Volunteers

We are fans of volunteers (well and volunteering for that matter) in our garden. We use organic and heirloom seeds so we can be pretty sure we know what we have or close to it! This must have come from seeds in the compost, because we haven't planted cantaloupe before. There are quite a few of them out there mixed in with some volunteer tomatoes and cucumbers. We tried it for breakfast this morning, yum! Maybe the rain we have finally gotten will help!

Now time to get down to business. I have had kind of a lackadaiscal attitude this month as far as working in the studio goes. Yesterday was my first day really working hard......... I got a wholesale order:) and the Mint Museum Potter's Invitational will be here before long. So back to work and new inspirations.

Seagrove Potters of Historic Busbee Road

Here is our new rack card for the Historic Potters of Busbee Road. There are 10 shops along Busbee from 705 to right around the corner to Jugtown Pottery (home of the Busbee's). We got together as a group and recognized that we have a lot more to offer collectively for the shopper as a group, a wide variety beyond pottery,something for everyone when you visit the Potters of Historic Busbee Road! Not everyone coming to Seagrove is looking exclusively for pottery and we have options for them, as well as the pottery shopper.

We have a world class and renowned Blacksmith, Jerry Darnell (who is at John C Campbell School teaching this week), Jerry's shop has so much fun work, plus you can see the forge and talk to him and see what and how he does everything, talk about an educational visit! Wes and I love to stop by there.

15 +/- potters working at 10 shops creating such a wide variety of pottery that there is something for everyone. Several shops offer crafts, Jugtown offers a wide variety of American handmade work from wood, to glass, to textiles, candles, cards, books, and more, to metals, to me......Turning Mud into Gemstones, handmade stones set in sterling silver. Not the kind of ceramic jewelry that you find in many shops. My work is all hand done, set in sterling silver, hand fabricated designs that are one of a kind, quality jewelry made for a lifetime!

Cady Clay Works offers a variety of complimetary items to pottery and Westmoore Pottery has the most wonderful hand blown glasses that go so well with all their beautiful reproduction pieces.

All the shops offer something different. We have museums at Jugtown Pottery and Original Owens Pottery and one to open soon at Chris Luther's showcasing his family line of pottery. Check out our Facebook page and look for our brochure at the NC Pottery Center and in our shops when you come to see us, or email me if you want a larger copy emailed to you!

Need Earrings?

I just set stones in a new batch of earrings. All sterling silver with pottery cabochons and semi-precious stones. They are in the shop at Jugtown and will soon be on my web site!

Weathered Bronze pottery cabs with amethyst and moonstone

Chinese blue with labradorite

Turquoise with cobalt with moonstones

Peachbloom with garnets

Weathered  bronze with amethyst and 14K gf

Peachbloom with labradorite

Turquoise with cobalt, moonstones and 14K gf

Peachbloom with garnets

Doves for Peace

First firing, after replacing thermocouple, no that was not the problem and replacing elements, yes that was it. Bottom one was shot though you couldn't tell from looking.

Next make the sterlling silver bails for the pins and order the leather cords that they will hang on.

http://www.seagrovepottersforpeace.com/

August 14, Seagrove, NC

Seagrove Potters for Peace-August

Turning Stoneware into Schools
Saturday, August 14, 2010 9am - 5pm

This is the second year that my neighbor, Beth Gore of Cady Clay Works, has organized this fund raiser to benefit the Central Asia Institute. This is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization with the mission to promote and support community-based education, especially for girls, in remote regions of northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. Last years fund raiser was based on Greg mortenson's book, "Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Journey to Change the World…One Child at a Time". This year's is based on his book, "Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan".

I do not make vessels, but am participating by making Clay Dove Pendants that are stamped on the back SPP (Seagrove Potters for Peace). There will be limited number porduced and they will not be available until August 14th at 9am! I had hoped to post some images of some of them, but my kiln pooped out on me and so I am waiting for parts before I can fire them!

http://www.seagrovepottersforpeace.com/ lists all the participants, and here are the details!


24 potteries will hold a sale of specially signed vessels to help Greg Mortenson build schools in impoverished areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan as a long-term solution to terrorism. (Sorry - no early sales!)

Each pottery will produce a unique item, specially signed for this event. The pottery will be for sale at the individual shops on Saturday, August 14 from 9am to 5pm. There will be no early sales, but any remaining items can be ordered by email or telephone on Monday, August 16. Some potteries will also have copies of Mortenson's books for sale.

Where Did June Go?

Whew, June flew by! We drove Wes's mother back to PA after her visit with us in the beginning of June. We were right on the edge of Amish country and spent a couple of days up there. We went to an auction with Uncle Louie-a building supply auction. If only we had a truck and trailer with us. All kinds of stuff, the best was lots of reclaimed and recycled wood. Big, long (20+ feet) beams that went for under $30, 2x4's on a pallet at .50 each. Doors, windows, outdoor furniture, lawn mowers, insulation, pallets of rock, water storage tanks, you name it! This is the same auction we got our 350 gallon water storage tanks that will be collecting water from the roof of the new barn that is going up as we speak!




We stayed in Lititz at a B&B for a couple nights and went down to Intercourse and Blue Ball. What a disappoinment! It is so commericalized. The drive through the countryside was lovely, the huge Amish farms and gardens are something. We did come home with lots of cheeses, some Amish and some from a wonderful cheese and exotic meat shop we found in Lititz. Although only 3 days were spent not driving on highways, it was a great little getaway.



I do have some work available here at Jugtown. Also the Grovewood Gallery in Asheville, The Artist's Theater in West Jefferson, freehand in Los Angeles and the NC Craft Gallery in West Jefferson all have gotten in new work from me in the past month. I plan to update my web site, which has been sadly neglected since I discovered blogging and facebook.

Stayed tuned to my next coming post about the Seagrove Potters for Peace. I have been working on my pieces for it and will do a post soon.




earrings available with various stones!
























Lots of watches and bracelets are in stock now.