Holiday Sale at Knitting Lagniappe

Wait - these aren't knitting items - that's because we are adding a holiday section for shopping.

Yes, it's a sale too,  at Knitting Lagniappe = and for the holidays we have added some "non-knitting" items for gifts and holiday specials. So come visit our site - www.knittinglagniappe.com  . You will find some special items  and with your purchase comes a free gift!!! Yes, a free gift - a bag of our special scented stones. We will also include either a handcrafted button, a handpainted notecard or one of our own patterns for your knitting fun.

If you are a knitter, crocheter or just a shopper - there's sure to be something fun for yourself or for a unique and fun gift. Remember that all of our handthrown stoneware items are dishwasher, microwave and oven safe. 

If you see any item you like but would like it in another glaze color that you see anywhere on our site, please let me know in the comment section and we can do that for you.
Here are a few pics of some of our holiday gift items:

soup bowls -

Berry bowls - great for a pint of strawberries, blueberries or even pasta.

Watch for more fun gift items on the website.

WooHoo - made the top 20 list

Check out this webpage - seems Knitting Lagniappe is listed at #19 in the top 20 knitting sites on the web. Not sure how that happened but love it.  If you get a chance, visit the site and vote for us. Who knows maybe one day we will break into the top 10.

http://www.top20sites.com/Top-Knitting-Sites


Our Knitting Lagnaippe site is www.knittinglagniappe.com . Here is a picture of some of the products we carry there:

These are some of the yarn carousels and yarn bowls. We also have patterns, buttons, cups, scented stones, and more.                                 It's been fun setting up the website and we've been really lucky to have several national magazines pick up some of our products for review. Knitting Today featured one of our carousels in the Aug/Sept issue and in the Jan/Feb issue of another magazine (can't say yet til it comes out) but you will see another one of products featured.

Misty is working on getting her jewelry for knitters and crocheters on the site along with her beautiful shawl pins. They have been very popular at the Fiber Fests and at Yarntopia here in Katy.

Well....... Oct surprise

Yep, October ended with a big surprise. Instead of heading off to Boerne, Tx for the big Kid-n-Ewe Fiber Fest, I was in the emergency room having a 5 hour surgery for a ruptured colon. So life has taken a dramatic change. I'll be heading back to surgery in a couple of months to put me all back together. Thank goodness for modern medicine. So, no more shows for awhile, no more pottery for awhile, no more running around like a crazy woman (well, the crazy part  and the woman part will never leave) but not together for awhile.
Instead, I'll be in my easy chair knitting, designing , writing and plotting. I'll be playing with the new ceramic spindles I made. I kinda like them.... Will have to put in a picture later.

Also, I'll be busy catching up on paperwork (YUCK), organizing (bleah!) and things like that. Learning to let go has been hard, a few tears, a few down moments, but I remember that the Good Lord saved me for something, so I will be stronger in the long run.

So now, my mind gets to wander, dream new dreams, plan new projects and look forward to the day when I get back into my mud and fire in the studio.

My body and mind will never be the same - but guess that's what life is all about. I have an awesome family and group of friends that  have surrounded me with love and support - what greater October gift could I have :)

Oct - watch out

Looks like Oct is going to be a crazy month. Will be in Plano,TX for the Heart of Plano Show Oct 7 &8th, mailing off yarn bowls and carousels to a knitting store in Oxford Miss for their big fall show at the end of the month, a couple of  gallery shows with several pieces in them, orders for Agave rolling in, fun classes at Yarntopia, getting ready for Kid-n-Ewe in Boerne, Tx in Nov and a new idea......
Can't say just yet, but will be posting a few pics as I go along . I'll be looking for accomplices in this adventure.  So watch out if you get a call from me :)
Yes, it does involve yarn and needles -

Meanwhile here are a couple of pics of the pieces I submitted to a fiber art show: will find out later this week if any were accepted. I hate waiting!!!

Funeral urns, stockings and dinnerware.....

Life is crazy since I got back from vacation = what a vacation. Jeremy and Natasha and of course Izzy, treated me to the best two weeks ever with a 3 day trip through Yellowstone, 2 days spent in Cody, Wy seeing our name in the Buffalo Bill Museum in the family registry (yes , we are related). Then lots of adventures, good food and Izzy time til I left.
Sadly, 3 days after getting back, my wonderful mother-in-law, Habie Landry, passed away. She had been bedridden lately and going down hill so fast. We knew it was close but still it hurts. She will be greatly missed. I learned a lot about being a "mother-in-law" from her. We've been to La to help with arrangements and will return for the memorial and internment.

