Jealousy // you should have envy because lookit my new @gmitchellceramics cup. It arrived last night and this is a quick pic before it goes into use. #localartists #LocalLove #handmade #yyc #yycpottery #yycceramics #HappyNovemberToMe Posted by Intagrate Lite

I had a wonderful time! Great company, fabulous host, and smart artists. What's not to love? Reposted from @coffeeandceramics Great little meet up this month! We talked pots, cookies and future plans! Hopefully you can join us next month for Coffee and Ceramics! Posted by Intagrate Lite

I got to be a shopper at the @creekside_yarnfestival and the ever inspiring Angela @hedgepig_pottery had this little guy to remind me what is important in life: MAKE. CREATE. Be happy! I loved to get in longer visits with all my fibre friends and my potter friends with leisure rather than quick "hi!" at shows since I'm usually a vendor and tied up. It was a treat. I am in love with our communities, and I enjoyed milling among the crowd today rather than my norm, hanging in one spot in a booth! Keep being awesome, people. I adore you. #airdrie #yarn #pottery #AlbertaMade #fibre #ceramics #handbuiltpottery Posted by Intagrate Lite

Free pattern from the talented Fran InkyKnitter! I was ever so happy to see the elderly karaoke singer wandering The Press Club again this year after Knit City setup (phew!). These socks are now solidly in my queue. ? ?Reposted from @theinkyknitter – I have a FREE pattern for you all today! This was kind of an improvised, sorta vanilla sock project that was meant to be my easy travel knitting for Knit City this year. But since I am completely incapable of knitting a truly vanilla sock, I added a few small details that turned out rather cute. I introduce Night at the Press Box which is now available on Ravelry as a forever free pattern. The Press Box is the little bar just beside where Knit City takes place, so it's always full of knitters that whole weekend. And it's become kind of a tradition to sit in there on the Friday night after setting up all day to listen to our favorite Karaoke singers that come back year after year. Now allow me to rant about this yarn for a little while. I have been somewhat obsessed with this colorway by @thewoolbaron since I first saw it, and was hoarding it as though it was my precious ever since I managed to snag one at a local show. Now that I've used it I'm quite sure I will buy at least one more when I get the chance haha! …#inkyknitterdesigns #inkyknitter #freesockpattern #knitsock #knit #knitdesigner #knitdesign #knitallthesocks #knitallday #knitstagram #knitter #knitlove #knittersgonnaknit #knittersofinstagram #igknitter #instaknitter – #regrann Posted by Intagrate Lite

Making a octopod-lover's dream come true down at @ninthandbrick #buylocal #BuyHandmade #crochet Posted by Intagrate Lite

One thing that has always intrigued me is my son’s taste in art, and want to use his money to buy art. He has always spent his money on art more than I believe most children do, possibly because he is brought to more art and craft shows and market than his friends, so he simply may have more opportunities. Nevertheless, he knows what he likes. This beauty of a mug from @the_pott_lady caught his eye today at the APA Sale, and he eagerly spent his pennies on the golden tree. It currently sits on his desk, in use, next to a small turtle print that he fell in love with while on vacation. His collection of handmade items grows as he does, and I love that he knows their true worth. (I got a mug from Rylee too. My kid has good taste!) #buylocal #buyhandmade #art #canadianceramics #AlbertaPotters #AlbertaMade #makerlife Posted by Intagrate Lite

The Loop in Kensington is carrying goodies from our studio! Mugs and yarn bowls are there for you. #Repost @theloopkensington・・・New! Mugs and yarn bowls from @chasingfirestudio including the iconic “I am knitting and desire to remain undisturbed” mug! #chasingfirestudio #yarnbowl #giftforyourknitter #whatwegotwednesday #theloopkensington

Thank you for coming out to visit at #CFAF this past weekend. My pedometer displayed 4672 yesterday, and 37 today, so I am obviously all partied out! (and maybe I danced in our booth more than I thought yesterday) Thank you for hosting, Calgary Fibre Arts Festival! #yycyarn #knittersofinstagram #hookersgonnahook #YarnBowlsAllGone #LoveMyFibreCommunity #BuyHandmade

