Birds, Bunnies and Bling

How in the world did it happen? The Celebration of Seagrove Potters is this weekend. I hope you'll come and see me!

Celebration 2011 Collaboration

Jugtown Pottery potter Pam Owens and Jennie Lorette Keatts of JLK Jewelry at Jugtown collaborated together on this piece for the Friday night gala auction of the Celebration of Seagrove Potters, November 18, 2011.

A large lidded jar mad by Pam Owens.

The lid is a ceramic collar with a copper forged top with copper and pottery turtles by JLK. Pam decorated the piece with all kinds of water creatures.

This is a one of a kind piece!

 

A Summer Garden Party

July 8-9, 2011 Jugtown Pottery will be holding the Summer Garden Party featuring all kinds of things for and from the Garden. I am working on some copper garden stakes, Wes will have some plants and veggies (grown organically) from the garden, hopefully lots of tomatoes, cucumbers, beans and herbs.

The last kiln load of planters and bird baths was amazing, I am pretty sure I am going to want to go home with some of them.

The sale begins on Friday from 4pm-8pm, and we will have goodies prepared from the garden and some fun beverages, plus all the great garden "art"! We hope to see you there!

Pay It Forward

I was the receipient of a pay it forward event on Leslie William's blog. I have had so much going on in nursing Rusty back to walking, company, shows etc that I am now finally getting around to this! for those that followed Rusty, he can walk, can't jump up onto things, but he is doing really well. And his fur is growing back in, though he may  not want it in this weather.

Pam and I just returned from a great trip to Dataw Island in SC where we stayed with wonderful friends, kayaked, rode bikes and had a generally fantastic time!

Here are the pay it forward items. Everyone that makes a comment on this blog gets their name put into the hat, and Wes will draw the winners. I'll give several days for comments. So if you want a chance at some free jewelry, just make a comment!

Sterling silver necklace with a peachbloom pottery stone and black onyx.

Hand forged sterling silver hoops (1" diameter)

Pottery cab earrings, sterling silver earwires

Pottery bunny cab earrings-sterling silver ear wires

Celebration of Seagrove Potters

Shame on me no pictures, but I am sure that Samantha will have some more on Bulldog's page. Sam and Bruce are our resident behind the scenes photographer and marketing subcommittee for Seagrove! Many, many thanks for all the work that they do for our area. AND to my luck, they are my neighbor at the Celebration. Wow, what wonderful work they have (will try to remember my own camera tomorrow!!) and I am so lucky to count them as my good friends. If you don't know their work, check them out above. They do the most incredible work, the colors, crystals, images, surfaces, wow. Absolutely amazing, Sam and Bruce are incredibly talented!

What a  great event so far. Thanks you to all that came by the booth. It was great to get to meet and re-meet people like Heather from our Facebook note and earlier Hermitage meeting, to so many faces and friends from each year. I love these events just for this reason, to see all of you and sometimes get a glimpse at earlier stuff I've done! And to say missing those of you that couldn't make it (Jeanne and Ben, boo... first pottery fest missed in a while isn't it? and thanks for sending word). And to all my new friends and customers. Thank you all so much!

I hope you can come visit the Jugtown Pottery Holiday Kiln Opening on Sat the 4th of December. Doors open at 8:30, (museum opens at 7am with hot drinks and warm snacks  to keep you warm in between window peaking for your preveiws!) . Come stock up, and then doors open a bit later for holiday kiln openings at Chris Luther, Westmoore Pottery, Bulldog Pottery and Thomas Pottery. Go to this page to find NC Pottery Events.

Again thanks to all who came by , Ihope to get my web site more updated, thanks for looking at it and I'll keep at it! Any questions or comments??? Email me!! jennie@jlkjewelry.com.

Birds of a Feather?

Celebration of Seagrove Potters.....this weekend! Sometimes I just like to try something different. I've done my pottery bird and chicken earrings since I came to Jugtown and thought about expanding on that and creating some year round ornaments. My test run putting them in the shop at Jugtown worked, first one sold within 2 hours! So I will have a selection of these birds this weekend.

Teapots

Teapots by Pam Owens, lids and handles by me.

Art and Nature

16 days....That is all that is left until the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. If you haven't gotten your Gala tickets, go directly to the web site and buy them on line!

I am working away on some new designs. Here are a couple that I have just finished. This is such a busy time of the year for all of us here in Seagrove, and of course all artists and craftspeople.

Yesterday morning our dog was at the pond barking like mad. Wes went down and thought he saw two beavers swimming around, and I joined him. Of course, Bacchus launched himself into the hyacinth filled water, the lab in him suddenly kicking into full gear. He swam in circles all around the pond, completely oblivious to the fact that these "beavers" were more adept in the water than he was. I was afraid he'd run out of steam in the hyacinth and go down. We finally coaxed him out and back into the garage. We were thrilled! Beavers eat water vegetation, and we have a ton of it! The water hyacinth is very pretty and horrendously invasive! (And people will pay $2-3 per plant for it, in nurseries.) We thought perhaps our answer to getting rid of it had come....two cool resident beavers to clean out the pond!

