What's ALL THE FUSS??? Made in Devon...come see it in Mahwah on 8/12

Hope you'll consider coming to see 

what all the fuss is about...

I've collected this amazing British Ceramic art since I was 18...so I could not be more thrilled to announce that the NATS (North American Torquay Society) -- my much beloved Collectors' Group is hosting their annual convention here in Warwick and in nearby Mahwah, NJ

There will be a sale and show of 

"Torquay Pottery"

on Saturday, August 13, 2016 from 1-2:30 pm

a short and sweet showcase of this pottery

Fellow Collectors and Recognized Dealers in British Ceramic Art to Attend

Come and see the huge range of patterns and shapes created in Devon c1860-1960...

Country Living has profiled Torquay Pottery as "What's Hot in Collecting Vintage" and features the pottery at all of the Country Living Fairs via Earth Angels Studios and their NATS CHATS...

Saturday, 8/13

1PM - 2:30 THIS EVENT WILL BE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Presented by the North American Torquay Society (NATS) at the Doubletree Hilton MAHWAH, NJ 

MORE DETAILS ON THE EVENTS PAGE

• 
  If you want to read more about Torquay Art Pottery and "NATS" (North American Torquay Society) there is a website...
  
  
  Entry to the salesroom is free for all NATS members, a nominal donation of $5 to support the Society will be collected at the door for non-members.

   

  If you want more peeks at the Pottery...look at several other BLOG posts I have done with images of the pottery and the wonderful collecting community...

  http://earthangelstoys.blogspot.com/search?q=torquay

   

  Thanks and hope to see you there...

  Jen

   

   

...another Boston Tea Party makes the press...

There’s nothing like sharing “good news”! 

And I have some wonderful news to share…

My much beloved Torquay pottery has just been celebrated with a feature in the February issue of Romantic Vintage magazine!  

 

What a great thing to get some new press on Torquay pottery in such a lovely publication...

How did it happen??? Well, last summer I made a visit to the home of my gal pal and fellow collector, Kathy Collins, who lives just outside Boston.  

We had a plan to shoot images of a tea party...

It was an exciting and very busy day, with a 4 hour drive up and back from NY with my 10 year old son, Rory, in tow.  We had a great time and all of us involved were excited to see what would become of the images of our tea party...

When I shared them with Editor-in-Chief, Meanie Hickman, of Romantic Vintage she immediately offered to include something in her magazine. The four-page feature AND the mention of “Torquay Pottery” on the cover far exceeded my expectations!  

 

 A big thanks to her for helping us celebrate the pottery, its history and what it can add to a room in style and display. 

Here’s just a peek in this post of 

just some of the images and story...

The magazine is available on-line via www.RomanticVintageMagazine.com for $2.99 or use this web address to order your PRINTED copy of the magazine shipped to you for $9.99
www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/1021207

 

It’s such a treat to see so many wonderful pots among the pages of the magazine, as well as a mention of NATS (the North American Torquay Society -- our collectors' group) and our events of 2016 as a great way to learn more about the pottery. 

 

Thanks again to Melanie, Kathy, and Lyn for working with me to make this happen!  xxoo Jen

...more Torquay Tawk...have to share this

As some of you know I am a bit mad for British ceramic art...

I've collected Torquay pottery since I got my first piece in England on my 18th birthday...

and the collection has been growing since...

 

And while it's the people I have met and befriended through collecting that I treasure far beyond the pottery -- I love to share peek at the pots in the hope of sharing my enthusiasm

 for this wonderful antique folk art.

 

I am also very grateful to Country Living magazine and Stella Show Management for the opportunity to host chats at each of the Fairs... 

the pottery is being looked at as what's hot in collecting vintage...

So with out further adieu, I'd love to share this piece on miniature Torquay Pottery that I prepared for the collector's newsletter of the North American Torquay Society (NATS)...

...and if you want to learn more...please consider browsing the NATS site or the site of the British collecting society TPCS (Torquay Pottery Collecting Society)

Mini Madness

Anything that can be held in the palm of the hand has a certain playful, toy-like charm. My madness for small things and minis began a long time ago. I was the little girl that lovingly decorated the dollhouse made for me by my Dad, dreaming that one day, I would have my own home to decorate. I loved tiny things…and still do.

Conversely, I love the HUGE grand LARGE pieces of my collection, but as the shelves fill — even as I move and play and re-do arrangements in cabinets — I can never say there is not room for one more mini. Indeed I have had a tough time passing up any I have had the chance to buy. They are a wonderful, tuck-in size and I love them for being small, affordable and utterly adorable!

What’s also fun is that they get me to look at patterns and shapes I would not otherwise pursue.  You can see among these photos a variety of patterns not elsewhere in my collection…

You can see in the one image with the penny and pence…there are minis … and then, there are minis….

That one itty bitty plate measures less than 2” across, while the plate from a child’s tea set is about 4”.  Generally in height I look for something less than 2” so that the pieces hold together in scale… And if I have the shape, no matter, I might not have  the motto.

The mottos on the minis are those short and sweet adages that speak with such common observation. With little space on the surface to decorate, the quips and mottoes are direct and often the ones cited most within our vernacular.

I have also included an image of the mini-minis I was able to purchase from Torbay about 12 years ago.

