All Fired Up!

Mirror, MIrror, On the Wall...

2012-02-29T18:42:00.000-05:00

Who was the fairest of them all?
So far it's a dead heat between these two new mirror designs:

I'm still a little undecided about which of the two is my favourite.

The Glass Flowers (top) has the look of Spring, all pastels and color and cheerfulness.

But I might be leaning towards the Mosaic/Sunflower (bottom). With a little more muted palette, it might suit more people's decor. It was inspired by a mirror I made a number of years ago for our own home, one that has a prominent place in our living room. I think I'll predict that this will be the top seller.

Keep on Clocking in the Free World

2012-02-21T19:11:00.000-05:00

I know.
A horrible pun, but I couldn't help myself (with sincere apologies to a fellow Canadian, Neil Young).

Two trade shows down, and one more that's almost done...and it looks like those new clocks are a smash hit. Over 700 assorted clocks sold in Philadelphia alone. Look for them soon in your local retailer. If you don't see them, ask them if they know what they're missing!

Of course, it wasn't all clocks - our bread-and-butter switchplates continue to be the bulk of our line. It's early yet, but it looks like the Art Nouveau Flower design will be the prime candidate to crack the top ten.

It's available in five sizes (and a Tall Cloquette, too). Very classy, very Art nouveau-ish. Why, even my friend, neighbouring exhibitor, and roommate at the Philadelphia show wants this one for his guest bedroom. Although...we can't vouch for his taste given his choice of roommates!

First Showing

2012-01-29T19:24:00.000-05:00

I've just finished the first day of the first trade show of the year (CGTA Gift Show in Toronto).
It seems that our retailers are liking these new clock sizes! Literally every order that I took included them.
Wow!
Now, of course, we have to make them!

Here are some photos of the new Cloques-Rondelle (seven-inch diameter):

Next post I'll add images of the new switch and mirror designs.

I've got the pre-tradeshow blues.

2012-01-22T15:09:00.000-05:00

Only one week left before the back-to-back-to-back sequence of trade shows. Good news is that the samples are almost done. Bad news is that it might be spring before my next day off.
I've updated the website to show all of the new items. Here are the Tall Cloquettes:

More items to come soon!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-05T17:23:00.000-05:00

Traditionally this is the slowest time of the year for us. Christmas is over, the trade shows have yet to begin, and we give the staff two weeks off to recuperate. Well, this year it looks like that recuperation period was needed - we're going to be swamped when everyone returns on Monday (I know - I've been in to check orders).

On top of that, we'll have a brand new catalogue next week, and then a series of trade shows. I expect to come up for air sometime around Easter.

No time, as of yet, to update the website, but the new items will be added soon. I'd post pictures of all the new things...but it seems Blogger is refusing to accept image files as image files. Weird that.

Happy new year.
AFU

The Final Crunch

2011-12-08T21:25:00.000-05:00

Finished our one and only craft show the other day. Long show. Long hours...
But, a pretty good response to the new Tall Cloquettes and Cloques-Rondelle. I'm excited about showing them to our retailers - they're going to create quite a buzz.

Right now we are scrambling to get samples made...so that I can take photos...so that we can get a catalog printed...so that we can get it mailed very early in the new year...so that we can can get orders on these new items.

At the same time we are going through a major restructuring of our work space. In theory, when it's all done, we will be more efficient, more organized, and more, well, clean (there's 27 years worth of junk to throw out!).

I hope to have one more blog post with some new photos next week - some pretty awesome switch designs coming, too!

And perhaps....I might show a photo of my Movember/Decembeard before I shave it off (time for a new passport photo!)

Cloques-Rondelle

2011-11-25T23:42:00.000-05:00

There are still a few more to come (samples coming out of the kilns almost daily), but here's the first batches of the new Cloques-Rondelle. We are very excited about these - a new size, some very cool new techniques, and a nice option for someone that wants a clock that's a little bigger than our cloquettes, but not quite as big as our regular rectangle clocks. We should have all of the samples ready in the next 7-10 days, and then I can add them to our new catalog which will be published by the beginning of January.

