October is Joyful Clay Gives Back month! 

Every day, Joyful Clay is dedicated to the preservation of the beauty that is our natural world.  While Joyful Clay has organized give-back campaigns in the last couple of years, I'd like to make the commitment that every October, Joyful Clay will contribute toward an environmental cause. Thank you so much for taking the time to join me.

From the changing climate to commercial fishing,  poaching to the never-ending onslaught of trash in our waters, sea turtles face an uphill battle for their survival as a species. Through research and rescue (knowledge and power!) we can help these important and beautiful animals survive. Please join me in a commitment to save the sea turtles!  

For the month of October, 50% of the sale price of a Joyful Clay Sea Turtle Mug or Sea Turtle Wine Cup will be donated to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), an organization dedicated to the research and rescue of sea turtles and other marine wildlife. 

If you don't already, please follow Joyful Clay on Instagram (@thejoyfulclay) for fun facts on sea turtles and ways we can help them! 

Information about the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society:

'The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society is an organization of biologists and volunteers with decades of experience in marine mammal and sea turtle research and response. Our mission to promote marine conservation through action.' --AMCS

Please visit www.amseas.org for more information on this wonderful organization. 

Other ways to help sea turtles:
-Pick up trash on the beach
-If you see a nesting site, do not disturb it
-Don't shine bright lights on the beach
-Be aware when boating
-Limit your use of chemicals
-Volunteer your time
-Donate directly to a sea turtle conservation group like the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society 


'You must do something to make the world more beautiful'--Ms. Rumphius. --Barbara Cooney

Spring! It's finally Spring!  Joyful Clay is in full production mode, preparing for a new season of farmers markets, continuing to sell in various stores across the country (world, actually, now with the addition of New Zealand!) as well as online, and introducing some really exciting new ventures that I'll discuss below. And speaking of new ventures, check out my new WHOLESALE page. Happy spring, everyone!  

As the handmade movement becomes more and more coveted by our society, retail establishments are responding by offering one-of-a-kind and handmade pieces created by artists and craftsmen(women) all over the country. Naturally, Etsy, a site designated for the sale and promotion of hand-crafted items, is the perfect place for buyers to look to stock up the shelves of their shops. The local movement then meets the handmade movement as customers flock to their local retail store to buy that perfect handmade gift! 

It is with great excitement that I announce that Joyful Clay has joined on with Etsy Wholesale to provide wholesale items to retail buyers and small business owners everywhere! 

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I've decided to start with what is easily my biggest seller on both Etsy and Amazon: my fun and functional spoon rests. I'll be offering my most popular four styles.

​In addition, I'll be offering my beautiful ikebana flower arrangers, which are by far my hottest selling item at my farmers markets.

More items are in the works as I continue to focus on my Joyful Clay line, but let me ask you-- what is your favorite Joyful Clay piece that you'd like to see in a local gift shop?

​If you represent a retail business and are interested in becoming a buyer on Etsy Wholesale, follow the link here.

These few quiet months, when the markets are at rest and the weather is cold (supposed to be, anyway), I'm slowing down a bit on production and looking inward; planning for the season ahead. Each year it is my goal to bring some freshness to my 'line'-- continuing favorites, of course, but also adding new colors and looks to keep you all interested, and to keep the artist alive within me.

I'm particularly drawn to bringing a bit of earthiness to ​my table-- olive green, burnt sienna, and plum. Also, wooden, hand-carved stamps from India!  There's a plethora of shops on etsy that sell these beautiful, intricate stamps, and I'm having difficulty narrowing my selection down to a few. My mugs are calling for them, though! 

Some new items are in order, to welcome in the new year. Demitasse cups, for one, to further promote habitual coffee drinking. Essential oil diffusers are another new addition, which have become rather popular to my online customers (and in my own home!).

It's important to me, for this year, to get organized. I like having many offerings on my table, but I want consistency. One style vase in 5 different colors, for example, as opposed to several one of a kind pieces that can never be replicated. Because I've found that offering one of a kind pieces can be rather frustrating for customers.  A customer might like the vase, to continue the example, but maybe not in white. If I stop with the one of a kind, and start the line of product, I think we'll find more satisfaction all around.  While it may be fun to not know what you're ever going to find on my market table, it's even more fun to know that if you like a particular piece, you can get it in the color of your choosing, don't you think? So I've created a brainstorm (above), highlighting the pieces I will create and the colors I will offer, and I'm sticking with it. 

​Happy New year, everyone. May 2016 bring you joy and inspiration. May you live deliberately and adventurously, and may you follow your heart on this life's journey.

I'm overjoyed to announce that Joyful Clay is now a seller on Amazon Handmade, the new and exciting platform for selling handmade online. Please check out my offerings at:

www.amazon.com/handmade/joyfulclay

As I get more familiar with the site, I'll be adding more products, so be sure to check back frequently. And yes, I'll still continue to sell on etsy.com so please stop by my etsy shop to see my work.

It's so refreshing to have more and more nights stay above freezing temperatures, and thankfully soon we will be past the point of frost.  Warmer weather means my studio can stay in my studio. For the past several bitterly cold months I've been storing clay and glaze in our dining room, and schlepping in all of my creations nightly to sit on a folding table in the middle of the living room to keep it all from freezing. Clay doesn't like the cold. It's rather intrusive on our home life having pottery take over. It's dusty, and big, and bulky. 

I have to admit, though, having my wares around me in various stages of completeness keeps my head actively working all the time; thinking pottery all the time. And this is really exactly what I need as I gear up for the next market season and begin to think of new items to design, create, and sell!  I think I'm most excited about finding silicone lids so I can create travel mugs--something I've wanted to make forever, and now I can!  I'm stocking up on my vegetable steamers, too, and some fun berry bowls, pitchers, and vessels for all those bunches and bunches of gorgeous flowers you'll find at the market.

And because I love them so very much, Joyful Clay will be in two farmers markets this summer:  Every Saturday morning at the Severna Park Farmers Market in Severna Park, Maryland, and every other Sunday at the Frederick City Farmers Market in Frederick, Maryland.

So come on, warm weather. I'm ready to exchange my little space heater for a fan in my studio, clear out my house and start packing up my creations for the markets!