I was sitting here thinking about all of the things I have to do & I started freaking out. Then I looked around at what I need to do right now & saw all of this:
The most beautiful To Do List.
This right here is me making pottery for a living.
I have absolutely nothing to freak out over.
A funny thing started happening in the Fall, soon after we arrived in Ontario, people kept telling us about Prince Edward County and it seemed like everywhere we went someone was drinking wine or talking about the cheese from The County. This was a place neither of us had heard of before. But it was starting to feel like the universe was sending us a message.
So we went exploring. We went for a three day weekend, extended it to four then we found a home.
And it is awesome.
The house is 120 years old. It looks like the house version of the first apartment Mark and I lived in at the Holly Lodge in the West End of Vancouver.
It’s on 6.75 acres. There are fruit trees.
It’s a B&B. Remember when I thought, “wouldn’t it be nice to have a second bathroom“? This place has 5.
Oh – and we also have a Carriage House. That building includes:
* Garage space for Mark’s workshop. And the kilns.
* Another guest room with an ensuite.
* A loft which will become the home of the Mena Dragonfly Studio.
My own studio.
Oh – and the whole place is located 5 minutes from Sandbanks Provincial Park, home of the largest fresh water sand dunes in the world. Plus, it’s on the Prince Edward County Arts Trail.
I remember saying to someone in Vancouver, “…. change is good, sometimes you have to start a new chapter and see what opportunities come.” What an opportunity.
We are so incredibly excited. Mark and I have talked about running a B&B for years. We’ve been daydreaming about this for a really long time but we thought it was a plan for the future.
The future is here and this is it.
We’re opening a B&B.
We’re setting up a studio and workshop.
And Molly & Lexy are here with us, having a blast:
When my Grandma passed away last year a big question for my family was what would happen to her house? We’re a very sentimental family and are all attached to that house. It’s where my Mom and her seven siblings grew up, it’s where we had all those kitchen parties, it’s where we sat having a cup of tea, with Grandma eating sweets like Gumdrop Cake.
No one wanted to see the house go, but it didn’t seem like any of us could step in and take it over. For a while it was rented out and the couple who lived there did a lot of damage, which was kind of heartbreaking.
With very heavy hearts the family put the house on the market. One or two offers came in but for whatever reason the sales never went through. We were all feeling down about the prospect of never being able to go back to the house.
Then something wonderful happened. My cousin Cheryl bought the house for her and her growing family. She fixed up the place, she painted a few rooms, even found some of the pictures Grandma had hanging and put them back on the walls. When Uncle Bill passed away it was such a comfort to be able to go back to Grandma’s place.
My Mom and her siblings divided the proceeds from the sale of the house and my Mom gave my brother and I a portion of what she called her inheritance. I told Mom to keep the money for her retirement but she refused, she said, “Your Grandparents didn’t have a lot of money but what they did have they shared with the family and they would have wanted to be able to give you this themselves.” So she asked Jeff and I to spend it on something that would remind us for Grandma and Grandpa.
I bought a kiln. This is Samena:
Samena is a combination of my Grandparents’ names, Samuel and Armena. It’s also the name the town gave to the road that leads to Cheryl’s new house on Samena Lane.
2 Comments »Toronto? Why the heck are you moving to Toronto?
We’re not. Funny how when you mention you’re moving to Ontario lots of people assume you’re heading to Toronto.
Although Mark and I really like Toronto, we’re thinking more Cottage Country rather than Big City.
Where are you going to live?
We don’t know yet. We have a couple of ideas but we haven’t made a final decision on the location yet. In the meantime we’ll be staying with friends and family while we find our new home.
What is Mark going to do?
He’s not sure yet, that’s part of the adventure. Mark needs time to rest his feet and just chill out. Personally I can’t wait to see what Mark will do when he’s not tied to a job, when he has some time to just create, when he’s not limited to just two weeks of vacation every year.
Do you know about the bugs in Ontario?
Yes, we are aware.
What about all that snow? Do you like the snow?
