Warm Wishes for a Happy New Year

Happy New Years Eve!
I hope you have all had a wonderful christmas and a nice rest.
Here are the ornaments I received in this year's ornament swap. I am still waiting for 2 so I included 2 non-swap ones because they are handmade and wonderful.

from the top:
nut by: Kathleen Losche
letterpress bird by: Sarah Parrott
button by: Jenna-Leah Shone
letterpress ball: Rachael Hetzel
star by: Irene Hoofs
our 2007 tree : )

cookie star by: Meshell Taylor
wreath by: Paula McGurdy
non swap doll in stocking by Amy Rice - purchased at Art Star's ornament show

non swap felt bird by Sue Lappan - a gift from Sue

Have a happy new year's eve celebration!

And a most wonderful 2008!
xoxo, Linda

handmade and out of the mall!

This year I made a pledge to buy handmade, well, that's turned into making almost all my presents and its not just pottery! So now that I'm hanging in the nice warm house making away, I offer you this, dear blog readers, if you would like some Little Flower goodness, I am happy to upgrade shipping for free to US locations via USPS Express Mail - which sais it will get there in time for Christmas, just e-mail me your order for express shipping through thursday 12/20/07 @ noon EST (for US locations) and it will go out that day by 4pm!

ps- somehow I miss counted and have one more of Just Friends tea set ready to ship!

Last Day!!

Today is the very last day for web orders! I am packing away down in the studio and am happy to pack up your last minute order. I am including a happy cloud ornament in every box as a thank you and, and! You will also get the pretty bird ornament if you spend $50 or more. Since I am bouncing between the computer and the studio, feel free to e-mail me with any questions.

This year I am organized and on top of things, and although I don't think I've slept much in the past month, I sure feel good about the state of keeping-up-ness that I have acheived. So keep me busy for just one more day! The coffee is on and I'm all reved up on holiday cheer and christmas music!

Little Flower Designs Love You!

ps - all custom orders are cooling in the kiln and will be shipped tomorrow morning : )

This bird soars!

Saturday! ahhh, Steve is home to split puppy duty so I can stay focused. It's funny how much time she needs. Right now she's asleep but earlier she was barking at me while I was glazing, then she had to sit in my lap and try to stand on my head, now that's not so bad if I'm on the computer but, um, custom orders abound so no puppy non-sense today! My sweet girl can be quite the crazy out of her mind pup sometimes, don't tell her but I think it's so funny, I'm trying to teach her to be calm when I say "manners" sometimes it works - she does respond to "make good puppy decisions" She actually stop and thinks! See, you can reason with a puppy, ok she's one now but I'm going to let her be a pup while she still has all that energy.

I wanted to share the new picture of the Soaring Swallow tea ware. I tweaked the pattern awhile ago and now here it is in all it's internet glory! I'm quite pleased with it and love the little tree on the lid. It's a new direction for me, an extra finishing touch. I have 2 of them available, just in case you need a last minute handmade gift for your favorite tea lover. And my specials are still going on! Have a happy saturday, we're finally bringing our tree in today!!! I'm so excited, I have ornaments to share by other makers!

clouds float freely

Ok, one more goody! Buy anything from my site December 14th - 16th and you'll receive this cloud ornament as thank you from me. Why?? Because I appreciate each and every order.

Little Flower Designs for the Holidays!

coffee break

This photo is not from today but I think it is lovely and wanted to share.

My site is finally current, and I seem to be keeping up with the updating as orders come in! (Dear Santa, I would like a website with inventory management for christmas) If you are following along, I will not be adding the 2 tea pots I mentioned, they are now on hold for a friend/customer!

I love it in a yoga class when the teacher reminds me to breathe, I try to remind myself when things get hectic to go to that spot inside and feel the breath. So today I found myself breathing and thinking how calm I am during a very hectic day. You should try it, it will get you thru the impossible.

Goodnite!

tea please!

Tea ware is now updated! I have 2 more teapot styles to add later today, it's a bit nutty in the studio right now as I finish up the last holiday orders and try to make a few presents. All this is done on my main work table which I also convert to a photo studio!! I have about 3 Just Friends tea pots that are ready to ship, and one has a very nice flowery lid! a little surprize for a lucky customer : )

I'm constanly updating the site as items sell out. My goal is to sell as much stock as I can because after christmas I am taking apart my entire studio to rearrange everything and add some new shelving. Oh, the ideas I have!!

