We've listed two F#CK Off Crocheting & Knitting mugs in shop, plus blue and purple cable and ribbed mugs. We're working through our limited stock as fast as we can to get it online! Thank you SO MUCH for your support, your purchases, and your encouragement as we test drive this "selling online" process for our larger items. Posted by Intagrate Lite

I posted two of the cable babies on Etsy. Thanks to @catiecatp for giving us the push to do this. We have been waffling since the spring and today, we jumped off the deep end. (And now I gotta mail Catie her mug that's been sitting on our kitchen table, encouraging us) #mugsforsale #makersgonnamake #pottersgonnapot #cablemugs #buyhandmade #freeshipping #etsy #canadianceramics #knittersofinstagram #pottersofinstagram #madeinalberta #ceramics chasingfireceramics.etsy.com Posted by Intagrate Lite

We love to make things to make projects better. These non-slip leather heels & toes are perfect to sew on to slipper projects. Knit, crochet, felted, sewn – they add the perfect finishing touch. We have them available in two colours in four sizes, from baby to large adult. I’ve tested them and this giant clutz (me) is now safe from the terror that is slippery laminate flooring! These will be in our Etsy shop starting June 1, 2018!

Tea, the camera, and all the diz = my afternoon. I do wonder if the mice in the studio had a photo party with my camera while I was under the weather last week! Now that I’ve reset my camera’s white balance and exposure from the settings the mice were using, the pics are reflecting the glazes perfectly today. I’m not sure why the mice wanted underexposed photos – possibly to make them appear more nefarious when they post their selfies online? I’m working through listing several dozen diz today to list on Etsy, then off to the post office to send off the latest packages.

The Etsy shop is OPEN! I’ve taken my shop out of “vacation mode” and I’m photographing and listing buttons as quickly as I can. With hundreds of buttons in stock, it’ll take some time to get everything updated, but I’m excited to be open! Tonight I calibrated my camera and light box, and listed a handful of buttons to get the ball rolling. Tomorrow evening, I’ll be living next to my camera and laptop to bring buttons to the Internet shopping public.     Here’s a two inch dragonfly button that kicked off things today:  

After a week away in the sun, I’m back home and photographing the latest kiln-load of treasures to restock the shop. I have stories to tell and photos to show you from Cuba, including the work of the talented Varadero potters but first I must attend to my sand fly bites, sunburn, and a sad realization that the snow that continues to fall outside is my reality now. Until I retrieve my photographs, here’s a bright orange diz that just went up in the shop today:

Sometimes I open the kiln, pick something up, and fall madly in love. I’m not ashamed.

Typography is so fun. New items in the shop – custom orders for monogrammed mugs. Here is a preview of mugs that are in process:

Happy 2013! To celebrate, I’ve added new buttons to the shop: Swing by for a visit. Which are your favourites? What would you like to see in 2013? Cheers -Cara

I hope Santa is bringing you books because I have book bling. Nine new bookmarks were just loaded in the shop and please use coupon code ApocalypseNow for 15% off any order until the end of December!  

Remember back in June when I had sent a friend a pair of cufflinks to test drive? As of Thanksgiving, we were calling it a roaring success. Here’s a clip of those beta links at an autumn wedding: The wearer is very impressed with them, and they took a solid beating without so much as a scratch. They also had a rip roaring time at the wedding – maybe that’s not to the credit of the links… but maybe it is! I’ve added four sets to the shop and I’m working on several others for the kiln fire due to be completed Dec 14. The red spiral set that have already been claimed are a perfect match to a red power tie to take on the most daunting of clients so I’ll be glazing several sets red. I love when a plan comes together…

I love making buttons. I love selling buttons. I love SEEING my buttons on projects. For a person with such an obsession for making small flat items, my problem is an unexpected one. For most of my family and my friends, they just don’t use buttons. They could replace their current buttons with my buttons but they aren’t the type to make things that need new buttons. They don’t knit or crochet, sew or make. With this in mind, I’m at my worktable trying to figure items that will capture their hearts like the buttons are capturing the hearts of crafters. I have trouble stepping into the minds of non-crafters – what can I make that you want? What can I make that non-button-lovers would covet? Since I can’t step into your mind, I stepped into my own. The mugs I drink from every day are all pieces that I have made. They are functional art, turning my boring morning coffee ritual into something meaningful, contemplative, beautiful. The ceramic lip of my mugs are thrown just so to meet an approaching lip. The mug is thick enough to retain the heat of the  drink and thin enough to feel light in the hand. The handle, flat and wide for easy of handling and the body a perfect rounded angle to cup your hands around, absorbing the heat of the coffee on these cold mornings. As I drank this coffee, I look around at the activities I enjoy. How can I make them more beautiful? On the table is my newest find from the library. As much as I use the e-library and ebooks, I read real books more often than not. My husband and I have three large bookshelves holding our favourite copies, to be read, lent out and read again. It only makes sense that my newest experiment be bookmarks. As a bonus, the half moon and circular tops are as fun to make as buttons. I have enjoyed figuring out the process and, not only can everyone I know enjoy them, I can also put them up in my shop for others to enjoy.  I popped my first batch up on my etsy shop, posted a Facebook and Twitter advisory, and these babies were almost sold out within the first 24 hours. In a world where I thought the ebook was the majority, I’m very happy to be wrong. It’s not a surprise that I’m working on a larger batch this week. Do you have any ideas for the tops? I’m imprinting textures, dreaming of glaze combinations and looking forward to these being a permanent fixture in my shop, and in my own books.

Sweet, right? A different set is heading west for a friend to test drive. Before I start creating cuff links as part of my regular catalogue, I really need these babies to be tested in the real world. Sure, the jewelry adhesive comes with wonderful recommendations but if I sell these and they start falling apart? That’s just not going to fly for me or for customers. I love the leaf imprints. I did many circular designs as part of this prototype run but the square motifs are my absolute favourites. I’ve added some new listings to the shop today as well. The weather has been horrible however I did get a few moments of sun this afternoon to photograph some new buttons to list. My focus in the last month has been on creating greater quantities in each set because sweaters and such usually need 8-12 buttons and my lovely yet low numbered sets are less likely to be worn on amazing knitted and sewn works of art. So, more is IN! (I have a feeling I mentioned this before – it’s definitely on my mind.) If you’ve purchased buttons or other works from chasing fire, please send me photos pf your finished projects to be featured here. If you’d prefer to keep your finished pieces private, please indicate that but know that when my little creations are used, it gives me a HIGH and I hope you’ll share with me. I’m off to check the mail for my new packaging bags. I work so hard to buy local – I purchase my clay, glazes, textural stamps and tools right here in my city (and the clay is actually mined within the province as well!) however, I couldn’t find a local source for clear bags in the size I need. I’ve test driven two local suppliers with no success so Ontario may be my “local source” for the button bag packaging. I’m eagerly awaiting these bags! Cheers! -Cara

Oh I had fun making these! I’m ready to take custom orders, they were a lovely experiment: We’re back from our camping vacation and gearing up to load more buttons and pendants in our etsy store over the next week then back to making – I have many more experiments in the queue. I hope the sun is shining and your creative juices are flowing. -C

Today we’ve added our inventory to etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/chasingfireceramics. This is such an exciting day – LAUNCH DAY! Our local postal outlet has been so wonderful helping me prepare to share my art across the continent (and the world) and with more buttons in progress, I can’t wait to see which items rise up as the favourites. To celebrate our new shop,  use coupon code LAUNCHPARTY from  April 21-30 for 10% off your purchase.