Me, no. I like wood burning fire places and hot chocolate with marshmallows. Mark loves the snow. He is actually looking forward to shoveling a drive way, apparently it’s a good workout.
Here’s one thing I am looking forward to with regards to snow – it will be bright. I am looking forward to seeing the sun reflected off the snow banks in the middle of winter. The dark, grey, wet winters of Vancouver have been, well, dark and grey.
Will Molly & Lexy like it there?
They don’t really have a choice. But yes, they will like it there, they do like it there. We’ve taken them to Ontario a few times, once it was even in the winter and there was snow.
So, how are you?
I’m ok. It’s been a very emotional, topsy turvy, bitter sweet summer. On the one hand I am so excited about making this big change and seeing where this adventure takes us. On the other I am so sad to be leaving behind the many wonderful friends we’ve made here.
I’m also still so sad about my Uncle Bill. I can’t even speak, or type out his name without welling up. When I got back from Newfoundland I entered a whirlwind of renovating, selling the place, then catching up with pottery and now whenever I let myself and my mind relax I remember that Uncle Bill is gone. I hate that he’s not here anymore. I really, really hate it.
But then I also remember that he wouldn’t me to be sad. He was happy for Mark and I and thought our move was a great idea, he was glad we’d be closer to Newfoundland and that’s what I have to focus on. I’ll be closer to my cousins and my Aunts and Uncles and I’ll be able to see them more often.
So when are you leaving?
Next week. We’re planning to arrive at my Mom’s place in time for Thanksgiving dinner.
Holy cow, we have so much to be thankful for.
No Comments »Here’s the Short Version of the story:
Yes, we’re leaving Vancouver. Mark and I have sold our fantastic, lovingly custom designed, dream apartment. We’re going to load up a truck and then take a very long road trip with Molly & Lexy, seeing a few sites and visiting with family and friends along the way. We don’t know when we’re leaving exactly yet, but I’m sure our moving date will come sooner than we think.
If you’re wondering why and how all this came about, then here’s the Long Version of the story:
It all started when Mark began having some trouble with his feet.
It all started when we wanted to move into a bigger place.
It all started when we went back to Newfoundland last year.
It all started when Mark turned to me and said, “How about we take our lives on an adventure and move to Ontario?”
My wonderful, talented husband has been having a painful time, he has a pretty bad case of plantar fasciitis. He’s seen lots of doctors, followed through on lots of advice and has been able to manage the pain but he’s been living it with now for about two years. He’s the Caretaker for the building we live in, it’s a pretty active job. It’s now come to the point when more than one of his doctors has strongly suggested he find a new career.
But what?
While suffering with this problem, life for Mark and I carried on but with a lot less activity. We haven’t gone hiking for a long, long time. Mark doesn’t usually walk the Girls with me, we’ve been to Stanley Park only a hand full of times the last couple of years. Really, we’re not enjoying so many of the things we love about Vancouver.
So why are we here?
We have a stunning apartment. We are living The Vancouver Life. We own a loft Downtown. We have views of the mountains, Stanley Park & Burrard Inlet. Mark is a talented carpenter and designer and together we have created a fantastic place to live. It’s absolutely beautiful and could be found in the pages of Dwell, but it’s only around 800 square feet.
Wouldn’t it be nice to have a bedroom with a door on it? Or a second bathroom?
The last two summers have been a little tough, I’ve had to say good bye to two very dear, wonderful people I love so much, both of them in Newfoundland. Each time I went back it took a day and half to get to my family. This country is so big, the flights are limited (and crazy expensive) and the four and a half time zones really suck. This is the drawback to living on the west coast. I am so very far away from my family. And as I get older it feels like the distance widens.
Time is precious.
When we first started talking about moving to Ontario Uncle Bill was part of our plans. I told him I’d be able to come visit him more often, he said it was a great idea.
Tell me again, why do I live so far away from my family?
Health problems, career contemplations, space issues, a really expensive housing market, home sickness, all of these things were brewing and then suddenly Mark said, “How about we take our lives on an adventure and move to Ontario?”