So now I"m busy working on two urns for her ashes. Something I never thought I would be doing. Hard at times, joyous at others and a great honor. Here is a picture of the urns right after throwing and trimming.
I've been carving Mardi Gras images on them - her favorite thing in
life next to her family. One will go in the Hartley vault and one in the Boudreax vault.
In the meantime, I'm also throwing like crazy for Agave orders for the wedding registries and knitting samples for Yarntopia, including a cute snowflake stocking. I think going in different directions gives me peace and comfort.  Now back to the studio to throw some more.
Oh, did I mention, Knitting Lagniappe - going good. :) God truly has blessed us lately -

On Vacation

Yep, I'm on a real vacation - no work, just play, relaxing and enjoying my son, daughter-in-law and of course, little Izzy. Hard to believe she is 2 years old now. Wow, how time has flown. Last time I was up here in Idaho, yes , Idaho, she was only 4 weeks old.  So tonight she and I are "hanging out " while mom and dad are off to dinner and a show with friends. I love it.

We went to the Farmer's Market this morning, horse races last night and tomorrow to the Mesa Falls. It'll be a busy two weeks. As you can see, Izzy is a stylish dresser.  I'll be recharging my batteries, doing some fun knitting while relaxing, and getting my exercise in with lots of walking. 
Today after the market, Jeremy and I made some Louisiana Cherry Bounce. He has an awesome cherry tree filled with beautiful red cherries that are a bit sour. So , some sugar, some vodka and voila - cherry bounce that will be ready for Christmas.  Now off to make dinner for Izzy and I.....

Coupon Days

July savings coupon

25% off one item from the Knitting Lagniappe corner
@ Yarntopia on Mason Rd.
expires July 31, 2011

Yep, here is a coupon just for you - it can be redeemed for any item on the Knitting Lagniappe shelf there at Yarntopia on Mason Rd.  It's my way of saying "Thank You" to all those who have supported me in my adventure as a knitting potter or is it a potting knitter..... hmmm.... hard to say. Now I'm moving into the bead market as well with bead trunk shows here in Houston and in Dallas this month. Funny how one thing leads to another. Well, happy knitting my friends and stay cool.

Summer classes

Just finished teaching the first half of the shawl class (the shawl was pictured in the last post). The group is doing really well once they got over the bead loading onto the yarn and figuring out the dynamics of the pattern. It really is fun to watch a group of people recreate what you thought of in your head. Each one will be different and unique - I really like them to personalize it with their own style.

This month I have lots of classes over at Yarntopia (be sure to check them out at http://www.yarntopia.net/) . Next week I'll be teaching the baby bonnet class .It was named after my youngest granddaughter, Isabella (Izzy to us). It's another one of those patterns that are easy to personalize.

Yes, I'm still in the studio working in clay - working on those Multiplicity mushrooms, spaniel water bowls, beads & baubles for the Artful Bead in Dallas , and of course the Agave line. Heading out there now....

Knittin' time

Bead show went well, focusing on some art projects now for a show at 18 Hands Gallery in the Heights. I like that show - always a fun one and usually sell a few pieces. So we will see - got some interesting things in the kiln firing up now. But I need to get on to some knitting - some new classes coming up next month at Yarntopia (if you are in Katy/Houston, gotta go there!). 

One thing I want to do is knit another one of my beaded shawls for practice, design a poncho and some hats, maybe even a few purses. Gotta get busy.......

Next month is another bead show, but have a  lot left from the last one so I'm in good shape but I'll make a few more of the pendants and fun beads like the fish ones. 

I'm attaching a picture of the shawl I want to make - have sold a bunch of the patterns, so I want to be sure it's knitting nicely.

Bead Trunk Show this Sat, June 18

Time for my first bead/button trunk show at a Bead Shop. A little nervous, a new adventure but , what the heck - should be fun if nothing else. Love meeting new people and they always give me such great ideas.

The show is Saturday at the Back Room Beads on 10th Ave (corner of 10th and Ave A ) in Old Katy. I know, I know, some of you don't live here, but there are flights (just teasing). I'll be there from 10-5pm at the table as you walk in. I'm posting a few pics of some of the beads and "baubles". They are ceramic, but there will also be some awesome wire connectors, beads and pendants from my talented daughter, Misty.Gotta see those.As soon as the mail gets here with them, I'll try to post those too.
If you see anything you gotta have, just email me (misopots@aol.com) or leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Happy Friday,

when mud and yarn and buffalo meet....

When mud meets buffalo yarn , this is what happens. This is one of the buttons custom designed for the Buffalo Wool Company. You really need to check out their site and their yarns - luscious. Like wool, buffalo yarn wicks the moisture but is lighter and warmer actually than wool. So nice to knit with. I'm working with them to design some patterns, buttons and shawl pins for them. So if you see them at a show ( they travel all over the world ), be sure to check them out. I loved knitting this for them.