So far, I think my favourite might be Faux-Ku.

What's yours?

Dragonfly-Bulrush

Floral Tapestry

Hummingbird

Faux-Ku

Glass Flowers-Black

Classical Music

Sunflower/Mosaic

Filigree

Loon

Cow Over Moon

Jacobean Flowers

A Belated Update....

2011-11-08T21:01:00.000-05:00

But, we've been busy!
In fact we are scrambling to get samples made for two new products. The first is the rectangle clocks that I previewed a while back. We're calling them Tall Cloquettes, since they are kind of like our regular cloquettes.....only taller. Here is an ad we are going to run in Niche Magazine's Winter issue, due out in late December:

There are even more designs coming! These look fabulous.

And then, a whole other size of clock - seven-inch diameter Cloques-Rondelle. Here's the first of them, but there will be many more to come. After all, we all need time to get a round...

I'll post more pictures as they become available. Look for these items in your local retailer starting in January.

First Glimpse...

2011-10-12T18:56:00.000-04:00

This is literally the first sample out of the kilns today of our newest product to be introduced in January - a collection of small (roughly 4"x8") rectangle clocks.
It actually turned out even better than I expected! This one would be perfect in our house on the wall right by the phone. Now, I say that without having seen the other 14-15 samples of the various designs that we'll be making, so I reserve the right to change my mind.

A few more other new products in the pipeline, too - I'll post some teaser photos of those as they become available.

We The People...

2011-10-05T21:40:00.000-04:00

You may recognize that title above as the first three words of the preamble to the United States Constitution. A fabulous document, I might add.

But those three words were co-opted tonight, by a man...a woman...a creature, as a pseudonym for his/her/its posting on the Globe & Mail website comments pages. They were co-opted in such a way that he/she/it should be thoroughly ashamed.

Steve Jobs passed away today, after a struggle with cancer. You may know of him, as the co-founder of Apple (disclaimer - I own many Apple products). He died way too young, and with much left to accomplish. He also died, I might add, as the Chairman of the most valuable company in the world. I'd like to think he had a bit to do with that.

But, "We The People" felt compelled to post this comment:

"One less commie pretending to be a capitalist.
Good riddance fucko."

Really? Good Riddance? And, Fucko?

Is "We The People" a total moron? Okay, I understand that that is a rhetorical question.

But, why does he (and, you just know it is a he), feel the need to use that pseudonym in order to post those comments? Is he pretending that he is a representative of the common everyday American? I assure you - I know an awful lot of Americans, and those comments are not representative.

We the people, in fact, denounce "We the People" - he can't speak for us. But I will: He is a total fucko.

I Will Follow Him...

2011-09-29T21:47:00.001-04:00

And the next part of that lyric is this:

Follow him wherever he may go,
There isn't an ocean too deep,
A mountain so high it can keep,
Keep me away, away from my love.

Apparently there are a few mountains to climb, and oceans to cross, in order for you to actually follow this blog. It seems that if you are a "Member" then you might get some kind of notification...if you have a blogspot account, or a blogreader app, or blah-blah-blah..

But, I've just activated a new feature that will enable you to subscribe and, in theory (since I haven't tested it yet), you will get an email when I have something new to say (enter your email address in the "Follow By Email" section on the right). I'm assuming there will also be a way to stop it if you get sick of me. Now, obviously, that would be unlikely, if we hold true to the next verse:

I love him, I love him, I love him,
And where he goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.
He'll always be my true love, my true love, my true love,
From now until forever, forever, forever.

Um...I guess I love you you back. Aw shucks.

A Blog about a Blog

2011-09-27T19:34:00.000-04:00

If you blog about a blog that's blogging about you, is that the ultimate in self-absorption?

I'll leave it to you to ponder that, but in the meantime one of our customers, Jan, from Carolina Creations in New Bern, NC, posted a pretty nice little write-up about us on her own blog today.

We've always wanted to be represented in her gallery, but only just recently were fortunate enough that one of our products (Cloquettes, in particular) caught her eye from the aisle at the trade show. I thought it was my natural charm that swayed her!

