First hint -

Okay maybe it's obvious, maybe not but since I announced the contest on Boston Handmade, it seems only appropriate to let you know that this artist was born and raised in Boston and was working here at the time that the items pictured were created. Because we all like pictures in our blog post here's one of the bowl I was happy to receive from BH'er Arthur Halvorsen at our
"holiday" swap back in January. (filled with Red, White and Blue potato salad - scary looking but yummy) Yay for local artists.

Name that artist - a little contest

I announced a little contest over on Boston Handmade. If you didn't see that post the deal is that I thought I'd have a little fun and post a picture of some very early work by a now very established ceramic artist who I had the pleasure of working a "day job" with many years ago. I loved his/her work then and now and through all of the intervening developments and changes in the ... wait for it ... 20 plus years since then (gosh I feel old). The first to guess whose work this is will receive $5 toward a purchase from Boston Handmade member and ceramic artist Karen Mahoney's shop. I will be posting a hint a day for at least 3 days, possibly more if no one gets it by then. I'm also running a little experiment, as I wonder if this artist would recognize his/her work from so long ago so ... if you know people working in ceramics who this might be ... point them to this post I'd love to hear from them.
Enter by commenting here - on this post

More Testing

A pattern this time. Jen of Zooguu, maker of the cutest plush creatures, recently introduced her first pattern for sale in her etsy shop. For some reason I've always wanted to be a pattern tester, and Jen needed one so ... there you go. I won't be changing my career anytime soon, although my nephew who is one of Jen's biggest fans and to whom I gifted "Marion" thinks I should. I think the horn, or actually tooth, on my version came out looking like those hats (sans veil) that medieval maidens wore when going to the fair.

Next up (finally) some new work of my own!

Making Book and other testing adventures

This past week was a whirlwind of "crafty" activity with only a small portion of it spent on my own solitary endeavors. I've feel so lucky to be included in a group of artisans who meet up in person every month over various hot and cold beverages with no expectations other than to share experiences, advice and (sometimes stuff) and to provide support and feedback on life as an entrepreneur in this particular market.

In addition to the regularly scheduled meeting hosted by Melissa and Mimi, I also volunteered to be a tester for (another) Melissa and Jen.

This was by no means a sacrifice - they are both so talented in their respective fields: Mel as a maker of handcrafted books and journals and Jen as the creator of a fantastical world of plush toys for children of all ages.



Five of us (including Jen pictured above) gathered to help Melissa test a workshop she will be offering on making travel journals. The workshop like her other work was meticulously well thought out, organized, presented and executed. For the first time in quite a while, I got to be the one in the class everyone had to wait for: That's what happens when everyone is a professional crafter I guess. But I figure this was good research material for Melissa, cause somebody's gotta be last, right? We made a set of 4 pamphlet style notebooks and a case for them and then building on that experience a 4 signature expandable book with various pockets and a closure. I learned so much from this workshop. Now I just need to plan a trip, but my first stop was at my sister's house to show off (she's been yearning to learn how to make books and well it's just a sister thing). I touted Melissa's workshop to her and to you, if you are in the Boston area or can get there. I highly recommend the experience.

In

In my head I blog all the time

... but it never seems to make it here. Is it that I a) am lazy and undisciplined? b) have a life that lacks interest? c) something else and if so what?

and now that I've said it maybe I can move on cause I actually want to blog for so many reasons.

Beginning my Virtual World Embroidery tour - first stop, Japan

I love seeing embroidery from around the world ... and have decided to learn a few of the techniques which differ quite widely from my own. So I'm planning on documenting a "world tour" of sorts on my own blog.

My first stop will actually be a recurring one as I've also decided to add a bit of "formal" study to inform my own techniques and use of materials. In May I visited a course sponsored by the Japanese Embroidery Center in Georgia and in August I began as a "Phase one" student with a local private tutor so that I could join quarterly classes offered locally by a traveling tutor. It's sort of like working toward a Black belt ... there are ten phases to the program and specific pieces one chooses to work to learn increasingly difficult techniques. The classes are conducted in near silence and the teacher moves through the class providing the opportunity for guidance and questions. I've never been into yoga ... but the near meditative state achieved is as close as I get. Working with untwisted,pure silk threads is unlike anything I've ever tried before ... at times it is like trying to sew with a spiderweb strand (though a little less sticky). Some twisted threads are used but one twists them manually and on demand (Unless you are a master in which case i understand you have an understudy who does nothing but twist thread for you!) Each type of twist reflects light differently.

students working on a variety of phases

This is a Phase 9 piece though when Susan (pictured) began it was classified as Phase 6


When I was working on finishing my Phase I piece --- I tried to spend an hour or two each morning bringing out my inner perfectionist (she doesn't often make an appearance :))I enjoyed the discipline and the concept of there being a right way and a wrong way to work even though this is pretty far from my personal freewheeling style. Below are some photos from the class and of my own Phase I piece at various stages of completion. (Between the lack of both available light and great photography skills I do not have a picture of the completed piece).

While I don't anticipate making a career of embroidering ceremonial kimonos the experience in learning to work with silk will probably find it's way into some of my work. I sold a few of those embroidered jewelry pieces (brooches and pendants) in the gallery this holiday season and will be adding some to my etsy shop as well.



Japanese embroidery is worked on a special frame -- the right hand is always above and the left below (rules!)



this phase one piece (NOT mine) is nearly complete

Handmade Channukah preparations

Just wanted to share a small portion of our family's handmade hannukia (menorah) -- The rosewood and aluminum one was made by my dad and is the one I grew up with, the painted wooden one was created by my niece, and the fused glass and ceramic versions are my own creations. On December 1 this year we'll light them all and a few more and eat too much fried food. Here's wishing a happy holiday season with family and friends to everyone.