Another Update

Hi! I’m trying to be a little more disciplined about posting. Happy Summer for you I hope. It’s been interesting as always. The water pump is acting up again, this time it’s the pressure switch. It was the check valve and part of the pipe before. I really should have everything replaced but the bank said no. So hopefully the repair will buy some time. I had to replace my car also. The water pump chain ( a theme here?) broke and when chains break in cars they don’t coma back very often. At least not a second time. But the new car is a hatchback, so I can see out the back window and packing for craft shows just got easier!
I also have a square app now. I can take credit cards!
The Farmer’s market is working out so far, I don’t go every Saturday. Family and the fact people will buy eggs and lettuce every week, but not pottery does make it necessary to ration my appearances. I did the Mt. Vernon sale again. I did better than I did last time, and that one was pretty good. I do love how people react to my work. The shows are extra money and good feedback. I get to socialize a little too.
So, some things are going slowly but still going, forward momentum! I am getting better at making plates! Goblets are also a good learning curve, still need to weigh out my clay but getting more consistent in size.
Finally, some photos of what I have been doing.

from the Farmers Market

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Current Update/Some thoughts/Hi

Hi! I am back making again, and baking,the holidays were flurry of both, cliche but true. It seems to take most of January to recover and get back to pottery. When the group I am part of,Central Maine Clay Artist, got together to discuss mug season, one of the questions was, are you making anything? For most of us, the answers was either no or not much. We just needed a break.January has been cold, snowy and my cellar flooded briefly, nothing damaged. A good reason to take a brief break form clay. I needed time to regroup, look over what did and didn’t sell, housekeeping in the studio and finish up any last minute,(late) holiday presents. I have finally finished a bowl and planter for my daughter’s friends.

I’m trying out recipes from my cookbook collections and my internet searching. Some of it is pretty good. The cornmeal cookies are a definite repeat. Beef Madras was a hit at the school potluck!

Which brings me to Mug Season. A month long sale at selected coffee shops in the area of My groups mugs. It benefits both local schools, specifically the art departments and we , the local potters get a cut too. Our group has been doing this about 10 years now! I have made about 20 mugs, with the hope that at least 10 or more will survive and look good for the sale. Sometimes they look good, but since I still eyeball measure instead of weigh, some come out a little small. So hopefully more than half will be big and beautiful. I have even made some bowls for the empty bowls project, but they might not be ready for this one, so I will have to find another one.
Awkward segue way; This is a benefit for schools and I am a schoolteacher. Regarding recent events, this is my comment. Do you remember your teachers? Your classmates? What would have happened in your classroom if your teacher had a gun? Would one of your classmates look for it? Play a prank on the teacher? Was your teacher someone you would trust with a gun? And lastly, who’s paying for this? End rant.
Okay, now here are some pictures of my work in progress for WIP Wednesday, a chipped mug turned twine holder for mugshot Monday and a bread tray, with bread for throw back Thursday.
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Happy February!

Update

Hi! I haven’t been all that busy, but some news. Mug season went well for me and the Central Maine Clay Artists! It was nice to see the art teacher’s happiness when receiving that check. I even participated in the Maine Pottery tour as a guest artist at Fine Mess Pottery. There was even some money made, to quote my fellow artist”it’s better than a stick in the eye!” Custom made butter dishes made their way out of state to happy recipients.  The plant pots for my husband grave are planted and in place with geraniums and thyme.  A little bittersweet, a successful project but the reason why a bit off.

Now I am trying to get ready for craft fairs and Etsy. Some pieces have been made, soon to be photographed. Then my Etsy will be back up. It will have the shop name of DitchLilly Pottery instead of Ditch Lily Pottery. A typo years ago is now my business name to be consistent and easier to find. I am trying(yes I know:) ) to be a little more professional. It is a work in progress. Anyhey,  some pictures to tide you over while I start creating again.

Updates and seasons

Spring will soon be sprung! We hope. Winter here has been odd. There was a warm week in February, but march has been cold. Both months have dumped snow on us. It reached a point where I couldn’t shovel out anymore and had to call someone to plow. This was a letdown for me. I had been able to shovel or depend on the kindness of neighbors. This year there was too much. Nice young man came in and did it same day without breaking the bank. Though it was an expense I had been trying to avoid. Looks like another expense, buying a snowblower, will have to be faced this year. Didn’t want it, but my driveway has to be cleared when the snow is over a foot. I did manage to plow through with my car, but I won’t get that lucky twice. Now things are melting, Snow is falling off the roof with a bang! I bought heating oil, of course a strain on the budget but I managed. And the Republicans want me to pay more for insurance because a black man put together a beginning solution that helped my fellow artists and my daughter and parents of other young adults have some kind of insurance. My rant.

So since spring is here, Mug season is also here. Our group sells mugs at coffee shops to help local schools and let people know we are out here. I manged to produce enough mugs to participate and they survived the firing. The weather and colds, flu and general blah feelings, along with financial tightness,slowed me down but I did it! This isn’t the most productive time of year for many of us but, we did it and now are doing more. I will be putting my Etsy back up soon.  It’s been a drag for the beginning of the year, now to pick up and get things done! Some pictures for your perusal.

Mugs for the mug sale and my attempt at making vessels with lids that fit.

End of year mumblings

2016 has been a year hasn’t it? A bitter election and celebrity deaths. Why so many we ask? Is it really or do we, in this age of internet and 24 hour news know more of them. David Bowie was a shock at first, then I realized part of my shock was, he made it to 69? He had an amazing and troubled life, flirting or outright dating controversy. He made some stupid choices and some smart choices and above, very human choices. He seemed both defiant and at peace in the end. I can only hope that for others who have passed this year, also.

It has also been a year of fear. Fear of others,strangers, anyone different. The old prejudices never went away. They were hidden under a “fear” of offending. Calling it political correctness. Including people and being considerate of their feelings used to be  a decent human being. You don’t stare at someone different and don’t take what isn’t yours. That is being politically correct? My rant.

Fear has been a problem for me on a personal level, fear of disapproval, of being different. I like science fiction and fantasy. Lost and Heroes ,Star Trek and Star Wars. So now among well meaning friends I have a reputation of liking certain ethnic groups. An actor who is attractive, intelligent and has a good sense of humor that isn’t cruel, now why would I like them? It seems because I am middle-aged, small town white that liking someone outside of my group is unusual.

The steins I made. At the Beer Cellar!

clay baskets and facial vases, also teddy bears.

a different way to cook a chicken!

2014 and 2015 was dealing with the aftermath of my husband’s death and learning what I can do alone. 2016 was finding people and programs to help me, and finding ways to repay them. Admitting what I like and what I believe in spite of my fear comes next. Most people I know are realizing, that I am both typical of my background and different from it. I think that is a crude description of a paradox but I am learning to like it. Since this is mostly a pottery blog I do have some works in progress and news. I did a show at a beer cellar, my daughter saw the picture and asked if I had been kidnapped! I don’t drink, don’t like to, don’t like what it feels like and don’t want to spend money and time learning to like it. Something people have a difficult time understanding.  I like making my version of beer steins. Just because I don’t drink doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it. I did buy a hard cider to try in cooking. The method is amusing, basically rub down a chicken with salt, pepper and oil, then shove a can of cider(or beer) up it’s you know where. It cooked beautifully.

The group I belong to(there are more of me:) ) had a pop up shop. It went well. I sold quite a few small bowls and ornaments. My larger more interesting pieces also sold!  I am now working on vases and lamps. No sales to stock up for yet, so now is the time to make the odder pieces! If they don’t sell I can still display them. Fear will still be a factor, but I still have to try.