Love-ly Door Knobs

Since the beginning of February I have been thinking about Valentine's Day.  Those romantic holiday decorations and candies have been stocked on the stores shelves since (or before Christmas), however I can't really look forward to the holiday until the month of February has even begun.

I know it is a Hallmark holiday, but I think it is fun to decorate a little bit, and get a little silly and romantic.

My parents used to have a competition with some good friends of theirs in seeing who could keep their Christmas tree up the longest.  There was never a "prize", just the title of which family had their tree up the longest.  One year it got a little out of hand, and we almost lasted till Valentine's Day.  We considered making new Valentine ornaments to redecorate the tree, but I believe the tree came down before that was possible.

So there is no tree to decorate, but if you have a door knob, doorway, window or a mantle I have a couple ideas for you.

A few years ago, at Christmas, I saw a felt decoration for a door knob. It was really simple, and I thought that the same idea could be applied to any holiday.  Since I already had my Christmas things up, I thought that I would make some hearts for our door knobs.

They are pretty simple.  I just used a red and white felt and a few types of pink and patterned fabric.  I cut out some free formed hearts and sewed them with my machine.  And I used pipe cleaners to hook them on the mantle and  ribbon to tie them to the door knobs.

My sister Colleen McCray of Mountain Pie Press makes beautiful letterpress stationery and cards.  If you haven't purchased a card for that special person in our life, take a look at what she has in her store.  She has a nice variety in her style of cards,  I love all of them!  Colleen also makes fabulous letterpress banners too.  I ordered one and can't wait to get it!  She recently did a commission (of banners) for Mary Dougherty, a photographer in Western NY, for a couple's engagement photo session.  I am excited to see how the photos come out!


I left you with a photo of what turned out to be a beautiful mistake.  I would love to have this enlarged to 30" x 40".

The Return of the Roses

 A long time ago, when I was a senior in college, I made teapots that were covered in clay roses.  I was a studio art major with a concentration in ceramics.  My father, also an artist, had made a clay rose for my mom for Valentine's Day one year.  That being my inspiration, I thought I would try my hand at making them myself.  After hours of making clay roses, I got pretty proficient.

But, once I went to graduate school, I abandoned them, at least for a few years.  Two years ago, as I was getting ready for a show at the Genesee Pottery Fire House Gallery, I started to make them again.  My idea was to make piles of them, and have vases sitting on top of them, like a wreath around the bottom.  It was a pretty high expectation to finish them in time for the opening.  I was also 8 months pregnant, and teaching full time.  I realized that it would be acceptable to only show my pottery for the exhibition and try using the flowers in another way later on.

The flowers have lived in a metal mixing bowl for about a year, and they finally have a home, at least a temporary one on display in our living room.

They are just bisqued, with no color.  I have thought about adding color in some way, but I think they are fine the way they are, at least for now.

There are roses, peonies and carnations all mixed in together, with a few leaves and buds sprinkled in there too.  The antlers were a gift from my brother-in-law.  He and his father found them on their farm years ago, and he gave them to me last year.  I think they are a nice compliment to the plaster work on the mirror and to the natural cream color of the clay. Thanks Tristan!