satisfied

As a maker, I love seeing into others studios, what materials they are using, the tools, inspiring objects, and sketches. I love seeing how others create. My own process is becoming a daily ritual. Sketch in the morning, and the evening and make pots in between. Here's a look at my main work table (where the magic happens!) I'm all about platters and plates right now, and that's my giant sketch book I've been lugging around the studio and house. It's filled with top secret information but, I'll share this bit with you. A preview of what's to come for summer shows. I'm somewhat secretive about my sketchbooks, I can't sketch in public, it makes me nervous. If you ask to page thru my sketch book, I'm so sorry, but no way!! I'll only give you glimpse of what I feel confident about sharing. And this dear people of the nets is a picture of what filled me with satisfaction yesterday afternoon. Sketches and all!
Have a wonderful day,
Linda

earthly everyday

Yesterday was a big day here in Pennsylvania, the primary (congrats to Hillary Clinton), earthday and a beautiful spring day.

A thought on Living Green.
I try to live green every day, I also try to run Little Flower as green as I can afford. It's the little things that are easy to do that can make a big difference. Why be wasteful? Here are a few little things I do in my day-to-day that maybe you can do too.

• bring your own bags when shopping
• turn off everything you are not using
• drive less (easy for me, I work from home)
• reuse, re purpose, recycle (is it really trash?)
• take care of your plants
• grow native plants
• only print what you really need and use the back of the paper too
• clean green
• and now that summer is coming, buy local or grow your own fruits and veggies

and now a note on compact fluorescent bulbs - oh mercury containing light source, thank you for saving energy but, how do I throw you away when your light goes out? earth 911 might have the answer for you, I'm still looking for one in my community. Also, the Mr. and I seem to burn thru those bulbs pretty quick, is anyone else noticing that they don't quite last as long as expected? We just started writing the date on them when we put in a new one, the test has begun!!!

I'm off to etch dogwood platters! and lucky for me they are in full bloom right now!!! I snapped a zillion pictures yesterday, awww spring.

oh happiness!

The lovely shopping blog Rare Bird Finds featured my illustrated bird cup today! What a great spirit boost : ) Thank you!!

awareness

The birds are back, open a window to hear their sweet chirps.

Ahhhh, spring!

springtacular tomorrow

Happy friday ya'll!
Just popping in on this oh so bizzy afternoon to remind you to come on out for the 2nd Annual Springtacular on the Liberties Walk tomorrow from noon - 7. Miss Marley and I will be hanging out under our pretty pink umbrella. Now Miss Marley likes space and told me to make some room in the studio for her growing collection of toys, chewy's and things she drags in from the yard. So we've boxed up many vases, lamps, tea cups from old collections and oh my - studio seconds! If you've ever wanted a just friends tea cup to sit pretty on your desk to hold your pens, well, I have 12 with various imperfections that we'll be selling for well below any reasonable price for a beautiful handmade object. And that's not all, I have 7 terra cotta lamps that come with shades, oh yes shades! So head on out and let's pray it doesn't rain.

Info here: http://www.myspace.com/libertieswalk

ps- the rain date is sunday!

museum day

Yesterday I headed into Philly to meet up with my cousin to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the art museum. Having admired her work since my college days, I knew it would be amazing to see her works in person. The exhibit was designed beautifully, in a series of rooms painted in warm colors, quite cozy and intimate. This was the perfect atmosphere as there were a ton of Frida's personal photos featured throughout. If you are an artist in the Philadelphia area, I suggest you get yourself to the museum before the show closes on May 18th. I found the entire exhibit to be inspiring and motivating - it's good to get out and see work, but to see the work of someone who had so many personal challenges really reminded me to appreciate living a creative life. Her work also inspired me to start sketching a few of the "art" pieces I've been thinking about. There's a fine artist in me somewhere!

After the museum we headed over to the "neighborhood" (the neighborhood across from the museum that I used to live in many moons ago) to eat, and in passing I snapped a picture of the bulldog(pictured above) in the dog park, just because! The other picture is of the encaustic painting my cousin did for me, we had planned a little art swap! All and all, a very inspiring art day with the very first artist I knew - my cousin Kimmy! Now I'm off to make some inspired art! Happy day to all of you! Linda

illustrated bird tags - so sweet!

I just listed 10 illustrated bird tags for sale in my etsy shop! I'm trying something new so I hope you like them.

Each one is hung from lovely black cotton string that I bought at a flea market last summer, I have a few spools of this cottony goodness and on wooden spools, so nice! I have plans for this string, oh yes I do!

Tag, you're it - on etsy!

lines

Deeply drawn lines, call it etching, carving or maybe even sratching. It's what adds that little something extra to make it little flowerish.

It's a lazy sunday evening, maybe some dinner and picture taking but snugglung on the sofa sounds good to me. Tomorrow I'll post the illustrated bird tags for sale, I hope you like them.

'tis all : )
Linda

tag

I just pulled a nice batch of illustrated bird tags out of the kiln, oh my they are nice. I will be posting them for sale on monday : )

wishing you a happy friday!
linda

around little flower today

(clockwise from top left)
the 3 c's; clay, coffee and chocolate, sedum in the front bed, sketches, miss marley napping in the office, my bird vase with Whitney Smith's pod vase, trimming bowls and making my mark!

I had the great pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Whitney when she was in town doing a wholesale show in February, I helped her out a bit with set-up and in return she gave me this vase and one of her pretty plates. I feel so lucky to look at this each day. There is something very calming and motivating about her work : )

oh spring!

Are you obsessing over spring today? What to plant in the garden, what grows well in the shade? Pretty-ing up the patio? These are things that roll thru my head as I make my way into the studio.

Also, I am figuring out how to add a web catalog to my site, and have taken many group pics to show how to build a little set. I love this combo, first because it is a huge improvement over my old sushi platters, this one is bigger (7 X 10) and has a nice foot so it floats on the table! It is also big enough to use for serving but not too big to use for yourself! And add in a tea cup to make a dessert set, or even breakfast. Next up will be making some pretty food to style into the shots! The Mr. will love that!

Have a happy day!
(platter, tea cup)