Share The Chairs // Potters on the trails!⛰We ran away from home: hooked up the trailer, packed the fridge, and hit the trails. It turns out that it takes hiking daily in fresh mountain air to tire out the tireless ten year old. We feel accomplished! I'm also pretty sure that I have encouraged calf muscles to grow again after months of missed spin classes. #JasperNP #OldFortPoint #HikeAlberta #rockymountains #CovidSilverLinings Posted by Intagrate Lite

Bright // Today was peaceful and full of laughter.️These toes really are this bright. Two at a a time socks in "Another Freaking Rainbow" by @seaturtlefiberarts are keeping my hands busy as these sweet summer days pass me by. ️ Happiness is knitting on the patio as we watch the sun set after a game of extreme bocce. I didn't catch any fish today but maybe I'll get luckier tomorrow. I'd like walleye for lunch. ️#knittersofinstagram #rainbowsocks #selfstripingyarn Posted by Intagrate Lite

Bees on igTV // I made a couple of bee mugs on the Sunday Live this morning if you want to pop over to our igTV and take a peek. Maybe I should be finishing painting the inside AND outside of our house but also, these bee mugs need to become a reality. 🖤🖤Our Sunday lives are not as regular during the summer because we'd rather be out camping WITH the bees but we are still on when we get the chance. What are you doing on your Sunday?#handbuilding #ceramics #beemug #plainsmanclay #potteryvideos #handbuildingvideos #clay #handbuiltpottery Posted by Intagrate Lite

Slow Down // I am part of a bulk buy food co-op that involves my pulling into an alley, popping my trunk, and having a nice lady load me up with whatever random food I have bulk purchased during the round. Today: my blueberries are here!I will be eating blueberries until I am blue. I am Very Pleased. Oh, some will be placed on cookie sheets and frozen, then placed in bags for future munching but a good portion will not survive to that step. I love Friday food pickups. They allow me to take some time to slowly savour these bursts of flavour, close my eyes, and be grateful.What is making your grateful list?#blueberries #foodcoop #slowfood #alberta Posted by Intagrate Lite

It's That Time Of Year / It's the time of year when I show you my roses. I know, I know, every damn year I ram these babies into your feed. Their blossoms are so heavy right now that the stems are bowing, the red so vibrant and vivacious that my little phone camera struggles to capture their luscious beauty. I want to devour them. They are velvety soft as I push them into my face but the thorns draw blood, which is fitting because they demand a blood sacrifice in blood meal at their feet to look this good. They remind me, as they bloom twice every year, that the world is a good place. With the injustice we see, the assholes on the news, the angry feelings that visit us as we to witness fear and evil, that there IS good. We can do good. Others are doing good. We just need to look closer. Listen. Watch. Their bloom is my favourite time of year. I need this reminder more now than ever as the struggle is harder, as emotions seem to be always overflowing, as working from love rather than anger and frustration is a bit tougher.The roses are "Hope For Humanity", created to honour the Red Cross. That the Red Cross was core to their creation, and that these roses do better with blood meal on their roots will never stop thrilling me (thank you Denise @poppyyarnandfibre for connecting those dots for me!)They bloom twice every year and don't mind neglect. I had to ignore them last year yet this year, they came back gangbusters. Their leaves gave me a gentle reminder that they could use some greater attention, but they are perfect fancy roses for our chilly fickle climate. And they never cease to inspire.What's meaningful in your garden, friends?#yycroses #roses #hopeforhumanity #yycgardening Posted by Intagrate Lite

Happy to be part of your break. Jason will have these ready for the fall because right now he is busy fighting wasps (the attack bug kind) rather than creating. Defending (and fixing wasp damage!) the bomestead is Important Work.Reposted from @almosthippiemum My 5 minutes of peace today while I finished up my newest blog post. This is the best thing I've ever found on Pinterest: Earl Grey Tea Hot Chocolate. Made with creamy earl grey and dark chocolate SO good. And my @chasingfirestudio mug is a pretty accurate representation my mood, even if I wasn't crocheting (I need one that says writing!)Chocolate Hobnob because everyone knows chocolate Hobnobs are the best kind. 🤷‍♀️#cuppateaandabiscuit #teaearlgreyhot #chocolate #calgaryblogger #yycblogger #localpottery #swearymug #almosthippie #lessthan5minutes #mumbreak #gardenwriting #chocolatehobnobs Posted by Intagrate Lite

Anniversary Present For You // We were married 21 years ago this month. I find this jarring and surreal since we're only emotionally 21 years old (which is a stretch). We're having a 15% off sale to "celebrate" July 1-24, hurry while supplies last. Link to shop in profile. #yychandmade #yycartists #handmadebuttons #pottery #canadianceramics #anniversary #slippersoles #slippers #sweatermugs Posted by Intagrate Lite

