I sent my friend in Puerto Rico a mug for his birthday. I packed it as well as I could, and was glad to hear it arrived today, in one piece. I think his dog Marta likes it – gotta luv that dog. Her expression, which I’ve seen many times before when she happens upon something that delights her, is priceless. Next time, I’ll have to send a dog bowl – that should really get her excited!

A dozen birdhouses – thrown, altered and carved – now drying on a shelf in the studio. The plan is to get a few of these up on Etsy next week.

This is a set of plates that I threw yesterday, using the technique Scott Reed from Createniks demonstrated in a video he posted on his blog a while back. They aren’t quite as good as his, but all I need is a little practice. I have two friends I’ve promised a set of plates to, and this style will be perfect for the glaze I have in mind. Hope you’ll like them, Meryl and Colleen!

The shows are over, and the quiet winter months working alone in the studio have arrived. I use this time to catch up on projects that get cast aside during the busy holiday selling season. Like making peapods, for example – things that are whimsical and don’t necessarily have a function, take a little more time to make, and are truly a labor of love. Rolling out the peas, one by one, although a monotonous task, is actually meditative. And wrapping the balls in a thin layer of clay is quite satisfying – like bundling up the little peas in a cozy blanket. Then the finished pod gets a few twists and turns, which creates a hint of animation. It’s play time for grownups, for sure.

However, peas in general, go a little deeper for me. My father grows them in Oregon, and I remember as a child, in the summer during harvest, he’d drop off a few bundles of peas still on the vine on our front lawn every day after work, and we kids would go a little crazy scrambling after them, they were so good to eat – almost as sweet as candy. During harvest, he still drives around with a load of peas in the back of his pickup. After all these years, I’m glad there are some things that never change.

This is a photo taken a few years ago, of my father and brother sitting on the tailgate of his pickup, and my husband and daughter perched up on the tool box, with a load of peas between them.

Shelling peas, drinking soda, and shooting the breeze on a sunny afternoon. What could be better?

Before I was a potter, I was a painter. This is one of my favorites: an oil pastel of a giant peapod, and I mean, GIANT. The finished size ended up being about 3 feet tall.

It seemed quite natural that when I switched mediums, I would then go on to make peapods in clay. It’s a task I look forward to, especially now when our local CSA has asked to carry them in their new little farm store. It will be a good place to showcase them, and I think they’ll fit right in.

A cozy corner that just called for settling down and reading one of Colleen’s art books. She has an amazing collection.

A set of my cups lined a shelf in a cupboard.

Besides painting, Colleen displayed her sachets, earrings, and necklaces.

A buddha sits peacefully, watching over all of the activity. A big “thank you” to everyone who stopped by and helped make it our best studio sale to date. We’re already looking forward to next year’s!

]]> http://melynnallen.wordpress.com/2011/11/17/toothbrush-holder/feed/ 2 melynn toothbrush holder http://melynnallen.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/olde-ipswich-days/ http://melynnallen.wordpress.com/2011/07/28/olde-ipswich-days/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 10:59:28 +0000 Melynn http://melynnallen.wordpress.com/?p=2230 ]]>

Olde Ipswich Days is one of my favorite craft fairs of the season. It’s in my home town, I get to see tons of friends, and I have a lot of fun watching people get really excited about all of the seconds I save for the entire year, just for this show. If you’re out and about this weekend, please stop by and say hi!

My newest passion: Pressing leaves into clay and using colored slips and summertime green and blue glazes.