I'll tell you the backstory about the Frick and Frack badges: my friend, Clayton, and I, had been waffling about whether or not to sign up for a particular summer trade show. We'd done it for years but, with the downturn in the economy, it was going to be a tough decision, and a bit of a gamble, to re-sign. Given that we have shared the expense of a hotel room at that show, and others, it was unlikely that one of us would have done it without the other.
So then I get a call from the ceramics representative from the show, and she said that we had to exhibit since we were the "Frick and Frack" of the show. I don't know if it was that particular thing that swayed us, but when we did decide to do the show Clayton and I were presented with our own custom name tags. I can't remember for sure if I was Frick, or Frack, but then you know what the CRAFT in craftsperson stands for: "Can't Remember A Frackin' Thing."
Or Frickin'.

Whats the plural of falls?

2011-09-25T20:05:00.001-04:00

We went on a hike yesterday to Webster's Falls/Spencer's Gorge just outside of Hamilton. The first photo is of Webster's - this is a view from the top, but we did follow some precarious steps down to the bottom. Not so bad going down...a little harder going back up.
The stone bridge in the background is a recent addition - a reproduction of an older one that had deteriorated. Still, a nice job to make it fit in.

The next one is of Tew's Falls/Spencer Gorge, about 2 kms away. At one time this would have rivalled Niagara Falls in height and volume of water. I would imagine that both of these falls (again, what's the plural?) would be much more impressive during the spring run-off.

Much of the hike was right along the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. Literally. Some of the paths were only a few feet wide...and a few feet to the left or right was a sheer 150 foot drop. Even scarier was the odd path, totally unofficial, that veered off towards the cliff edge...I'm thinking that "Death By Misadventure" is a common conclusion at the local coroner's office.

Every time I saw a kid, or a dog, along the path, that wasn't on a leash (kids included), I'd get this queasy feeling in my stomach...one false step, or stumble....and....well, you know.

I guess this post has nothing to do with All Fired Up! But I did say that we might venture off into other areas of interest. If you're in the area, I'd recommend this hike. But don't go if it's wet or slippery (long fall down). And for God's sake - keep away from the edge!

Ardith One 40th Anniversary

2011-09-21T22:21:00.001-04:00

We went this past weekend to visit one of our customers, Ardith One, in Toronto, on the occasion of their 40th Anniversary.

That's me in the background nursing a coffee with Irish cream, trying to pick up the hot babe who's buying pottery. Oh wait...that's Lynne. Still a hot babe.

Off in the distance you can see one of our mirrors....if the camera panned 90 degrees to the right, you'd see dozens of clocks, switchplates, and even more mirrors.

Thanks Bev and Bill for 40 years of supporting Canadian pottery (and 25 years of supporting us!)

A cloquette, as seen in the wild

2011-09-20T17:23:00.001-04:00

Here's a little photo of one our cloquettes, as seen in our own home.
Note: we don't really live in a black & white world, but Lynne has some cool photo manipulation apps on her iPad!

Introduction

2011-09-16T12:27:00.001-04:00

Why blog?
Well...that’s a good question, and kudos go out to the one who asked it...which, I guess is me!
I think that we will be able to use this forum in a way that is different from our website, or Facebook page, in that it will be easier to interact with our customer, to introduce new products and ideas, and to, perhaps, reveal a little of ourselves. The website is fairly static, only being updated as new products are introduced; Facebook is too ephemeral, with your latest post falling back to the bottom of the feed within minutes. But a blog can show it all, without limits as to the number of characters one can use, without limits as to the number of photos, and without limits as to the number of subjects we can broach.

So...over the next few months, and years, we will use this forum to introduce you to who we are, to show you what we are working on, and the finished products, to discuss subjects that interest us (and you, perhaps), to offer a glimpse behind the scenes of our creative processes, and even to brag about our kids and grandkids. If you like what you see, feel free to spread the word, re-post, forward, share, tweet, “+1” or leave a comment. Or follow us!

New Cloquette: Glass Flowers Black

2011-09-13T20:08:00.000-04:00

First Post

2011-09-13T19:09:00.000-04:00

Testing to see if the blog works!