Being Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, all my American readers!

 A sort of simpliflied version of Monarchs.  To add joy to someone's life as they take the first sip of the day, or the last one!

 Brew some delicious hot tea in this teapot graced by Monarchs!

Today's quote:

We have thousands of opportunities every day to be grateful: for having good weather, to have slept well last night, to be able to get up, to be healthy, to have enough to eat...There's opportunity upon opportunity to be grateful; that's what life is.

BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST

Need some cups

 Before handle applied.

I've thrown some little mugs/cups to go with this teapot, because the gallery which had it placed someone else's yellow mugs with it, and they didn't even match! Not to mention (she says in a huffy voice) my business card was right next to them all.  I don't mind someone else's mugs being sold, just don't want them to be considered mine, since the artist didn't even sign them.

So this week I'm painting some more monarchs...a lot of work.  Especially considering there are now decals of butterflies available with beautiful artwork, however only in black and white.  Of course filling in the spaces isn't very hard to do, like a coloring book art with glazes.  I'm a little miffed about that too. I draw the monarch with Designer Liner, paint black glaze, then orange, then add white dots with Designer Liner.  It's not as easy as a coloring book at all.  Then wax over the butterflies and apply the basic color, yellow here.

What's an artist to do?

Last week of September

Yes, there were tubers floating down the French Broad River on Saturday 9.23.17!!

Just look at those fungi on that old stump!

A B&B overlooking Lake Tomahawk with lovely blue and violet hydrangeas

Some real monarch butterflies (sorry I don't remember who posted them, aren't they beautiful!)

I saw a monarch flittering across the 4 lanes of US 70 in Black Mountain the other day, holding my breath that he didn't hit anyone's windshield.  He made it.  Now only a few thousand more miles to go to Mexico for the winter.

Sigh...

Monarch Mandala wall pillow, hanging on wall, $75

The Monarchs were hiding

A friend sent me a text Facebook message about wanting something with monarchs on it.
So I dug through some tubs of wrapped up pots.  Why are my pots not on display somewhere?  Time to get them unpacked and out there, I say!

 Easier said than done!

It's easiest to take photos and post them on Facebook, which I did yesterday, just to let folks know that I'm still doing pottery, sort of.

4" tea bowl/whiskey/juice cup $22

It does take a bit of a push to move from my being creative to being an assertive woman who sells her works out there in the world.  I know I learned all that stuff.  But my nature is not to be that way.

7" sandwich plate $24

So I stand in front of a mirror and tell myself that it isn't going to sell itself by sitting in that tub tucked away.  And why did I make it?  Wasn't it to be enjoyed by someone else?  So I'm being terribly selfish as well as shy by holding onto it.

coasters/trivets 5-6", $10 each

My email address is the best way to purchase these butterfly themed pieces...blackmtnbarb AT gmail DOT com.  I'm doing a half price shipping deal all of July, where you only have to pay half of the shipping charge to wherever you are, from Black Mountain, NC.


Today's Quote:

The unendurable is the beginning of the curve of joy.

Djuna Barnes

A teapot with butterflies!

Here's the yellow teapot with Monarchs hand painted on it and the lid!

I'm very happy with the results.  It's a seven cup teapot, and soon the handle will be applied!

And it doesn't drip from the first pour...a good sign!  Glaze is Mayco Butter Yellow, (2 coats) with Stroke N Coat for butterfly, outlined with Designer Liner. 

I know it will go home with someone soon.  That's what this game is all about, sharing beauty and smiles with other folks who also love pottery that's handbuilt!

Interior is our community studio's celadon glaze.

Today's quote:

To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things everyday.” — Laozu, Philosopher.

What I've been making while moving

Painting the glaze of butterflies again...

Some nice big mugs with butterflies came out of the kiln today.  This one is a male too.  (look at blog a couple of days ago if you missed learning the tailtell signs.)

Bigger mugs for those who like to drink a big hot cup of anything!

A dear friend gifted me with a recycled love seat...which fits in beautifully with my new decor.

Yesterday was a red-letter day since I finally opened all the boxes (those which I hadn't labelled) and shifted some to appropriate rooms/spaces to be organized.  The real plus was finding the box which held my spices which was labelled but pushed to the back of the shelves.  Ah.  I'd missed them, and will be spending some time putting them in nice neat rows on turntables in the cabinet next to the stove.

Quote for today:

Be humble for you are made of Earth. Be noble for you are made of stars.

Serbian Proverb