Artist Feature! Ayumi at Ayumi Horie Pottery

Who is behind that amazing etsy?

Here is where you find out!

Meet Ayumi at Ayumi Horie Pottery. About Ayumi: I’m a full-time studio potter living in the Hudson Valley who also travels quite a bit to lecture and teach workshops nationally and internationally. About ten years ago, I bought an old white country church where I put on studio sales and craft shows. About Ayumi Horie Pottery: Besides my main focus of making good pots, I’m interested how I can advance Craft and handmade pots in particular to a wider non-craft audience by using smart marketing and popular culture. I have several ongoing projects that include funny postcards that place pots in the real world and off a gradated background, Pots in Action where users send in pictures of my pots being used all over the world, and videos that are more about entertainment than how to throw the perfect bowl. Most recently, my friends Ai Kanazawa Cheung and Kathryn Pombriant Manzella, have collaborated on a fundraiser for relief efforts in Japan, giving 100% of the proceeds to GlobalGiving’s Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Inspiration: The most inspirational thing is watching the Japanese people bear the multiple disasters with dignity, strength, and cooperation. Aesthetically, the Reaktion series of animal books, old Indian match box labels, and the deep pink skies of old Japanese woodcuts. Can't life without: A good animal induced laugh, a sharp pin tool for drawing, and a nice scoop of strong green tea ice cream on occasion. I Love Etsy! I love the political implications of what Etsy has done to make it easier for a younger generation to have support making things and for an older generation of craftsmen to utilize new technology and find a new audience. I hope these two groups can mix and learn from each other because both have great things going for them. Goals: I’m more interested than ever in the intersection of art and social activism.

Tell me about Handmade For Japan: Two friends and I started a group called Handmade For Japan on the day after the initial earthquake in Japan. Were currently in the process of holding an eBay auction that ends tomorrow night at 8pm EST. Here are a few links and a story that the NYTimes did.

Handmade For Japan

Facebook

eBay Auction - Ends soon!

New York Times Article

Global Giving Article

Thanks Ayumi! I love your pottery and what you're doing to help out those in need. Thank you for letting me share!

Mimi

Spring Break!

I love spring break! A random weeks vacation is a perfect way to relax and re charge for the remaining weeks of the semester.

This spring break I'm heading to St. Paul Minnesota to see my cute Grandparents and my Mom who is up there from Arkansas visiting them. I'll spend a few days with them and then on Monday I'll fly to Birmingham to see my Sister, Naomi, her husband Joel and their precious baby Magnolia.

Hope you guys enjoy your off days if you have them, if not enjoy the fact that spring will be here before we know it.

Friday Favorites!!! Yummy Treats!

Friday Favorites!!

During the week when I am shopping etsy, I come across so many amazing items! I want to share a few of my favorites with you on my favorite day of the week!

ITS FRIDAY FAVORITE TIME!

Blame the diet I'm on but lately I'm very intrigued by the "edibles" section of etsy! Who knew all these amazing treat makers were out there with a darling display and I can only imagine a great tasting snack.

Among these snacks there is an amazing variety of vegan treats too!

Jar Cake

Tookies

Cake Pops

sweets on a stick

Pumpkin Apple Butter

Rosa Marias Kitchen

Caramel and Belgian Chocolate Covered Apple

Nikid

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Mega Tom

Chocolate Mint Cake Truffles

Lolli Dreams

Banana Bread

Kelly Farms

Irish Cream Truffles

Kays Simply Homemade

French Sea Salt Butter Caramels

Fusion Sweets

Apple Cider Doughbabies

Dough A Deer

Vegan Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Bake Salery

This week is week 9 of 16 for the semester and next week is spring break!!

Spring semester always flies by!

I'm heading down to Birmingham to see my sister, her hubby and BABY MAGNOLIA!

Can't wait. xoxo

Tempting

I ALWAYS get advertisements on my facebook for Mod Cloth and their dresses are so cute that I find myself clicking quite often. I wish I had a few hundred dollars burning a hole in my pocket, I would so buy a handful of these.

Check it out... you'll get lost for a while.

xoxo, Mimi

End of the week HEALTH update!

So... as you know... I started kicking butt at the gym and its working! As of tomorrow it will be two weeks that I've started working out and I've lost 8 of my 20 lbs.

How? No diets... a lifestyle change.

Run - 3-4 times a week

I'll stretch and walk a quarter mile and then run... my goal is always to run a whole mile without stopping. Sometimes I can't but most of the time I CAN! Eventually I hope to be at 3 miles without stopping. Big goal for someone who is NOT a runner.

There were a couple days this week that I was able to run outside too, nice change of pace but I think its actually harder. Different ground, different air.... It is refreshing so I hope to learn to love it.

*A day or two a week I switch it up and do the elliptical and sprints, just so my body and muscles don't get comfortable.

Walk - 3-4 times a week

I like to walk around the neighborhood. I know Olive loves walks so I can blame her for my desire to get out and move. This is also a great excuse for my friend Renee who is 7 months pregnant to join us.

Video- 5-6 times a week

I told you about Jillian's 30 day shred.... I love it! Its only 20 minutes and it works. There are three levels and I'm happy to say, I dominated level 1 and as of tomorrow I'm moving on to level 2.

Another video (or should I say dvd) that I recommend is Denise Austin's, Pilates for Every Body. I love this video... currently can't find it but if I don't come across it soon I will buy it again. You will see results if you do this one regularly. Its 45 minutes but its peaceful as well as hard.

Yes, Jillian is scary and Denise is a little creepy but they can make you love yourself more :)

Random Reps - Daily

I also will get on the floor during commercials and do ab work, leg lifts, push ups, etc. Anything that I can feel a little burn from and then return to my lame television program. I say every little bit counts.

What am I eating?

Breakfast:

Light and Fit Yogurt - Plain or with Granola and Fruit (Depends what's in the fridge)

OR

A Kashi cereal bar with some grapes

OR

Toast with PB and a banana

Lunch:

Tuna fish with pickle chunks and crackers

OR

A PB&J on wheat with fruit

OR

A salad full of veggies!

Afternoon Snack:

A smoothie!!! Made with OJ, yogurt, protein powder and any fruit you want! I usually go for strawberries and bananas. We did buy a frozen bag of mangos, pineapples, apples, strawberries and more which makes it easier.

Dinner:

A lean cuisine - My favorite is the Santa Fe Style Bean and Rice. Its so flavorful and only 290 calories and honestly sometimes I don't finish it off because there is a lot of food in that little box.

OR

Whatever my roommates make. (minus the extra naughty stuff - example: tacos, I leave off the sour cream and cheese) Or, if I cook for them; pasta, chicken and veggies, etc, I can always offer the extra naughty stuff to them but not consume it myself.

Probably not a perfect diet but its a big change from the one I was doing... and for now, its working!

And... I do have the weekly mexican meal which includes a margarita and I can blame my friends who join me for these treats!

Be good to yourself ~ Mimi

Making Books!!!

I am currently taking a Book Binding class and I LOVE IT! Here are a few of the books I have made so far...

An accordion book which contents tell facts about a Magnolia Tree.

Perfect Bind. Made from old print and drawing scraps I had in my stash.

A flag book made from vintage papers and photos - Content depicts the difference in the details we know about these peoples lives from the lives of people now. With facebook and other site we know a little too much about everyone :)

This is a stab binding stitch created for my very dear mother :)

And last but not least, a codex book for my sister.

Why am I making things for people vs just making art for myself or for the purpose of selling. We'll get there, but as I'm learning these techniques it helps me to have someone in mind to give it to. I'll make more and sell those.