Discriminating Weirdos

Craftstravaganza!

In our ongoing quest to feature crafters and makers that will be attending next Saturday's Craftstravaganza in St. Paul, Minnesota, I bring you Pottery Garage.

I think that in the world of handmade items, pottery and jewelery are the two most difficult to conquer.  There are SO many people who make jewelery and pottery that very few find a voice.  Not only that, but stringing beads on thread does not make you a jeweler and having access to a kiln does not make you a ceramicist.  The result is that the true artists are often lost in the phony cacophony.

Pottery Garage is Laurie Landry, an artist from Minnesota who creates "hand-carved, functional" pottery.  Her mugs, bowls, vases, tiles and other pieces are often simple in shape, but elegant in decoration.  The hand-carved designs and textures are what really make her work pop, and gives her that voice I find is missing from so much other kiln-fired work.

If you get a chance, come out to the Craftstravaganza this Saturday, April 26 at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Fine Arts Building.  Em and I will be there, along with Pottery Garage and dozens of others selling everything from handmade underwear to wall clocks. (ADAM)

 

St Paul Craftstravaganza Countdown: 7 Days: Riverlark Studio

I've mentioned briefly before, Adam and I will be showing our wares at the St Paul Craftstravaganza on Saturday, April 26.  We are thick in the middle of getting ready for the show.  He is, of course, far more ready than I am.  I'm the brilliant one who decided to tile the kitchen in the middle of show preparation.  Oh well.  These things happen, and I'm sure we will both be ready in time. 

We're both working hard at trying to figure out how to attach record bowls to my moss-covered-three-handled-family-grudunza hat display concept.  I think we're going to have to spend some time walking around Home Despot puzzling things out. 

How does one attach an upturned, melted record to the end of galvanized pipe?  Any ideas would be welcome. 

ANYWHO

as we countdown to the big Craftstravaganza, I thought it would be good to highlight some of the other vendors there. 

Today, Mary Lee of Riverlark Studio, who makes absolutely beautiful boxes and books. 

I'm extremely attracted to her boxes.  I love to have boxes scattered over the house, holding my random objects or a surprise origami turtle.  Riverlark's beautiful boxes are original, with a fantastic eye for design. 

They are for sale at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts in Minneapolis or at the St Paul Craftstravaganza. 

Perhaps I can persuade her to make me some hat boxes.  That would be cool.  (Emily.)

Don't Leave Your Records in the Sun

Anyone out there remember the song Don't Leave Your Records in the Sun?  It was by the late, great John Hartford, and it's always been one of my favorite little pieces of silliness.  Of course, when he wrote it, he probably hadn't seen this picture.  As far as I'm concerned, records like these can stay out in the sun any time they want.  Check out she hit pause studios to get a better look.

A few days ago I wrote about the 365 Days Project, and since then I've been thinking about all of the old records we have stacked around the house.  I'll admit, I brought most of them into the marriage, but we've added even more in the past 14 years.  For some reason, we're the people who always get the e-mail or phone call when somebody's cousin's best friend's aunt is getting rid of her son's album collection, and we always take them.

Recently, I've been looking for ways to use the vinyl that I really don't need to keep.  Any record hoarder knows that no matter how good the collection might be, it's going to have some stinkers hidden among the prizes.

Last winter I melted several old LPs into bowls for gifts, and to sell at a small neighborhood craft show.  I took about 35 bowls to the show, and each and every one sold.  People just thought they were so great, even though I knew they take about five minutes and very little talent to make.  But they do give new life to old vinyl, so I felt good about that.

I also am in the process of using records to build a good hat display for Em, but that's another story filled with glue and cursing.  Perhaps another day...

I'm on a quest to find new ways to recycle records, and I think I've come across some good ideas that have been elegantly handled.

First, check out this CD case make from an old Herb Alpert Presents album and cover.  You can find it, and many others, at artyfakt.  All of the boxes on the site are made by hand and designed by the artist.  And imagine the thrill of carrying your digital music in an analog case!

Second, I really like the idea of using records to make coasters.  I first saw the idea at a show last summer.  That guy, and I'm sorry that I can't remember his company or I'd link it, used a stack of four records as a single laminated piece, and then cut it into quarters so that  it could be put back into its original round shape when not holding drinks.  Very cool!

