I liked her style. :)
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Market Saturday
I liked her style. :)
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
It's that time again...
You can contact me via my Etsy shop or email me directly at naneliz2@yahoo.com.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Survival of the Fittest or Gardening Slacker Style
Fast forward a bunch of years and you have what I like to call a survival of the fittest garden. Many of the plants I started by seed years ago have managed to hang on and somehow (dare I say) thrive with complete neglect. That's my kind of garden!
Now my focus is on adding trees and cultivating the "natural" rabbit thicket we created in the center of the yard (part of which is shown in the above photo). Yes, I encourage rabbits in my backyard, you heard correctly. What started as tree and privet hedge trimmings lazily left in a pile for too long became a perfect refuge for bunnies. Over the past few years I have added to it and planted vines over it making it a shady and pretty darn swanky bunny thicket. They love it. Every Spring a new young bunny moves in and starts a family there. I watch them from an upstairs window like a freaky old shut-in who spies on her neighbors.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Redo for a refresh
Friday, August 22, 2008
Undercooked
I meant to write about this a while ago but it got lost in the mix somehow. I handbuilt these bottles last month and glazed them in what was supposed to be a lovely matte soft aqua glaze. Well, the kiln blew an element before the firing reached temperature and shut down. Everything had to be unloaded, loaded into another kiln and refired. I decided to keep these bottles as is. For now, at least. They look so unusual and it is certainly something that will never be achieved again so I thought I might live with them for a while.
And yet, part of me really, r e a l l y wants to refire them. :)
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
4 in 1
Anyhoo, I am very excited about this new line of changeable earrings. I call them 4 in 1 because one pair can be worn four different ways. Very clever title, I know.
They feature two porcelain disks that hang on my own handforged sterling silver earwires. Wear the disks together, separately or just wear the earwires alone - no matter how you mix them they look super cool and you will no doubt be the most super cool person on the planet for wearing them! (This is a scientific fact!)
Monday, August 18, 2008
Post fair sleepy...
The fair was fantastic! I've been a member of the guild for well over a year but this was the first year I participated in their annual fair. I was thrilled and honored to have one of my necklaces featured on the poster and the overall experience was truly enjoyable. The talent within the guild is both impressive and inspiring and I had a great time getting better acquainted with many of the potters. It was also nice to see many of my fellow studio mates who made the trek from Binghamton. :)
So where are photos of the fair?, you may ask. Well, being the genius that I am I made sure not to forget my camera. Batteries? Not so much. They chose to stay home nestled safely in their charger. So, I will leave you with photos of my kiln haul from last week. You may remember them in their naked and pre-fired state - here they are fresh from the kiln. :)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Glazed and Confused...
Anyhoo, these photos show a small sampling of the glazing I did. It was all fired on Monday in the gas kiln and today I will go and help unload it. I'll be sure to post some "after" photos.
Have a great day everyone! Take a nap for me...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Thelma meets Louise...
We had such a great time, the conversation flowed easily and we both mused over how interesting it is to know so much about someone simply by reading their blog every day. We really have a lot of common ground both having grown up just miles away from each other in tiny upstate NY towns, then both studying art history in college and now both having a love affair with handcrafting jewelry.
We had such a wonderful time - her visit made an otherwise lackluster day at the market totally fun and worthwhile. Thanks Lorelei!
Read her lovely blog post about our meeting here and check out her gorgeous jewelry here.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Do your own thing... please.
Is there anyone out there with their own imagination in proper working order? I mean, is it possible for people to come up with their own creative ideas, their own designs, their own means of carrying out an idea?
Not on Etsy.
I just spent the past few days in Sunapee, New Hampshire at the N.H. Artist's Guild's 75th annual craft fair. The level of artistry and craftsmanship on display was nothing short of breathtaking. I walked aisle after aisle through booths belonging to craftspeople who clearly have their medium so under their control that it is like breathing to them. It was refreshing in see such a high level of skill gathered in one place. It was depressing to come home, log on to Etsy and see, well...
There are many very talented people on Etsy, that is true. Unfortunately there seem to be even more people who lack creativity and a thinking brain of their own. Just because someone has technical skill doesn't mean that they have creative skills and Esty seems to be the perfect free-for-all atmosphere for such individuals. Yes, I am talking about copying.
Copying is the dreaded topic in the Etsy forums, usually greeted with loud moans and the usual "if you think you are being copied report it to admin" rhetoric. The truth is that very rarely is someone actually being copied. There are such things as coincidences and rarely has anyone invented something completely unique. However, those who really and truly know that they have been copied know for very specific reasons. For example: not only does someone copy your exact style but they copy your style of photography AND they even copy your style of writing, often just switching a few words around. Yep. Uh huh.
I guess they think that know one will notice. But they do.
What can you do about it? Well, after you complete a voodoo doll in what you imagine to be their likeness, try to move on from it. It's hard. It's discouraging (especially when Etsy often heaps praise and attention on these copycats over the original artist). But it is possible. Do what you do more, do it better and stock up on pins for that voodoo doll.
Not on Etsy.
I just spent the past few days in Sunapee, New Hampshire at the N.H. Artist's Guild's 75th annual craft fair. The level of artistry and craftsmanship on display was nothing short of breathtaking. I walked aisle after aisle through booths belonging to craftspeople who clearly have their medium so under their control that it is like breathing to them. It was refreshing in see such a high level of skill gathered in one place. It was depressing to come home, log on to Etsy and see, well...
There are many very talented people on Etsy, that is true. Unfortunately there seem to be even more people who lack creativity and a thinking brain of their own. Just because someone has technical skill doesn't mean that they have creative skills and Esty seems to be the perfect free-for-all atmosphere for such individuals. Yes, I am talking about copying.
Copying is the dreaded topic in the Etsy forums, usually greeted with loud moans and the usual "if you think you are being copied report it to admin" rhetoric. The truth is that very rarely is someone actually being copied. There are such things as coincidences and rarely has anyone invented something completely unique. However, those who really and truly know that they have been copied know for very specific reasons. For example: not only does someone copy your exact style but they copy your style of photography AND they even copy your style of writing, often just switching a few words around. Yep. Uh huh.
I guess they think that know one will notice. But they do.
What can you do about it? Well, after you complete a voodoo doll in what you imagine to be their likeness, try to move on from it. It's hard. It's discouraging (especially when Etsy often heaps praise and attention on these copycats over the original artist). But it is possible. Do what you do more, do it better and stock up on pins for that voodoo doll.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Fastbreaking News Story!
Thankfully there was an end to the nightmare when Meg, from Wake Robin Farm, in true dairy princess style, gave a hat to Schindler who quickly contained the situation. Before long the market returned to normal. No injuries were reported.
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