Thank you to everyone that came for a visit at the Fall Fibre Shindig yesterday! Shindig is always so fun, and the customers that come down are central to that magic. Thank you for hosting another great day, Clair – and thank you to Myrna and her volunteer team for ensuring our post-surgery Jay wasn’t lifting. It takes a village and we’re so happy to be Shindiggers.   Vending at Shindig comes with great risk because I want to spend all of our earnings at the other vendor booths! Here’s some of the things that I couldn’t quite resist: Yarn! I have a weaving project in mind that marries Fibre Goddess “All Cheap and Debonair” with Sea Turtle Fibre Arts’ “Blue”. Flock’s “You Cant Take The Sky From Me” will be weft against a second skein warp of the same that I picked up at Prairie Fibre Fest! Prairie Dye Studio BFL “Siren” will be paired with (not seen) luscious teal of Poppy Yarn and Fibre’s “Forty-Two”. I also picked up a sweet little owl place marker from Prairie because oh so sweet. I also scored big with a custom mug from Jacquie of The Wicked Potter with the heart placed on my hometown. I ordered the mug before the show because I’m sneaky like that and then I snagged some of her lovely soaps. Kathy Lycka supplied her art on earrings and my absolute fave are the red Warrior Woman set. Not seen are the Princess Leia set because they are in my ears! EllSpins “Yer Mom” button cracked me up when I chose it as random from their bin. It hits my super immature sense of humour! Tamara is so fun. I would have shopped so much more if I wasn’t vending – I missed many booths! (Probably a good thing for my wallet). I don’t just make things by hand, I buy things that are made by hand. If you are going to have things surround us in our life, make them beautiful, worthwhile, and grounded in artisty. There’s something special knowing that my tableware, yarn, jewelry, clothing are made by people I’ve met and supported. #BuyHandmade #Community

Bright candy colours from this kiln unload for our spot at Stampede Makers’ Market. The kiln is running every other day with some new glaze colours, like that brilliant teal on the top right. Come on down to the Calgary Stampede grounds from July 13-16 to say hi. We’ll be hanging among the brilliantly coloured yarns from Sea Turtle Fibre Arts for a colour extravaganza!

I try not to have favourites. I don’t want the other mugs or bowls or buttons to be envious or feel unloved. Everything has a function, even if that function is to be put in the “Bad Day Box” for a future aggression-relieving smashing session. Some pots may be more attractive to look at and definitely feel nicer to hold but I can’t openly declare one better than another in front of the others. Maybe a button is a little off but that’s what makes handmade items so special and unique, right? Sometimes you can see our fingerprints in our work, and you can see clearly that our hands are making everything that you see in our online shop, at the markets we attend, and in the gifts that we give. Everything is beautiful in its own way. All of these reasons are why I snuck these mugs into the house, far from the others, to tell them how much I adore them. I fawned over them. I cooed at them as if they were baby animals. They thrill me. This experiment has been a complete and total success. Ribbed for my pleasure, indeed. We worked hard to make these knitted mugs, and they are 100% handmade here in our studio. They feature my own knitting that was molded for the slabs (and yes, I wish I’d blocked that sample a bit more aggressively). Dishwasher and microwave safe too! We will have this newly released mug at the Calgary Fibre Arts Fair in northwest Calgary on November 12 & 13 from 9am-5pm at the Triwood Community Center. Selection is limited so if you’d like something ribbed for your pleasure, come early and see us at our booth! Jason, myself, and Cheryl will be there to assist and either hook you up, or comfort you if we are sold out. I hope we see you there!

Thank you to everyone that came to see us, show off their projects, and pick up pretties from our booth at the Fall Shindig. Thank you for supporting our little studio and shopping local! How did it go? We spent the day laughing! The vendors feel like old friends and there isn’t a table that doesn’t impress. We met crafter families, brand new humans in fabulous knitwear, and repeat customers that had grown taller, more talented, and funnier than since we last met. We made new friends and have a list of new ideas, and matched colours on many a project. Our new booth helper Cheryl loved the atmosphere of the show. Cheryl was amazing in the booth – she IS a knitter and crocheter herself, as well as an accomplished artist – and with her at the booth, Jason was able to take the day off to rest an injury. I always brag that fibre people are the nicest of all people, and you prove me right again. Thank you to our troop of clay helpers aka the clay indentured servants, and a late night Friday truck fixer, who made this show possible: Cheryl, Lori, Jill, Myrna, Shauna, Jenn, Mike are the friends and family that help make dreams soar. Our legions of emotional support keep us going too so thank you for the private messages and offers behind the scenes, the phone calls and emails, those who hand us a beverage when we take a break, and the love. (Hi Mom & Dad!) Today, I spend time on the couch drinking from my own Sheepie mug while I figure out two colour brioche with my new Sea Turtle Fibre Arts’  Breakwater Bulky in Bookworm. I couldn’t come home empty handed, could I? Not seen here but also acquired: Carole pattern by Amethyt Knits Luna Shawl yarn in Spanish Wine by Poppy Yarn & Fibre to make that lovely Carole Glitterati Intense yarn in Highlighter by The Wacky Windmill – watch her shop for deals as she winds down Berry Bergamont, Nutcracker, and Honey & Oatmeal Soaps by 1968 Soap Co who is also a potter! And now, back to that tea and knitting. Today, we rest.

