Friday, December 26, 2008



Here is a hat that I made for someone for Christmas. She is really into black and red. I end up wanting to keep every one that I make! The hat production is going to have to slow down for a while because my sewing machine broke ... again. I can usually fix it but this time I am having no luck. The truth is, I really should get a new one if I'm going to be mass-producing these babies.
I am moving to the next town over this weekend. I am finally going to be in a house! I will have my own craft room, so the obsession to make stuff will flourish, I'm sure of that. I will also be able to have a garden. Woo Hoo. We are going to have a big yard and I can't wait to get my hands in the dirt.
Have a happy New Year everyone!
Kate


Sunday, December 14, 2008

Another Little Show and a lesson

Here is Santa arriving in a fire truck.

A cute little happy customer! I loved this hat. I kinda wanted to keep it for myself.

Well, I did this tiny little show in a neighboring town. It was the day of the Christmas parade and it was very cold. I sold a bunch of hats and one ornament.
I am learning alot. When I started making the hats I thought that the kid sizes would be the most popular because the style is very cute and child-like. Well, it turns out everyone likes the adult ones, even the small customers. Also, I am discovering that the ones that are my favorites were also the ones that people bought. Here I thought that I had to adjust my taste to the general public, because sometimes my taste is a bit off the wall. Well it turns out, people are enjoying the craft that has my heart into it.
This is a good lesson to just be myself and there will be people out there who enjoy my uniqueness.

Have a great day.
Kate

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The Show in Pittsboro


Here is a picture of me at my table at the show this weekend.
I had alot of fun. It was really cold and everyone who bought hats put them on right away! That made me super happy, because you know I love it when my stuff gets used! I also had a bunch of help from friends and family which is always nice. Randy worked the booth with me, Jan let me borrow the artificial head for display and Grandpa Al loaned me his truck. Thank you so much everyone!
It was also really nice to you Zen! Thanks for braving the bitter cold to support me.
I love my Santa ornament! It has a place of honor on my tree.

Thanks everybody!
Kate

Below are some pictures of happy customers!




Sunday, November 23, 2008

Show December 7th in Pittsboro


Happy Holidays!
I have been working like crazy to make a bunch of stuff for the Pittsboro First Sunday on December 7th. If you don't know what I'm talking about, on the first Sunday of the month in Pittsboro, NC there is a handmade street fair with a ton of great stuff! I am going to be selling elf hoodies for all ages in all colors. I have a bunch of holiday ones but other colors too, in case you like to be an elf all winter long. I have also been working on ornaments too.

Also, check out my Etsy store. The link is on the upper right hand side of my main page.

Hope to see you at my show. Feel free to shoot me a message for more info.

-Kate-

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Happy Halloween!


It is almost Halloween but the crafting for Christmas has already started! I am working on a bunch of stuff and hopefully I will have enough to do First Sunday in Pittsboro again this December. The main thing that I am working on is elvin hoodies. There will be a bunch of Holiday ones but lets face it.....It's fun to be a Elf all year long.
I will also be making other stuff like the mushroom ornament you see below. It has a pipe cleaner on the bottom that you wrap around the branch.
Have a Happy Halloween!
Kate


Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Happy Autumn!


Happy Autumn!
This past weekend, Randy and I made this wreath. We gathered most of the supplies from the woods behind our apartment. The leaves we got at the craft store but the rest of the pine cones, sticks and pine sprays we gathered ourselves! Randy was the designer and I put it all together. I did have a couple of ideas myself but I have to admit, the most of the ideas were not mine this time.
Have a wonderful October !
Kate

Saturday, August 23, 2008

JimGin Farm Art Exhibit


Today I went to the opening of the art exhibit at JimGin Farm in Chatham County, North Carolina.
It was really nice. The weather was great and the art was amazing. I took a few pictures but there was so much to see I couldn't get it all.
The exhibit runs Saturday evenings through the end of September.
If you are local and want to check it out just drop me a note and I will be happy to give you some more info.
Kate




The two pictures below are "Grazing Balls". I loved them. They really funny. Just imagine seeing that while hiking in the woods.






