Changes

Wow, has it been a couple of weeks? It feels like YEARS!

I am at the precipice of some big changes, and I’ve just got my fingers crossed and I’m going for it. This Monday I gave two-week’s notice at my newspaper job. I finally decided that I had had enough. I won’t go into all the reasons why I’m leaving, but suffice to say that it is a very emotionally draining job.

I picked up part-time work in a little gourmet cheese shop and cafe, walking distance from my apartment and nearly across the street from my studio. My goal is to spend this spring and summer walking outside, rejuvenating and making enough pottery to participate in some of the local art fairs. All my applications for grad school are finished, so hopefully I will be accepted somewhere and can start school in September with new energy and a fresh attitude.

Of course, we’ll be poor – poorer than we are even are now – but I know that D. cooks up some mean rice and bean burritos. We’re not going to starve.

The gorgeous little dandelion pendants above are by Beth Cyr, a wonderful Etsy artist who made the silver dandelion ring I wear every day. I bought the ring a couple years ago, to remind me why I was making some difficult choices at the time. Now I’m thinking about that again, looking at her work and realizing that every one of those decisions were good ones. Hopefully this will turn out just as well!

All the cheese I can eat

There’s profit, and then there’s profit.

For example, I have my work on display at a local cheese shop in Philadelphia. The owner uses one of my cups as a little tip jar, uses vases and other pieces in his front window display and includes mugs in his holiday gift baskets.

He doesn’t sell many, but they make the shop a little nicer. And when he does sell a piece, I don’t get cash.

I get cheese.

He recently sold a vase for around $40, and now I am up to my elbows in delicious brie, creamy goat cheese and savory cheddar. His shop is around the corner from the studio, so whenever I get hungry I can go over and he cuts me a hunk of whatever is freshest and fills up a bag with baguette slices. I couldn’t ask for better!

Cheesy Biscuits with Bacon – A Brief Photo Essay

“A fool and her sleep are soon parted…”

I don't call it the midnight kitchen for nothing!!

Measuring out flour and baking powder

Adding cheese and bacon!

Spooning it out onto the baking sheet

A flaky and delicious breakfast tomorrow awaits!

Hot Tuna

Coming home late is no excuse not to bake, right? It isn’t in my book. I arrived home after a long, busy day, in need of a little nourishment. So I whipped together a little tuna noodle casserole, and tossed it in one of my porcelain serving dishes to bake (I’m happy to have found one with a chipped handle, so it has settled down to live with me). After it got hot and bubbly, I served it up in a handmade bowl with a generous dash of hot sauce. Yum, yum.

In other satisfying news, I was stoked this evening to see one of my cups featured on the official Etsy “blog”: The Storque. Although I’m a little dismayed to see it accompanying a video on drilling holes in teacups. Just what are they saying here, huh?

Still, it’s an honor, and I’m delighted.

And a cuppa Joe

Well, as a follow-up to my last post, there’s some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that we arrived at the Salvation Army exactly five minutes before closing. Who knew they closed early on Saturdays?

The good news is we had an awesome dinner. Both of us were short on money, with mostly empty fridges, and so we decided to pool our resources. He had eggs, cheese and bread at his apartment, and I had potatoes, onion and bacon at mine.

Coincidence? I don’t think so.

He fried up the potatoes, then layered them with cheese into a bacon/fried onion omelette. Yuuuummmmm.

Now, if you have a dinner like this, I think there’s some obvious questions you are going to be asking yourself. What do I do if I have to send someone a thank you card for a perfect scramble? How do I invite someone to a frittata brunch? What’s the proper way to say ‘get well soon’ when someone is injured in a freak bacon frying incident?

I’m so glad PolkaDot Shop has got answers to all of these vital social etiquette dilemmas. Who could go wrong with handmade breakfast greeting cards?

And what better way to bring a little sunnyside up into someone’s day?

Totally Baked

So, some of you sharp-eyed people out there may have noticed that there were lots of serving and casserole dishes in my last kiln firing, but they have yet to appear in my Etsy shop.

Well, there’s a reason.

I know you’re probably thinking “Why, Amy, how could you have had time to post them, with all the other crazy things in you daily schedule?” Well, that’s true. But there’s also a little more to it than that.

I was actually waiting for a chance to test-bake with one of them, because I’ve never used this porcelain in a conventional oven before. And while this clay can withstand temperatures of 2400 degrees plus, the oven is a little different. Cooking requires the clay to gain and lose degrees at high rates of speed – even a 400 degree oven can shatter a cold ceramic dish simply by the sudden heat expansion.

But I’m very happy to say that my clay survived the test (and produced a scrumptious cheesy tex-mex cassarole) and so they are ready to go on sale! I still would caution buyers not to preheat the oven – start the dish in there when the oven is cold, and let them warm together, gradually.

And let me just say, I have discovered that there’s nothing I find so satisfying as cooking up a meal in one of my homemade dishes and serving it out in a wheel-thown bowl. And, of course, who could resist a little guacamole on the side?

Let the drooling begin!

I’m in love.

Sauteed  portabello  mushroom, tomatoes, fresh greens, sprouts and French triple-cream brie packed into a warm, crusty baguette.

All the other sandwiches in the world mean nothing to me now.

Best food on earth

If you like macaroni and cheese (and who doesn’t?), then I’ve got a special treat for you! I was bored the other night and made a homage to my favorite comfort food. Except, I’m a little picky about my mac and cheese. Well, okay, I’m actually a downright snob. I make my mac from scratch, with a spicy cream sauce and a combination of quality cheeses. See my recipe (and read my elitist ramblings) here.  You get extra hugs and kisses from me if you rate the page!

Also, my Snowy Night Cups were featured over at Gwynn’s Gifts’ blog this Saturday! Check it out and leave her some comment-love!