Lagniappe - A Little Something Goes A Long Way

I had a general idea of the meaning of lagniappe and when I looked up the definition to be sure, I realized it truly describes a custom I’ve long loved and adopted. The word's French/Spanish origins link it back to New Orleans in the mid-1800’s. A lagniappe is a small gift given to a customer at the time of purchase. 

Recipe cards often accompany the food-serving pieces I create and answer the question -- what can I use this for?

Who doesn’t like to receive something extra?!? When pottery is purchased directly from me at a show or through my website, I like to gift an additional little item with the sale. Sometimes it’s another little piece of pottery from my inventory. It might be a full set of printed recipes I love to cook. On custom orders, I might make an extra item to complement the purchase. 

My favorite Trader Joe's pop-up sponge is included as a gift with every sponge caddy I make. 

On the flip side, I find I like to frequent local shops that also abide by this practice. The Muse provides complimentary boxes and beautiful gift-wrapping with purchase. The Knot House may throw in a yarn pattern, a note pad or little accessory from time to time. I want to support businesses that appreciate my purchases and go the extra mile. It helps personalize the transaction. It makes me want to go back again and again.

Want a full set of my recipes? Make an online purchase this week and I'll be sure and send them to you with your purchase! Who knows? You might get an extra little something with your purchase as well! Click photo to begin shopping now!

We all can practice lagniappe in our lives. I think this generous concept can go beyond a physical gift with purchase. Do something extra for a friend or stranger. Give an unexpected gift of kindness, time or small action to someone and you’ll both feel good! 

Birthday Month

Gifts are on my mind. The month of July is filled with birthdays in our family and in that spirit, let me extend a special present to you! Save 25% on any in-stock ClaybyLaura garden item you purchase this week. Use the code BIRTHDAY to receive the discount when you place your order.

Click on this photo to choose a bird feeder for your yard.

Sometimes I have a hard time picking a meaningful item to celebrate a special occasion like a birthday. Young children are pretty easy to shop for, but I often struggle to choose gifts for the adults in my life. Will they like what I’ve picked? Will they use what I’ve chosen? Is there something else I could have bought?

Watering cans can double as a vase to hold your garden's beautiful bounty! Click on photo to shop.

I’m the kind of present-shopper that tends to purchase a gift for someone in the moment. If I find a perfect present for a friend or family member, I will buy it on the spot. The purchase is not always dependent on a looming holiday or personal celebration. For me, gift giving is a way to show a person in your life you’ve found something that makes you think of them. 

Give the toads in your garden a a special shady spot! Click on this photo to choose.

Sometimes the best presents to receive are the ones we gift ourselves. What have you had your eye on lately? It could be lunch with a friend, a special pair of shoes or spending one-on-one time with a family member. Go for it!

Who doesn't like to see a lady bug bringing good luck to their garden? Click this photo to see them all!

If there’s a ClaybyLaura garden item that could bring some joy to you or fulfill a gift need, now’s a perfect time to purchase. I’ve restocked and updated my garden inventory online. Remember to use the code BIRTHDAY to save 25%! 

Got Heart?

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. I like this particular holiday because it gives me an opportunity to remind people in my life how much I care about them. I may not remember every anniversary or birthday, so Valentine's Day is my chance to reach out to friends and family with a message of love. Plus it often includes chocolate. What could be better??? Hearts have been an ongoing theme in my clay creations. So here's my Valentine gift to you: receive FREE SHIPPING when you purchase a ClayByLaura item with a heart this week for your Special Someone. Flowers eventually wilt and chocolate gets eaten, so consider a gift that lasts far beyond February 14 as a continual reminder of your love. 

I've been working on some new promotional print materials in the studio this past week. I combined my signature logo and the family typewriter where I first learned the keyboard to create the type that will be used on new printed recipe cards and product hang tags.

A week in the studio often involves more than making items out of clay. My computer, phone and camera have also become integral tools for my creative routine. I enjoy the clay time the most, and I’m learning as I go to hone the other important skills utilizing electronics and social media as best I can. It’s a required balance of making and promoting a clay/creative business these days. I learned some new tricks with Photoshop thanks to the patient guidance of fellow clay artist Lyndsay Meiklem and shot numerous product photos in my studio light box to get just the right photo for my new print designs. 

I fired a glaze kiln this week containing some tray and bowl sets and several new items like tumblers.

I've been experimenting with the use of a single color on my pieces. I apply an underglaze to the clay before it is fired and use a wet sponge to wipe some away. After it is fired once, I apply a clear glaze with either a shiny or matte finish. I like how the color pools in the stamped areas as well as showing the marks of the canvas I use to flatten the clay in the slab roller. I feel this portrays the making process in every finished piece.

Of course I've been working on my own Valentine's Day gifts too! I'm using colorful paper clips to create the kickstand for the heart photo frames I made. They'll be in the mail later this week.

There's a piece of my heart in every ClayByLaura creation I make. Over the years, I think my clay creations have revealed this passion more and more as I've found and developed my artistic voice. My goal is to share this enthusiasm with you!

Mantra

I like posting inspirational quotes to a collection board I’ve created on Pinterest. Some that speak to me have been attributed to famous people. I’ve also collected simple observations or sayings from unfamiliar sources. These concise expressions have a way of targeting (sometimes complex) ideas and communicating just the right message in just a few words. 

As a life-long writer, I understand and respect the power of words. So when I can boil down a message or feeling into a simple statement that properly conveys that sentiment in my clay art, I’m feeling good! I’ve just completed a project for a realtor friend that achieved the above-mentioned goal from my artistic side and simultaneously created a memorable keepsake gift and marketing item. 

I often embellish the clay art I create with extra 'doodads' I've collected in the studio. In this case, buttons, beads and fishing filament add extra flair to this realtor's client gift. 

The simple message of this heart expresses a mantra I’d like to repeat and honor throughout the coming year. Family, Friends, Home. Those interactive subjects are important to me and help shape the choices I make daily. 

In addition to creating the clay heart, I also took care of the packaging and mailing of these one-of-a-kind custom gifts. 

As Christmas and New Years fast approach, I hope you’ll have time to enjoy all three -- Family, Friends and Home -- and perhaps develop your own personal mantra to embrace in the coming year.