Sunday, August 17, 2008

Feeding Frenzy and Garbage Wallet


It is a feeding frenzy! I like to think that the hummingbirds are just being playful when they body-check each other away from the feeder. They are just addicts, hooked on the juice.
This week I have been trying to be creative without purchasing anything new. I was looking on YouTube and saw a tutorial about making stuff out of plastic grocery bags. Well, the first thing you do is cut the top and bottom off of a plastic bag. Turn it inside out so the writing is on the inside. Then overlap it so it is 8 layers thick. Put the bag between two pieces of paper and iron it. Keep the iron constantly moving, so the plastic melts evenly. Once it is melted into a firm plastic sheet you can sew it into stuff.
What I did was take two different colors of bags that I had fused together and cut them into 1/2 inch strips. I then wove them into a wallet sized sheet, which I then ironed again to make solid. This made the front of the wallet. Then I used two other fused bags, one to make the large money pocket and one to make the two inside pockets for license or credit cards. I then sewed it up by hand using embroidery thread and bias tape on the edges.
Well, there it is, wallet made out of trash and left over craft supplies.

Kate

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Herbs

Well it is the end of another great pottery class. Here are a couple of seconds that a friend gave me that have been laying around her studio in a box.
She was so right...they are great for a back porch herb garden. I have already been able to use fresh herbs in a couple of recipes and wow what a difference.
Kate

Sunday, July 27, 2008

I like it in Black and White


Here is the most recent pottery that I finished.
I bet you are wondering why the picture is in black and white. Well, the truth is, I hate the color they turned out. Also, the positioning in the photo is the only way to look at the pieces without seeing the fact that the glaze crawled off in a bunch of spots on all three. Well, at least they match. Hmmm.

Ok.. ok.. Here is the true color.

Kate

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The lid FITS!



I am so thrilled! This is the first piece that I absolutely love! I was so happy when I saw it completed that I had to kiss it! The lid fits perfect! Not too loose, not too tight.
The glaze didn't do anything weird like crawl or slip off.
Yay!
The glaze is eggshell. It has been my recent favorite.

Happy Day!

Kate

Monday, July 7, 2008

Some new stuff


Here is a bowl that I made. I really love the way the bottom turned out. The eggshell glaze looks so nice over the dark clay. I think that I will do more like this in the future. Intentionally make them really thick so I can trim the heck out of them.

Here is a set of His and Hers matching mugs.
Or if you are the open minded sort, they could be
Hers and Hers matching mugs or His and His matching mugs.
Lets just call them mugs.

Hope that you are having a great week.

Saturday, June 7, 2008

No Open Studio

I just found out that there will be no open studio this summer. What this means is that I will not be able to practice on Saturdays. I will only be able to work on pottery on Weds nights from 6-9. That really stinks because I feel as if I spend the whole class setting up and cleaning up.
Well, I guess I will survive.
-Kate

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Moon Moth



I went out on my porch today and look what I found! It's a moon moth! Yay!

Kate

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Class Starting again on June 4th


Hi everyone! Above is a picture of unfinished his and hers matching mugs that I didn't get a chance to glaze during last session. Class starts again on June 4th and I will be making more stuff soon. This session I think that I will try to challenge myself more. I usually just sit down at the wheel with nothing in mind and then just make whatever happens. This time I think I will try to master certain skills instead of trying to make stuff. I will most likely not have as much finished product but what I do have will be better quality.

1. I must master the centering of clay and the basic cylinder.
2. I must master making sets by starting with same size balls of clay.
3. I would like to start making bigger things. Up to 5lbs of clay.