Exploring // the strange biome that is southern Alberta is full of surprises. Mountains met by sprawling plains, so cold at night in the summer from those mountain breezes and then winter is warmed from Chinook winds. As soon as I'm familiar with her foliage, she reveals new surprises. Yesterday, the haunted (maybe Bebb's?) willows along pathways as far as the eye can see near camp and today, this little dart-like flower in a magenta so vibrant that it feels like a special gift. This is what keeps us coming back out in the rain, the cold, out far into the Foothills to explore, these little rewards. #Alberta #ABCamping #Albertawildflowers Posted by Intagrate Lite

Alberta // devoting the day to enjoying Alberta as one of her biggest fans leaves us. I'll miss your stories, Uncle Pat, and your eagerness to connect with everyone in community around you. #RIP #FuckCancer #gonefishing Posted by Intagrate Lite

Dad // These two have been holding onto each other since this child's first entry into the chilly Alberta air. I find them nestled together, making plans, conferring, discussing insects and Minecraft and the beauty of their longhair boy identities, with a side of butt jokes. Jason is an amazing coach, guide, playmate, and snuggle partner for his son and I'm grateful for the love that flows freely..The father-son bond in this house is strong, and today, there will be fishing instead of livestreaming. When the weather is beautiful, and with fatherhood to celebrate, we must go. .#gonefishing #happyfathersday Posted by Intagrate Lite

Trim // taking the wobble off. If only I could do this for my and everyone around's feelings, trim off the wobbly parts for a finished solid and steady piece…..#wheelthrown #wheelthrowing #trimming #creativeprocess #creativelife #handmademovement #artisanmade #buyhandmade #makersmovement #makersgonnamake #etsyartist #ceramics #pottery #AlbertaMade #yycarts #canadianceramics #kiln #kilnfired #potteryvideo Posted by Intagrate Lite

PPE // Reclaim continues, and I am wearing my N95 respirator to protect my lungs from the air-borne dust particles as I smash more clay. Clay is made of silica, and silica is deadly to inhale long-term. Safety is important for pottery..Unfortunately for the next door neighbours that are selling their house, prospective buyers came by as I was out in my yard in this outfit, covered in white dust. I'm not sure my hastily hollered "don't worry, I'm not cooking meth!" consoled them much. .I hope that whoever buys that house is an understanding sort..#artistneighbours #ceramics #PPE #pottery #reclaim #clayreclaim #makersmovement #AlbertaMade #yycarts #canadianceramics #creativelife #creativeprocess Posted by Intagrate Lite

Hi friends! I’ve been struggling in this world that has revealed itself to be so unsafe for so many. I’m up for air and making changes where I can. My own backyard is my first stop. .I started a petition to have our local high school renamed. It is currently named after a champion of Residential Schools, a dark and nasty part of Canada’s not so far history that attempted to destroy our Indigenous, Inuk, and Metis peoples. Let us work towards true Reconciliation and change this school’s name. Bishop Grandin should not be honoured on a school. He should only appear in history books as an example of what NOT to do. .We know better, we have to do better.. https://www.change.org/BishopGrandin If you could please sign, I’d appreciate it. Our kids should not be schooled within any buildings named for our villains. #reconciliation #petition #yyc Posted by Intagrate Lite

Smashy smashy // reclaim day one. I'm smashing dried clay into smaller bits, then they'll go for a soak in a bath of water. The bits will soften, and become a slurry. I have a drill attachment to mix it all up until it is silky smooth. At that point, I'll run the slurry through a screen to remove naughty bits of sticks, bugs, hair, and whatever else has managed to work its way into our reclaim buckets. It then gets set aside to thicken. Once thick enough to hold together, I lay it out on a plaster slab. The plaster absorbs the excess water from the reclaim clay, and eventually, after flipping it enough times on the plaster, I'll have thicker and dense clay that I can wedge (fancy potter term for knead) into "new" usable clay. .Though shalt not waste..I've got two buckets soaking to start with about eight more to go… This is going to be a cathartic smashy summer. It couldn't come at a better time. . #reclaim #IHateThisPart #pottery #ceramics #recycle #clayrecycle #clayreclaim Posted by Intagrate Lite

Trimmed // Posting my bottoms on the internet, for all to see. // These will be wine cups once I figure out what to put on them. Florals, likely, as I'm soothed this morning by the simple things in my garden as I wait for a live-stream funeral to begin shortly. The world has lost another fine soul, this time from within our family. She sought to help people find support and peace through her personal and professional work, which is just what we all need to do for each other and for the people in our communities that are most at risk. She loved hard, worked hard, and I hope I can do the same. #grief #artpractice #trimming Posted by Intagrate Lite