AN EARLY START TO A CYBER MONDAY SALE

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Don't miss out on one of a kind gifts and items!
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Creative Juices

This is the first year since moving to Los Angeles that we are not traveling back east for Christmas. As great as it was to spend time in New York with friends in family, being away also caused me to miss out on most of the Christmas Sales, as my shop would close before the holiday shopping rush began. This year we are staying local by going up to Big Bear Lake, allowing me to stay open the entire time.

This presents a new challenge however. I've never actually needed to stock and prep work for the busy season. However I am so excited that my brain is constantly coming up with new and fun ideas to introduce to my customers. One of the items, is this Button Yarn Bowl. It's not just cute, it's adorable! And what crafter wouldn't love a bowl covered in buttons! My other idea in progress are pottery pieces covered in Henna designs. It's really time consuming and difficult at first, but the results are so worth the trouble. The idea came from when I planned a baby shower for my sister a few months ago and booked a henna girl to do henna designs for all the guests. Once I saw the process and how henna's color and texture resembled clay slip, I knew I had to try this on pottery.  While henna eventually dries and flakes away, leaving behind a brown design, the slip stays on the pot adding a great textural element. So far I've been throwing small dishes and plates and using these lotus like designs on a flat surface.  This week I will be moving to cups and vases.

Heart Yarn?

 It feels great when your creative juices are flowing and your mind is always coming up with new interesting ideas. This is the state of mind I am currently in. Every day, I seem to want to make something new. Maybe I can try this, or what if I do that? One of those fun ideas became this yarn bowl. The idea is to have the bowl look like the ball of yarn that's in it. Pretty simple huh? Well not only does it look pretty, it is also very light, since so much of the clay is carved away to create the exterior texture. I named it "Heart Yarn" because, well let's face it, what knitter doesn't?

Etsy Circles - Was It something I said?

So I have to be honest, I did not get into the whole "circle" thing at first, and it took me a little while to embrace it. Once I did however, I really enjoyed all the new "clicks" I was a part of. Recently I've been getting denied access to add more people to my "circle" if you will as it is "bursting at the seams!" Really?
Am I so unpopular that I cannot and should not add more people to be friends with? I've done some research to find out that my circle limit will be expanded once more people add me to their circle and so I sit and wait to be allowed to become clicky with more Etsy folk. I have to say, this is hurting my self esteem. Etsy's solution is to "remove folks from your circle to make room for more" . So now I cant help but think that with every circle lost, that person is removing me to make room for a much cooler person.
This whole thing is making me feel like a redheaded stepchild. There I blogged about it!

Etsy Mud Team Mug Swap

Every year, the Etsy Mud Team has a mug swap. Where all the team members randomly exchange a mug they made, for a mug made by another team member. Even though this swap takes place at the same time every year, for some reason it takes me by surprise and I always miss it. This year I am on the ball and have my mug ready! I am very proud to swap this prefect little mug and hope it goes to a faminine cat lover. As much as I love my mug, I find it kind of humorous to imagine a man using it. You can find other great mug entries here. 

A Need for Clean

 I really had to push myself this past month to keep a steady work schedule. Despite Finn becoming really active, I have been working and making stuff during every nap and free moment I can get. As a result, I am firing my kiln for the first time in months and it's stuffed!

I've had many new and intesting ideas, experimenting with colored porcelain as well as decals and cannot wait to see and show you the results in another post. I've also had a chance to finally develop letters to be used for personalized items like mugs and vases for names and monograms.

Having been so busy (and lazy) my studio became absolutely dingy. I've finally had to force myself to get down and dirty. It took me 3 1/2 hours of scrubbing on hands and knees to clean about a 5'x5' space, after which I was so exhausted I could not continue.

This is a small part of what I have to tackle tomorrow....ehhhhhh.....

Vintage Taking Over Etsy?

