Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Garden Retreat

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This is my back yard. It was a shambles when we bought the house, but we’ve built the flagstone patio area with the swing, fire pit and picnic table, planted tender new flowerbeds everywhere and spent many long evenings eating and laughing together here.

My daughter and I just finished this dinnerware set, which combines my Organic Soul with her garden Retreat.

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We’ve worked hard on the dinnerware set to make the leaf plates curl gracefully, to make plates that are organic shapes but also not warped. We’ve sweated in physical labor as a family creating our retreat far more than the time we’ve spent lazily enjoying it.

Is this a conundrum, to work hard making a place of rest, or a dinnerware set intended for long leisurely meals?

The work has been a kind of joy and pleasure unlike any other. There are thoughts that come while forming clay into a poppy or planting new lilies or laying the flagstone that are as if the mind has opened and something large and full of grace steps in. Inside of the physical work of creativity I find delight, as if delight were the most serious thing possible.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

River Journey Series

My two favorite things in clay are textures, especially lace textures, and glazes that flow. The River Journey series has the colors from my whitewater rafting trips on the French Broad River, and this one captured that essence perfectly.

I may not go rafting for another month as I am still fragile, recovering from surgery. These colors still call to me, perhaps even more urgently as memories than as experiences in real time.  I think of that exhilarating moment going over rapids, scenery blurring, control suspended, and what it is to be no more than a leaf taken by a strong current. Isn’t it ironic that most of our lives are spent trying to get or maintain control, while the nanoseconds of exquisite joy occur during abandon and surrender. Perhaps this is why I layer 7-10 glazes and stack them in the kiln, never knowing what the heck will happen.

Like this one.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Creative Weddings

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My niece, Cionne, was married on 6/27, under a beautiful hand built outdoor huppa in Chicago. Before I get all sentimental and philosophical, here’s a few pics of our family enjoying Chi town and the reception:

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So today, Kelly and James dropped by to pick up the gifts ordered from their bridal registry. Here is the set they now own- 10 place settings of my Beach Cottage:

They shared some lovely pics from their wedding, with chic creative flourishes, all handmade, or purchased on Etsy. I am loving this trend towards creative weddings!

 

I loved James’ pinwheel buttonniere, purchased from rule42.  And look at the adorable handmade flower girl tutus!

I love how individual style is the rule these days. I wish both couples all the happiness that their hearts can hold. It’s such an honor to be a part of someone’s wedding- as a guest, and as the maker of their dinnerware, too!

Friday, June 18, 2010

MarciG in Seventeen Magazine

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Marci is featured in the June issue of Seventeen Magazine, in an article on teens who started their own business. Feature writer Farnoosh Torabi found Marci’s Etsy shop, MarciG, in February, along with many other possible teens on Etsy. She took her time and answered the interview questions thoroughly, telling her story of how she started her Etsy shop as a business after getting turned down for summer jobs last year. Marci’s writing skills undoubtedly helped catch Seventeen’s interest.

Since publication, Marci has had many sales to Seventeen readers, including a mom of a 12 year old who was reading Seventeen with her daughter. She’s gotten lots of fan mail from other teens asking about how they might get started.

Besides fame and fortune, the article gives Marci a unique endorsement of her accomplishments as she applies to colleges. Creativity and entrepreneurial skills are not measured by SAT scores, and this helps show where some of Marci’s talents live. 

Marci turned 17 on May 20, and was published in Seventeen on May 29th. I hope that her year brings more happiness and success, and you must know how proud I am to watch this beautiful flower of a girl unfold.

Friday, May 7, 2010

No I Can’t

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A buyer asked if I could make 3 of a small vase that I had listed, and naturally my reply was ‘yes, I can. Oh, sure. Of course, ASAP! ‘ But after her custom order listing was up, she changed her mind. Hence ensued a long string of convos about what she did want, so I altered the original listing with very precise information about what set I would make. She bought her custom order listing.

When the set was ready, I gave her a preview in my FlickR account. Her response was that it was exactly what she ordered but she has changed her mind about the sizes. Could she pass on this set and just order another one? She would also like to send me pictures of her dining room so that I could reformulate my glazes to match her curtains exactly. I am not making this up.

There does come a time to say no, I can’t, and that time should have been before I actually felt like using more colorful language that I did.  I offered her a no-strings- attached full refund. It took 2 days to get her to agree to that!

This morning I got another fairly unreasonable request, and I actually had to stop myself in the middle of it, go back to the computer, and reply, very graciously mind you, ‘no, I can’t’.

I believe wholeheartedly in the power of saying Yes! But sometimes saying ‘no,I can’t’ is a form of saying ‘yes I can’. As in, ‘yes I can respect my own time’; ‘yes I can choose to say yes or no.’ Gloria Steinem once said, “If you can’t say no, then yes doesn’t mean anything.”  I think she was referring to sexual harassment cases, but she could have been a great coach for customer service, too!

 Bottle Vase Trio on Etsy

Sunday, May 2, 2010

May Flowers: Poppies


Roxanna, of Illuminated Perfume, has organized a blogorama on the theme of May Flowers, as a celebration of May Day. Please join in the fun for daily reads from writers and artists coming together from all parts of the world with their own unique voice. I’ve chosen poppies.

Who has never marveled at the audacity of raging color, an invitation to abandon sorrow and give in to giddy happiness?

    Orange Poppy Bowl by MarciG
Who has never touched the delicate petals and thought of them as a  lace spun from the heart of magic?
 
         Icelandic poppy by TheFaerieMarket
Poppies are associated with remembrance, with war or peace, with the solemn sorrows of loss. And yet to me they are a call to awakening. And that beckoning towards an unreasonable intoxication, a joyful delight, is a kind of holiness.

         Felted Skirt by Ingermaaike
Each summer they open. No matter how harsh the winter, no matter how many died, they push forth and unfurl as if waving taunting bright flags. Death is not final! And sorrow cannot keep joy from showing it's face again!

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

The Artisan Wedding Challenge

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The Artisans Gallery Team is having a Wedding Challenge. Our task is to create new and exciting wedding themed pieces. I decided to create a dinnerware set around my textured lace bowls, and came up with my Beach Cottage handmade dinnerware set. Within 20 minutes of listing this on Etsy, I got a 10 place setting order, and now have a Bridal Registry!
Check out our team blog all this week. We are having 24 pieces each day featured by the premiere artisans exhibiting on Etsy!
You can also search AGTEAM WEDDING on Etsy and make your own discoveries. Here are some of mine:


A Firefly Lantern by Aprilhilerdesigns, a Royal Wedding at the Castle by Intres, Ring Bearer Wreath (this one is bold!) by twolefthands, a Happy Bunnies Wedding Cake Topper by Krize.

 
Aren’t these great? Custom Vintage Map Cufflinks by SherryTruitt, Forever in my Heart knit cuff by KnotOriginal, Crystal Bridal Necklace by StaroftheEast, and a silk and cashmere Bridal Lingerie set by Foundrydesign.
Enjoy my finds, and be sure to visit our blog each day his week!