Thursday, December 25, 2008
Christmas Morning
Overall, life is pretty grand for me lately. I have no complaints. Wish everyone a most wonderful and safe holiday season.
Malea Rhodes
www.malearhodes.blogspot.com
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Stranded in Cleveland
Malea Rhodes
www.malearhodes.blogspotcom
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Shooting Star Ornaments
Malea Rhodes
www.malearhodes.blogspot.com
Chicken and a sale!
The big news is that next Sunday, December 7th is my studio's Holiday Sale!
The Celadon Studio Annual Holiday Sale!
#38 The Maplewood Shops, Northampton, MA (basement level under Grumpy's Place)
Noon - 4pm
Stop in, buy some really great hand made pottery and ceramic art, try your hand at the potters wheel, sign up for a class, buy a class gift certificate for someone you love, or just hang out and talk to the potters!
There are 6 resident potters in the studio, and all will have work for sale so there will be a good variety of work to choose from. Definitely something for everyone.
Hope to see you there!
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
Wishing much happiness and full bellies to all.
Malea Rhodes
www.malearhodes.blogspot.com
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Almost forgot...
Go Olive! She was almost convincing.
House Warming Gathering...
These were laid out upside down so people could see the glazes and patterns more easily. Some were stoneware, others porcelain. Below are close ups of my Damaged Goods line. After the guests picked their wine glass, they had their choice of wine and then were shown to the dining area where they got to make needle felted coasters. I thought it would be fun to have things in my new home made by friends. It was so much fun! Most of the guests hadn't tried needle felting before and they were all helping each other, giving each other tips and critiques. It was like a giant ice breaking exercise with fabulous end results!
This is the lot of them laid out. All together everyone but 2 guests made a coaster, and everyone had a great time. Thanks everyone for coming! Now I have all sorts of great things to remind me of my friends! Thanks again! And if you see your name listed here and want me to link to your blog just shoot me an email at littlepottergirl@yahoo.com
And if you haven't checked out a random new blog lately, please check out my friend Jim's blog. He is just getting started, but is doing a great job!
Cheers!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Fresh From The Kiln
All of them lined up on the table. They had just come out of the kiln.
Sunrise teabowls!
So, Snow Farm actually starts this weekend...I was a week ahead of myself. So if any of you thought you missed it...there is still hope!
Have a great weekend everyone. I will post more pics of my wine glasses next week. I am thinking of some crazy glazing trials...fingers and toes crossed.
Bye for now!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
WOW! So much stuff!
Tonight I loaded the kiln and the entire bottom and second shelf belong to Jim! He has turned out so much stuff and really taken off. This is some of his work glazed, not yet fired. That will happen tomorrow.
These are 2 of KT's Pots that have been glazed and fired. A few years ago (back when I had free time) I made the staff at WEBS, sheep holiday ornaments. Kathy (one of the owners) had mentioned that she would be interested in selling them in the store. So last week I started the process of making them. This is the first run, I have done them with raised up, or slip trialed designs, carved designs, and slip trailing over carving. We'll see how they turn out and which ever ones get the best feedback I will make a couple dozen to sell at WEBS.
I am going to turn on the kiln tomorrow....and inside are all of the plates for Melissa Morgan Oakes. They will be done and ready to give to her by Wednesday. One more thing down!
And I have to say that while I have been getting settled in my new home I have been knitting up a storm! My most recent finished project is this felted pillow. Knit in Brown Sheep Burly Spun.
And lastly, I have been working really hard to get wine glasses ready for my little house warming gathering. And it is now down to the wire. None of them have come out just the way I wanted...which usually turns out to be the first ones to go oddly enough.
But I have done a bunch of them in all different styles and will glaze them differently. Some of them are in the new "damaged goods" line. Some others are more traditional. But they have all got to be done by this Friday.
Keep your fingers crossed!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
testing
Malea Rhodes
www.malearhodes.blogspot.com
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Snow Farm!
So I have been in the process of moving, unpacking and painting and have failed my blogging duties, simply due to a complete lack of extra time. But Snow Farm is quickly approaching so I need to start firing again...lots and lots of firing...
...
If you have never been to the Snow Farm Holiday Sale you are missing out!
Glass, pottery wood, textiles and jewelry just in time for gift giving. And it is 3 weekends so there is no excuse NOT to go!!
Malea
Monday, September 22, 2008
So this week...
But...this is the reason I am having trouble getting out of my bed on the weekends to go to the studio...