Look what we made! Who doesn’t want a tiny fiddle hanging from their tree this season? (click photos to enlarge) The Calgary Fiddlers Association is, well, all about young Calgary fiddlers. Within the association are the Bow Valley Fiddlers groups that range from age 7 to 18, and the Calgary Fiddlers group for 13 to 18 year olds. Each group is a finely choreographed performing troupe, and talented far beyond their age. Their annual winter show, “Fiddle Fantasia”, is set for December 19, 2015 at the University of Calgary Theatre (details here). All the groups will perform in a night of celebration and festivities and I’m honoured to be part of their celebration, bringing sweet fiddles to help raise funds for these amazing kids. Hanging from their lobby tree will be a limited run of 100 ceramic fiddle ornaments, each inscribed with Calgary Fiddlers Association on the back. They can be purchased onsite at the concert. How’d we do it? Every fiddle is one of a kind, using a mixture of textures and glazes, and a process that is 100% hand made from the wedging of clay to the hanging of ribbons from their scrolls. Myself (Cara), Jason, and Jason’s mother Cheryl created and assembled one hundred of these precious fiddles over the course of two months. Each slab of clay is hand rolled, and the violin shape is manually cut from the slab. Texture and embossed decoration is added at this stage, then the fingerboard, tail piece, chin rest, bridge, and scroll are layered on top and secured with slip. Finally, the f-holes are added (or left off, depending on the style of the fiddle). After drying to leather-hard, each is inscribed with Calgary Fiddlers Association on the back. Each fiddle is then handpainted with glaze that will become glossy and bright, and loaded flat onto kiln shelves. They spend 9 hours under heat up to 1200C then cool over the next 10-14 hours. Once removed from the kiln, they are cooled and unloaded from the kiln. They are then assembled with a cut ribbon knotted on each so that they can be hung from your tree.   This was definitely one of the more intriguing projects that we’ve taken on, and the end result makes me so joyful, I can barely express it. I hope that they all find loving homes, and add a sparkle to trees for generations to come.

The Calgary Public Library Winter Word Fair is today from 6-9pm. Local authors and publishers, plus ME and my bookmarks! Event details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/744566539011843/

Saturday was our favourite semi-annual outing! You may know my friend Lori as the cheery and helpful woman at my face-to-face sales table. During the year, we have our seasonal hot date to the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) Show & Sale. This time, we packed up Calgary newbie Jill with us to check out the creativity of the students. The artwork was a mixture of hilarious, provocative, inspiring, technically awe-some and as much as I don’t want a larger house, I do want one with more walls and display areas. There were several pieces that made me think differently about pattern and design, and other pieces that I marveled over the planning and execution. And I regret not buying a linocut of a trash bag. Really. We also took a walk through the ACAD Open House that was happening at the same time. The Open House gave me my new swaggy ACAD hat that keeps my head at perfect temperature during the cold nights in the studio. Please excuse the busted iphone camera selfie but this is as clean as it’ll ever be, so I thought I should capture the moment while I can. The Open House had several interactive components, and we did stop to take part in the observational drawing. A multi-part still life was set up in the middle of the room, and each person could choose their marking tool aka chalk, pastel, conte, charcoal, and take a large piece of paper to a drawing easel and get to it. Lori cracked a joke about the people across from us drawing US, so I decided to do the same. Sadly, my model left halfway through completion, so I tried to finish the drawing without the “observational” component. It was a very freeing exercise to draw rather quickly without hindrance of end goal, then simply recycle the piece. Lori chose a bone from the still life and used a white conte to catch the highlights – she seemed very pleased. Jill, a fan of using pen, really wished that any of us had brought pens. I’m always so envious of the ACAD students but they may be envious of me because I have my own space, my own studio, my own equipment. It’s definitely in the cards tor me to take an extended education course at ACAD, but not quite yet. I’ll keep making things in the studio, reading books, pour over potter forums, and experiment with my own practice until I can be the old gal in the class, asking odd questions about that one time I tried to make a mold and whoa-doggy, I’d like supervision when trying that again.