700th blog posts give-a-way

Sometimes it's hard to remember why we start doing something.  I'm pretty sure that I started the blog back in 2008 because there were a lot of creative people getting into blogging, I had just gotten a digital camera and felt like a blog would be a good platform to talk about my work and process.  More recently I have noticed that not as many people are checking out blogs, and that formerly prolific bloggers have fallen off the blog wagon, and my own blogging or need to have it has changed too.  I have often wondered if I needed this space to still be a regular thing for me, but somehow it's still a place I get excited about sharing my thoughts with.  It's become part of my practice of art-making even though there are many other more interesting and exciting blogs out there to check out.  I find having a forum to connect with other people really amazing.  I'm not working in a vacuum and it's great to have feedback from readers like you, and it's really nice to know that someone is interested in what I'm up to.
As a little thank you for taking time out of your day to check things out here- please comment and let me know what your favourite post has been (if you have one;)! I'll pick a winner on Tuesday, May 29th with your choice of a Yellow striped or Turquoise striped mug!  Thanks for stopping by and best of luck! 
***Comments closed! Thanks for entering!***

Modern Stripe give-a-way!

 

 Well, over the course of the past 2 months since I launched the colour-wheel version of my Modern Stripe Bottle vases, I've had a few 'seconds' come out of the kiln.  It's to be expected, it's ceramics after-all. There's a lot that can go wrong at any stage of the process:  a small pinhole here (notice the small dot in the green and blue stripes above- must mix slip longer!!), a bubble or mottled glaze texture there (orange glaze isn't as smooth as it usually is- too close to the elements? or what??) or a line that's gone a little off course.  And unfortunately for me, the more vases I make, the more little nuances about the work I end up having to sort out.
Sooo, my loss, your gain- I don't have the heart to throw out these vases.  Some may end up being sold as 'second's' on my Etsy shop, and others I've already given away to friends and family, however, there are 3 in the studio that I feel warrant a give-a-way on my blog.  Just to thank you for stopping by, for the comments, the encouragement and the feed-back along the way. 
So, please, post a comment.  If you feel inclined, become a follower or 'like' the dahlhaus art facebook page and you can add another comment or 2 to the list to increase your chances.  No biggy though...
I'll randomly pick 3 winners next Thursday, June 16 sometime.
Thanks for stopping by and good luck!

Kiss those winter-blues away cup give-a-way!

Well, it certainly is January! Grey, rainy, and dark, I tend to feel pretty un-inspired when January hits, despite all the ambitious list-making and goal-setting.  Nothing like a few orders that need to get finished to get me back in the studio though, and while I'm at it, why not a give-a-way, just for fun!  I have some lovely cups on the way.  They are sitting on the shelf, drying out and waiting to be put in the kiln this weekend.  I will be spending the better part of next week glazing my pots and thought I would grant the choice of one my lovely designs for a lucky blog reader, to thank you for spending time with me here at my 'think-tank' of sorts!
You know, there is nothing like holding a hand-made cup in one's hand.  Wheel-thrown and glazed with all the love I can manage, these cups are perfect for cold and hot beverages alike!  Each one is slightly different, some a little taller, some a little shorter.  They all hold around 12 oz, which, if you like your coffee nice and strong with a little milk like I do, is perfect for a morning kick-start.
So there you have it.  Please do comment below (one per person thx) and I'll choose a lucky recipient on Monday the 24th.  I'll have more cups in the shop by later next week so stay tuned for my shop up-date!
****comments closed, thanks****

Give-a-way announced..

First off, I wanted to say a big thank you to everyone who entered my give-a-way this past week, for spending the time checking out my new work and for giving me feed-back.  Your feed-back and comments are invaluable to me as I strive to make the best work I can possibly make.  I read every comment, wrote each name down, twice if you 'liked' dahlhaus art on facebook and got Dean to draw a name.  Out of approximately 185 entries we picked:

 Jeanie wrote: 'Everything is so lovely but I adore the stripes collection!'
 Thank you Jeanie- please email me (heather@dahlhausart.com) with your address and choice of a mug or bottle vase for me to send your way!

There's a lovely mention on my Stripe Collection over at Art Hound (Thank you Kate!).  Some of you were asking about where to purchase the vases or teapots. Some of the work from my photoshoot has already been sold and I'm in the process of making more.  I've listed one of my tall striped vases on etsy here, more to come...(vases drying out on the shelf as we speak:)

Hooray! A give-a-way!

Hello, hello!  Well, here it is, it's finally here.  Little peeps and tweets later.  My website has been fully up-dated with all my latest work!  The shop is stocked with lovely handmade pots ready for all the Holiday mayhem that is about to ensue.  I've got a new favourite mug in hand and I'm ready to celebrate!  And what a better way than by hosting a give-a-way?!

A huge thank-you, for starters, goes out to my photographer and web developer (who did the up-date from his holiday in New Zealand for me!) for another great job helping me out with launching not one, but two new collections of ceramics!!  I'd also like to thank my summer assistant Kelly who helped me get all my wholesale orders finished this summer so I could have some time this September developing ideas that were on the back-burner for way too long.  Kudos to you folks!

Now for the give-a-way contest.  So here's how it will work this time around.  I don't believe I've ever asked you to visit my shop during a give-a-way, but this time around, I will.  Please visit my shop.  Stay awhile.  Click on work you like because there are some surprises, some goodies you might like.  And then comment about which collection you like.  There are about 4 right now:  my classic Poppy collection, the Yellow Ginkgo collection, the Stem Collection, and then the Stripe Collection.  I'd love to know if you have a preference.  Me- I can't decide quite yet.  But usually I'm smitten with the latest thing I've made, and I'm kind of biased to boot;)

So- entry #1- visit my shop, choose a collection
entry #2- become a fan of dahlhausart on facebook.  Don't forget to post on this page to confirm that you decided to 'like me'! 

That's 2 chances to win.  Win what? oh, well here's the good part.  You get to choose between a mug or a bottle vase from my stem or stripe collections!  Choices, choices.  Will it be this mug or this mug?  This vase or this vase?  Oh yes, either would make a lovely gift if you can bear to pass it along to someone else.
I'll be choosing a winner one week from today, Wednesday November 10th.  Best of luck to you, bon chance and thanks for stopping by!