Dreaming of Spring

Here's a miniature basket I made at a Marilyn Wald basket weaving workshop I took recently. This basket is about three inches by three inches by about half an inch wide. I still haven't finished the top of the basket and I have two other baskets in process. I may have bitten off more than I can chew taking on basket weaving right now. Being a beginner the basket weaving group moves much faster than I can go.

Never the less ideas are formulating in my head for the type of baskets I want to weave. I'm slowly gathering natural materials, like inflorescence from palm trees, to include in my basket weaving. For a wonderful photograph of a Bangalow palm inflorescence see Anna's post here. Asymmetrical and natural shapes like the ceramic basket I made above come to mind when I think of what I want to weave.

You won't want to miss my potter blogger friend, Connie Norman's letter G post this week, which includes pots by Gillian Parke, Gail Kendall, and Jim Gottuso. Connie's photography of these potter's pots in natural setting's are so imaginative including a pot floating in a bathtub!

In other news Lori Watts launched a kickstarter to develop a line of cone 6 reduction glazes and pots which take less energy to fire. Any reduction in fuel costs is a worthwhile endeavor for many reasons.

Meanwhile I'm working on another Spring cleaning project in my studio. While I'm working this little bird is a new visitor who is pecking at the windows. I have the cardinal pecking in the mornings and this little guy is pecking in the afternoons. Click the link for an Etsy treasury, Dreaming of Spring. Thanks for reading and for all  your comments.