forget the bunnies

I wish I could say this was purely by discipline that I am working ahead on Easter projects.  But truthfully it is fueled by my new dining room table.  I have been slightly obsessed with tablecloths, vases, plates…. decorative stuff that I put little value on previously.  After following a few internet rabbit holes (pun intended) literally everything I saw was completely designed around fluffy bunnies and eggs. What a sad thing this holiday has become…

As if plastic eggs could ever replace the amazing story, of love, death, resurrection, and redemption found in the Bible.  I know hospitality is more than decorations and menus,  it is about the welcoming.   Oh to share a meal and have ones home reflect  the warmth of the Savior. It’s a learning and making season for me.   I am enjoying my Mains book , ”If Christians, corporately would begin to practice hospitality, we could play significant roles in redeeming our society.  There is no better place to be about the redemption of society with the captive, the blind, the downtrodden, the more we realize that in this inhospitable world, a Christian home is a miracle to be shared. ”  Do you have an Easter or Lenten tradition in your home?

 

Daffodils have long been some of my favorite spring bulbs.  Emerging warm yellow blooms from the snow-covered ground.  I carved two new daffodil blocks and used old printers letter stamps to lay significance in the clay.  We’ll see how these fire up and fill with spring blooms.

handmade harvest

I can’t believe we’re already in November!  These are my handmade pumpkins, I shared in October, when they were still wet clay.  These hollow gourds were thrown on the wheel then hand carved to give them an organic looking shape.  Aren’t they cute – I am thinking this may be a yearly thing!  I layered several different shino glazes on them and used an underglaze wash on the stems to give them a rustic look. These little pumpkins would be a great centerpiece for Thanksgiving, or as a little gift to grace a sill.  I put little trios, in my shop over the weekend.

handmade little pumpkins

These little guys have me all giddy.  I am not quite ready to start making christmas ornaments, so these did the trick.  I threw them off the hump on the potter’s wheel, then carved each by hand after they dried a bit.  I love how each has its own character, just like in the patch.  I can’t wait to fire them and add some glaze – I am thinking a little color spectrum.

 

 

diy: maple leaf roses

Plentiful at this time of year – gorgeous leaves!  We live on a street lined with maple trees, so the materials for these are abundant.  I am not sure who first created these but I am certain they have been made for a long time.  I first learned how to make these a few years ago from a retired art teacher in our community.  She like to wrap the leaves really tight so they looked like rose buds,  I like to find the really big leaves  and make them with large open “petals”.  I’m not a huge fan of dried flowers but these do have beautiful color.

What you need:  About 10 colorful maple leaves (per flower) in various sizes, they should be dry & freshly fallen, so they are pliable.  It is also helpful to have on hand short twigs, scissors and florist tape.

Using one of the smaller leaves, place the colorful side down and fold the points in.  Begin to roll the leaf from one side.

Take a second leaf and fold the center point down.  Place the first rolled leaf in the center, fold down the side points on the second leaf and wrap both sides around.

Continue to add leaves, rotating the flower as you go to get an even size.  Work with the smaller leaves towards the larger ones.  When you rotate it also helps to keep the sides tucked in so that it doesn’t unravel.

When you have added all your leaves or reach desired size, pinch the leaf stems tightly and begin to wrap with florist tape.  Trim the stem ends and cut.  Finally if you are wanting a “long stem” use a stick and attach to the flower by wrapping it with a bit more florist tape.

Then ‘ta da’ you’re done!  I made just a few…  and stuck them in a random vase I threw a while back.  My girls also made one each and took them to their teachers – so sweet, they are!

A few years ago, I used these for a thanksgiving centerpiece.  I should note: this was the first year I stayed home with my girls, so  I had a lot of pent-up creativity.  I made a “Mayflower boat” by gluing sticks, and mixed real flowers and maple roses.  For the sail I ironed cotton muslin to freezer paper and ran it through my printer, to get a family picture.  Then I sewed it to size and added pockets to attach to the mast. I know it was a bit “overboard!”

nikon family

Last week we traveled to celebrate a milestone birthday for my father-in-law.  He has had a tough year so I wanted to encourage him in a special way.  I love that both my family and my husband’s family are loyal Nikon users… that pretty much leaves me with boxes upon boxes of photos.  I have spent much of my time this summer combing through those boxes to put together some of his best shots.  It is so hard to choose photos and I was totally unprepared how emotional it would be to see them enlarged and framed.  I am so happy with how everything turned out, the light pat on the back and smile told me he was too.   It was a great celebration!

* this last photo he took of my hubby slalom water skiing.  I think I married into a talented family.

transformation of a rhubarbarian

I wasn’t quite sure what rhubarb tasted like before I inherited a 50+ year old root from my husbands grandparent’s garden.  It sure possesses plenty of options…  Our crop finally came in and I whipped up a batch of rhubarb sorbet (yum!) and paired it with a strawberry rhubarb crisp with walnut topping (double yum!)

I even used the leaves to make clay impressions for some larger guest books.  I think these would be so lovely glazed in a white and bound with blue linen threads, to be used at a wedding or another special occasion.  I also made a serving bowl with a matching ceramic spoon.  I don’t know if you can gauge the size but this it going to turn out great.  I have seen people use these leaves to make concrete bird baths but I like the idea that supports my human consumption and need to create.   I really want to press a few more to add to this kiln load – I think I love them!

Rhubarb Sorbet & Strawberry-rhubarb crisp with walnut topping

3 1/2 cups fresh rhubarb (4-5 stalks)

2 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp orange zest

2 tbsp corn syrup

1/4 tsp salt

1. Cook rhubarb, sugar, water, salt, and zest in a saucepan. Bring to boil then reduce heat, cover and let simmer 5-10 minutes until soft and rhubarb falls apart.

