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.

A long Delayed Update

Monthly(sort of) update

It’s been a while but I have been working, slowly. I participated in a seconds sale that helped the local library and left me with cash in pocket and some nice feedback. I bought some new glazes that I hope to try(one of them is gold!) Also finishing up a project.

I don’t get to personal on this blog(in spite of all the I’s),don’t know who might be reading it. Some things family and friends don’t need to hear. Obviously I like some attention or I wouldn’t be maintaining a public blog in the first place.

A project i am finishing up has been a little sad. Potters get them. Cremation urns for example. Did not have to do that but I did promise my daughter I would make plant pots for the flowers around her father’s grave.

I was widowed a little over 2 years ago. He had some medical problems that didn’t get better. It escalated quickly and at 55 for me and 22 for my daughter, he died. I couldn’t come up with the words for the eulogy so my daughter did it. It all went well, for a funeral.

Since then we have been maintaining his grave and the flowers, geraniums and thyme have done well. So I have been making pots for them. It has been interesting. I found with large pots, soft clay is better. I was able to get the walls thinner. Firing was itself an adventure since sometimes the pots were neither thin enough or dry enough.Once firing while a useful tool, doesn’t wok if there is an air pocket or slight dampness. It was explosive! Here are the examples of my progress. Haven’t done the next firing yet,

one of the once fires.

but this time they should be dry.

Happy New Year

Thoughts and reflections

Hi; finished up the old year on a good note. The Holiday Pop up Shoppe did very well. I found that having five and 10 dollar items in addition to some bigger ticket items helped my sales greatly. Something to remember for future sales. Sometimes people just don’t have or are afraid to spend a lot of money but they want to buy something.

I did of course have ornaments at 3.00. Those sold very well.  Definitely making more of those for the impulse shoppers. It seems people really want to buy local and handmade but don’t want to spend a lot of money, but are willing to spend some.

I found trying to save time by doing a once fire only works some of the time. The pieces really have to be dry, almost doesn’t cut it with explosive results. I will have to find a way to slow down the cooling process since that seemed to be part of the problem. At lower temperature the once fire wasn’t bad. So onward, more learning and more doing. Until next post!

Some of my display at the shop!

Brief Reveiw

A little update of things I have been doing. I am in the Fired Up show at the Harlow Gallery in Hallowell, Maine, excited. It is a juried show and I was accepted!

latest version of a Dreamer.

I finished doing a seconds sale to help the Hallowell library. If you are an artist in need of some cash seriously consider a seconds or clearance sale. If it is tied to a fundraiser and a percentage is donated that helps even more. Yes, I did well and the library did well. It was fun and I now have room and incentive to make more pottery. If it is collecting dust and hasn’t sold in years, time to go!

one of the platters at the seconds sale

washing dishes

i looked at the strainer after washing dishes. Looks like i am a potter after all.