Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Mrs. Peanut


It's unseasonably cold in Florida this week with a hard freeze of 25 F this morning. I was wondering what to do inside. When, I said to myself, why not make something in clay. Of course you already knew that. Bet you didn't know what I was going to make, 'cause I didn't have a clue myself.

But I rolled out some clay and decided to make something with texture. First I carved the indentations one row at a time. Row after row I moved along with my wire tool. Pretty soon I had a multitude of rows and decided to leave a band of plain clay, as visual relief, which I thought would help break up all the rows of texture. I even thought about adding an actual waistband sprig, but decided to save that for another piece.

After I put the front and back together I looked at the piece and thought it looked like Mrs. Peanut. You might wonder why I'm calling her Mrs. Peanut? Don't you think the surface looks a bit like a peanut? Now that I'm looking at a photo of a peanut, maybe the surface isn't exact, but it's close enough.

I've yet to have boiled peanuts, a Southern delicacy around here. I really should stop at one of the roadside peanut stands. If I spoke with a Southern drawl I might ask for "balt peents". (I'm thinking this affectionately and respectfully).

Next I fiddled around making handles on each side. I worked for quite some time, testing each shape and style of handle as I went along. I'm not sure these handles adequately express Mrs. Peanut's attitude, but the clay hardened at an alarming rate, so I left her as she is, with wavy arms and hands on her hips.

In the back of my mind I'm hoping to add to the peanut family with different attitudes and handles. Maybe I can make a lid for one and it can be a peanut jar. Maybe a head for a lid; I can just see a crinkled (peanut) face in my mind. Once again the possibilities are endless.

11 comments:

  1. Love Mrs. Peanut and yes it does look like one.
    Good luck on boiled peanuts. To me they are like what I imagine eating grubs would be like. Some people love them. As southern as I am, I just can't swallow them. Yuck.
    Stay warm.

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  2. YES! Boiled peanuts, one of my favorite things! You can do it yourself and they are even better.

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  3. Boiled Peanuts are delish!!! gotta try them, we only have them here in the North East at fair time. I just love them!

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  4. now i am craving peanuts...
    cool vase!

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  5. I love your Mrs. Peanut - sexy and nutty. If you think FL is cold come visit me in MN!

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  6. LOVE your texture!! What's all this cold weather about -I promise I've been trying to keep it up here in Alaskaland to no avail ;o)

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  7. Cold weather in Florida? Is no place safe. Never heard of boiled peanuts. Up here Hot Crapola (cranberry, apple, granola)is as delicate as it gets.
    Keep warm and say hi to the Peanut family for me.
    Cheers
    ~Craig

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  8. we grew up on them boiled peanuts! Had them every year when we traveled from Va to NC- those and an RC cola!
    Stay warm Linda even you are getting hit with all this cold.
    Better watch out you will be packing to move to some place warm!
    and now you go get you some peanuts!

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  9. Mrs. Peanut is lovely,I like her shape and that texture is really great. A peanut head for a lid would be cool.

    I've never had boiled peanuts either.

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  10. Hi Patti, thanks, I was kind of wondering if I would like them or not perhaps that's why I haven't stopped to get some yet.

    Hi Tracey, thanks, I read they are better if you get them fresh and boil them yourself.

    Hi Annie, thanks, I may have to give them a try, kinda scared I won't like them.

    Hi Michele, thanks, some of the descriptions on the food blogs do the same thing to me too.

    Mary thanks, I may coin your phrase; you are a genius. Mrs. Peanut, sexy and nutty! what a great line.

    Hi Cindy, thanks, yeah all the artic air is coming down here for some reason.

    Craig, thanks, I like the idea of the peanut family.

    Meredith, thanks, Gary was already trying to think of a place that's warmer.

    Thanks everyone, I've literally got a pain in the butt (muscle), see the next post re why, if I don't move it doesn't hurt.

    Thankfully I already had the next couple of posts typed up.

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  11. Hi Barbara, thanks, yeah I was thinking of a peanut head after I made here, hope I can accomplish something that looks good.

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I love suggestions, questions, critiques, thanks for your comment