmuch she liked the bowl.  The first woman with the bowl in her hand said she would take a different one, and she offered the bird bowl to the first woman.  Everyone went away happy and I made two sales.

 

 

Lots more yarn bowls on the way, for all the upcoming sales, and a new shipment going to Wolseley Wool soon.

Let me know if you have colour or size requests for yarn bowls or anything else.  Firing the first week of November!!

 

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!

I am alive and kicking!

Dont get me wrong. i am not actually kicking anyone, but I have found myself going at high gear for far too long, and thus the blog has been sadly neglected.

On the kicking theme, we made a brief attempt at fostering a goat....love him...but the realities of taking on a fragile baby goat with separation anxiety and feeding issues is more than even I should take on .. Thanks to Louise of Aurora FArm for her patience and letting us try this. still a dream but it will have to wait...

I am madly gardening and harvesting...rewarding but my back and kneee dont always agree with me... trying to work on pacing myself  and am grateful for all and any help with weeding. Looking for a hot yoga experience, I can provide it here!

Tomorrow we are making a special delivery of pots to Pembina Hills Art Gallery with a request for yarn bowls.  That is a good thing, will take some of the new buttons Cathy has put on cards for me.

a real day off!

I have delivered pottery for an order and for a friend, have done my show at the AGSM, Gala of Gifts and tomorrow is a whole day off.  I am in a hotel with my laptop, two books and a newspaper.  I have promised myself that I am not going to get up before the sun, and just focus on relaxing.

The AGSM Gallery allowed for a spacious layout, a rare luxury these days.

Pink and Turquoise, today pendants were the most popular.

Shoppers and visitors lingered and talked with us

Pat from SLM Alpacas, spinning her own rovings, and selling my yarn bowls! She is from Carroll, Manitoba near Brandon.

 

batter bowl

serving bowl in royal blue

yarn bowl

It is a crzy busy time of year.  Delivered stock to new stores in the Brandon area on Friday.   a great sale with the ETsy team, WEST on Saturday!   Throwing, firing, drying, glazing, moving pots from one  studio to another, designing custom pots for a friends business.  And I am still standing!

Still needing wanting to throw a lot before next weeks kiln, but the drying without exploding will be my biggest challenge!  Adrenalin is a highly underrated asset.

Where I will be this weekend and a new recipe for Basil!

Brandon Folk Music and Art Festival
Brandon Folk Festival Under the Canvas Artisan Village Brandon, Manitoba Behind the Keystone Center July 20 - 6-9pm
July 21 - noon-8pm
July 22 - noon - 6pm


 Thai-Style Stir-Fried Chicken and Basil

by Lori Longbotham



read reviews (16)

Craving your favorite Thai dish, but want to stay in tonight? No problem. This stir-fry is simple to make, quick, and delicious, so it won't disappoint. If you like, finish the dish with a mix of fresh cilantro and mint instead of basil.



Video: Watch the Homegrown/Homemade team demonstrate how to make this recipe.



Serves 2-3





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vegetable oil



shallots



garlic



more

crushed red pepper flakes chicken breast cutlets limes brown sugar basil Asian fish sauce 2 Tbs. vegetable oil

4 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

2 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 lb. chicken breast cutlets (about 1/4 inch thick), cut crosswise into 1-inch-wide strips

1 Tbs. fish sauce

1 Tbs. fresh lime juice

2 tsp. packed light brown sugar

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves





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Heat the oil in a well-seasoned wok or a heavy-duty 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until the shallots start to soften but not brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until it’s no longer pink and the shallots are beginning to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.



Add the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and 1/4 cup water. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is just cooked through and the liquid reduces to a saucy consistency, 2 to 3 minutes. (If the sauce reduces before the chicken is cooked through, add water, 1 Tbs. at a time.) Remove from the heat, add the basil, and stir to wilt it.