Goings On - Here and There

I was at Society Hill Designs earlier this week to refresh the stock there, visit and look around myself. I always find something - usually a few somethings! - to fall in love with while I'm there. Here are a couple of pictures of some of the new pieces I dropped off.

For some reason I wanted a quote about birds on the bigger plate. I had William Blake on my mind that day but when I did a search on quotes, this one from Eubie Blake came up. It struck me as pretty fitting for my mood right then. I shortened it just a little for the piece - the full version is here.

"Be grateful for luck. Pay the thunder no mind - listen to the birds. And don't hate nobody."

Right now, I'm grateful for the chance to go on quite an exciting journey.  Tomorrow I begin the day here in the DC area but will surface somewhere entirely different - first stop is Singapore, with a side trip to Malaysia and then back through Japan for a few days before coming home.

I started working on a few new pieces this week and am looking forward to getting back to them on when I return. But for now, just looking forward to the trip and finishing up the last minute packing involved with going somewhere new! 

Birthday Bash @ Stifel & Capra

There's a party happening this weekend with plenty of treats for everyone!  

Come celebrate at the Stifel & Capra Seventh Annual Birthday Bash with birthday cake, wine tastings, and shop specials. 

Society Hill Designs is offering 20% off entire boutique, including all LePennyJ Ceramics!

New York New Work

I recently had the chance to experience some aspects of one of my favourite cities - New York, New York.

It was an anniversary outing - we try to go somewhere special to celebrate each year. It's always a treat to spend some time together away from the hurry of every day.

This trip to NYC really reminded me of a previous trip to Venice, Italy. Like that trip, we walked most everywhere - from midtown a zigzag around the city and across the Brooklyn Bridge, all the way to the Fort Greene outpost of the Brooklyn Flea. On the way back, we took the subway to near Brooklyn Bridge Park, walked a bit more and then sat in the shade there before catching a cab back over the bridge. We knew we would never make it walking back the seven(ish) miles in time for Bullets Over Broadway - the other big reason we were here. What a show that was!

Just as I remembered, New York never really sleeps so we were able to grab a very authentically Italian pizza after the show and still make it to a bakery where we were treated with two bags of not-quite-day-old extras to bring home.

This piece that I had been working on was waiting for me when we returned - seemed like the perfect way to sum up the trip, a happy wish.

And a few more in the works that should be completed soon. This is somewhat of a new colour palette on some designs I had been playing with last year so we'll see how they turn out. Maybe if I Wish Happy some more, they'll be to my (and others) liking!

Studio Time

Finally in the studio yesterday for a good stretch of time. We've been playing a game of Monopoly at our house - going on four days with lots of breaks - so it felt good to get back to work on some new pieces. It was such a gloomy day outside, rain throughout, so I made some flowers.

I also picked up one finished piece that made me smile. So looking forward to some days at the beach later this summer . . . 

For now, happy weekend!

As Etsy As 3.2.1

Yip! Yip! Yikes! Yay! 

Well, it’s taken me a bit longer than I had initially hoped but I’ve just launched my new shop on Etsy. It’s very much still in the startup phase but I think things should pick up from here. I will be posting more listings over the next few days but some of my favourite pieces are up now!

Please go visit when you have a moment - www.etsy.com/shop/LePennyJ. Thank you!

Spring Clean

Hello Spring! Hopefully you are finally here to stay! After running a 5k on Sunday with ice and snow pelting into my eyeballs (fun), I have really enjoyed the nicer days this week. 

I spent quite a bit of my newfound free time at the studio last week and did some long overdue cleaning. I have never had a neater cubby! It was so nice coming in the following day to work. Now to keep it this way . . . at least for a while. Oh - and I got some new clay and underglazes to play with!

Work in progress . . . In addition to cleaning, I also made some pretty messes. I love how the two different clays I was working with ran together off the wheel.  And, it seems I really want to go to the beach after this long winter - I don't think either of these molds were meant to be beach themed but together they remind me of sea sponges and star fish along the shore. 

New Year, New Thinks, New Etsy?

Happy 2014! 

Yes, I do know that it is already one week into March - but I am a little less clear on how quickly the first couple of months have disappeared! It has been an odd year so far but one that is possibly shaping up to be quite interesting. I am in the process of a fairly big change which will hopefully include more time for pottery and has me a little more serious about creating a more real and professional online presence. More to come on that. But, for now, a few newer pieces and a promise to update this site more regularly. 

Here's to a warmer and maybe even sunshiny weekend!