Valle Country Fair October 17

This Saturday, Valle Country Fair- The place to be!  This will be my 31st year as a vendor at this awesome fair.  Lots of great artists, music and food.  The weather should be beautiful and there are still leaves left to see.
Make sure and drop by my booth and check out the discontinued and seconds table for great deals on both earthy and Fiesta pieces.
Valle Country Fair Facebook Page

New Keepsake Urns for Jack Bouchard

My friend ordered a couple of keepsake urns for her children to have some of their father's ashes with them.  It was my honor to create these for a sweet man and great guitar musician.  Both his children are good guitar players, especially his son who has taken playing on with the same enthusiasm as his dad.  On these, I added some bees wax around the lid gallery so they could be"sealed" to some degree.

This one is for his son.

His initials are on the back as an expression of love for his dad.

This one is for his daughter

She has children and I added their initials here.  There is a heart with her initials and "Dad" on another side.

Turducken!

I love to cook and get inspired by big cooking project.  When I heard about turducken, it became an obsession to create one.  Turducken is a turkey stuffed with a duck stuffed with a chicken, all boned and a different stuffing between each bird.  I chose a recipe that had andouille sausage between the turkey and duck, spinach between the duck and chicken and cornbread stuffing in the chicken.  I added a lattice of bacon on top of the turkey.  LOTS OF MEAT!  I realized my broiler pan wasn't deep enough and I didn't have a roaster, so I got creative and made one.  This is a Pampered Chef style pan with no glaze so as I use it it will become seasoned with a lovely patina.  Now for sale by special order.  Even if you aren't up for turducken, this is a great roaster that is lovely enough to grace the table without taking your meat onto a serving tray.

Beckett Pottery Turducken Roaster- 16" x 17" x 2 1/2"- 120.

I didn't have a bat that large to throw a round pan and opted for this teardrop shape with a spout at the small end that is great for pouring off excess juice.  This held 25 lbs of meat total.

The finished bird ready for my 27 guests.

Very cool to just cut into 3 birds with no bones to deal with!

My crowd had no problem pretty much finishing it off!

Great Idea from Random Acts of Art!

One of my galleries, Random Acts of Art in Naples FL, sent me a link to her blog where she featured my brie baker as a hummus dip container holder!  Perfect fit!check it out here 

Being in Florida, she buys my fiesta colors, but here is the piece in Autumn, along with a cracker tray.

The last few pieces completed

I have completed the last few pieces for Southern Women Potters.  Opening Reception to be held Friday, August 29, 6-8 PM  Hamilton Williams Gallery in downtown Morganton- 403 East Union St.http://hamiltonwilliams.com/upcoming/southern-women-potters 

Tree bark Sconce

Chip and Dip

Tea in the Woods by Candle light

This tree man on the trail to Elk Knob outside of  Boone impressed me so much, I had to render him as a candelabra!

Tree man Candelabra.

Stump Clump Mugs on tray

   

Work for "Southern Women Potters" Exhibition at Hamilton Williams Gallery in Morganton

Beech Canisters

Beech Cashpo

Beech Cream and Sugar- Multi media piece with a polymer clay "antler" handle wrapped with copper wire.

Beech Coffee Mug and Warmer

Triple Tree Stump Canister Set with owl

Squirrely Chip and Dip- This poor piece bit the dust at the Photographers and will be replaced with a Chipmunk Chip and  Dip!

Lizard on Tree Gallon Pitchere

Nosey Squirrels Twin Cups

Antler Handle Quart Pitcher

Tree Teapot with warmer

I will be showing in an exhibition at Hamilton Williams Gallery in Morganton called "Southern Women Potters" during August with these pieces plus a couple more.  I'm really excited to be showing a collection of one of a kinds like this.  It's been a challenge to do them as well as keep up with the regular wholesale orders I do.  Photography by Jason Dowdle.

The Latest Tree Pieces

This desk set was a commission for my Life Coach from her current graduates. It is personalized with carvings of their names and the year in the beech tree trunks.  It is my first try using white clay and beech bark and I am really happy with the results.

I've been thinking about a tree teapot since the beginning of this idea for tree bark pots.  I was given the idea of flower pot and tea light heaters by a friend of mine and thought it would be a wonderful idea to include a warmer under the tea pot and even a mug, (my coffee is always getting cold!)  Squirrels have become a theme and they get better every time.  I have also added antler to the lid for a handle.  To protect the warmer from hot spot thermal shock from the tea light flame I created a small shield made from aluminum flashing to go inside each warmer.

This commissioned piece is a coffee pot and sugar bowl with warmer.  The original order was didn't include the warmer, but not being a coffee brewer, I felt it would be more functional as a carafe if there was a warmer under it.  A snake has draped himself over the spout /limb to help hold on the lid when pouring.

Finally for new pieces, here is my mug and warmer.  No more cold coffee for us sippers.