luminous

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

 

I've been making tea lights for the mantle and table.

The right one was the first I made, I cut in a face without thinking.

They look better lit up

At first I made the complete chamber, then decorated it.

But when I decided to add animals, I did it all on the slab;

And added punctures with these spring tools from Dick Blick.

I picked ovals, but there are rounds and squares too. I use lots of other things to vary the size of the holes.  Nails would work, especially a square one would be great if you can find it.

I brought this donkey bowl from my kitchen to the studio, and used it as my model for the tea light

Here we have a deer in the ferns.  This is a new clay for me called Frost. It can be rolled paper thin,

but has a tendency to warp. I don't seem to have the knack of getting things perfectly aligned anyways, so I don't mind.

I've been working in the garden too. Things are budding, and growing inches of green daily.

Walking the boardwalk by the beach each day this week!

Found another secret boardwalk behind this inlet. Someone lives on this floating boat/island.

The sea birds nest here, right in the sea grasses. Its really quite big!

What's a post without a chicken in it??

 

Hope you are having a wonderful April and seeing signs of spring around you~

 xxxjulie

Making spoons

 This is the way I make spoons.

 I form the clay into a sort of scone shape;

 And start to pinch the bowl section of the spoon, working fast so the clay doesn't dry.

When I have a shape I like , I set it aside and pull out a piece for the hande that will complement the bowl.

 I roll out the handle, splaying my fingers using very little pressure so the snake doesn't loose it's shape.

 These are my three favorite tools. A needle tool, a scorer and a milled tool I found in an old tool box, that I use everyday. I'm always looking for things to use, this one has a little square on one end a flat circle on the other.

 I score the fat end of the handle, and the underneath bowl of spoon where I want them to fuse.

Press gently in place.

Then I push in my toolbox find and pass it through. I has to be placed low enough so the weight of the spoon doesn't cause it to weaken after use.

Sometimes I paint the spoons with flowers, because I see them outside and all around the house lately

Golden ranunculus over the mantle,

Alstramarias, button flower chrysanthemums and chamomile in the kitchen

In fact everything is starting to swell and gain volume daily. Pretty soon these peas will be for sale at the roadside stand.

And golden poppies already making the hillsides sunny.

This is a different method of making. Its 'slumped' in an old treen spoon. Next time!

xxx julie

Inside, and outside

This is the town where I live. Each March the wild plum trees put on their white dresses.

Pink ones too.

I stay inside for a bit, arrange boquets;

 

Make this new Paris Tea., boy is it good.

But I think I hear seagulls,

and the fog has blown away and the cows are out again.

I've been working in the mornings. This is a light house, its glows at night with a tealight inside

Made a new shape platter,

 A fox that took a month of Sundays to dry, he is almost life sized. Is an entire fox next?

Then its out the door again!xxx

 

harbingers of spring

 

My neighbor called last night to say he saw a rabbit in his garden.  I've been watching the deer dine (gorge) themselves on fresh grass, and we had a squirrel here, a huge one, grey and so beautiful I watched him for twenty minutes. I have been willing spring to burst forth  by making these new animal busts on woodland stands.

 Running water! counters and light in the kitchen. And a beautifully stained floor thanks to Kim.
I've got piles of boxes to unpack, I hope my wooden spoons turn up soon, and my teas. Can you believe I packed them away in December. What was I thinking?

I make my first donkey bust!

Here's the other side of the kitchen. We are going to move the table in this afternoon after I fill the hutch..........

I can't think of a happier way to spend a Monday afternoon.

Here's a close up of the shelf Joe made. I've been using my old café au lait bowls and it makes coffee and tea taste delicious.

There's the kind of blue/turquoise tea kettle I told you about. Do you like my cleaning supplies on the fridge?  Did I go overboard with the kitchen pictures? I did try and show some restraint~

honest I did.

Thanks for your visit my dears. I haven't been visiting blogs as much as I love and enjoy doing so because of the hub bub around the farm, but things seem to be settling down a bit.
Wear your warmest socks; and drink lots of fortifying tea. I hope you see signs of spring around your own farm too.
xxx
julie

deep peace of the quiet earth

I knew you would like these. I heard too that Chanterelles are growing under the oaks in record numbers in the Elfin Forest nearby. Yup, that's a real place full of pygmy oaks and ferns.

Its been months since I've done one, but I have made a new teapot all about gathering in  the woods. There is a poem on the back by John Clare and that's a snowy owl for a pull. But my favorite thing about this picture is the mushroom pin I'm wearing. Little white French knots and a stem made from bits of old cotton by Mary Stanley.

Mary sent me this just because she received one of my  fox ornaments from a friend for Christmas.
So I got a present too! The wonderful woodcut card by Clare Curtis came along with it.
Thank you Mary, I have already worn this pin three days in a row!
www.marystanley.blogspot.com

What else is new is that we have knocked out our old kitchen and most of the wall between it and the living room. The floors aren't going to be striped forever, Carpenter Joe had to rip up the old floor and re-used the old floor boards, so it will all be stained as the final step.

Now here we are today. The cupboards are in and the sink, the most beautiful sink I've ever seen, is on the floor. Kim just caulked the new seams of the bat and board ceiling and next week a built in shelf to the left of the hanging cupboard will be built,  and a hood above the stove and light fixtures. I've never done this before, so every time I need to get a light ; sink; pick a color or window I just think one word. Farmhouse. My start off point for this whole kitchen was a plain blue enamel teakettle. Kind of squatty and serviceable. And farmy of course.

Since its noisy in the house when the guys are working during the day, and I'm not cooking, I've been spending a lot more time in the studio and outside. Here's the bay near sunset.

I wonder who lives here? Its in Cumbria, U.K. They must feel the deep peace of the earth here.
That is from an Irish blessing, 'Deep peace of the quiet earth to you'.

xx
Julie
p.s. the first thing i'm going to make are Asian sugar cookies three ways. ginger; orange; and cinnamon.
p.s.s. Downton Abbey tonight!
Thank you Connie for leading me to this Irish blessing.

fresh and frosty

Fox has been laying low for a while.

                       The doors were shut quite firmly, the music could barley be heard.

But she's thrown open the doors, and done some portraits of her friends and neighbors.

 Meandering through the neighborhood, saying fare thee well to the old year  having high hopes for the new one

Inspired to make honey pots

domes and even teapots which are drying in the sun but will soon be ready for herbs and the most scalding of water.

Very grateful for your visit, fox wishes you not just health and happiness, but that fate smiles on you and all your dearest wishes come true this year~
xxx
Julie
p.s. The wonderful nest and bird necklace is a creation of Nina Bagley, who lives deep in the woods herself

www.ornamental.typepad.com