a cheerful flower scarf, five snowballs, and some dottery
February 19th, 2009
Waaaaay back before Christmas—that’s right, two whole months ago—Paige saw the flower scarf I had crocheted for Jennie and wondered if I would be willing to make one for her too, in red and orange and pink. And while I was at it, could I also crochet her three snowballs?
No hurry, she said. She wouldn’t mind getting a package after Christmas and might even prefer it, and the colorful scarf would brighten the Ontario winter whenever it arrived.
[kssvgvgvfv vbnvbvvvbbvdhjrtrftytrekr54rfvgftr54fdxdszxcvgfv ddddgty7uyyyyyyghgfgbgbhhhgjkkkkjqwertyuio1234567890...I came back from getting something to drink and this string of characters was here. I think Annalie wanted to say hi.]
Of course! I said. No problem! I might even whip those snowballs and that scarf out and have them done before Christmas! Ha ha ha!
I imagine God was chuckling fondly and shaking his head when I typed those words, because He knew I was about to get another cold. And that I was going to be inundated with custom orders for snowballs and coffee-cup sleeves in the days before Christmas. And that I am an idiot when it comes to knowing how much I can actually do in a given period of time.
I periodically let Paige know via email or photo that I was working on her scarf, so she didn’t think I’d completely forgotten about her order. She never expressed impatience or annoyance with me, though I certainly would have understood if she had. I was rather annoyed with myself!
I really did have every intention of finishing the scarf and snowballs long before now. I don’t really know why it took me so long. I guess maybe I’m busier than I think I am? Since the New Year, we’ve had friends and family come visit us, other friends to visit, a birthday party to help plan and attend, a photoshoot (which also involved friends coming to stay), a wool bag to crochet and felt, another friend come for a quick visit, a cross-country trip to Maryland, and Valentine’s Day.
Maybe the real wonder is that I managed to finish the scarf and snowballs before Easter. At any rate, though, they’re done, and Paige purchased them from my Etsy shop and now I’m on my way to the post office to ship them. Woohoo!
Oh, and I finally remembered to take photos of the pottery that Angella, Brenda, Bug and I painted when Angella was here.
Angella dotted a mug with various shades of blue, and painted a heart on the bottom inside. I think it turned out really cute and cheerful, and I love how she wrote “California” on the bottom to mark it as a memento of her trip. I’m glad we finally got to paint together, Angella! I’ll get this shipped to you soon.
Brenda thinks this bowl is just okay, but I think she’s nuts. It’s cute and springy! I might be biased, though, since she did a little dotting of her own on the outside.
See? Cute!
This is actually a collaboration between Bug and Brenda. Bug spent a half-hour brushing layers and layers of paint onto the tile, then asked her mom to paint a birdie.
On the back, Brenda painted a heart to demonstrate a technique to Angella, and later when Bug saw Annalie scratching her name on the bottom of her mug (I don’t know why I didn’t take pictures of Annalie’s mug), she grabbed a toothpick and worked heart to scratch most of the heart away. I don’t know what it is about scratching paint, but it seems to captivate kids’ attention much longer than painting does, at least with the kids I’ve painted with.
I did something a little different with my dots this time, making little flowers out of them. Not sure yet what I’ll do with this mug. It might be a gift.
Are you sick of pottery yet? Only two more things then I’m done, promise.
This is the plate I painted in Maryland the first day we were there. Its colors seem very Easter-y to me for some reason. I really like how it turned out. The only problem is that the glaze shivered in the kiln and there’s a small spot on the edge of the plate that’s unglazed. It’s not a big deal, but if someone wants to use it for food it should really be fixed. I might see if the studio here will do it for me.
A while back Lauren asked me to paint a big cappuccino-style mug for her in shades of green, then asked me to hold off while she worked out whether she could afford the mug (since she lives in Australia, the shipping is killer) and an overseas holiday. I found one on the clearance shelf in Maryland and couldn’t resist painting it. I figured I could give it to Lauren as a gift if nothing else. Unfortunately, it turned out to have blue smudges on the handle once it was fired, even though I was assured that the blue was leftover marker that would burn away in the kiln before I started dotting. Oh well. They’re faint marks and Lauren says she doesn’t mind.
Now quick! Stop reading before I find more pottery or crocheting to show you!
My mom will be arriving on Saturday, which is also Troy’s birthday, so we’re anticipating a fun weekend. And the weather’s been lovely now that the rain has stopped.
What about you? Any big plans for the weekend?
RSS
I just love all that pottery/dottery. The colours are fabulous and yes, very springy.
I love that plate. Absolutely love it. Thought I could love nothing more than it. Then I saw that cappuccino mug. They’re currently tied.
My mug looks so AMATEUR. But I don’t care. It was fun, and I’ll be able to remember California (and you guys!) every time I have a coffee :)
I love Annalie’s expressions in the last two pictures before the snow balls. Such a cutie! The dottery is beautiful. I especially like the plate. It is so intricate!
I love, love, love that plate – such happy colors!
