Five Ways To Welcome Spring (No Spring Cleaning Required!)

Where we live, Springtime temperatures are not cooperating with the calendar. It’s still chilly and snowflakes continue to fall from cloudy skies. I’m having to think like it’s Spring even if it does not feel that way. My usual energy burst to spend time outdoors and in the garden, this time of year is being rerouted to other activities. Here are a few suggestions to help you spring forward into the new season whether or not mother nature is cooperating with your Springtime expectations. 

Cook A New Recipe.

I tried a new risotto recipe this past week. It was so easy because all the ingredients were combined at once and then baked in the oven. If you've ever made risotto, you probably know it usually require constant stirring (and stirring) as it cooks on the top of the stove. The recipe shown above makes me think of baseball season! Let me know if you try it!

Take A Walk On An Unfamiliar Route.

Even if it's still a bit chilly, bundle up and get outside. If you often walk the same route, start off in the opposite direction, move to the other side of the street, just shake it up a bit. I'm always surprised at what I notice when I take a familiar walk from a different angle. 

Pull Out The Good Dishes and Utensils and Use Them for a Month!

Why not? Saving things we love and own for just the right occasion means they don't get used very often. Bring out the 'good china' and dust off the antique vase hiding at the back of the cabinet. Spring is about renewing life; this is one good way to honor that idea.

Spend An Hour Less Online.

This can be a hard habit to break. Screen time can be addictive. Put down the phone, tablet and walk away from the computer. Take that walk, call a friend (see suggestion below), go to your cookbooks and look up a new recipe to make instead!

Call Someone You’ve Been Meaning to Catch Up With.

Phone a friend. Especially, someone you think about often, but never really have time to call. Now that you're spending less time online, time constraints should not be a problem!

Springtime weather will get to where I live eventually. There'll be plenty of time to dig in the garden, clean out the closets and put away the winter clothes. In the meantime, I'll work on some of the suggestions I've outlined here to help me feel like Spring!

What's Your Story?

Our extended family gathered for a Seder this past week to celebrate the Jewish holiday of Passover. This springtime religious holiday often intersects with the Easter celebration. Both religious holidays are based on retelling a story crucial to the root of each faith’s belief. Beyond religion, I think storytelling is integral to all of our lives.  It helps us preserve the past, share our ideas and imagine what might happen in the future. 

Clay is a central element in my own story. It’s woven in and out of my life since I was 14 years old and is a great reference point and memory trigger for me.  I believe every pot I make holds a story. I relay that message with a short written explanation on the back of my business card included with the pots I sell. For me, making pottery is one way I tell my life story. 

This recipe freezes well!

So what’s your story? How do you share your memories with loved ones and friends? Is there a central theme running throughout your narrative? It can help you tie your own story together and continue to share it with others. We all have stories to tell in our own way. 

It's Your Serve.

I’ve been thinking a lot about ‘giving back’ lately. As a clay artist, what skill set can I share with others that will be meaningful? It’s one reason I like to teach; it’s nice to share some of my experience and knowledge with interested students. I also donate various creations to charity events to help raise money and awareness for their cause. I know there is more to being ‘of service’ than that. So I’d like to explore more ways to spread kindness in day-to-day life. 

Garden bells are in process for a class I'll be teaching at The Muse in Frederick. Interested in having one for your outdoor space? Click on this photo to send me a message and I'll make sure you are notified of class details!

January 16 is a holiday celebrating Martin Luther King’s birth. People are encouraged to volunteer on this day to honor MLK. Service holds lots of different meanings; it can be interpreted spiritually, signify a community-driven passion or happen in simple one-on-one encounters. I think it’s most beneficial when it’s meaningful to the person providing the favor. 

New heart shapes are stacking up in the studio in anticipation of Valentines Day! Reserve one for yourself or a loved-one by clicking on this photo!

Volunteering can seem impossible or time-consuming in a busy life. I think this element of sacrifice is part of the point. My mother used to write a weekly column for the Washington Post called “You Can Help.” Each article would showcase a worthy opportunity for volunteering. Sometimes we just need a suggestion of where we can help out. Google is probably a great resource for that question nowadays. 

I tried out a new recipe that was shared with me for my favorite Eggplant Parmesan this past week.. That simple act of kindness fed my tummy and my soul!

Sharing is another good way to think about service. It’s an easy way to give back throughout our lives. Think of how good you feel when a family member, friend, co-worker or stranger does you a favor. Make a conscious effort to pass on the goodwill as well. 

In the spirit of giving, one lucky ClayByLaura Club member will receive this Bird Feeder from my studio. Winter is an especially good time to provide for the hungry birds in your neighborhood. Remember to fill up your own with ample seed this time of year. Want one of my colorful bird feeders for your yard? Click here to shop. (and if it’s not currently in stock, I’ll make one just for you!)

Janet Moll is the lucky winner of the January 2016 ClayByLaura Club giveaway. Want to have a chance for next time? Click on this photo to sign up!

A Season Of Treats

Halloween kicks off a treat-filled holiday season tonight. These days, I think just as many adults garner pleasure from this dress-up candy-laden holiday as do kids! I think its safe to say we all love treats, so it’s not surprising that the upcoming fall and winter holidays are filled with special traditions, recipes and gift-giving. Each holiday has its own unique emphasis of associated treats.

Do you have a special pie you bake for the holidays? I'd love to know your recipe. Click on the image to send me one that would make this baking dish filled with just the right treat!