These are my 3 goals for the next session.
Kate

Monday, May 5, 2008

Vase and set of bowls


Here is a vase that was glazed in Periwinkle and then the top half was dipped into Blue Hare Fur. I really like the way the glaze turned out. I can't wait to get some flowers for it! I made another vase that I glazed in a darker combo (below). I didn't write down the glaze combo so I'm lost if I ever want to recreate it. I Think that it may be Randy Red then Black. Both of the vases are the same size. About 8 inches tall. The size in the pictures is misleading.


The bowls below are for Wendy and Brian! yeah! They were glazed in Black then Randy Red.


Have a great week everybody! - Kate

Saturday, May 3, 2008

SANFORD POTTERY FESTIVAL

Today I went over to the pottery festival in Sanford, NC. The pottery was amazing.
I bought the mug/cup that you see below. I surprised myself by getting a hand built one instead of a thrown one. I saw some great thrown ones but the ones that I really liked were out of my price range. This one below was only $10.00 and so cool!
The potter is Marshall Art - Unusual Clay Sculpture
He said his web site is out of date but here it is anyway:
www.makerofthewoos.com

Marshall Art - Unusual Clay Sculpture
Waxhaw, NC


A big thank you to all of the shop owners who allowed me to take these pictures!
Moose Hollow Pottery
Thomasville, NC

This is Lorrie Anderson from Moose Hollow Pottery. The face jugs she makes are really great! Most of the ones you see are really scary looking but hers make you giggle.

Marshall Art - Unusual Clay Sculpture
Waxhaw, NC
www.makerofthewoos.com


Chrisco's Pottery in Rural Hall, NC
These are Raku glazed. Red, Black and White is such a cool combo!

Seagrove Stoneware - Seagrove, NC
David Fernandez in the artist. I overheard him say that all of the glaze is his own formulas. Very Cool!
www.seagrovestoneware.com

Raku by Andy Smith
Marshville, NC
I loved this blue design on this pot! He had several different shapes with this same raku design!

Rock Hill Pottery Center
Robert Hasselle
Rock Hill, SC

Here are some other potters that I liked below but I have no pictures.

Uwharrie Crystalline Pottery
William and Pamela Kennedy
Seagrove, NC

Kathy Whitley Pottery
leatherandpottery.com
Pink Hill, NC

Clay Play
Kannapolis, NC

Linda Dalton Pottery
West End, NC
lindadaltonpottery.com

Have a great week!
Kate



Thursday, May 1, 2008

Pie Plate


Well, here it is. My first official pie plate!
The funny part is that is ended up being really small.
It is only like 7 to 8 inches across.
I guess that means it's a personal pie plate....more pie for me.

I signed up for the next session of classes which starts on June 4
th.
So, after I pick up the finished pieces from this class I will have a big break before starting up again. So for those of you waiting for new pictures... remain patient.
I know that on this Friday or Saturday I will have two new vases to show you and bunch of bowls but then there will be a dry spell.

Keep checking back, I will post pictures of my other adventures in North Carolina.
There is a pottery festival this weekend and a kiln opening!
I might take pictures there.

Later-
Kate

Monday, April 28, 2008

Hummingbird Picture

My pottery teacher has been on vacation for about a week. She is the only one who loads and unloads the kilns so there is still no new pottery to show you.
I got this hummingbird feeder and snapped a shot of my new little friend.
Kate

Saturday, April 12, 2008

Lots of Pots

So I have a big pile of pots in my living room. There are a few good ones that I want to keep but the rest I think I am going to have to give away or throw away. A bunch of them are just not even good enough to give to people. The glazes are too runny or the glaze scaled off the side or I think that it is just plain ugly. I really don't want to give someone a pot that looks like crap. Hopefully I will get better and stop making pieces that I think look really bad.

Today in the open studio I worked on 2 large vases and one large bowl. I started off with a little over three pounds of clay for each. They are the biggest things that I have made yet! Whoo Hoo!

Kate


Thursday, April 10, 2008

This is a cute little pot that I glazed in Randy red and then in Black.
I really like the color combo.

This vase below was glazed in Blue Hare Fur and Spearmint