And she is purring, an all warm and fuzzy under the blankets next to my leg or my tummy...so cute...little Olive.
But this weekend i have to get a bunch of the stemless wine glasses and the plates for MMO in the bisque either Saturday or Sunday, and then glaze them next weekend. Then maybe she will surrender the sweater to me that we are bartering....I love you Melissa...they are going to be so beautiful!!! And next week I move, so maybe I can get a few extra things done...in between unpacking..yeah...in between unpacking...sure. Oh why am I moving yet again.
No, in pet terms, this is my "forever home". And it has lots of space to store pots!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Saturday Firing..
Cruets, my favorite thing in the world to make...my least best seller. Ugh!
Mugs...everyone loves mugs right? Depends on the show. One year, people are "I have too many mugs, I don't need any more", the next year, same show..."do you have any mugs, maybe a whole set?".
Batter bowl. Somehow it warped a little from the weight of the handle when it was firing, so it is a wee bit oval. Go figure.
And last but not least...Tumblers. I use these for everything...coffee(they keep your hands warm in the winter), a vase, pencil cup, knitting needle holder, and if I leave on one my night stand, it becomes a cat dish...I don't know why it becomes so much more appealing to Olive when the water isn't in her bowl, but in mine..???
Monday, September 15, 2008
Open House
The Open House was a great success. A great big thanks to Karen a member of the studio, for helping wrap pots and take cash while I did demos and greeted guests. We had a few people stop by and inquire about classes, and a few interested in renting full time studio space. And we sold lots of great pottery! We are getting plans in the works for holiday sale, but unfortunately I won't be doing any demo's outside in early December...I would be throwing a big white chunk of icy slush. Ouch!
People shopping at the Open House.
KT, trying her hand at the potters wheel.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Damaged Goods...the new line of pottery!
Soy Bowls
I scooted in last night and made a few bowls for the snow farm sale. These little guys get "thrown off the hump". Which means i get a big mound of clay, "center" a door knob shape on top,
and then throw the door knob.
You can usually get 12 or so out of a 3 lb chunk. Kinda cool eh..
Okay, today is the open house. We have expanded it, so now we are doing demo's, allowing people to sit down for a minute and play with the clay on the wheel...trying to drum up some business for the studio. And I have 2 people coming by to "interview" for the space as well, for full time residency! Yippie! The little place is growing up faster than I could have ever expected! Next year I will need to rent the space next door, and blow out the wall in between for gallery space over there...or a teaching facility!!! Whoopie!!!
Malea Rhodes
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
A Most Wonderful Thing
So, I was sharing with a friend, KT of www.zombie-hunter.com, how I lost my grandmothers teacup collection over a stupid family feud. Grandma had everything from a tiny plastic Barbie cup and saucer to the only one that I actually got my paws on (its got a raised Chinese dragon on the outside and when you hold it up to the light there is the outline of a Geisha in the bottom). Today I noticed KT left work for lunch and I was joking with her as to where she went. Said she got me a housewarming present and just couldn’t wait to give it to me. She presented me with this lovely iridescent glass cup and saucer to “start my collection again”. There is still a lot of good out there in the world. Thanks KT. You ROCK!!!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
WOW! I want one
Malea Rhodes
Sunday, September 7, 2008
I did it and it didn't explode...kinda...
That's all for now. I have a first-timer student starting on Wednesday, so depending on his modesty level I might show off some first night pots. And there are bound to be lots of pictures from the Open House on Sunday! And if I know and love you and haven't linked to your blog it is because I can't figure out how to yet....sorry ladies! MMO, CR, Webs, Kirsten, and the Crafty Cat(probably way more too). I will figure it out soon!
The Sparking Kiln
Oh, I guess it is always something. Just when I thought I was breaking even...coming slightly ahead out of the starting gate. Ugh!
I had also been working on these Sushi plates for MMO, but when I went to put them in the kiln last night I realized that all but 1 were badly cracked in at least one corner. So, we will try round 2 today. They were...are going to be a lovely crackel green when they are done...maybe with a hint of a black/brown oxide wash on the sides...maybe a little stripe down one side.....This will work...this will work...I think I can...I think I can.......Okay, so off I go. I have a student to teach there today from 3-5. Today we will be learning the fine art of handle pulling. Lucky him. He wants a set of mugs, by golly I will have him walk out of there with a set of mugs!
And I think I might have a new student starting next Wednesday....keep your fingers crossed. I love students!
Happy rainy weekend all!