So while I've been kicking back being a mom, I've began to notice a shift...an Etsy shift. Even though my pottery production has now taken a back seat to mommyhood I still check on my Etsy shop and some of my favorite categories daily. I couldn't help but notice the number of vintage shops and vintage items that now seem to pop up more than ever on the front page as well as Storque articles and the Etsy Finds emails. This caused me to stop and think about what this may mean for us handmade folks and the site in general. Don't get me wrong, I am a huge vintage fan. I've scored a gorgeous mink stowe and some magazines from a couple of my favorite vintage Etsy shops. However, I can't help but feel overwhelmed by the presence of craft supplies and 1950's kitsch as I browse Etsy's pages. Part of what attracted me to Etsy was that it sold handmade! It somehow made it a special place so very different from EBay! It wasn't a place for everyone, but rather a group of people that could "create". Now I know that vintage shop owners may read this and say I am only complaining because I sell handmade, and that would be true to a point. I am not saying there should be no vintage or supplies on Etsy, just not sure I like the site moving in a different direction. After all, it's not "Etsy, where you buy and sell handmade" only any longer.I am not really sure where I am headed with this, other than that I would like to know what others out there may think.

Would I Trade My Finn For a Thousand Etsy Sales?

Not even a million!
With my production schedule going at a steady crawl, I can't help but wish I had more time for clay. Especially for the busy holiday season. However, when I look over at the little person playing in his playpen as I write this post, sales don't seem important. With another kiln load cooling off in the garage, I wonder if I should rename this blog " Finding Finn". We've sure been having fun these last few months and can't wait for Christmas!
Thanks to all of you who's patiently waiting for new work to hit the shelves. I appreciate you sticking with me! I am excited to take a peek inside the kiln today and take some photos of all the fun pottery.
I've been perfecting a new pink glaze... let's hope it looks fab!

Getting Back To Work

For the last few weeks, I have been carving out more and more time to spend in the studio. With Finn having more of a routine, it's becoming easier to plan around his schedule. Creating hand built work allows me stay in the house and work at the same time. While this places "limits" on the type of work I make, it actually helped me think outside the box and come up with new ideas. Speaking of carving,the Etsy Mud Team is having a Tile Challenge. Stop by and vote for your favorite, and receive discounts offered by our team members. I entered my Abstract Pears Tile, which I carved from high fire white stoneware clay. I really love the glazes on this tile. They are muted and neutral, yet still create depth.

Father's Day Taste Test.

When I can't mix glazes and work with clay, I bake. Baking and mixing glazes is pretty close to the same thing (in my mind anyway). Both require concentration, love and precise measurements. This Father's day, being my husband's first, gave me the perfect excuse. My husband is a huge chocoholic, and swears by Betty Crocker's Milk Chocolate Cake Mix, and Betty Crocker's Milk Chocolate Frosting. I on the other hand is a "from scratch" kinda gal. So I gave him a blind taste test. The cake on the left (Cake A.) is made completely from scratch using Beatty's Cake Recipe from the Food Network. The cake on the right (Cake B) is made from store bought Betty Crocker Milk chocolate Mix and frosting.

I first fed him a piece of Cake A, followed by Cake B. Upon tasting both, my husband stated that they were both great, but he preferred Cake B. A little disappointed (I preferred cake A of course) I pushed over the plate with Cake B, and said "here's your cake." He tasted it and said "wait a minute, very funny, now give me my cake!" HA! I win! I win!

Don't get me wrong, there is a time and a place for store bought cake mixes, and I have to say, Betty Crocker's cake was not half bad, and took no more than 20 minutes of prep. time. But I loved the richness of Beatty's Chocolate cake. It had a much firmer texture without being dry and the chocolate butter cream frosting was truly amazing. Makes me want to have a slice just thinking about it!

So the test revealed, from scratch is always better! Much like it is with glazes isn't it?

Future Potters of America

I would like to Introduce...

Finnian Patrick Hayes

Born on April 28th, 2010, Weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces

Measuring 20 inches

It looks like he might be a leftie like his mama.

And Oh Boy has he been keeping me busy!

Move over Clay...

Here comes baby.