Working on some other mud+yarn items too - some beads for the bead show. I took out a bunch of red ones yesterday. I'll have to post those  - they are awesome. Surprised myself.. I kinda like this "bead making". It's very relaxing and fun. Now to put some of those into some jewelry pieces. hm.mmmm......

One corner of the studio.

Here in one little corner of the studio are samples of the beads I'm working on for the upcoming trunk shows at Back Room Beads in Katy and The ArtfulBead in Plano, Tx.  Some of these are pendants, some beads, some fillers, etc. Just because you see one of a design doesn't mean that's all I made of that one.  There are bowls filled with beads - piles of each of these designs. I'm thinking about glaze colors now. Not sure what colors - but saw in the paper that peaches and corals are HOT this spring and summer. So, may head in that direction along with some contrasting colors to look good against the corals and peaches .  What do you think?  

Pattern give-away

Thought I'd finish today off with a present to someone (everyone) who wants one. Below is a picture of a little gift bag I like to knit to put small presents in for special people. Great way to dress up a little clay broach, button or one of my word stones.  Also a great way to use up bits of those pesky little balls of leftover yarn

So if you would like the pattern I can email it to you. We usually sell them at our shows and on our website but today it's free. Just leave your email in the comment section or drop me a line at misopots@aol.com or sonyhartley@knittinglagniappe.com and I'll send it as a pdf to you.  What's neat about it is that you can really use any size yarn and it's easy to make as big or as small as you like. Have fun.

Beads, Buttons, Baubles and Pendants, Oh my.....

Moving my clay into the bead and bauble world next month with a Trunk Show at Back Room Beads in Old Katy. It should be lots of fun. If you are looking for some beads to jazz up a necklace , or want to learn how to make a really cute and easy bracelet from buttons, or just need some unusual buttons or beads for a purse, sweater or what-not, - well, come see us on June 18th. I'll be there with lots of new stuff, like in the pictures here. Anything else you many need you can get from Monica who owns the Back Room Beads. It's a cute little shop in Old Katy that everyone should know about. Fun, fun, fun....

I'll be demonstrating how to make the button bracelet - I made mine with handmade ceramic buttons. It is a "no brainer" and you don't need any special tools, except a pair of scissors. The only other materials are some elastic beading cord (Monica has some I'm sure) and if you want to add more, you can always add a bead on top of the buttons.

We'll be adding these beads, buttons, baubles and pendants to our web pages real soon too. Happy knitting, potting, crafting, and jewelry making....

Moving & Groovin'

Yep, enough of that "wah, wah, wah" stuff. I really did get over it quick and the pottery and knitting business has been going like crazy. Misty and I did the DFW Fiber Festival in Grapevine (FT Worth/Dallas area) the first weekend in April. We literally SOLD OUT of our yarn bowls and carousels (new item). So when I got home one Monday, I had to redo about 30 more of each along with more buttons, cups, etc and print more patterns . Left the following Friday with a friend for Sequin, TX for the first Yellow Rose Fiber Festival and sold like crazy again. We were home for Easter then 4 shows in two weeks, three of them Trunk Shows at yarn stores. So it was a wild and wooly month of April and it paid the bills for several months to come. Thank you, DEAR LORD!!

Now Misty and I are getting ready for some bead trunk shows, one in June in Katy and one in July in Carrolton, just north of Dallas. Be watching for some beads and baubles to show up.

I'm attaching some pics of some of the yarn bowls , cups and the new carousels that sold so well this past month. Thanks to all our wonderful customers. WE love you!!!!

Dreams come and go......

Seems you always wake up from a dream, don't you. Well, last week I had to wake up from mine. I haven't posted in a long time because I was too busy, fixing up my studio, building clients, going to shows, selling work and just enjoying every day as a real potter. But last week Frank came home from work without the wonderful job he had that morning and life took a turn.

I'm still busy making pottery, but not have to look at it mainly as a way to bring in income. The fun pieces have to wait, I'm booking show after show to sell as much as possible knowing that if I don't bring in enough, I have to go look for a real job again. But I did have to cancel one show. It was for a small fun one in Idaho Falls. I was using it as an excuse to go see Izzy but with airfair and knowing I would not make enough to cover expenses, well, I had to cancel. That hurt. More than anyone will ever know. But dreams can come again...
Unfortunately, as far as going back to teaching, education here is laying off teachers faster than the oil field is laying off engineers. So where do I go - not sure what I can do.....
So, I make more pots, more buttons, bowls, cups, work on the business end to get my work out to the public even more. So back to the mud for now.....