I have been very busy....

I have been keeping up with my plan of at least an hour every day in the studio.  I have been spending way more time than that in there.  When I get home from work until I go to bed.  It is great.  A lot of things have been getting done!  I have a bunch of pictures to prove it.  :)

This platter is for my sister. 

Greenware waiting to be bisque fired this weekend. 

A couple of weeks ago I did a sale at my Aunts work.  My husband did one at his work this past week.  A little extra spending money for Christmas.   

I am glad I have been working a lot.  I have to start making things for the upcoming spring and summer sales.  I am excited.  I am going to try not to procrastinate like I always do.  I am going to have everything done and complete way before the sales this year.  Bring on the new year! 

No Excuses....

I have been very lazy lately.  I am really trying to get motivated to work on my ceramics.  I have been thinking recently why I have not been working and I have come to the conclusion that my work is not exciting or satisfying to me.  So I have been doing some research on glazes and other techniques to use.  I know I can throw pottery and glaze with pre-mixed glazes......I just need to find my niche and start from scratch.

Today I came up with a list of chemicals that I will need to be able mix up some new glaze samples and for some new techniques.  I am getting excited about pottery again.  I told my husband that he needs to push me to get in the studio even when I don't want to.  I want to make this a fun hobby not one that I really don't want to do.  So I am back!  I am going to make a goal to be in the studio at least an hour a day.  I hope I get my followers back and I promise I will be blogging again.  :)

I am still here!

It was brought to my attention that I have been slacking at doing my posts lately.  Sorry.  Summer has had me outside working in the yard.  I have been putting in some flower beds and planting a lot of flowers.  This is our second summer in our house and I am still trying to get it the way I want it.  I know it will take years but I am working as hard and as fast as I can to get it finished.  There was not a whole lot of yard work going on this July because it was just way too hot to do anything outside.  So now in August I had to make up lost time.  Here are a few pictures of what I have done in the yard. 

I put in two raised flower beds.

One in my back yard.

One also around the corner of my house.

I also have been taking care of my vegetable garden.   



My yard is not the only thing that has been keeping us busy.  The last couple of weekends we have had two bachelor/bachelorette parties, a house warming party, a wedding, and my in-laws came to visit for a weekend.  We also have a wedding next weekend.  So we have been very busy. 

But I will have to get back to work because I have 3 orders that need to be filled.  Well there you go.  That is what I have been up to this summer and why I have not been on the computer posting.  I promise I will keep updating. 

Investigating

Today was the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum Arts Festival at Riverside Park in Neenah.  I went to check it out to see if I should be in this art fair next year.  It was set up nice around a walkway in the park.  The only thing was that it was way hot today.  All the vendors are top notch and their displays are great.  My display will need a little work if I want mine to look as nice.  I got a few ideas of how to improve mine.  Here are a few pictures. 



Faire On The Green

Hi everyone!  Here are a few pictures from my sale that was in Oshkosh last weekend.  I had to take these pictures from my friends blog because I forgot my camera.  You can check her blog out at The Primitive Hutch.  Thanks Robin! Oh my Aunt Lisa also got me a new sign.  I love it!  Thanks Lisa!!!

Faire On The Green

Hello everyone!  I hope everyone had a great Fourth of July.  Don't forget to stop out and visit me at the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh on Sunday, July 10th.  It starts at 9am and runs until 4pm.  I am located towards the Northeast corner of the park.  I hope to see you there!

I have also been making new things for the sale.  Check it out.

Beautiful Weather for an Art Fair

We couldn't of asked for a better day for an art fair.  Everything went great.  My brother, husband, and my husbands friend helped me set up in the morning and it only took 45 minutes to get set up.  Then the fair was busy before it even started which was a great sign.  Lots of people and lots of sun! 

I did sell a lot of pieces which means I am making more pieces to replace them for the next show in July.  I have to get busy and today is a perfect day to do that because it is raining out.  Here are a few pictures from the sale. 

A special thanks to all that came out and visited my booth!  Also thanks to my family that helped me pack up at the end of the day.  It did not take long to tear down when I had 7 people helping me pack up my stuff. 

Winnebagoland Art Fair

Hi everyone!  Don't forget to come visit me at the Winnebagoland Art Fair (I call it the South Park Art Fair).  It is on Sunday, June 12.  It runs from 10am - 4pm at South Park in Oshkosh.  My tent is in the Southwest corner of the park at the corner of South Park Ave. and Georgia St. by the gazebo.  Hopefully I will see you there!

Paine Art Sale

Thanks to everyone that came out to check out my first art fair!  Everything went well besides the rain half way through the day.  It cut my day short.  Which was a bummer.  Well here is a picture I took quickly because I was getting rained on.  

 

Saturday

Hi everyone!  Don't forget to come out and visit me at the Paine Art Center this Saturday in Oshkosh!  It starts at 9am.  Check out their website for more information The Paine Art Center.  See you Saturday!