I said, “Yes!” without hesitation and spent the rest of the night crying tears of joy. Don’t get me wrong, I love Vancouver—we both do. We just realized that we are not living the lives we want to live here, not completely. It’s time for a change.
When we made the decision to move we were in the middle of renovating our kitchen. We’ve been madly working to finish it off to sell the place and I’ve fallen a bit behind on making pottery but I’m now getting back into my throwing routine. I’ll have a special item for the Thanksgiving One Of A Kind Online Pop Up Shop at the end of September. I’m only making 25 and they’ll be available for just a limited time online. The shop opens September 27th and I’m really happy with how these little numbers are turning out.
In the next few weeks while we get ready to leave this wonderful, wonderful place I’ll be making pottery but I won’t be able to take on any more workshops or private lessons. (If you’re one of the people on my wait list watch for an email from me in the next few days.)
I’ve re-opened my BigCartel shop, but I’m going to leave my Etsy shop on hold for the time being, I just need to simplify a few things for the next few weeks.
I’ll also be coming back to Vancouver in December for the One Of A Kind Show & Sale, so it won’t be long before I get to come back to this city I absolutely LOVE.
This has been a very bittersweet time for us but Mark and I are both really excited for what’s ahead.
8 Comments »I’m so excited to share with you pictures of my new pots. Below you will see a new Sake set in black, a sugar dish and creamer set in blue and a micro-mini vase in black.
I’m really happy with how the glazes and new shapes are working together, now I just need to come up with a name for this new line…
In the meantime, I’d love to know – what do you think of these new pieces?
2 Comments »It’s my birthday this week! I want to celebrate by giving you a 15% discount on my pottery.
You can use your discount in two ways:
1) Online
Enter the discount code HappyBDAY in either my Etsy shop (US$) or my BigCartel shop (CDN$) to apply the discount to your purchase.
Don’t forget: if you’re in Vancouver let me know right away as I may be able to reduce or refund your shipping costs.
2) At the market
I’ll be at the Robson Square Artisan Market from 10:00 to 3:00 on Saturday, June 11. The market is under the dome at Robson Square, admission is free and the concession stand will be open. Stop by the Market on Saturday, wish me a Happy Birthday and get 15% off your purchase.
I have been making dragonfly stuff for years. One of the first teapots I made has a dragonfly for the knob on the teapot lid. I still have that teapot it’s a light blueish-green. After I made that one (about a decade ago) I made a bunch of teapots and mugs with dragonflies on them and almost all of them were glazed oribe green – a dark green and one of my most favourite glazes from the West End Community Centre.
I gave all those teapots and mugs away. The only one I have is the first one. I had always meant to make myself an oribe green dragonfly teapot but I left that studio and that glaze before I made it. In fact, almost everything I made at the WECC I gave away. Sometimes I’m surprised at how little pottery I have from those days, but then I go to my Mom’s house, open her cupboards and see a collection of my very early works: the wonky bowls, the leaning mugs with the twisted handles, the out-of-proportion handled mugs, the casserole dish with the slightly peeling handles…
When I started making pottery on a regular basis again my main goal was to make a teapot, and that was what I did. When I was figuring out my initial three lines for the business I knew there was going to be a Dragonfly line. There will always be a Dragonfly line. If I make pottery without dragonflies involved somehow (either directly or on the periphery) then there would be something missing from what I’m doing.
So I started really practicing my teapots. I made a whole lot of them. I was making so many teapots that I wrote ab
out my step by step process – I think I had teapots on the brain. Throughout my teapot practice I was challenged again and again. I have made a lot of dud teapots, either the glaze ran into the spout opening, or fused the lid to the pot, or the spout dribbled horribly, in Newfoundland they call this a “stingey teapot,” and I don’t sell, give away or use stingey teapots. Instead I collect them on top of my shelves in the studio, a reminder of how far I’ve come in a short time.
My teapots now are a lot better. And believe me, these teapots have to meet a very high standard – mine. But I think I got teapotted-out, so I decided to stop making them for a bit. I don’t mind if Dragonfly Teapots are rare, it kind of feels like they should be.
