Countryside Artisan's Spring Tour 2012

Gearing up for the Spring Countryside Artisan's Tour and the Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival here’s some images of new work.

This hanging bird house is a nod to the sweet little brown wren's who made nest’s around our patio last year, I see them at my feeder every day. It’s designed specifically for their breed:

A column of blue/green bowls:

Little Zen Mug for morning or evening brew, in my Wepay Store here:

https://www.wepay.com/stores/801750

Nice Olive Oil Cruet easy handling when cooking or nice as a serving vessel on the table:

Hosta Leaf Sushi Plate’s with dipping basin for wasabi:

I have recently opened a new shop at WePay here:

https://www.wepay.com/stores/801750

Enjoy the oncoming Spring!:)

Spoutwood Farm May Day Celebration 2012

Niswander Ceramics will be at the Spoutwood Farm May Day Fairie Festival May 4th, 5th and 6th in Glen Rock Pa:

http://www.spoutwood.org/fairie-festival

Come join the celebration of the upcoming growing season!

Fairy Lantern

This new fairy is equipped with a little night light bulb








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New Work

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Theme: What I did during Winter Break

Images from our holiday trips:
Washington D.C.
Jefferson Memorial


Looking at the city from the Tidal Basin Trail





Beautiful evening crescent moon with airplane ascending from Reagan National


Baltimore Aquarium











A more local destination, lovely walk to Froggy Hollow Schoolhouse.














Today is New Years Eve, we are heading to Sugarloaf Mountain for a walk and hoping to stop at Sugarloaf Vineyard afterward to buy some host gifts for a party tonight.
I'm looking forward to new shows this coming year, and I'll be back in the studio on Monday.
Have a great New Year!

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Damascus Maryland Upper Patuxent Historic Preservation

Damascus is located in upper Montgomery County Md. My family has lived here since 1978, my husband's since 1969. We've watched many things change over the years, the Jimmie Cone and Tom and Ray's restaurant are still thriving establishments, Bellison's is long gone. This time of the year there used to be an enormous holiday wreath placed in the middle of town, where now there is a shopping center. This past summer Rt 124 was connected to Rt 27 with sidewalks added, making the town more pedestrian friendly, and now an enormous wooden snowman has been added on this new road for our holiday cheer.

The Upper Montgomery Planning Board has been looking at local landmarks for preservation. Here is a lovely image of the Etchison store in the Etchison Historic District taken in 1935:

Damascus High School discontinued it's agriculture classes in 1989, but still takes great pride in it's football, and has a terrific music program. The pottery and ceramics classes are vastly better than when I went to school there, I love seeing the kid's pieces displayed throughout the building.

There are also many hidden (in plain sight) historical treasures. This region used to be a thriving producer of tobacco, just up the road from our home is the last surviving tobacco house in Montgomery County, it is located on the intersection of Long Corner Road and Mullinix Mill Road. Hopefully the historic planners will be able to save this farm, I love knowing it's significance as I drive past it so nice to slow down and enjoy what we have. Here's a video produced to highlight local history:

http://vimeo.com/23924542

..and here is the Montgomery Planning page for the Upper Patuxent:

http://www.montgomeryplanning.org/historic/upperpatuxent/

Countryside Artisans Tour... Good Morning Spock Overlords

We spent all of yesterday finishing the new walls and reorganizing shelves, I'll be at the wheel today spinning some sheep faced yarn bowls.
Here are Mr. Spock (not Dr. Spock as we kept hearing folks at Sugarloaf refer to him, my metal working neighbor Kest suggested I make some Dr. Spock's as well...) and his more threatening goateed alternate universe doppelgänger.


Sheep, Scrooge and the Holy Grail ready for business.


Luminary housing.


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