It's a BIG world out there.....

It's a big world out there and we are so excited to be one stop along the way.

As our first highway attraction sign is now up and "running," we have been seeing LOTS of traffic from EVERYWHERE!!!

Interstate 66 carries approximately 45,000 plus vehicles per day right by our little old Marshall exit 27 and we have been making new friends from near and far.  Our west bound sign has been installed and our east bound sign at the same exit is on the way!

Just since our first sign has gone up we have had visitors from: Montana, Chicago, Ohio, Colorado, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, California, Nevada, Florida, Rhode Island, Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kansas, South Dakota, Australia, England, France, Germany, Japan, China, and Mexico!!!!

I think we may need to put up one of those maps of the world with little red pins so that we can keep track.   We love to visit and meet new friends!   

If you are in the area, stop in and say hello we look forward to meeting you!

Feeling "Crabby"

This time of year, it is easy to hide away deep inside my studio and "coast".  But, this time of year has usually been when I try new things, experiment, and enjoy working with all things Spring and Summer.  This year is no different and I am feeling quite "crabby".

The temperature is below freezing outside and Daisy, Max and Sneakers (the cat) are all snug and sleeping in their respective beds under my work table, and I am glazing flowers, starfish, seahorses, bunnies, and crabs. Light glaze colors, and new layered combinations should be coming out of the kiln soon, but for now, I think you will get the gist with this fabulous crab wall pocket.  I love to make these hangers, and just really love and respect this vibrant blue.

It is funny how a potter learns which glazes are temperamental and which are tried and true. This one is definitely in the "tried and true" category, but when I experiment with layering, it has been disastrous in the past.  For this particular piece I went with the full on, true Spring blue and was very pleased with the result.

Next up, filling orders for custom pieces which have come in this month.  Getting ready for my Spring show at Ida Lee Park in Leesburg,Virginia, the first Saturday in March.  I will be taking all my new Spring/Summer pieces to that show along with a host of wall pockets and wall hangers.  I have not had that many with me at that show in a couple of years and customers always ask if I still make them, so I am coming back in full force and should have a lovely selection to share.

But for now, back to the studio to finish glazing, run the kiln, keep glazing and run it again! Busy week.

Summer....Selling Shells by the Seashore...

It has been a busy Spring here at Big Dog Pots. We are almost finished with the construction of an additional building next to our studio. The new building is almost the same size as the studio, but will not have electricity. We have outgrown our studio over the past few years and need the new space for storage, believe it or not! In the meantime, I have been very interested in sea creatures lately. My pieces are now being sold at Old Town Hardware in Old Town Alexandria. Look for Big Dog Pots in their Home Decor section. The good citizens of Old Town live right on the Potomac and have a proud maritime history. To this end, I have been searching for just the right pieces to create life like molds for all sorts of sea creatures. The pictures in this post are showing a couple of my latest finds incorporated into functional pieces. As I have said before, I LOVE texture. Realistic texture with creatures from the sea seemed a logical extension. Also new at Big Dog Pots is a move toward dipped glazing. I have always hand painted my pieces, but I find with the increase in demand, I am finding dipped glazes to be more economical with my time....and energy :). Once these pieces are glazed I will post follow up photos. Enjoy the changing of the seasons as we turn toward Summer. I will be at the Delaplane Strawberry Festival www.delaplanestrawberryfestival.com/ over Memorial Day weekend. Come by and say hello! Hope to see you there.

Welcome Back!

No Mr. Kotter is not coming by to say hi. It has been too busy of a year. But summer is winding down, kids will be back in school, and I will be hitting the mud HARD.

I just updated my events schedule for the rest of the year, you can check out where I will be at www.bigdogpots.net.

I also decided I would give Etsy a try. Many people ask if I have a local shop, when I say "no", then they usually follow with "you need to be on Etsy".

SO, I took their advise and have expanded my "computering" and have just created an Etsy shop. You can check that out at www.bigdogpots.etsy.com.

Well, now on to "pot news".

Not sure if I mentioned that I started taking a class in the wheel in Feburary. More of a stop in a chat type thing. But I got to play with mud while it went AROUND in a circle. COOL!!

My teacher was patient, but didn't "get" what I was trying to do. Fortunately, people at my shows "get" it and the wheel items have been flying off the table.

SO, my wonderfully supportive husband of 24 year (and counting) decided I "needed" to get my own. So, I am now the proud owner of a Pacifica GT400. LOVE,LOVE,LOVE this wheel.

I have also expanded my handbuilding to include some new and interesting pieces, including unique communion plates and goblets.

I will post more pictures soon.