However I did have one Dragonfly Teapot on hand and I do believe it is THE BEST teapot I have ever made. I contemplated selling it and posted it online with this comment:
I love this teapot. It will be hard to part with. It should really go to a good home.
The day after it went up online I was visiting with one of my VIP clients, I was dropping off some new pottery for him when we started talking about teapots. During that conversation I realized that I actually know where all of the Dragonfly Teapots are – and not just the ones I’ve given to family and friends; I have sold a few but the funny thing is, I know all of the people who bought them. I was telling Mr. VIP about this, he loved the story and decided to by my best Dragonfly Teapot, so now I know where that one is too.
I know that as the business grows, as I get back into making more Dragonfly Teapots, it’s highly likely that a stranger will buy one and I may never know where it goes or what happens to it. But for now I’m going to relish this time, when I know where all of my Dragonfly Teapots are.
1 Comment »This is the final entry in a series of posts about what a wonderful time I had at the 2010 Vancouver One Of A Kind Show last December. Part One was about The Booth and the second part was all about The People.
The OOAK Show was my big debut, my big test to see if I was on the right track with my designs. It was a little nerve racking, but also exhilarating. I felt like I was working towards the show in the dark. Everything was new to me and figuring it all out was part guesswork, research and just trusting my instincts along the way.
Leading up to OOAK, I had no idea how much pottery to make. My Wobbly Shotglasses had gotten some attention in September and October, so I made a whole lot of those. Then in November and December my Dots! Mini Bowls got some press, so I made a whole lot of those. But I still couldn’t predict how much I would sell or if I would even sell anything at all. Then there was that stupid little voice of doubt that likes to knock me off kilter murmuring to me, “What if people don’t like it? What if no one buys anything?” I had no idea what the response was going to be from the public. Were they going to like it? More importantly, were they going to buy it?
Thankfully, they did.
They liked my pots and they bought them! So much so that I nearly sold out of blue Wobbly Shotglasses and orange Dots! Mini Bowls (my two favourite colours in those lines). I also had a draw for the very first set of Dots! Mini Vases and over 90 people signed up to win them (Congratulations Lorinda!).
Watching the sales trends at my booth was really interesting; each day was a little different. For example, before OOAK my Dragonfly Vases were a good seller. I thought they would do well at the show. However, on Thursday and Friday I didn’t sell a single one. In fact my whole Dragonfly line was a slow seller – until Saturday. All of Saturday morning seemed to be about the Dragonflies and in that one day I almost sold out of all my Dragonfly Mugs.
It was a great, busy, energetic day. I don’t know what it was but it did feel like there was a bit of Dragonfly Magic in the air. I met so many people who love dragonflies and they all shared their dragonfly stories with me. And most of those stories were quite moving.
Then it happened – I sold a Dragonfly Vase, to Carol. She bought it to give to a friend of hers who loves dragonflies.
And that was another thing that was really nice about the OOAK show, so many people were buying gifts which gave the whole weekend a happy and festive atmosphere. To confess, I love Christmas. It is one of my favourite times of year. And it was a sheer delight for me to take a moment on Christmas day and think about all the people opening gifts with Mena Dragonfly pottery inside. It was a reminder of why I love to do this – I love sharing my pottery with people.
Before OOAK I was pretty charged up about my pottery and this business I’ve started, but now I am so inspired.
I’m inspired by the couple who came to the show from Maple Ridge and made sure to come by my booth because they had read about me in the Vancouver Sun and had been reading my blog (Hello you two!).
I’m inspired by the woman from Steveston who had been told by a bunch of her customers to come to the show and check out the “Dots Lady.”
I’m inspired by all of the great suggestions, ideas and requests people gave me.
The Vancouver One Of A Kind Show may have been my big debut, but it feels like it was just the beginning. In the last few weeks I’ve been testing out some ideas, playing with some new glaze colours and making pottery of course.
I’ve re-opened both my BigCartel and Etsy shops and in the coming weeks I’ll be making and adding a whole bunch of new things to both shops.
Coming Soon:
I can’t wait to show it all to you!
This is Part 2 in a series of posts I’ve been writing about my experience at the Vancouver One Of A Kind Show last December. Part 1 was all about my booth.
