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%! 

Teachable Moments

I speak clay. What I mean is, I’m familiar with the lingo associated with creating ceramic art. Fire, cone, underglaze, bisque, grog, raku and slip are all words that have special meaning to a person in the pottery world. The trick is learning to explain familiar terminology and techniques to someone unacquainted with the language. Sharing this knowledge not only helps educate a student wanting to learn about the craft, but also informs customers and other art appreciators.

For me, as I’ve probably mentioned repeatedly, teaching regularly opens my own eyes to new ideas and constructive approaches. It happened this week when I lead a group of students through the steps of making a wrap bracelet. I prepared the step-by-step creation and assembly instructions in my head so I could clearly explain them to the craft party participants. I demonstrated some of the construction techniques and answered questions as they arose. And my students did not disappoint! THEY, in turn, taught me a variety of imaginative ways to achieve the same end result. I learned too!

Remember these two shapes? I asked for your input and you were helpful and telling me your preferences in exchange for a chance to receive one of them as a gift! Thank you for sharing your insights! I am taking them all 'under advisement' to add this item to my inventory. Christine Link @SkeinnyDippngYarn is the lucky recipient of the oval shape on the right!

Teaching and Learning are two sides of the same coin. They go hand in hand. I continually discover additional approaches to my creative process by sharing what I know with others. And it’s not limited to clay. I try to adopt this approach with any conversation. What can I teach and what can I learn from this encounter? A fresh perspective is always welcome. Can you identify any recent teachable moments from your life? 

A visit to Green Spring Gardens in Fairfax, Va. this past week was filled with new garden ideas. I went with my friend Celia who speaks the language of Gardening. It was fun to try to absorb some of her wisdom and enjoy the beauty of nature. Of course, I came home with several new plants for my own landscape!

Shedding New Light

Upheaval was the operative word in our household this past week. We had new carpeting installed. This meant all our treasured ‘tchotchkes’ had to be packed up for safekeeping before installation. The fun part was putting everything back, rearranging and editing.  Each of these valued pieces holds a story about its purchase. By changing up the placement, I’m able to see and appreciate them all over again.

This nesting activity led to additional cleanout and rearrangement throughout the house. Our collected artwork seems to fade into the background as time passes. By simply changing its location, I am able to notice and value it once again. I took advantage of this energy and repositioned artwork throughout our home.  Refreshing these displays has shed new light on these valued objects and replenished the stories attached to each item.

In the studio, I revisited some familiar shapes from the past. I began making ladybug pot stickers several years ago.  I’ve decided to adopt this good luck symbol as my own spirit animal since it seems to crop up repeatedly in my life. (The first piece of jewelry my father gave to my mother is a leaf pin with a small ladybug!) Each time I create a new batch of ladybug potstickers, I'm excited to revisit how each shape fits together and I work to improve the final result. 

Take it from me, rearrange one or two of your own favorite things. I bet you start seeing them again in a whole new light!

Common Denominator

Did you know there is a difference between straw and hay?  I didn’t know they weren’t the same. Hay is feed for animals to eat. Straw is what they sleep on. Each comes from a different part of the grain plant. I learned this valuable tidbit in a conversation while working at a local Fiber Festival this past weekend. I watched one of the demonstrations of sheep shearing and struck up a conversation with the farmer/sheep owner. Even though we live in two different environments, wool was our common denominator as we talked.

We all have things in common. It could be a shared activity, skill, passion, age, living circumstance, children, job or even disagreement. The list is endless. And probably common ground can be discovered even in a conversation with a complete stranger. Think ‘six degrees of separation,’ where the deeper you delve into what you share with a person, the closer you seem to get to a connection. 

Clay and fiber are two strong common denominators in my life. Sometimes they collide, like this past weekend at the Fiber Festival.  Several of my yarn-related clay items were part of The Knot House yarn shop's festival booth. It was an opportunity to meet new people who share my love of yarn (and clay) and reconnect with friends in attendance who also share those passions. 

Do you like jewelry? Want to take that passion one step further? Sign up for my wrap bracelet craft party sponsored by The Muse in Frederick, MD! I'd love to see you on Wedesdnay, June 21. I'll bring the supplies (and a batch of my chocolate chip cookies!) and help you make one of these special creations of your own. Click on photo for more details.

It feels good to find common ground. And I was reminded this weekend that what I share in common with people is far stronger than any difference we might have. Clay and yarn are just two subjects that open commonalities for me. What are some of your common denominators?

It's About Time!

I’ve loved listening to the Allman Brothers since I first heard their album Eat A Peach back in the 1970s. Blue Sky remains my all time favorite song to this day. The recent death of Gregg Allman makes me sad and has revived my Allman Brothers playlist. Both the lyrics and soulful southern rock sound of this band bring on a flood of memories and seem even more poignant as time passes.

My totem project for The Maddux school is complete! This fundraising outdoor beautification project took several weeks to reach this final stage. In the last step, the glazed pieces were assembled, laid out on a table for pattern placement and then glued to the planted fence posts. Each totem was topped off by a coordinating totem piece with matching red hearts. What started with a conversation, ‘do you think you could make?” has finished with a beautiful entryway to greet children, parents, and teachers as they enter this very special place of learning!