Very Busy!

Sorry it has been over a week since I last posted.  My blog has taken a back seat to my sale.  I have been working on a lot of things.  I have been throwing, trimming, firing, glazing, pricing, and getting everything together for my sale.  This first sale is taking a lot out of me.  I did not realize how many little things you have to think about and be prepared for.  I think the next two will be a lot easier.  10 more days to go.  Well here are a few pictures of what I have been up to. 

I did a set up of my display so I could figure out what I need to get and to get an idea of how to set everything up.  On the sale day we have to be set up by 7:30am so it is going to be an early day and I am not a morning person.  So the more I have organized the easier it will be for me. 

Glaze Firing

Today I unloaded my kiln and reloaded it with glazed work.  It should be done firing tonight.  I will have one more glaze firing before my show on May 21st.

I have a lot of things to do to get ready for my upcoming show.  So I will be busy this next week.  My Mother is going to come over and we are going to do a mock set up of my booth.  So I will be prepared for my early morning set up.  My shelves are also empty so I will have to start throwing pots again.  I have been slacking in that department because of a small injury.  So it is not by choice.  But it is putting me behind schedule because I have another show in June.   Empty shelves.....

Time to get busy.

Glaze Firing

Last week I waxed the bottoms of all my pottery and glazed everything.  I also did a glaze firing. 

Had some really nice things come out.  Check it out!

Snow!

This is what outside looked like Wednesday morning.  We had about 9 inches of snow.  This was the second-snowiest season ever in Appleton with 83.7 inches.  What a great record to set.  Ha!  I just hope it is done now.

I did get some things done in the studio this week.  I unloaded the bisque kiln and I waxed all the bottoms of the pots.  I plan to glaze everything tomorrow and start the kiln.

Thunder Snow!

So it is the end of April and we are having a snowstorm.  We are actually having a thunder snowstorm.  It is the weirdest thing thunder and lightning while it is snowing.  It is the second time we have had one of these this year.  So far I would say we have accumulated at least three inches of snow.  Yuck!  We are supposed to get 6-10 inches. 

Well this is not doing much to get me motivated for my spring and summer sales.  But I have been busy.  I made a lot of pottery this weekend.  I went from empty shelves to almost full shelves for another bisque firing.  This weekend I will either do two glaze firings or one glaze and one bisque firing.  Not sure yet.  We will have to see how motivated I am with glazing.  But I plan to get a lot done.  A little over one month before my sale at the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh.  Lots to do. 



After my last firing not much left. 




Now my shelves are full again.



Bisque Firing

Today I loaded the kiln for a bisque firing.  It is all packed and ready to go. 

I also cleaned my studio so I have a fresh start tomorrow.  It will be nice to be in a clean setting.  I will hopefully have a big production day tomorrow. 

Production!

It was a productive day today.  I made some large bowls and serving platters.  I also made lidded vessels.  Check it out.  I will have to trim my pots tomorrow.  I still have one day left to work before the real work week starts.

Accepted!

I just got a letter in the mail today!  I was accepted into the Winnebagoland Art Fair!  It is on June 12, 2011 in Oshkosh at South Park.  The hours are 10am - 4pm.  I will be located on the West side of the fair along the walking trail near Georgia Street by the Gazebo.  Hopefully you can make it!   

Handles!

Last week I put some handles on some mugs I made.  Lots of production happening.  I don't have a lot of time before my first show.  The art fair is on May 21 at the Paine Art Center in Oshkosh.  I am planning on doing a bisque firing next weekend.  I have to have enough stuff dried and able to fill up my kiln.  I have to get my fingers moving. 

Production

Today I have to trim my bowls from yesterday.  Not my favorite thing to do but it needs to be done. 

I am also making some mugs and cups today.  Which means I will have to put some handles on tomorrow.  That is something I am not excited about. 

Bowl-a-thon

Yesterday I thought I would get started by making bowls.  Bowls are one of my favorite things to make.  So I thought they would be a good starting point to get me motivated.  I am not sure how many pieces I am going to need for my sale.  So I will just make as much as I can from now till the sale. Check them out!

Accepted!!

Today I received an acceptance letter into the two art fairs at The Paine Art Center in Oshkosh.  I am very excited.  Now I have to get motivated because the first show is in May.  Check out the links and mark your calendar!

Festival of Spring
The Paine Art Center, Oshkosh
Saturday, May 21, 2011
9 am – 4 pm
http://www.thepaine.org/events/fest_of_spring2011.html

Faire on the Green
The Paine Art Center, Oshkosh
Sunday, July 10, 2011
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
http://www.thepaine.org/events/faire_on_green2011.htm

Pictures

Here are a few pictures of my work using my new light box.  I have a few things to tweak and a little learning to do.