Early December Surprise at Kristin's Farm

It's beginning to look a lot like.......

Hello Colorful Friends:

Look what appeared on the 1st of December.

A sweet little black lamb. And man were we surprised. Never in over 30 years of raising sheep have we had a lamb this early in December. And a couple days later, two more sets of twins. And then a couple days later, another teeny weeny lamb. And this morning, another set of twins. That’s eight lambs in less than a week with many more to come. We aren’t sure why the ewes are lambing early. Perhaps the drought this summer brought them into estrus early? Time will tell how many early lambs there will be. It’s nice to hear the sweet little baa-baa-baa again.

I’ve been busy in my pottery studio painting the days away. In fact right now, I’m firing a load of my colorful pots on their first trip through the fire. Once the kiln has cooled down, I’ll coat them with a glossy glaze, and fire them once again. Then lots of photos and computer work. I hope to have my website stocked with some new pottery the beginning of next week. I’ll be sure to let you, one of my newsletter readers, know as soon as the shop is updated and ready for sales.

My pottery studio - the outside shed that is for throwing pots on my wheel and for handbuilding — can’t be used during our winter months. Freshly made clay objects need to dry slowly. If they freeze, they shatter - not like when a pot breaks in a kiln - more like a slow explosion as the water in the clay turns to ice and the pot cracks. Whatever - they are useless. How do I know? One night the shed got below freezing and a day’s work was lost to the frost. In late summer, I started making greenware to paint and decorate this winter. (Greenware is what you call clay objects before they are fired and become hard. At the greenware stage they are very very fragile and can easily be chipped, nicked or cracked.) I’ve got several boxes of raw greenware pots that should keep me busy in the early days of 2023. This year, I did a special #100daysproject trying to paint a piece of pottery a day. I got to day 41 and then life got in the way. I’m thinking of picking it up again on Day 42. Since there are no rules, who’s to say I can’t do one of these #100dayprojects over a two year span?

Maybe you might want to try a #100dayproject of your own in 2023? Think about it. It gives you a great reason to explore a new technique or craft. It can be very simple or complicated. Deadlines work for me. What about you?

Gift Ideas for Colorful Creators

I’ve got some lovely gift ideas over on my website. I’m running a special offer to my newsletter readers on my most recent book Crafting a Patterned Home. Buy One Copy, Get a Second One Free. Check it out here. $24.95 for TWO.

Check out my Crewel Wool and colorful linen fabric. My “Some of Each” crewel wool 10 pack is a nice start to explore the technique. Available here for $22.50. I wrote a book called Colorful Stitchery that features many embroidered projects made with Crewel Wool and it is available on my website here.

Have you seen my ever so cute Sheep Notecards for Holidays and Everyday? Five designs to choose from or assorted packs of 10 (2 of each design). $24.00 with free shipping.

Links I’m Loving………

• Octogenarian Rachel Scott is featured on the new “World of Interiors” website. Check it out here. It’s an inspiring read….. a woman after my own heart. Or maybe I am the woman after her heart. Look at that knitted patchwork chair cover in the photo below. Divine. While there, sign up for their new newsletter which will bring you into a stunning and inspirational world of interiors, art, and antiques. Photo: Dave Watts from World of Interiors.

• Have some extra time on your hands? Check out this article on Paper Christmas Decorations with lots of links to how-tos. I love these homemade paper stars.

• I’m kind of in love with this electric tea kettle.

• Knitwear designer and author Kate Davies has an interesting article about colour here.

• This YouTube channel - Flank Farm - is one of our favorites. Featuring Sarah and her son Ru who talk about life on the family farm that Ru grew up on but barely knows a thing about. Sarah is hilarious.

• This podcast interview with Alex Matisse, great grandson of artist Henri Matisse, was the first time I discovered that there was a contemporary ceramic connection to Henri. (FYI - Henri is one of my most favorites artists and inspirations. I love his colorful paintings that frequently featured pottery and colorful textiles.) Alex, his biz partner John and Alex’s wife Connie run a large scale production pottery studio in Asheville NC called East Fork Pottery. Since this initial interview, East Fork has been featured on many podcasts and magazines resulting in a popular following. Check some of them out here. Recently they brought out a new glaze colour Henri’s Red named after Alex’s Great Grandfather.

• Love all the photos and ideas here for creating cozy vibes in your home. Many project ideas to work on this winter.

• Martha Stewart has a newish podcast. This episode with Gael Towey and Isolde Motley tells the story of the beginnings of the Martha Stewart Living Magazine.

As always, thank you for your support of my art, creative work, and family. We appreciate it so much.

Here’s to a festive holiday season. I’ll be back with the date on the Pottery Shop Update this weekend once I know how things have turned out.

Best,