2. Cool slightly then puree using a blender in batches.  Chill in the fridge until cold or overnight.  Strain through a fine mesh strainer, removing pulp.  You may need to press the liquid through using a spatula.  Add the corn syrup.

3. Using an ice cream maker, freeze according to your manufactures instructions. It will begin to ball in your maker but will still be soft.  Transfer to a freezer container and place in the freezer until firm.  The pink color intensifies slightly when frozen.

This is so delicious, I have never had anything like it.  Enjoy!

the lost art of making

I made something today.  We are quite avid cloth napkin users because they are so easy and super handy.   We always tend to grab sets of napkins, or two of one pattern for the adults and two of another for the kids.  Inevitably they all get mixed up and we can’t remember whose is whose.  I saw a set that I really liked at a big box store but the price tag I did not…  so I decided to make some.  Scoring a sale on fat-quarter fabric, I wound up with six perfect different batik colors for honestly less than one priced in the pre-made set.

After cutting and ironing, I was somewhere between “these are pretty easy” and “man there are a lot of steps”.  I was determined to not sell out for convenience. The shame in buying would be the instant gratification, added price, and the cost of one more thing…  skills.  Sure there are lots of crafty people who make things for fun, but what if it was your job, what if you had no other option but to make the thing you needed?  Could you?  We are such a consumerist society buying all our needs and wants, but beyond shedding our wealth to huge companies and factory workers in other nations we are loosing this other precious resource. We’ve lost touch with what it takes to make.

This first seemed apparent to me in college when one of my roommates (sweet and innocent as can be) and I were trying to sew something.   After threading the needle and making a few stitches she turned to me unable to understand why they were not staying in…  she had forgotten to tie a knot at the end of her thread.  While this seems like a simple mistake, I ask the question is common knowledge becoming uncommon?

They may not be perfect but they will do more than fine for what they are.  Will you spend the time this week to make something – a home cooked meal, ride your bike to the store, or try something new like sewing?  It may take a bit longer and you might mess up a bit, but I can guarantee you will feel that sense of accomplishment, enjoyment in your toil and maybe just learn a new skill.

* did I say cloth napkins, I meant to say pirates hats!

beautiful hands of eva zeizel

What do you expect to be doing when you are 104 years old?

Few people make it to that age must less use the time to accomplish what Eva Zeisel has. She declares herself a “maker of useful things.” Her forms are often abstractions of the natural world and human relationships. Currently, she continues to design furniture as well as glass and ceramic objects, like her most recent 101 design and her Century dishware at crate and barrel. As an artist and a woman I find her life and history so inspiring.

A pioneer in the ceramic world, she studied painting at the Budapest Royal Academy, desiring to pursue a more practical profession she apprenticed herself with a guild of potters. She built a career with ceramic manufactures in Germany and served as the artistic director in the Soviet ceramics industry before being imprisoned as a political prisoner under Stalin. Moving to the US to escape Nazi rule in Austria, Zeizel further developed her craft and taught one of the first courses on industrial design at Pratt University. She also was granted the first one woman show at the Museum of Modern Art.

What a legacy she has built!  I love this picture of her, that you can see her hands so clearly.  Hands that display such a story of making, creating, building, age, grace, and movement.  May my hands be used as beautifully as hers.

white table centerpiece

So I love how these came out, I practically giggled when I cracked the kiln. To describe the process, I wanted to originally make these from porcelain but it just wasn’t working out.  Then I tried to throw them (on the wheel for you non-potters, NOT across the room), but really was going for a square.  Try three produced these white stoneware boxes with  good coffee on a saturday morning. Finally things were going my way.  There is a little crack on one, and a little warpage on another, but compared to the first two attempts….  I love the natural feel of these and the glaze which drifted together like a Michigan snow bank.  The flowers were timed perfectly and slightly fragrant.

I gave the large one to my mother-in-law and the two smaller ones to my sister-in-laws.  I wish I made one more for my self, maybe a January morning will take me back there.  She wanted the table all white, so this was my contribution.  I also made little porcelain snowflake ornaments for table place-cards, with everyone’s name stamped in them.  I am so happy that these all turned out, and the close similarities to my drawing.  It has been a great Christmas break but I am eager to get home and start working on some new ideas.  Just wanted to show you all my excitement of how these guys turned out!

* I used spectrums running hot chowder over a swipe of texture kiwi.  I love how it brought out hints of green and crimson.  A nice little holiday surprise.

for her baked brie

As mentioned before my in-laws thrive in the kitchen.  This is largely motivated by my mother-in-law who speaks the language of food and entertaining.  She is also an excellent master gardner.  The last few springs A and I have visited around easter which coincidently is also when all things are beginning to grow.  Luckily for me she is willing to share.  By that I mean we drive down with the bare essentials so I can stuff the maximum amount of greenage, root bases, and this last spring a 5 ft cranberry bush into the trunk of our car.  Oh and the kids are in the back too amidst the jungle.

This past year she gave me a ton of beautiful giant hostas which inspired multiple projects in clay.   Including my hosta wall vases which have been some of my best sellers in my etsy shop.  Near the end of the season I made one lone platter with 1 inch walls perfect for her appetizers.  As stoneware can go straight from the oven to the table it will make a unique presentation.  I am hoping it will inspire her to make some of her delicious baked brie this holiday visit…    I can’t wait to give her this gift as I know it will  blend two of her loves gardening and cooking, and it comes with such a special story.  Thanks for the hostas and the inspiration!