December schedule & Hooray,100 sales made on Etsy!!

I started my Etsy store in January this year.  It's been a wonderful learning experience and so exciting at the same time.  My yarn bowls and mugs have traveled so many states in the US :-)  As of yesterday, my sales reached 100, and it's growing!  My goal for next year is to start oversea shipping.

Here is my December schedule:
          Vancouver Holiday Market - November 30th, Saturday & December 1st, Sunday
          9am to 4pm, free admission, Santa will be there!
          The Hilton Hotel Downtown Vancouver
          301 W 6th St, Vancouver, WA 98660

          Oak Hills 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar - Friday & Saturday, December 6th & 7th
          10am to 4pm, free admission
          Oak Hills Rec Center, NW 153rd at Oak Hills Drive (just off NW Cornell Rd)

          McMenamins 5th Annual Holiday Market - Sunday, December 8th
          12 noon to 5pm, free admission
          4045 NW Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro
          Start your holiday shopping here, where more than 40 local artisans, awesome beer and
          wine welcome you!
          Please see www.mcmenamins.com for details




         

November schedule

Here is my November schedule:
Tigard Grange #148 Craft Bazaar - November 9th, Saturday, 8am to 4pm
          13770 SW Pacific Hwy, Tigard, OR 97223
          There will be pancake breakfast from 8am to noon!  ($5/person)

Local Artisan Craft Show - November 17th, Sunday, 11am to 2:30pm
          Unitarian Universalist Community Church
          22785 NW Birch St., Hillsboro, OR 97124

Vancouver Holiday Market - November 30th, Saturday & December 1st, Sunday
          The Hilton Hotel Downtown Vancouver
          301 W 6th St, Vancouver, WA 98660

The canister and the utensil holder (on the right) were special order items for a very special customer.  I am using more of this "Incredible Black" glaze now after receiving several request from customers :-)  I also make mugs in this color. 

Harvest! for Eve's Daughters

Today was supposed to be the last day at Art Court for me, but I had to make a difficult business decision not to show...  As an Oregonian, we are used to rain, but the wind can be the worst enemy for vendors.  I was at Orenco Farmers Market on Sunday last week in 18 mph wind, and I was holding onto the canopy the whole time so it wouldn't fly up!  Today the forecast said 22mph wind...  I am sorry if there were customers expecting me to be there today... 

I have one event in October:
Harvest!  An evening to benefit Eve's Daughters

Friday, October 18, 2013 ● Sunset Presbyterian Church Lobby

 

Shopping: 3 pm-7:30 pm ● Hors d’oeuvres: 5:30-7:30 pm ● Dessert Program: 7:30-9 pm

14986 NW Cornell Road, Portland ● Admission and Parking are FREE

The picture shows mugs I made for a special order.  They are smaller than my usual monster "load up with caffeine" mugs, with round bottoms :-)

Oh, @#%$!! It's September already!

Back to school...  that means running around stores and checking off the school supply lists, waking up early, packing lunches, and settling into the new routine.  The first week of September always goes by at the speed of light.  So I am delayed, but here is my September schedule :-)

Sep. 1st - Orenco Farmers Market, 10am to 2pm
Sep. 7th - Art Court by Beaverton Farmers Market, 8am to 1:30pm
Sep. 14th - Art Court
Sep. 15th - Orenco Farmers Market
Sep.21st - Art Court
Sep. 2nd - Orenco Farmers Market

August Schedule ・ ８月の予定

It is always fun when my kids have "claydates" with their friends :-)  This time, they made their masterpiece out of a slab of clay.  The second pic shows my new tumbler/ stem-less wine cup.  I want to tell the world that cups don't need handles!!  I use these tumblers for both hot and cold drinks.  They store better without handles sticking out :-)