He was still in the polishing stage with the product, but Stella James seems to have worked it out.  painted with several layers of glossy sealant and backed with non-slip cork, these beauties are sure to keep your beverage from sweating on your mother's oak coffee table.  Finally, coasters for cool people!

(ADAM)

Spring is Here, Spring is Here..life is skittles, life is beer....

  abandoned by the promised land 
  Originally uploaded by beebo wallace

"I think the loveliest time of the year is the spring?
Don't you?
Course you do."

Poisoning Pigeons in the Park by Tom Lehrer

I've had the opening lines to Poisoning Pigeons in the Park noodling about my head all morning.  Because it looks like spring is actually here!  There's little bits of green on various shrubberies, and daffodils nodding in the wind. 

My stomach is rumbling for a culinary change as well.  It's too early, I know, to find anything particularly good, but I can't but start to hope.  This shift in appetite has been made worse (or better) by the fact that my friend Donna and I signed up for a Community Supported Agriculture box through Homegrown Wisconsin. 

  asparagus 
  Originally uploaded by Poppy Fields

I've been drooling over the brochure, thinking about all of the marvelous food I'm going to get to eat this summer.  I'm all about the handmade life, and this definitely needs to include the equivalent of handmade food: that which is homegrown. 

I'm a perfectly awful gardener.  When we lived in Grand Marais, we had a massive garden at our house that we had inherited from the previous owners.  They were master gardeners, with the certificates to prove it.  Seems like the only thing I could grow was dandelions, which don't make as nice of salad greens or wine as you might think. 

  Strawberry 
  Originally uploaded by annfrau

Gardening was the first "do it yourself" project that I decided I really couldn't do (t-shirts, jeans, and electronics repair were next).  I'll happily and gleefully pay for others with this most amazing and important skill. 

Think of it.  Strawberries.  Tomatoes. Asparagus.  Fresh peas.  Melon.  Farm fresh eggies..... 

MMMMMMM! I'm so hungry for summer food! (Emily)

The Great and Powerful FSM

Emily's recent post about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster (April 6, 2008) basically covered the beliefs and doctrines of this fine organization, so I won't bother spending time in this post to enlighten you.  Basically, I just want to wish you a pirate-tastic day, and hope that you are touched by his noodly appendage ASAP.

The important thing is that the graven image we've been seeking for our Pastafarian shrine has finally been listed on Etsy.  When I saw this, I literally wet my pants.  Then I changed my pants and realized that I should have showered before changing.  So I showered, changed pants again, and carefully took another look at the screen.

One of the ten commandments (according to Wikipedia so take this with a grain of salt) reads as follows:
You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

Well forget that, vengeful and jealous God, because this little fella is about to rock your world.  I hope you aren't wearing socks with those sandals, my friend, because they are about to be BLOWN OFF!

Behold the creator of all that is, was, and will be... the Flying Spaghetti Monster himself (or Himself, depending on how you feel about using capital letters on pronouns) done in plush.

Visit lizstaley to feast your eyes on this delicious deity.  You may also visit Him (or him, see above) by clicking the picture of His (or... you know) omniscient meatballs.  IF YOU DARE!

(ADAM)

When it comes to fixing kitchens, women are definitely single minded

  Tiling In Process 
  Originally uploaded by moesewco

I've been possessed by a monster.  I must work on my kitchen! All obnoxious white surfaces must be eradicated!  Death to white!   

The monster of kitchen makeovers took over several months ago, but because of various troubles, I couldn't get started until this week.  Now that I have, all hell has broken loose.  Or rather I should say, the Countertops have arrived, and Hell has come with them. 

Oh I don't think it's hell.  I rather enjoy this sort of thing.  Adam's not all that excited about it, but when other people aren't around and/or when various parts of the job are done, he's all happy about it.  I think he's mostly happy that I'm doing it and not making him. 

  Happy Kitchen! 
  Originally uploaded by moesewco

I digress. 

On Tuesday, a group of possibly Lithuanian stone workers installed my countertops.  On Thursday, a musician turned handy-man named Jon Williams (no H, not the composer) installed the faucetry.  On Friday, MT and I went tile shopping, and on Saturday and Sunday morning (today) I learned how to tile the old fashioned way: by doing it a lot. 

The tile must now sit a bit before we (and this will involve Adam) grout. 

Then all of the really serious construction problems will be done, all in a week!  Woo-hoo! (Emily)