I LOVE the dottery from everyone! There is a local pottery/ceramics place here and I might just have to go sometime soon. In fact, I think we found our weekend activity. LOL
GOSH, it’s gonna be expensive.
I’m DYING to go paint pottery and try your dot technique! I love the plates and mugs, and the dot flowers are too cute. Such great ideas…
I say this everytime, but I really love the dottery! I need to go paint some pottery, but I know it wouldn’t turn out as cute as your stuff!
i love the mug (I’m more into mugs than plats…)and the scarf is really grat! so colourful in those wintery days….
no plans for the weekend! david has to work and i guess i just want to relax and somewhat survive the days with my teething babies and my lively toddler….
have fun with your mom!
leslie
Srsly, I love all of those pottery things. The flower mug…love. Dotty blue mug. Love.
I made my own flower crochet scarf too. Will take a pic of it this weekend and post it for all to see.
You are an inspiration to me.
Your dottery is always so adorable! I’ve never painted pottery before, but you’ve inspired me! I just found out there’s a pottery painting place right down the street from where I live, and I’m trying to convince my husband to go with me tonight… ha ha!
Laundry…we need to catch up from our trip to the wedding.
And I need to cook something…some real cooking, not just heating things up.
And baking oatmeal raisin cookies for my boss’s birthday. Anyone have a great recipe? I’m going to try to make them low fat. He is recovering from a heart attack.
Bethany,
Your pottery and crocheting are wonderful. I hope you and your sweet family have a great weekend! :O)
So, how easy is it for you to do color matching when you paint pottery? The reason I ask is that we’ve been replacing our dishes with fiestware, in several colors, and I was thinking that it might be cool to order some serving dishes from you, with the dottery you do so well. That way our serving dishes would match all of our place settings, you know? Let me know, because we can discuss price, colors, etc. when you have time. Take care and enjoy your warm weather – it’s freezing in Ohio!
You’re such a busy little bee! Perhaps I could be more productive if I joined the ranks of the coffee drinkers? (Then again, probably not, as you know.)
Weekend plans include sleeping in, napping, and going to bed early. We also really need to get going on the gardening… the weeds are growing like carayzy!
Oh, all kinds of fun stuff planned here for the weekend. Cleaning the basement, shoveling, raking snow off the roof, scrubbing toilets…
You’re too creative for your own good, honestly. The snowballs are so cool!
Happy birthday to Troy! I hope you enjoy the time with your mom =)
I need that plate. Need it.
Your child could not possibly be cuter. She is a doll. And don’t worry I have three daughters so I am an expert on girly cuteness.
Tomorrow, my sweetie, my little girl and I are going to a dinner and dance thing sponsored by the dojo. It’s a formal event and my husband has surprised me by buying me a formal dress sight unseen! I KNOW! He did send a photo of it, and in the picture it looks like something one might wear to a mariachi or matador’s funeral. But… I’m gonna be nice and keep my mouth shut until I can see it in person! I hope it fits me! I have another dress in the closet that I was originally planning to wear anyway… just in case. My mom will be watching my boys and it will be nice to go out and eat and dance with just our daughter. Give her our undivided attention. I’m looking forward to it. I’m fighting a little cold right now though so I hope it’s gone by tmrw or I will be sucking down a LOT of DayQuil!!
Hubby might not have to return to work until Monday night! I hope so! It would give us an extra day together!! SMOOCHES GALORE!! :)
P.S. Love the cappucino mug and Easter like plate. TOO CUTE! Also love the flower scarf! So much that I’m not letting myself talk to you about it!
I know exactly what you can do with that dotty flower mug. You can send it over to my house where I can drink my morning tea out of it.
You’re welcome.
I love that flowery dotty mug. It’s so stinkin cute! I love Brenda’s bowl, too. I think the tree is so striking, and then you notice the little, unassuming blue bird. Love it.
Hi Annalie.
I never tire of looking at your pottery. I just wish we had a decent pottery place around here, but so far I haven’t found one.
I am never sick of seeing dottery. I LOVE your pieces, one of these days when I’m a little more decisive I’d like to get you to custom an order for myself and my girls. You’ve got quite a talent, I think you should go into full time dottery production.
I have been admiring your dottery for awhile…well, ever since you started posting pictures of it here. I might just have to hire you to paint a couple for me sometime. Would you be willing to sell the “be happy” flower mug from this post?
Would it be really really terrible of me to admit that I tried my hand at dottery the other day? I feel like such a copycat, lol. But since I really have no talent in terms of drawing or painting it is perfect for me.
I am loving all your creations and creativity, and just the fact that you are producing things! I guess I produce too… I just need to take more pics or something, so I actually realize it. ;) Love the pic of Annalie with the funny face! Hee hee.
The photos of Annalie in the scarf are FABULOUS!
[...] two months? (Let’s not even talk about how long it’s taken me to crochet those flower scarves, or mention that felted bag.) Geesh. The good news is that it’s in my Etsy shop now. Thanks [...]
[...] pink dress she’s wearing specially, so it would match the scarf. She did that last time with the other pink, orange, and red flower scarf I [...]