Here is my August schedule:
August 3rd, Saturday - Art Court (right next to Beaverton Farmers Market ) from 8am to 1:30pm
August 10th, Saturday - Art Court
August 17th, Saturday - Art Court
August 25th, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market ( at New Seasons parking lot) from 10am to 2pm
August 31st, Saturday - Art Court

子供たちがお友達と粘土大会をするのがなかなか楽しいです♪　今回は薄く延ばした粘土の板を使って作品を作ってみました。２枚目の写真は新作のタンブラー（または足のないワイングラス？）です。　日本で広く使われるような湯のみに親しみがないアメリカの人たちに、”カップには取っ手はいらないじゃん！”　と声を大にして言いたい！　私は取っ手なしのこういうカップを熱い物・冷たいものを飲む際に使います。取っ手がないほうが収納もすっきりできますよね。

上記は８月の予定です。　　　

July Schedule ・ 七月の予定

Here is my market schedule for July:

July 7th, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market, 10am to 2pm
July 13th, Saturday - Art Court ( at Beaverton Farmers Market ), 8am to 1:30pm
July 20th, Saturday - Art Court
July 21st, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market

Picture shows the "volcano" mugs :-)  They have been particularly popular among male customers.  I have made an 8-inch tall one for a special order!  That is a serious cup of coffee!

以上が７月の予定です。写真は男性のお客様に人気の”火山”マグ。。。　特別注文で約２０ｃｍの高さの火山マグも作りました。　あのマグでコーヒーを飲んだら、気合が入ること間違いなし。。。　

June schedule ・ 六月のスケジュール

Here is my June schedule:
June 1st, Saturday - Art Court at Beaverton Farmers Market, 8:30 to 1:30
June 2nd, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market, 10:00 to 2:00
June 8th, Saturday - Art Court
June 15th, Saturday - Art Court
June 16th, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market
June 22nd, Saturday - Art Court
June 29th, Saturday - Art Court

The picture shows Aegean Blue-Green tumblers with my signature hand-carved design.  These are special order items for a customer, who had purchased a set of bowls in the same color last year. It is so nice to see returning customers from the previous year :-)

６月のスケジュールは以上のとおりです。　写真は淡い水色・緑の地に手彫りのデザインを入れたタンブラーです。去年、これと同じ色のボウルのセットをご注文いただいたお客様からの特別注文です。　シーズンの初めに去年までのお客様が再度いらしてくださるのはとっても嬉しいです♪

May schedule ・ ５月の予定

 





Here we are again!  The market season is here!  Here is my May schedule. 
May 5th, Sunday -  Orenco Farmers Market, 10am - 2pm
May 11th, Saturday - Art Court (by Beaverton Farmers Market), 8:30 - 1:30
May 18th, Saturday - Art Court
May 19th, Sunday - Orenco Farmers Market
May 25th, Saturday - Art Court

The picture shows my best selling yarn bowl on my Etsy store.  Since I started selling on Etsy, I have shipped my pottery to California, Connecticut, Florida, Texas, Georgia, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, Maine, Arizona, Alaska, Rhode Island, and Michigan.  It tickles me to think that my bowls have crossed the Oregon border.  It has been so wonderful to hear the feedback from customers.  Thank you!  

写真はEtsyオンラインショップで一番売れている毛糸玉ボウルです。　Etsyでの販売を始めてからこれまでにいろいろな州のお客様へ品物を送らせていただきました。　カリフォルニア・コネチカット・フロリダ・テキサス・ジョージア・イリノイ・ウィスコンシン・アイオア・メイン・アリゾナ・アラスカ・ロードアイランド・そしてミシガン。　私の器たちがオレゴンを越えて旅立ったのだな～と思うと、嬉しくなってしまいます。　お客さまからの暖かい声を聞かせていただけるのも、とっても嬉しいです。　ありがとう！　

Aloha Garden Club Sale tomorrow!