Go here to shop: Little Flower Designs!
and look around, I have bunches of sale items!

vases!

The vases are now updated!!!

I took a picture of each one so you can purchase the item pictured - there is only one of each!

Go here: shop Little Flower Designs vases!

Next up will be birdy scoops and tea ware! No promises on this tonight but definitely by tomorrow : )

ommmmm

Yesterday's update didn't happen, I do apologize. We had to say goodbye to one of Steve's co-workers and were just worn out with the sadness. He had a long battle with cancer and after hearing his family say goodbye, it was just too much. He was a very nice man who was always happy to chat with me about his favorite painter. I hope you are finally at peace Larry.

Now it's back to the holiday rush. I did a little site updating this morning - marking a bunch of tea cups down to $25 and I put some of the vases on sale. I only have a few of each item and few I am down to just one! I'll be posting the rest of my stock throughout today.

Little Flower Designs shop!

i heart nyc

The Bust Holiday Craftacular was such a success! Thank you to the Bust staff who put on a great show which was packed all day and from what I heard had to turn people away! craziness! It was a sea of indie goodness. and thank you to each and every customer that choose my wares for their holiday presents and to those who stopped to chat. I couldn't have done the show without Mr. Little Flower's help, not only did he get up early on his day off to drive me and all my breakable's up to NYC (and he hates the city!) he stayed with me all day and helped with sales. He also put his truck in a valet garage (which he NEVER does) so he could stay with me. What a sweetie! I don't know if he'll wander onto my blog but thank you honey!! and of course many thank you were said all day!

I'm still recoving today but will resume all Little Flower Holiday Rush activities tomorrow afternoon. Tonite I'm side tracked with some holiday card making, it's a gocco mess in the studio right now! Tomorrow I plan to do one last web update and will be adding some lovely vases that I made for the holiday shows and a few tea pots.

I hope you're taking it easy on this lovely sunday nite!

Hope to see you tomorrow!

snowy work day

Marley loving the snow/more platters and wee vases for the Craftacular on saturday.

My holiday giveaway! Spend $100 or more and you'll get the lovely lotus ornament as a gift from me! I also updated the shop page. I will do another update on sunday after the Craftacular.

inside/outside

Since I am in the studio nearly everyday, I rarely stray too far. Especially with all the making that needs to be completed before Christmas. So here it is, a personal photo assignment I'm calling inside/outside. One picture inside my studio and, to make sure I get some fresh air an outside picture from my corner of the 'burbs.

For today Inside: my main work table with a bisqued batch of pots ready for glazing
Outside: a bare winter tree outside the back door

I'll be back later today, I am updating the site and will be sure to post here when I finish, I have a nice special this year!

Let it snow! xoxo, Little Flower Linda

winner, catching up and getting ready

We have a winner! I will be e-mailing the lucky gal in just a minute.

It's been a whirlwind of days and the days just keep whirling! 'tis the season is in full swing and gosh, do I feel blessed to be doing what I'm doing. The Holiday Heap show on saturday was such a success. Not only was it the perfect type of show for me (table and chairs provided, easy set-up, easy parking, well worth the 2 hour drive! and good music) but the customers were out and so happy to be filling their holiday lists. It was so nice to meet some of my web customers and to introduce my work to a new city. And the show was so well organized, those Charm City Craft Mafia gals did a fantastic job, thank you so much for accepting me into your show! I was so busy all day I didn't really shop the show. But, I was lucky to be next to Val who runs Bower Box. She had this lovely etching (pictured)that I thought about all day and finally bought one. I love etchings and this one has such great texture I just had to have it. The other picture is a table shot, I was selling out of everything and the first items to go were these platters. I can't tell you how good it feels to have a new item be so well received.

So now I'm working away getting ready for the Bust show this saturday. Timing is everything, I'm making a few platters to bring along and more wee vases which I also sold out of. So today I am glazing and glazing and hopefully loading and firing the kiln. Once the kiln is on I'll post holiday ordering info on my site and post my holiday special!

Happy December 4th!