After a bit more research on line, after Wes saw them on the bank cuddling and noticed that they had long straight tails rather than big flat ones, we discovered that they were a pair of NA River Otters. That had been my thought when I first saw them swimming, they reminded me of the otters I watched in the Shed Aquarium, years ago. River otters are not vegetarians, they eat fish and sometimes small mammals. We had about 200 small koi put into the pond earlier this year (though we soon acquired a resident Great Heron right after, so there may not have been any left in there). I don't know if they got any koi, and I seriously doubt they wiped out our huge mole and vole population. They may not have been really keen on seeing 5 of us on the hill by the pond armed with cameras and binoculars, while they cuddled together, wrapped arond each other. I don't know what the deciding factor was, where they came from, or were they were going, but this morning as soon as it was light I went looking. No otters to be seen. We were thrilled though to have their 24 hour visit and hope that they'll be back to see us one day.

NCPC Going, Going, Gone Auction

Coming right up, April 25! The annual fund raising auction for the NCPC (NC Pottery Center). Pam and I collaborated on a tea set that we are donating. This year the North Carolina Pottery Center is partnering with Leland Little Auction & Estate Sales, Ltd (LLAES). In addition to an outstanding selection of contemporary and vintage pottery, the auction will offer pottery related items, such as books, posters and photographs. These items will be available for viewing on three web sites www.auctionzip.com, www.ncpotterycenter.com and www.llauctions.com which will offer national exposure of the items, artists and the North Carolina Pottery Center. The new expanded preview period, which opens later this month, also provides an option facilitated by LLAES, Ltd., for absentee and advance telephone bidding for persons unable to attend the live auction. The doors open at 3:30 and the auction starts at 5pm. Come out and bid on some truly wonderful pieces and support a great museum!


then I made this:

Contest, but it is about you!

I have been focusing on my Facebook page too much lately, then decided to update my web page but my web host doesn't seem to be able to work with me, time to change hosting companies. I am switching from Frontpage to Dreamweaver, which I hated when I started doing the www.CelebrationofSeagrovePotters.com web site, then got used to, and then started really liking it so switched www.NCPotteryCenter.org over to it. NO problems! So let's think about my own site. Got it all set and ready to publish, doesn't work with Dreamweaver and what they gave me as specs. time to switch Hosting companies. Stay tuned and hopefully my web site will be changing somewhat and getting more up to date!


www.NCPotteryCenter.org will also be changing as I have been appointed to replace a former board member and so will be (hopefully!) going on the Board next weekend!! The NCPC is a great organization and I will be so happy to be adding what I can to their BOD. If you are not familiar with it, please visit the web site, come to Seagrove and visit the NCPC and see that it is truly a museum of great importance. We, in Seagrove, are so very lucky to have a museum of this caliber located in our little town of many pottery makers, and oh yes, Seagrove is the largest community of working potters in the US, so maybe it all is just fitting as it should be!



Celebration of Seagrove Potters was a great endeavor, took many hours each week and I have loved my involvement in implementing it. Time has come to let others take over and move on to other things! And one can spread one's self a bit too thin when one is volunteering time on something that one really likes doing! (Note to self, remember that!)

Now onto another topic that I just posted on my JLK Jewelry Facebook page. If you aren't a fan and are on Facebook please become a fan and a friend. Following is a post I just did on Facebook. I would love to see some comments here! I know that there are at least a couple of you reading this. And yes, marketing myself better must become a priority this year, well at least make the list this year!

OK JLK Jewelry fans, I'm thinking we ought to have a contest for a piece of jewelry. I'd like to build up the number of fans on my page, but those of you that are already fans ought to have at least 2 entries or more if you can bring in more fans in this contest. So tell me, is there something you'd like to see me do?

I know a lot of what I do is one of a kind... so give me some ideas on how we can do this....create a one of a kind to enter to win, you design it-I make it (this could be fun best design gets made and won-this could become a series!!!), I make something and post it. I am open to ideas so post them or email me at jennie@jlkjewelry.com, but I would sure like to get something going soon!!

I know a couple of people look at my blog, so please leave some comments or email me privately at jennie@jlkjewelry.com. I'd like to do this contest both here and on FB, but I want it to work for those that want to win something and that like my work. Plus this will help give me inspiration, and maybe get me past my leaf fetish.....more pix to come on that subject!!!

A Nickels Worth of Silver Info

Silver is a precious metal, as is gold and platinum. I use mostly sterling silver, which is an alloy of silver. Silver (.999 or pure) is a bit too soft to hold up to a lot of wear, though I do use it sometimes in the bezels that surround my stones. Sterling silver is silver which is alloyed with another metal (usually copper). 925 is a mark you will see on sterling and means that 92.5% of it is silver and the 7.5% is copper.