Part of what made the OOAK Show so amazing was the people. From the show organizers, to my fellow exhibitors, to the friends and family who came to see me, and finally to the customers, everyone seemed to be just oozing positivity and it was delightfully contagious.
The Show Organizers
Dealing with the OOAK Team – Sarah, Ally & Leonie – was always such a pleasure. They were quick to answer all my inquiries and it was wonderful to meet them in person at the show. They are what they say they are – passionate about giving artisans an opportunity to share their craft. I found Sarah, Ally & Leonie not only helpful but really supportive. During my booth set up and throughout the show they often stopped by to check in and make sure everything was going smoothly and I really appreciated that.
My Fellow Exhibitors
I was very lucky to have a few seasoned professionals in the booths near mine. Beside me was Valerie Gobert and directly across from me were Tony and Russell at the Legend Design booth. Hearing Valerie’s French accent all day long was like listening to a beautiful song and whenever there was a lull in the day Tony and Russell would stop by, check in on me, and would often make me laugh. All three were so great and gave me lots of advice, tips and encouragement.
The show also gave me the opportunity to meet a few artists I had previously connected with on Twitter. Like Kate and Susan from This Charming Candy, they had blogged about my Dots! Mini Bowls and I was so excited to meet them in person and get some of my own Charming Candies.
And then there was Corrine.
Corrine crosses the Fellow Exhibitor & Friend categories. I’ve known Corrine for a few years now and in 2009 she came from Toronto to sell her jewelry at the Vancouver OOAK show. She’s been an exhibitor at the Toronto OOAK show for a long time now, so she knows all about these things. Corrine is one of a hand full of people of were the first to know about my pottery business plans and she has been one of my biggest supporters. It was such a comfort to know that she was at the show too, and she helped keep me calm during those two crazy days of set up.
Friends and Family
Of course I invited everyone I know to OOAK. I saw the show as my big debut and I wanted everyone I know and love to be there. I sent emails, I made phone calls, I even sent invitations the old fashioned way through the mail. And it paid off, because every time I saw one of my peeps come up the aisle towards me I lit up. Even writing about it now I’m getting goose bumps thinking about how many people came to the show just to see me in my booth. I was reminded again and again how blessed I am to have such truly wonderful people in my life.
The Customers
Leading up to the show, one of the things I was really looking forward to was the opportunity to meet and talk with my Mena Dragonfly customers. In general I’m kind of a quiet person, a little on the shy side, but all that faded away at OOAK. I love talking about my pottery and showing it off to people, so for me being at a trade show where I get to do that all day long is fantastic.
Whenever anyone came to my booth I told them all about me and my pots. I told everyone that it was my very first show ever, that I had turned my hobby into my business and I asked people point blank what they thought of my work. I told them I was taking suggestions, I was open to feedback, I wanted to know what they wanted and the response was amazing.
The people told me what they thought and perhaps they were all just being polite, but I didn’t get one negative comment on my pottery.
I took colour requests and wrote down suggestions for new pieces and colour combinations. Lots of people also suggested stores in Vancouver that would be well suited to selling my pots.
Overall the OOAK customers were friendly, delightful and they spent their hard earned dollars supporting my new business – so really, they ROCK!
Charmian
One of the highlights of the show happened on the evening of the first day when I had a Full Circle Moment. My friend Charmian came to the show and when she saw my booth I got a little emotional. Charmian was once my pottery instructor and she is the person who taught me how to centre clay on the wheel I often think that if it wasn’t for her, I’d probably still be working at a computer desk all day long. I give Charmian a lot of credit for helping me get to where I am today it was so very wonderful to have her part of my OOAK experience.
As I’ve written before, this was my first show and I didn’t know what to expect but everything – and everyone – went way beyond my expectations. All of the people at the show gave it a positive, supportive and fun atmosphere and I’m already excited to think about all of the amazing people I’m going to cross paths with at next year’s OOAK show.
Next Monday I’ll post Part 3 of my OOAK Recap: The Show.
1 Comment »