Special recipes are prepared in association with many of the upcoming holiday celebrations. These once-a-year treats are often shared with family and friends, building traditions to be repeated each season. Food is a great way to share treats with loved ones. How about sharing one of your special recipes with me? Click on the pie dish to send it to me!

The studio is filled with tons of gift items. I'll be in Columbia, Maryland on Saturday November 5 selling at a Holiday Show and then hold a special Open Studio/FUNdraiser in Frederick Maryland on November 12 to benefit our local Blessings In a Backpack organization. Click on each event to see more details. If you can't attend, remember you can always shop on-line or make an appointment to visit the studio at a later date. 

Gift-giving is another way we share a treat in the coming months. When we can indulge someone with a present that brings them pleasure – it’s a great feeling. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate either. Even spending time together is a treat. 

Over the years, I've created a new angel each season to honor my friend Patti Cain who died of breast cancer; I always donate a percentage of my proceeds to Breast Cancer Research, Hospice and Charity Organizations. This year I've developed an 'angel wing' . Each unique design can hang from the bough of your holiday tree or year-round in a place of honor to remember the angels in your life. Click on photo to order yours!

Then there’s the Golden Rule. Treating others the way you’d like to be treated is one of the best rules I know. This type of treat is one of the best to achieve. Kindness and how you treat others reverberates and multiplies tenfold.  

Hot Hot Hot - The Dog Days Of Summer Are Here !

Summertime is in full swing here in the Mid-Atlantic. The temperatures are hot and the air is hazy with humidity. It’s just how I like it! And while the tendency in this weather is to slow down a bit and laze around, the exact opposite seems to be happening in the studio. 

The kiln is fixed, up, and running. I ordered and replaced the three thermocouple temperature gauges myself which solved the problem I was having last week. You know that feeling when you accomplish a task you weren’t quite sure you could do? Repairing my kiln myself was satisfying and thrilling.

There are several new unique potstickers now gracing plants and yards in Maryland and Pennsylvania! Students chose a variety of clay shapes, painted them with blends of acrylic colors and created their own colorful mini-totem to take home. It was lots of fun. I’ll be teaching more classes through the Muse in the fall, so if you live nearby and would like a chance to play and create – keep your eye out for dates and times!

Some of the new shapes I’ve been working on are ready for their debut. What do you think? Your feedback is important. This basket shape will be useful for holding fruit or veggies on the kitchen counter. It could also be used to hold your latest in-process knitting project or mail by the front door. The baskets will be available for sale on my website soon. 

Even though it's hot outside, I'm making plans for the fall in the studio. I've been selected to participate in an exclusive Indie shopping opportunity kicking off the popular Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival in New York. If you're one of my 'knitting/fiber peeps' this event has your name written all over it. Tons and tons of specialty dyed yarns, unique tools and accessories  in one jam-packed weekend -- a knitter's nirvana!

Thank you for sharing your favorite recipes with me last week. It’s great to have some new ideas to create in the kitchen! If you haven't had a chance, click this link to send me a family favorite! Here’s a great recipe to snack on or serve to company, courtesy of my future daughter-in-law,  during these hot summer months. Enjoy!

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!

Push The Pause Button

As much as I love creating clay art in the studio and meeting customers at sales events, I also treasure family time. This coming week I am preparing for a Thanksgiving table of 18! I couldn’t be happier! Gathering together around a ceremonial meal complete with tried and true favorites and an experimental recipe or two – it’s a lot to be thankful for.  

I like the added bustle and hustle of grocery stores and markets. I like the ritual preparation of the meal. I even like to clean and organize the house in preparation for staging and serving the meal. It's a pause from my usual routine. The preparation gives me a chance to reflect and of course be thankful.

So here's one of our family Thanksgiving favorites! Please share some of your own family favorites with me. I love trying new recipes -- especially when they come highly recommended!

I hope you will have a chance to push the pause button in your own life this week. Despite all the crazy preparation for this American holiday, it is time to reflect, share gratitude and be together. 

Here's one of the largest bowls I ever made while working on the potter's wheel. I think it is a good size for the new recipe I'm planning to try while the family is gathered. It's a caramel corn recipe from a fellow potter/blogger 'Dr. Deb.' I follow her blog posts. Click on the photo above to get the recipe. You won't be disappointed!

Tried and True

Ideas for the shapes I create often come from Family, Friends and Customers. I’m looking forward to getting back in the studio this week to work out some new pieces for the fall and holiday season. Also on my ‘to do’ list is a familiar shape I will make again and again.

Over the last fifteen years (or more), I’ve been making a tray and serving bowl set. Originally, each free form tray was slumped over a piece of Styrofoam I had covered in masking tape. There are a few different sizes I use to create trays. More recently, I've played with pressing a wood shape in the clay to achieve a desired serving piece.  I have a large collection of these forms in the studio.

I like to include a recipe card with clay pieces I sell. It answers the question, "What do I use this for?" and is another way of personalizing what I create.  I play around with textures on the tray and repeat the pattern in the matching bowl. 

I've experimented with different styles for the tray and shapes for the bowl. But the long tray style with matching bowl seems to be the most popular.

The most recent iteration of the Tray-n-Bowl features the two color process I use on many of my other clay pieces. I layer one color of underglaze with another color of glaze. I like how the pooled glaze highlights the applied texture. I've also changed the size and design of the matching  bowl for the set. 

As much as I enjoy adding new shapes to my clay repertoire, the familiarity of the Tray-n-Bowl sets is satisfying to make as well. This useful item has evolved with the techniques I've picked up and use along the way and continues to be a popular seller. I'll be restocking my inventory just in time for serving holiday goodies and gift-giving season!