I have had a number of people tell me that they cannot wear sterling because they are allergic to the nickel in it. I buy my silver from reputable suppliers that use copper as the alloy. So if you buy my jewelry and have a nickel allergy, you won't be affected.If you do have a silver allergy you might be able to wear surgical steel, but be aware that some surgical steel does contain nickel.

Plated silver is a very thin layer of silver over another metal, usually brass (an alloy of copper and zinc) or copper, which saves money over using pure or sterling silver. You should use caution with any jewelry that is plated and not wear it while sleeping, swimming, showering (or bathing), or in activities where you might sweat. I do not ever used plated silver in my work.

Nickel silver is also used for some items. It is silver in color but contains NO silver. It is usually an alloy of copper, nickel, and zinc

Many countries, require silver to be marked with the level of it's silver content. In the US they do not and if you do stamp it as sterling, you are required to include a “hallmark”, which is a registered trademark or name of the person making the item. This is very expensive and is the reason that you do not see sterling silver stamped on my work, and that of many other jewelry artists. But rest assured that it is sterling silver. And I do guarantee my work should you have any problems down the line!

I hope everyone has a Happy Valentine's Day!

Two Weeks Left

Wow, the time flies by!! It is hard to believe after so much prep work all year the Celebration of Seagrove Potters AND the Jugtown Holiday Kiln Opening are past. I've just posted some new items on my web site. I had to cut off the special orders and will continue with what I have in inventory. And i need to think about some shopping myself. A fun task I must say!!

These are on my What's New to buy page should you be looking for a last minute gift. And for those that might want a miniature jug necklace there is just one left at Jugtown.

Thank You to the Art on Main Jurors

Art on Main celebrated their 50th anniversary this year.

They gave a Best of Show, First for Art and one for Craft and 2 Honorable mentions. My work got an honorable mention for fine craft.

Oops for leaving the glass cleaner in my photo!

58 booths were set up along Main St. The weather was nice both days and people were out all day. We stayed in a wonderful B&B, The Waverly Inn, on Main St so we could walk to and from the show. Made new friends, great breakfasts and social hour. Highly recommended as a great place to stay in Hendersonville!!

Best of Show went to a photographer Clay Thurston who does remarkable photographs.

Obayana Ajanaku received the first place for his jewelry.He does wonderful work with mokume gane.

Time to restock for the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. Hope to see you there!

The Gardens Loved the Rain!!

I took these this morning when I was outside with Bacchus and Rusty! The flower gardens still have a lot of color and everything is perky and dew drop covered!

The vegetable garden is more than thriving! There are two lovely eggplants for tomorrow night's vegetable stir fry, the peas and new cucmber are flowering, red peppers are still coming in at a rapid pace. Several rows of a variety of greens are getting big, some TOO big already. And how about that asparagus stalk at the end of one of the asparagus rows. Tempting to pick that one!! And now 37 days until the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. If you haven't gotten your GALA tickets, click here and buy them on line.

Coming to a City Near You!

Sterling silver, patina, Chinese Blue pottery cabochon, magnetic clasp.

I will be at the Mint Museum in Charlotte on Saturday at the 5th Annual Potter's Market Invitational. Hours are 10am-4pm, admission is $10.

On September 26, I will be exhibiting at the West
end ArtsFest in Winston-Salem. Grace Park in the Historic West End neighborhood of Winston-Salem; A one day festival of the finest visual arts, entertainment and food. September 26 10am-5pm.

Then the next Friday, October 2 - October 4, I will be in Hendersonville at Art on Main.
Friday, 10/2/2009: 3pm - 9pm
Saturday, 10/3/2009: 11am - 9pm
Sunday, 10/4/09: 11am - 4pm

And of course: November 20-22, 2009 in Seagrove at the Celebration of Seagrove Potters. Buy your Gala tickets on line, as they are not sold at the door! A catered affair, live jazz, early shopping, the Collaborative auction where you will find pieces created together by two or more artists. Artists that do not work together on a regular basis, which makes the pieces very collectible and valuable!!

Leaf Fetish Continues

I have really been on a leaf making binge in my jewelry lately. These are some I've had in mind for a long time and finally hammered them out. Comments are appreciated as I try out these new designs! I am trying to build up a lot of inventory (HA!) for my upcoming shows: Potter's Invitational at the Mint Museum on September 12; Artsfest in Historic West End, Winston-Salem on September 26; Art on Main in Hendersonville, October 2-4 and the Celebration of Seagrove Potters in Seagrove Noveember 20-22. Check out the web site www.CelebrationOfSeagrovePotters.com as I have been adding potters photos and the collaboration pieces will be posted as they come in.

Rosedale-The Art of Craft Jewelry Preview