I will be participating with Aloha Garden Club Sale tomorrow.  It is an annual plant sale & art sale.  It's the perfect time to start your garden!  This is my first show of this season.  I'm excited :-)

When:  Saturday, April 27th, 9:00am ~ 3:00pm
Where: Aloha Huber Park Elementary School ( 5000 SW 173rd Ave. Aloha, OR 97007)

Hope to see you there!

My Etsy store is open! ・ Etsy 始めました！

I started my first online store!  Etsy is one of the most popular site for artisans to sell their creations.  It is amazing to see the variety of items listed on the site.  You can also find art/craft materials and antiques.  I only have small inventory at this point, but I have been making more items to grow my store.  I started it on January 6th, and have already sold a couple of items.  It is exciting to think that my pottery can now go outside of Oregon :-)　Please visit my store at:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TohkiyaPottery

オンライン・ショップを始めました！　Etsyはとても人気で、作家たちがいろいろな作品をお手軽に売ることができる便利なサイトです。掲載されているありとあらゆる商品の幅には圧倒されます。アートや手芸の材料やアンティークも探すことができます。　私の在庫はまだ少数なのですが、今、このお店を育てるべく、スタジオの寒さと戦いつつ作業をしております。１月６日に始めて以来、すでにお二人の州外のお客様からのご注文がありました（感涙）　私の陶器がオレゴンから旅立つことができるようになったんだなぁ～、と嬉しく思っています。尚、現在は作ることができる物の数が限られているため、アメリカ国内だけの郵送となっております。こちらからお店を覗いてみてください：　

http://www.etsy.com/shop/TohkiyaPottery　　

Happy New Year!! ・ あけましておめでとうござます

Happy New Year!  I hope 2013 will be another wonderful year for everyone.  I've been hibernating again after my last show in Vancouver ( I forgot to mention it here... but it was on Dec. 16th).  As I write every winter, my studio, a.k.a. garage, gets too cold this time of the year for me to work in it. Until the clay thaws in March, I usually spend my time thinking about what will be my next product :-)  My new year resolution is : " I will make something new and cool with lids!"  Lids have been  a challenge for me, but I will overcome my "fear of lids" this year!　And, " I will do better at updating this blog!"
By the way, Local Discoveries is a very cool shop on Alberta St. in NE Portland　（1627 NE Alberta), and they sell some of my pieces.  Yarn bowls have been selling quite well there.  The store also has local, handmade products by 65 local artisans.  There are many awesome restaurants, coffee shops, artists' studios, and more on the street.  Here is their Facebook page : http://www.facebook.com/pages/LOCAL-DISCOVERIES-LLC/187950007275

あけましておめでとうございます。　２０１３年が皆様にとってすばらしい年になりますように。　私は昨年最後のバンクーバーでのセールの後から冬眠に入っております　（書き込むのを忘れたのですが、このセールは１２月１６日でした）毎年冬が来るたびにここに書きますが、私のスタジオ、というか車庫は、この季節作業をするには激寒なんです。　なので、３月ごろに凍った粘土が融けるまでの時間を、来期の新しい作品について考えることに費やしています。今年の私の目標は、“蓋つきの何か新しいものを作る！”です。　蓋は私の弱点。　今年は蓋への恐怖を乗り切るべく修行に励みます。　それと、あと一つ、“ブログの書き込みを忘れない！”　（汗）
ところで、Local Discoveriesという素敵なお店の紹介を再度させていただきます。　NEポートランドのAlbertaストリートにあるお店(1627 NE Alberta St. )で６５人の地元作家さんの作品を売っています。　私の毛糸玉ボウルも大変好評で、クリスマス前には何度も納品させていただきました。　このストリートには行列ができるような有名なレストランや、カフェ、そのほかにもアーティストのスタジオなどが並び、ポートランドらしいお洒落な所です。　Local Discoveriesのオーナー、ジュリーさんもとっても素敵な人です♪　フェイスブックのページがここで見られます。http://www.facebook.com/pages/LOCAL-DISCOVERIES-LLC/187950007275