Green!

I still have a huge amount of organizing to do but the painting is done!  I knew if I didn't paint before red clay started to fly I would never do it.  And now the walls are scrubable.

This is the same color I used in my studio in Charlottesville.  And while I only had enough for three walls I kind of like the look.  I am still thinking about what I want to do to the back wall, luckily it will be easy to access when I do decide.

The door goes to the tiny kiln shed, that was supposed to be a garden shed.  Hence the mower in the middle of the floor.  We are paying someone to mow this year so at least it won't be stinky and grassy. There WILL be a garden shed of some sort next year.

My next steps are to put up open shelving over the canvas covered counter in the back for chemicals.   Put together another metal shelf for next to the kiln door (unless I find a cheap cabinet with a countertop easy to clean after mixing glaze chemicals....)  And to install more of those metal strips for green ware shelves.  Neither of these pictures show it but I do have one of those massive rolling shelves from Costco.  It works great for green and bisque ware.

Hm.  I need to put up shelving in the kiln shed for kiln furniture and shelves too....

I'm also contemplating a plan for easier glazing.  But that won't stop me from getting my hands dirty!

Nearly there!!!

All the Pretty Colors!

Last weekend was Maryland Sheep and Wool.  The fiber lovers' version of Woodstock.  But better since it is an annual event!

My plan was to be very controlled.  But the birthday money burning a hole in my pocket (and God help me the bright colors) meant this is what came home with me!

To make the day even better I finally was able to meet up with a couple of friends known only to me via Ravelry!  If you had told me 10 years ago (I originally typed 20 but then realized the internet is really not that old!!) that I would be making such wonderful friends over the internet I would have told you you were crazy.

As if that was not enough, Kristen, second from the right and of Gilead Fiber Farm for whom I made these cups, made an extra trip down to Fredericksburg to hang out and have a dye day!  And until MDSW we had never even met in person.

So dye day.

Kristen, shepherd and dyer extraordinaire....

"Seymour" from Gilead Fiber Farm.  Finn lamb and kid mohair

 My new screen porch turned dye studio!  I was very careful (this time anyway) to keep from dripping dye on the new concrete floor...

The colors are SO much more vibrant then these photos.  But pretty here nonetheless I think.

The above picture and the picture below is a product of the same dye pot.  The wool/mohair blend on the left was a light brown, while the wool/mohair on the right was a natural cream.  Both came from RJ in Oklahoma.

Above and below center is named "Veritek" and is a blend from Gilead.  I think it is coopworth and mohair if I remember correctly.  It was a last minute gift as Kristen left to start her drive north....she left at 2:30 but I was still waiting on my last pot of goodies after dark!

Cormo.

The ironic thing is that I have planned a series of dye workshops for our local fiber guild to be taught by a local University professor for this Summer.

I think I am warmed up and ready!

Gorgeous Gift of a Day

Despite waking up with a headache Saturday morning I was determined to visit the Festival at Powhatan, only an hour and a half from Fredericksburg.

If you remember my friend at Woven Gems offered to display a small selection (that survived the last couple of firings) in her tent.

About 11:15, I was just minutes from pulling into the parking area and she called me with a request for more mugs!

Entrance 

I could not believe how beautiful the weather was.  The final number for the day was about 1,000.  And this is the first year for this Festival!

Waiting for the next herding exhibition...

Woven Gem's busy tent! 

A small display of my work.  I am so thankful for Diane's offer.  And a very good day for both of us!

One of my favorite fiber dyers...located right in Front Royal VA.

The central barn with the few animals.

Cashmere goats.  

This felted change purse ALMOST came home with me.  She also made beautiful felted and embellished bracelets.

Kathleen Oliver of Sweet Tree Hill Farm.

Churro.  (I think!)

I had never seen a "kick spindle" before!  I love this. The ability to spin on a spindle in a continuous way.  No stopping to wind on.  Still very portable and not as expensive as a traditional spinning wheel.

Alpaca from Hermes Alpaca.

From reading the posts on the PFoF Ravelry thread the festival was very successful!  I'm so glad I was able to support a new event, even in such a small way.

Next weekend?  Maryland Sheep and Wool!

I'll be meeting up with Ravelry friends coming down from New England.  I am so excited to meet them in real life!

And as soon as that electrician comes to fix the breakers in the studio I will have my hands back in clay.  It's been FAR too long.

Fiber Festival!

Remember that Fiber Festival show that I had to withdraw from since life got so complicated?

Well it's this Saturday!  Powhatan Festival of Fiber, 10-4

My friend Diane of WOVEN GEMS offered to bring a few of my pots!  

SO get to her booth early, as they may go quickly.

I may see you there!

Yard Sale This Saturday!

I'll have lots of pots for sale.  One of a kinds and old designs.  There might be some stash yarn for knitting and weaving as well!

Reality

There was a question on Facebook this week about seconds. What do you do with your seconds?

So I've had a very busy two months. There was some weaving.

My latest wool blanket


 I was working hard to build up inventory for a new fiber festival in Virginia this month (Powhatan Festival of Fiber).  I took advantage of an opportunity to move from my old studio at LibertyTown

(here my loom is already missing...)

 to a bigger and brighter space that I will share with my painter friend Carol Phifer.

Of course.  It was also FINALLY time to move into our new old house!  So the Saturday before the house move I decided to throw out my back. 

 I have finally learned the lesson of Asking for Help.  Artist friends helped with the studio, neighbors helped move items we didn't want the movers to take, the UMW girls rugby club (Rent a Rugger) helped move my pottery studio gear from the shed behind our rental and my buddy  Beth (Artist in Residence Extraordinaire) and her fantastic significant other helped me move my kiln.

After a full day of movers loading the truck, then unloading the truck we were left with this.

and this

We are getting there.  But slowly as I am still being careful with The Back.

Medicine helps.

Which brings us back to the discussion concerning seconds.  During all this moving and rearranging I had a kiln load of pots turn out less then good.  Sellable?  Maybe. But not a good representation of my work for a new show.  Seconds? I struggled with the idea of selling some at the LibertyTown artist yard sale in two weeks....but I finally decided that I was not happy with them and did not want them in circulation.  No matter that many people might not see the flaws.

So out came the hammer.

And it felt good.  No regrets.  (The best sign that it was the right choice.)

And since there is no time to recreate that load and my back is still healing I had to make the decision to pull out of the April show.

I will spend the next weeks setting up my home studio, organizing the home weaving space and working to have the few problems in the new place fixed.

And icing.

It's all good.

Even if that little clay box can hold half a kiln load of pots.

Proof

Evidence of Thursday's efforts.

Since LibertyTown is a working pottery school with limited space, I have found it best if I work in small batches, get them through all their steps (trimming, slipping, painting, carving...) and in line for bisque firing before starting the next batch.

(Some of you will be impressed to see that yes I made TWO lids for the jar.  Just in case.)

I have a commission for a cookie jar...I am very limited in my skills when it comes to throwing larger objects (anything over 5 pounds of clay!) especially when the pot has to go UP as opposed to OUT.  Larger bowls and plates are much easier for me then tall cylinder shapes.  So taking on this request was a big chance.  But luckily it was ordered by a friend FOR a friend.  And how big is a package of cookies anyway?

Slipped and drying.  Ready for decoration tomorrow.....

Evidence that Dominion came to lay the new power line!  All I need now is for them to come back and actually hook the new line to the house and the 2nd line to my studio.....

PATIENTLY (!?!?) waiting.....