Sometimes clay has a mind of its own!

I spent my day off at the studio yesturday! I finished up quite a few pieces, I spent the morning getting pieces ready to be bisque fired and glazing a few.

As afternnoon rolled around I looked up at the clock and realized it was 2:30 and I had not slowed down. So I took a lunch break and then threw a few pieces on the wheel. Recently I have been practicing throwing large bowls, but I'm realizing I need to build up myarm muscles again!
I also started working on a large vase for a friend but things did not go as planned.
First I made a vase that was short and squatty...not exactly what she wanted .

So then I added some coils to the top and threw a tall neck. I dont have a picture of the bottle shape. I then tried to pinch the middle to make a hole through it so it would become a jug. However it became very warped and looked quite strange!

So I turned it into this!

I carved the jug into a wood grain and decided the hole in the tree would make the perfect home for a owl!

Here is another bowl I made recently. This is what the tree texture will look like after I add two colors of oxide. Ive been experimenting with different techniques to make it look like wood! Hope it turns out!

My work was recently featured!

My work was recently featured on a incredible blog. She discovered my shop through the pounce feature on etsy which highlights undiscovered artists.

Check out the post by clicking the link below!


http://www.indiespotting.com/shop-showcase/etsy-uncharted-joy-takes-root/

Happy Tuesday!

New pottery hot from the kiln!

I just got home from the studio with a few new pieces! I am so excited to introduce my new line of fountains!
Check out the sweet video below of a test run I filmed for an icy blue flower fountain! I am still in the process of throwing a bowl big enough to fit this large piece! But as soon as I finish they will be for sale!

Enjoy!

Another Summer day in the kitchen!

On the few week days I do not spend my entire day at the studio, I have been cooking like crazy!

Below are some of my meal creations from yesterday. I did not include breakfast because sad to say I had a boring bowl of cheerios, but the rest of the day in the kitchen was much more inspiring!

Super Healthy Lunch! Feta Salad, Cherries and a onion bagel!

Tasty but spicy Enchiladas with cute mini cornbread muffins and peas!

A creative mid week breakfast!

Yesterday, my husband had the day off work so I decided to make a special breakfast. I had just bought a ton of buttermilk on a crazy sale, so I made buttermilk pancakes using my little brother's awesome recipe.

I usually add banana or apple to them, but I thought I should be more creative, so I added fresh blueberries and a small sprinkle of chocolate chips. They were awesome! The chocolate was just sweet enough they didn't need syrup! Nice and fluffy with a melted chocolate and tart blueberries. I think these might be my new favorite! Combine 3 of these with a foamy latte and slices of peaches and life is good!

Check out the picture to see how they turned out! We enjoyed these out on our balcony in the balmy 80 degree morning.

Whew!

Two long days at the ceramic studio, and I used up 50 lbs of clay, made a giant mess, met some quirky old ladies, and acquired a serious backache. I love being a full time potter!

 I made somewhere around 20 pieces in the past few days. I built some by hand and threw a few on the wheel.  I'm trying out a new kind of clay and experimenting with new designs. If they turn out as awesome as I hope, I will have a fresh batch ready for etsy in a few weeks. I've been working on single stem flower holders, serving trays with dipping dishes, spice jars, and soap dishes. I also made a fountain that looks like a flower. I am so excited to be able to start a new line of fountains. I have been playing around with the pumps and tubes and hope to have a fully functional one up for sale soon!

In other news, Ive been cooking a lot recently. I hope to start posting pictures and recipes on here as I try out new things. Why not share the deliciousness? So many things are in the works, stay tuned for new developments and have an awesome 4th of July!

One of my flower fountains in progress (not yet fired)

The finished flower! With the pump working! however this one has a crack on the base so I am making another.

Me at the studio with a crazy vase I'm working on. This piece has been fired once to harden (vitrify) the clay, I will glaze it and fired it again to finish it.

My Esty Store is now Open!!!

So, I decided to take the leap and open my shop! I know that not everything can be perfect from the beginning so, I just went ahead and started!

Check it out at JoyTakesRoot.etsy.com!

I give credit for my awesome logo to http://www.justlikethatdesign.com  I love the way it turned out, simple yet unique!

To start off my shop, I listed a few of my favorite paintings which I thought well represented my style.
Now that I'm an official etsy seller I have to get motivated to get ready the business side of things, Yuck!

So I'm off the the county courthouse to get my DBA and tax license! Then to the bank, gotta have some cash right? Then to Hobby Lobby to get started with my packaging supplies....and the list goes on and on. Can't wait for all this behind the scenes work to be done so I can go buy some more clay and get messy!

This week I have also been working on setting up my studio and trying to make it completely functional. So far, with my friend Megan's brave help we have tackled most of it. Below are some before and after photos. But do not fear this is not the final photo! I will post some others after I get it all neat and tidy. Have a great weekend, I'm off to conquer my to-do list!

The first step of a great adventure!

I am on the edge of opening my first shop on etsy.com! I can't wait for the day I finally get it all set up and see the ceramics currently scattered around my studio, posted for all the see!

A few random notes about me....

-I love everything about clay, messy hands, and organic forms.
-I create by touching and sculpting a new design rather than careful planning.
-I am obsessed with cooking! Here's to no more bland food!
-Fall is by far my favorite season, mostly because of its focus on leaves, which I have always been in love with.
-I grew up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, and I love drinking coffee in the rain!

I'm sure you will slowly learn more about me as you read, but I don't intend for this to be a "all about me" blog. More of a space to share creativity and enjoy life!

Thanks for reading! -Michelle