Hey friends! Today I am going to introduce you all to Kelly from SilverMirth. She has an awesome Etsy shop full of her beautiful handmade ceramic dishes.
Etsy/Blog/Facebook
Aren’t her bowls beautiful?? I love the different designs. Her work is amazing!
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So why don’t we get to know her and her shop a little better! Here’s some Q & A with Kelly…
Q: So, give us a summary of your store and the handmade products you sell:
My shop name is SilverMirth which originated in a venture in selling handmade silver jewelry, but has come to stand for the happiness I find in silver linings.
Now the store is full of handmade lace and doily inspired ceramic dishes. The lace doilies have been passed down through my family and found at my grandmother’s antique shop. They range in pattern and size, anywhere from 5 inches across to 18. Each ceramic piece is handmade and unique, with a weathered and layered glaze application. This adds a pop of color to the traditional white lace doily. Their style makes them the perfect fit for any shabby chic country kitchen to fine wine elegant dining room. These dishes make great centerpieces, or as candle, soap, candy, jewelry, trinket, etc. dishes. I have many of them around my home for just such purposes. I have several larger ones underneath my plants on stands in front of my windowsills.
I will also do custom orders. If you have a cherished doily at home I can create a custom dish for you using that particular doily. No harm comes to the doily and it will be returned to you with your own customized dish. This would also make a great Christmas gift for family members to each share in your great-grandmother’s loving lacework. This way you can immortalize a family heirloom and find a new special place or use for it in your home.
Q: What inspired you to start selling your products on Etsy, and how long have you had your shop?
Initially I was inspired to open my shop by a friend who liked my jewelry and was already an Etsy seller. Jewelry was not the right direction for me and I left my shop for a couple year hiatus. So here are the stepping stones that led to my complete shop (and life) transformation. Bear with me as I explain the wanderings of my creative thought process…
Aside from browsing Etsy, I also have a love for browsing Pinterest. The “cool” thing to do on Pinterest for a while was to starch or mod podge your doilies into lamps. Well I hopped on that bandwagon and tried that too. I was not impressed by the weak structural integrity of the doilies after I was done. (Maybe I was doing it wrong, that’s been known to happen.) What I really wanted was a bowl by my bed to put my jewelry in, because jewelry never seems to make it into the beautiful armoire my husband bought for me like it’s supposed to. Am I the only one this happens to? Anyway, the starched doily was not strong enough to hold its shape and my jewelry.
I also went through a shift a new job as a high school ceramic art teacher. This has inspired me to look at texture and pottery more and more as time goes on. The new job combined with my love for my grandmother’s doilies spawned my idea for the dishes you see in my shop.
I decided to use the doilies as a starting point and transform them into clay to make longer lasting, more resilient and functional dishes. I became addicted to trying out new intricate and delicate patterns, new textures, new flowing forms, new color pairings, and was enamored with the process.
And so, I decided a few weeks ago to share these pieces that I love so much on Etsy.
Q: What makes your product(s) stand out amongst the rest?
As of yet, I have not seen anyone else doing what I’m doing, which is what artist’s strive for and brings me great pleasure. I have seen many people use the lace texture, but never bring the essence of the entire doily to life in the clay. I’m not only using the lacework as texture, but the shape of the doily becomes an integral part of how the dish turns out. The shape of the doily is being transformed into a 3-dimensional form with negative space highlighting the delicate work of the crocheting artist from years ago. I remember seeing doilies all over my grandmother’s apartment. I think they’re an important part of a woman’s heritage. Ever present in the home, in hope chests, and as I'm sure your readers know, a fireside tradition for needle workers.
Q: Do you have any new products or ideas in the works?
I always have new ideas in the works but right now I’m trying to strengthen and develop the products I have. I have some new ideas for color patterns and for adding bases to my pieces, but this will take some time. Soon I may be adding slab mugs that I've started making with impressions from tree bark. I've also thought about using old sweaters for something in the future. Sweaters have beautiful patterns, but have you ever noticed the textures your crocheting and knitting detail work makes? As I mentioned before, I am all about texture right now. How can I transform the surface of the clay so that it no longer looks like clay. I want people to instinctively reach for my pieces and need to touch them; run their fingers across and rediscover the curiosity of a child led by the sense of touch.
Q: What inspires you to be creative?
Everything! Right now I’m being led by my wonder over texture, but I’m often inspired by other artists. I love reading up on new techniques on CeramicArtsDaily.org. I’m an art teacher and also find myself inspired by my students. I might pose an idea to them and envision it one way, but they take it, morph it, and run in a completely different and unexpected direction. It’s fascinating and one of the things I love about teaching. I love sharing a new skill or technique and watching an idea blossom to fruition by their hands. Their excitement and pride in their work is infectious.
Q: What is your favorite product you've purchased from another Etsy seller?
My favorite thing from Etsy was actually a gift from a friend. She gave me a pair of sparkly blue brass knuckles soap! It was so unique I couldn't open it. I kept it displayed in my bathroom for a very long time! I searched on Etsy for the seller so I could share the love on here, but couldn't find them. I felt silly putting “brass knuckles soap” into the search field!
Q: Let’s get personal: What other hobbies to you enjoy?
I love spending time with family, being outside, walking, kayaking, traveling, browsing for crafty things to do on Pinterest, finding and propagating new and unique house plants, and reading up on new ceramic or jewelry techniques. And eating. I’m pregnant so food is definitely a new hobby! haha
Q: What is something really interesting about you that others should know?
I really believe in balance. There are cycles of balance throughout life where things constantly sway back and forth until the balance is reset. Some days are good days, others are bad. I find that when I can’t possibly take anymore, life throws the balance back the other way and I’m able to move forward.
With that I think that everything happens for a reason of some sort and it’s funny how things work out. In college at Alfred University, ceramics was something I was frequently aggravated with. I never thought it would be where I would make my career. Who knew I’d become a ceramics teacher, find a new passion, and love it so much that I let it consume my free time as well.
There are some medical issues in my family that have been quite an ongoing ordeal to work through. Thank goodness for family, but in this funny twist of fate working with clay has become a source of pleasure, relaxation, and balance for me. Hopefully through Etsy I will be able to continue pursuing this love of clay and creating.
She is also providing a coupon code for her Etsy shop, which is good until September 1st.
Use coded CTDA15 to get 15% off
Thank you Kelly for sharing with us!
I hope you all can get a chance to go visit her shop. It’s never too early to think about Christmas gifts!
Have a great weekend everyone