Work work work it // he's working hard to prep for @fibreshindig on April 18! Got some fun stuff cooking. I'm laying on the couch, drinking tea like a sick layabout (this THROAT and HEAD thing urgh) but the studio is still pumping. I'm sketching between cups of tea, because that's what I do when germs got me down. Are you coming to the Calgary Spring Fibre Shindig to party it up among yarn lovers? I can't wait to see everyone after this long winter slumber. #ceramics #handbuiltceramics #fibreshindig #yycevents #yarnfestival Posted by Intagrate Lite

Jason's Timber Series of wood grain ceramic pieces is now available in the delicious Alberta's Own market in Canmore. This lovely shop features Alberta Makers and Alberta products, and we are so proud to be included! @AlbertasOwnMarket is the perfect place for unique finds, local, handmade, and exquisite gifts for yourself and others..#ceramics #handmade #buyhandmade #albertasown #albertamade #canmore #pottery #Alberta #ceramics #plainsman #buylocal #makerlife #albertapotters #yycpotter #yycpottery #timberseries Posted by Intagrate Lite

Reposted from @poppyyarnandfibre – My afternoon tea tastes better from @chasingfirestudio mugs. #communityovercompetition #supportlocal #albertamakers #fibrepeepsarethebestpeeps #handmade #poppyyarnandfibre #albertapottersassociation #cabledeverything – #regrann Posted by Intagrate Lite

We are OPEN! Bridgeland Riverside Community Centre from 10am-4pm in #yyc today only. Check out the one of a kind cufflinks that came out of the kiln last night – Jay had a hard time putting them on the table today. ? #ceramicsyyc #makerlife #albertacraftyyc #AlbertaPotters #knittersofinstagram #pottery Posted by Intagrate Lite

A peek into the wet box… work in progress.#cablemugs #potteryforknitters #SlowArt #canadianceramics Posted by Intagrate Lite

Packing for The Fibre Shindig while Jay does a dance to the kiln gods. Saturday 10-5pm Hillhurst Community Centre in Calgary for all your knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving needs!

Having a potter for a dad is a big win (especially if you’re six years old and love Spiderman). A custom Spiderman mug for the smallest human in our house. Jay kept this mug a surprise from our little boy, which is a challenge when The Kid is constantly “helping” us in the studio and working on his own pieces beside us. It had to be loaded into the kiln first so it wasn’t seen, hidden on top shelves above view, and glazed all in one very time-consuming session so it wasn’t left on the work table to be seen. When you’re madly in love with your son, it’s worth the work. This mug has been pronounced perfect in every way by The Kid. Best. Dad. EVER.

Jason has a herd of sheep almost ready for firing! I’ll add some handles tonight, and after another batch, they’ll be into the kiln for the first of two firings. We’ll glaze them up, and back into the kiln they’ll go for their final firing. We have orders coming through Etsy and emails, so we are working to get them out on time. The kiln will be busy for the next two weeks! We expect to repeat the process in June, so if you’ve been waiting to order, don’t wait too long or you’ll have to wait for longer. He’s also working on some “Naughty Mugs” with words that seem to make some blush and some laugh, and most want one. They make me giggle and I’m looking forward to his planned variations – basically signaling to everyone around that they should leave you alone because you have fun things to do instead. We’ll sell them through the Facebook page and on this website once we have the e-commerce module set up because I’m just not sure that Etsy will appreciate the… ahem… language on these beauties. Details on how to purchase the Naughty Mugs aka the sweary mugs will be available once they’re out of the kiln.  

Jason is busy packing up a herd of sheep and hand carved yarn bowls to accompany all of the buttons, bookmarks, and diz for tomorrow’s sale. We’ll be at the Fibre Shindig Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Centre from 10am-5pm with so many wonderful vendors! We will be joined by vendors selling their handdyed yarns, spindles, roving, and all the accessories and fabulousness that you could ever want or need.

Fresh from the kiln: I want to keep these mugs! I love exploring new techniques, especially when they yield such lovely results.

#Repost @sahmknits1 with @repostapp.・・・Morning coffee tastes better in my new mug by Mr. @chasingfirecara. I love it! Thank you, Jason! #pottery #sheep #sheepmug

Sheep mugs are fresh out of the kiln! Jay has transferred this image, and glazed these hilarious little sheep so that you can have one with your morning beverage of choice. From one angle, it appears to be a sheep and as you turn the mug, the little yarn ball appears, connected to the back end of our fleecy friend. We will have these 10oz mugs at the Fibre Shindig on April 16! Pick one up for yourself or for the knitter, crocheter, spinner, or weaver in your life.

Attaching handles to these bad boys today. I’m just The Handler. These babies are all Jay’s otherwise: Flaming skulls that are smoking cigars, of course.

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.

Celtic Hounds, knots, angel wings to make your favourite comfort drink that much more comforting. We have sets of each and they’ll be with us in Riverbend tomorrow, looking for new loving homes! They make wonderful gifts for the tea and coffee lovers on your list.