For the last nine months I have been working on a new exciting endeavor. Having a baby growing inside you really takes over your world and your life. Before you know it, it consumes you whole and it's hard to think or do anything else. After months of planning and purchasing every baby gadget made by man, I am at the end of the road. With my due date just a few days away, I am ready for this new and exciting stage in my life...(and I am really tired of being pregnant.)

The smartest thing I've done for me, and would recommend to all future moms, is to start and finish your nursery as early as possible. There are so many things to worry about towards the end, that having the nursery complete really helped me feel at ease. With so many unknown aspects, I found that pouring some of my creative juices on something I can control was a very comforting experience. I painted the room using pastel blue, green and cream. Variations of those neutral colors were placed throughout the room that tied everything together. I personalized the space by painting three jungle animal illustrations that fit in with the the bedding.

With the last month coming to a close, what I've heard from every mom is all too true. The last month is the absolute worst. The baby is getting heavy, your belly is stretched to about as far as it can go, all the while being punched and kicked from the inside at every angle imaginable. It's during these moments that my mind drifts back to pottery.

I haven't set foot in my studio for the last 2 months, and it's really beginning to eat away at me. I am over the being constantly tired and exhausted. I am fired up and ready to come back!!! We'll see what the baby has to say about that. Being a first time mom I have no clue what to expect. I have read what seems like every pregnancy book, including the bible "what to expect when you're expecting" followed by "what to expect: the first year". I have also armed myself with the latest and "hottest" mimijumi baby bottles to minimize "nipple confusion". Yup there's nipple confusion apparently and I am ready for it!

From Ladybugs to Bunnies

About a month ago, a customer who purchased a Ladybug in my Mug - Mug asked me if I would place any other animals or wild things inside my cups. I thought about it from a practical stand point and tried to come up with a shape that can be simplified to sit flush against the bottom without creating too much of a headache when washing the cup... and so came the bunnies. They were so darn cute I couldn't help myself and I placed them on all sorts of things!

TRAPPED

It maybe hard to believe, (with such fast turnover in electronics) but I've had the same Dell Inspiron Laptop for almost 8 years. This sweet little dinosaur has served me so well and gave minimal problems. Over the last year however, with my excessive pottery photo, and i-tunes downloads, it became really slow and started to overheat. To combat the problem, I've positioned it in such a way, that the fan portion of the bottom would hang off the desk slightly to create a bit more ventilation. (Can you tell I have a problem with change?)

However, it's time had come and it just had to go. So for my birthday, my dear, sweet, husband bought me a new HP Entertainment notebook. I thought this thing was great!!! It was practically weightless, and are computers really this fast now a days?

A big surprise came when I needed to install some of the basic programs, you know, the anti-virus and the printer. The damn thing was a complete lemon. It would not install anything, and when I attempted to restart, never turned on again.

Luckily, Best Buy's return policy is wonderful, and they took the awful thing back without a question.

Frustrated, I decided to stick with what I know best, and buy a new Dell. I ordered a new Dell Inspiron that weighs all of 5 pounds :) and so far (knock on wood) works splendidly. The new Windows 7 came automatically installed and is very similar to the type of function and look of the Mac Safari. (I suppose a way for PCs to compete)...

Oh but this story does not have a happy ending. Much like my ancient Dell, I also have an ancient (by graphic software standards) version of Adobe Photoshop 7.0. That version is no longer compatible with Windows 7, and has not been compatible with any Windows since Windows XP. After numerous calls to Adobe Tech support in India, I discovered that Adobe will not upgrade me to the New CS4 photoshop unless my version was Adobe Photoshop 8.0 or greater. So until I cough up around $700, I have no photoshop.

So while I type this blog post on my fast and efficient new Dell, I will have to edit and list all new pottery photos on my dinosaur. God give me strength.

Diversity in Clay at the AMOCA

This upcoming weekend is the Opening of the Diversity in Clay exhibit curated by the American Ceramic Society, Design Chapter. The reception is this Saturday August 8th 6-9pm at the American Museum of Ceramic Art. I urge all to attend if you're in the Los Angeles area. I haven't been before, but those that have, said that the food at this reception is pretty great! So come on down and check out some fabulous pottery and mingle with yours truly and other amazing potters!