We’ve discovered infused water at our house. I’ve been playing with a variety of fruit and vegetable combinations this past week. So of course, it sparked an idea in the studio. I worked out a design for a pitcher. I envision using it not only for flavored water but many of the other delicious summertime beverages that quench our thirst. Lemonade. Sweet Tea. What’s your favorite? Click on this photo of my pitcher and send me your recipe.

The week ended with some special girlfriend time. It went by in a blur (like this out of focus photo!). Two of my peeps from way back when came over for a long visit. Mostly we laughed. The conversation darted from subject to memory to another subject. We traipsed around Frederick’s First Saturday activities and visited the Festival of the Arts craft show. We played in my studio making some projects and cooked dinner. It was time together that I treasure. 

Here are the full and meaningful lyrics to Gregg Allman's Ain't Wastin Time:

Red, White, and Blues

Preparation is an important building block of the creation process and impacts the success (or failure) of what gets made. I spent this past week in the studio playing with this building block,  composing a variety of elements for future projects. 

The local school tile totem project is moving forward. The tiles have been decorated, glazed, and fired. Assembly will happen this coming week!

I spent a day in front of a video camera, demonstrating how I make one of my yarn bowls, and talking about the process and what had led me to this art form. When the broadcast is ready, I’ll share it through my website!

As I unloaded a glaze kiln firing, I realized my color choices highlighted several reds, whites, and blues. Perhaps it was a subtle nod to today’s Memorial Day holiday. Today, especially, I’ll be thinking of the countless people who have sacrificed their lives to protect me. 

Want to save on a ClayByLaura creation? Use the code MEMORIAL when you shop this week, to receive 10% off your order over $25.00! Click on this photo to shop.

Pushing Limits

Even though it’s malleable, clay has limits. I was reminded of this fact in the studio this week. I’ve been making new pieces over the last several weeks. After they have completely dried, I can give them the first firing in the kiln. That’s standard practice. And, it’s most efficient to completely fill the kiln for each firing. 

I probably said this word quite a bit this past week. I just added a series of 'Potty Mouth Pots' that express a variety of emotions to my Purchase page. Click on photo to see more phrases and shop!

Occasionally, I’ll try to speed up the process. This happens when I haven’t managed my timing well and a deadline looms or I try to add a last minute item to the process. So here’s what happened this past week. I broke a pot I'd bought years ago. It was two bowls attached together. One was slightly larger than the other. It was the perfect size for snacking. 

Here's a triple bowl set I've made in the past. 

I decided to make my own version and replace this often-used dish. I’ve attached bowls together in past renditions of this idea, but I was looking for a fresh approach this time around. I played with a couple of designs in the studio. Here’s where I made my mistake. I wanted instant gratification, so I tried to dry the samples quickly to include them in a pending bisque firing. I used a dehumidifier overnight to try to quicken the drying process. Wrong move! The seams of several of the pieces came apart. 

I really should know better. I’ve made this mistake before. Pushing clay beyond its limits usually results in disaster. Luckily, I’ve learned to move forward without making additional flubs. Before the clay has been fired, it can be recycled. That’s what I do. Instead of spending more time to fix the mistake (which mostly does not work), I start over. 

What's your verdict? Do you like the round or oval shape better? Give me feedback and I'll reward you! One random responder will receive one of these finished pieces when they are complete! Click on photo to let me know your thoughts! 

I guess sometimes repeating a mistake is a reminder that pushing certain limits can lead to failure. Learning and moving forward is the best approach. Patching the mistake usually does not work. Adjusting goals and good planning can help foster success. Onward!

Something Old, Something New...

A production potter has mastered the art of recreating the same piece consistently on a large scale, often using a potter’s wheel. One of the reasons I create a pattern for a finished pot I like is so I can make it again (and again) using clay hand-building techniques.  As much as I value the routine and comfort of making a familiar shape over and over in the studio, I also enjoy a good creative challenge.

I really like the process of figuring out how to make something I’ve never created before. It usually starts with an idea and a picture in my head. I know ahead of time what I want the finished piece to look like. Sometimes I’ll sketch it out (mostly so I don’t forget).

One of the challenges of this piece happens when it dries. I've learned to support the length of the tray during the early drying process with a piece of styrofoam so it doesn't bow in the middle. 

Trial and error is part of the process. I allow myself time to fail because this will happen. I assess the shapes that need to be pieced together to make a final whole. Lots of times, I just start cutting apart clay and shaping. As I close in on success, I take note of the shapes, tools, and process I used to achieve the final result.  I make a pattern with cut-up manila folders. 

Once I've created a pattern and a sample of the finished piece has made it successfully through all the stages of the kiln-firing process, I know I can recreate it when I want to. It's how I achieve quality control and the ability to produce multiples of the same shape over and over again. 

Here's another new project in the works. I'm in the homestretch of completing a series of tiled totem posts for a local school. Each young child in the school (and several teachers and parents) decorated a pre-made tile with underglaze. I will apply a clear glaze over their artwork and fire them in my kiln this week. Once the tiles are ready, I'll adhere them to the posts we erected at the front entry of the school. This has been a fantastic project. It's one more example of working on a new and different project!

When a new shape I make is one my customers like to purchase, it then becomes 'something old.' And luckily for me, there always seems to be 'something new' to create waiting in the wings! Got an idea for me? Click here to tell me about it!