Under the something for next to nothing, in this case, a spool of thread. I like to feed the birds and the byproduct are seed bags made of plastic tarp material. I saw someone who was selling these at a craft show and they wanted $25 each. LOOK! $75. worth in a couple of hours. Once you get the hang of it, it only takes about 1/2 hour to make one. I will be styling when I use these as grocery bags at Walmart! They are pretty green too. I might even use them to carry ski gear, they are water repellent, light weight and the 50 lb. size will accommodate bulky items. Too Cool!

Chinese New year 2010

Peter and I went to a Chinese New Year and Creativity Center in Brewer Maine grand opening (formerly Smith's Ceramics in Bangor Maine) in their new digs after the state took their property for road improvements. Teresa and Steve Wong are the owners. I have done business with them for as long as I have lived in Maine. I threw some pots in their new pottery room and did a demonstration for them. People seemed to have a great time, and the New Years feast was excellent. It is customary to serve a whole fish for good luck. The audience also participated in the dragon dance by popping bubble wrap in place of setting off fire crackers which are illegal in the state of Maine. This loud noise making is to scare off evil spirits. Red envelopes, know to contain money, were presented to the children. I took a few video clips and photos of the event.

Sugar , The Yellow Nose Vole

This is "Sugar" the "Yellow Nose Vole" She is made from stuff from the transfer station, a couple of lampshades, a pair of old curtains, and a pair of skis, duct tape, scrap lumber and assorted crap. She was entered in the dummy downhill at Sugarlaof. On the way down the jump ramp her ski fell off, allowing her to roll down the hill on her side. She came in tied for last. next year I will find a way to weld those skis together. She was the best looking dummy there, if I do say so myself. I was exhausted pushing her the rest of the way down the hill and jump, and then climb the very steep side of the super pipe to get out of the way. Next year I will bring help!

This is one of my favorite pieces I have ever painted. I like a flatter surface to paint on, like a plate or platter, flat is more like a canvas.

POTTERY

OK, so I take a while to learn new things, like blogging. Now it is time to get down the good stuff, not that my cats and vacations aren't important, but to finally post some photos of my pottery. I have the rest of the year off to get in gear, who knows, maybe I'll join facebook, or try to get that Etsy site up and running so that I can make some cash at places other than craft shows. From top to bottom, OLIVE BOWLS and PIT BOWLS, A BLUE BIRD VASE, my longest running pattern, and BERRY WASHERS, my best selling item, I have thrown a ton of those over the years, wish I would have kept count.

Took a mini vacation to the "Down East" part of Maine. Who knew blueberries were red, I might have to reconsider re-tasting them, but that would be crazy because food is not blue.

This is my first post ever on a blog. Hope to add a photo or two and see what happens. This is Mango, sitting on the new deck railing. A fitting photo for the first post of Alli Cat Pottery.