Reflection

Get ready for a long one folks...

Some recent events made me want to take a step back and reflect on where my pottery came from and where it's headed. Since my two year Etsyversary is looming, I guess my first Etsy sale is a good place to start. This is the first piece that sold. It had contrasting color, a curvy egg-like shape, still very similar to the shape I throw today.

With my first wheel-thrown pieces my first goal as a student and a potter was to make the form symmetrical, centered as well as making the piece as light as possible. I have succeeded at this over the last two years as you can tell by cheaper shipping prices.

Then came the Eggs. The fool proof blue/brown color combination that satisfied my need for both contemporary and traditional styles. After the arrival of the Robin's Egg, my pottery took a turn for the more refined, feminine style that is very much reflected in my pottery today.

A short while later came my trip to Paris and my discovery of hand-carved and still very much color contrasting Poppy. Shortly after came the Sprout. I still have to be perfectly relaxed and in a great mood to successfully throw those little suckers. The sprout teapot is yet again a perfect example of the modern/contemporary in me.

So where am I headed? With a larger collection of flowers and now my own blend of glaze colors, will I let the curvy, vind-y win out and settle on with the press molds and the slip? Or will I continue to be all over the place with my pottery much like I am in life?
Today's trip to the Getty was no help. I was yet again torn between the 1600's decadent, French gold and robins egg vases on the interior of the Decorative Arts Section and the museum's overly modern, clean-lined architectural exterior. But if they can live together so beautifully, why can't I?

I fast forward to my last sold item. Ladybugs!

They are awesome, fun and now that I found a glaze that does not run, I can add them to everything.(Strongly considering it!)

With a kiln full ready to go for yet another bisque firing, only time will tell.

Featured

Thanks to Bekah at BekahQuilts who was nice enough to feature me on her blog!

Bekah's quilts are beautiful! and can be found on one of my favorite websites - Etsy.

Diversity in Clay Exhibition

I am proud to announce that this piece was accepted to the 2009 AMOCA/ ACS-DC Diversity in Clay Exhibition. The exhibition runs from August 8th until August 28th at the American Museum of Ceramic Art - 340 S. Garey Avenue, Pomona,CA 91766. There will be a reception on Saturday August 8th from 6-9pm where awards will be presented. This is a fundraiser and all work is for sale, so I encourage everyone to come! This is a very happy moment for Alina Hayes Ceramics.

Bust Update

I wanted to share an update on the bust. It showed

some minor cracks on the inside after it was bisque fired and I feared the worst. My teacher suggested I use paper clay to fill the cracks. Strangely, none of the cracks I patched opened, but there were some others that showed up in areas I did not expect. It survived Cone 11 reduction firing, and the head did not fall off. None were on the face and overall I was very lucky. The porcelain slip I used gave it a beautiful almost marble-like appearance that I am very happy with.

Hand Built vs. Wheel Thrown

When I first discovered pottery, all I wanted to do was throw. I had no interest in learning anything having to do with hand-building and was fully consumed by the spinning and lifting of the clay. I have continued to create wheel-thrown pottery until this spring when I had enrolled in a hand-building class and became in awe of what I was missing.

Being a bit of a perfectionist, I loved the perfectly centered form the wheel helped create (on a good day). At first my impression of hand-built pottery was that it was very wonky and misshapen. However, once I took a class with Biliana Popova and discovered that you can create very symmetrical, smooth forms much like the wheel with liberties that the wheel just does not allow. I realized that I was keeping myself from something so satisfying. Hand-built forms, even when perfect and smooth still have a textile quality that cannot be reproduced on the wheel making you want to feel it, allowing you to unmistakeably recognize that a piece is hand-built once you hold it. If you never held a piece of hand-built pottery, do it.

I am not sure I will fully convert to strictly hand-building from now on, but I have developed a respect for the quality it creates and look forward to adding those elements to my future works.