The Roses, The Sheep, and The Wonkyness of it all...

So, I love big English Roses!  I ordered four different kinds for my backyard and can I just say that I cannot wait for them to bloom!

 They arrived on Monday and me thinks it's going to be awhile before they bloom! lol

Mark was like...."aaaaah, where are the gorgeous roses I've been hearing about?" wweeeeeeeelllll, lets just say they are on the way.  And some time in the next two years they should get here!

The Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was all kinds of fun!  Molly and Kellie helped me on Saturday and my niece Amy and her daughter Grace helped us on Sunday.  

 The girls spent most of their time eating

 and making new friends 

This past week I was making bigger pinch pot bowls to go with the soy candles I'm making.

 I love pinch pot bowls.  I never notice how crazy wonky they are until they are dry.  Then I'm like how did I not see this craziness?  But then I remember that it's the crazy wonkyness of them that I love!  It's the reason I make pinch pots and not wheel thrown pots.  I love the handmade lopsided fingerprints in them.  So I say... bring on the pinch pots 

 I went to Home Depot yesterday and bought flowers.  Flowers are expensive!  Sheesh!  And, honestly, I love flowers, flowers make my heart sing!  But...the planting of the flowers...ggaaaaaaah I hate it.

 As I type this post I can hear Mark out back doing yard work.  He has been in here twice asking when I'm coming out because "the flowers don't plant themselves" waaaaaaaaaah, I hate yard work!!!  I would much rather be cleaning these new pieces to load the kiln....

At least it's a gorgeous day!  I hope you have a lovely Saturday!  I'm off to hhhhh plant the flowers :O/

Finally Updated My Website!

I was up till 3 am, but my website is now updated!  Check it out --

White Clover Kiln

 You Can Now Shop For Natural Incense, Leather Cord, Irish Waxed Linen Cord, The Knitting Patterns For My Mug Cozies and Much More!  I Will Be Adding My Handmade Soy Candles and Candle Holders, More Knitting Patterns For Gloves and Socks, And Larger Ceramic Gift Items Very Soon!

Maryland Sheep And Wool...Ack!

I got an email on Friday letting me know that a spot opened up at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival and did I still want to be a vendor?  Aaaaah, yeah!  Can I be ready by this Friday....suuuuuuuuure!  So since Friday afternoon I have been on a glazing, loading the kiln, firing the kiln, unloading the kiln, glazing, loading the kiln....you get the idea.

I'll be ready.  I think I have a good supply of buttons.  I'm going to take some finished earrings, little pinch pot bowls, and a few other things with me.

  

I love this festival!  I have gone almost every year so I'm looking forward to being a vendor this time around. If you are a knitter/spinner like me - it shouldn't be missed!  So, if you are in the area stop by and say hi to me.  I don't know my booth location yet - only that I will be in one of the barns.  

New Work Going In The Kiln Today...

Good morning!  I just finished cleaning all of these pieces and am getting ready to throw 'em into the kiln for a bisque firing.  I can't wait to glaze them...

 I really do love layering pieces.   This is chocolate stoneware...

I'm excited about these links...

 Made pieces in porcelain too.

 I also made some face beads with the hole going horizontally instead of vertically...

And did I tell you about my new mugs?  Love them!

So, tomorrow I get to start glazing....hooooraaah! I can't wait!

I Love Creating New Work...

I spent the past two days playing with porcelain trying to create some new work.  I was having so much fun that I was actually sad when 5:00 pm came today and I knew I wouldn't be back to the studio till Monday!  Here is what I've come up with so far...

What do you think?  Have a great weekend!

Good Morning...All kinds of fun news for ya!

Hello! It's me.  I'm starting to get back on track now that Spring is here.  I love the month of April.  The weather gets nicer and I am out of my winter funk...hoooraaaah!

Anyhoo, I have some news about my Etsy shop...

I'm now carrying naturally dyed leather cord in sizes: .5, 1, 1.5, and 2mm!  15 beautiful colors.

I like the natural dyes with the leather.  I think they work so well with handmade ceramic pieces.  It also works with the Irish waxed linen thread for making bracelets - like this one for example...

Here is the link to the YouTube Tutorial 

http://youtu.be/RT-M2e46PWM

I want to make several of these bracelets with my buttons, shank buttons, and big ceramic beads for the closure.  I'm working on making groups of beads (enough to make a bracelet like this).  I want to make two size bead groups - small and medium.  I want to offer kits in the near future - using my handmade buttons/large beads and sets of my smaller beads it would make one of a kind bracelets - who wouldn't love to make one, right?  These bracelets are so quick and easy to make they can be a bit addictive.   They make great gifts, too, just sayin'... I like when the thread used with the leather is a contrast so I should be able to make a lot of combinations with 15 colors of leather and 36!! colors of the Irish Waxed Linen Thread don't ya think? Can't wait to start playing with this.

This morning I listed the .5 and the 1.5 in 12 colors - the rest of the colors and sizes will be listed later today.  I'm expecting the shipment today, but I want to make sure that everything is there before I load the listings.

I also have three new colors of the 4ply Irish Waxed Linen Thread in the shop this morning!

3 beautiful Spring colors...

Green 

 Magenta

Lemon Yellow

I'm also making some new ceramic pieces.  Spring inspired...flowering branches, birds, bees, etc.  I ordered some new glazes but they are back ordered - boo hiss...Hopefully they will be back in stock soon - I don't do waiting well.

We are going to Gettysburg on Saturday.  We (Mark and I with the kids) are going to do the whole tour the battlefield thing - it's been yeeeeeeeears since I have done that.  Sunday is our 23rd wedding anniversary - zowie - I hope it's a nice day.  I just want to have a fire out back and hang out (with a little lot of wine...)

We Mark just built this fire pit in our yard.  A lot of landscaping yet to do.  We Mark put down mulch so that it wouldn't be a muddy mess, but we need to get the stones.  In the meantime, it's pretty awesome sitting out there with a fire.

And poor Howard is in recovery....sleeping in the sun trying to forget the trauma of the morning. 

 An apple fell off the counter - hit his food dish - crunchy nuggets went flying and so did Howard in a total panic melt down! lol Poor Poor Howard!  Oh the trauma of it all...

Happy Thursday! Thursday already?!?

Shop Update...

Hello again, I just wanted to let you know that I posted some of the pinch pots as well as some bead sets and pendants in my Etsy shop.  Have a great day!