 They are a display within a display filling a tiny doll house sized hutch within another hutch…these are all less than 1” in height. (Look at the dresser tray peeking out from behind the display for scale)

As a toy collector as well, they seem to blend in well with my other displays.  The tea sets make great companions to some folk art monkeys sitting in a child’s hutch in the guest room along with a fave Pat Murphy bear...

And I owe a big thanks to Kathy Collins for the find of my new wall hanging “mini shelf”. We found it in a booth at Brimfield and it wasn’t until I got it home that I realized how perfect it was to host them all!

I am grateful that she encouraged me to buy it and lug it through the fields back to the truck. Well worth it! I had had the minis among some different cabinets before, and now have my faves in one place 

(excluding my all time fave, my wee moulded cottage — I would cheerfully live there!!!) 

...more on this pottery in future posts...

stay tuned

xo Jen

being green...a peek at some of my collection...Torquay Pottery

 ...from time to time I really love to share a peek at the most beloved among my collections... 

my Torquay Pottery...

Now, I am a true "collector"...

I have so many collections, 

I joke that I collect collections! 

That said, I have been dedicated to this masterfully made pottery since I was 18...

But one humble plate has actually been in my family for 5 generations now!

 

Here's Rory with his plate and my Mom, Rosie

You can read that story here...

 Recently I attended the wonderful, annual gathering of the North American Torquay Society (NATS)

Once a year we collectors gather to share, swap, learn and catch up...I am thrilled that the 2016 Convention will be held right here in 

Warwick, NY and Mahwah, NJ... 

stay tuned for details!  There will be a salesroom open to the public on Saturday, August 13th

Watch the events page of the site for more info..

Talks are part of the program at the annual conventions...and I wanted to share just a peek at some of the slides from the talk I gave to my fellow NATS members on "Being Green"

Much of my collection is dedicated to celebrating my favorite color...

GREEN...

 

Here's a closer look at some green patterns...

 ...of course I love the Shamrocks...

being Irish, and all!

 

I fell in love with florals thanks 

to friend Shelby Scherr...

They are like a garden in bloom...I am, of course, partial to those done on a green ground...

My fave of all is perhaps the Farm Scenes...but those are rare and few... 

hoping to find more someday...sigh...

So that's a quick peek...

For those of you intrigued...

you can read more about Torquay Pottery 

and the Society NATS

HERE

It's a great group of folks...and as much as I love the pottery, I am an active member and recently took the post as Vice President because,

 "...it's about the people not the pots", 

as my dad says... 

and they are great people!

AND if you can catch us at 

The Country Living Fairs...I am hosting NATS CHATS each day at 12:30...

thanks to Stella Show Management for this opportunity and to Country Living Magazine for acknowledging Torquay Pottery as 

"What's Hot in Collecting Vintage"

happy collecting

xo Jen

...a madness for minis...Torquay Pottery

 ...this blog post is adapted from a piece I just prepared for "The Collector" ...the members' magazine of the North American Torquay Society.  

 

I am hoping by sharing it here on this blog, I may generate more interest in the Society and our beloved Torquay Pottery... 

(click these links read more about the North American Torquay Society -- NATS and the British Society's info pages on Torquay Pottery)

Anything that can be held in the palm of the hand has a certain playful, toy-like charm. My madness for small things and minis began a long time ago. 

I was the little girl that lovingly decorated the dollhouse made for me by my Dad (Jim Graney fellow Torquay lover and NATS member), dreaming that one day, I would have my own home to decorate. I loved tiny things…and still do.
 

Look above at the image of a display within a display filling a tiny doll house sized hutch within another hutch…these are all less than 1” in height. 

(Look at the large dresser tray peeking out from behind the display for scale)

But most of my minis are the size of these below....

none of these items is more than 2.5" tall...

 The mottos on the minis are those short and sweet adages that speak with such common observation. With little space on the surface to decorate, the quips and mottoes are direct and often the ones cited most within our vernacular.

Here are a few on a shelf that Sue Parker gave me...

 and some more in a tiny cupboard...I love that I can fit them in here and there!

Conversely, I love the HUGE grand LARGE pieces of my collection, but as the shelves fill — even as I move and play and re-do arrangements in cabinets — I can never say there is not room for one more mini. Indeed I have had a tough time passing up any I have had the chance to buy. They are a wonderful, tuck-in size and I love them for being small, affordable and utterly adorable!

What’s also fun is that they get me to look at patterns and shapes I would not otherwise pursue.  You can see among these photos a variety of patterns not elsewhere in my collection…the cockerels, cottages and even tiny toby jugs and the only commemorative pieces I have in my collection.

As a toy collector as well, they seem to blend in well with my other displays.  The tea sets make great companions to Jody Battaglia's folk art monkeys sitting in a child’s hutch in the guest room.

And I owe a big thanks to my great gal pals, Kathy Nuttall and Kathy Collins, for the find of my new wall hanging “mini shelf”. 

We found it in a booth at Brimfield and it wasn’t until I got it home that I realized how perfect it was to host them all. I am grateful that they encouraged me to buy it and lug it through the fields back to the truck.

 Well worth it! I had had the minis among some different cabinets before, 

and now have my faves in one place... 

You can learn more about Torquay Pottery at the upcoming NATS CHATS at the Country Living Fair... see the BLOG post of 10/9 for full details...

...xxoo Jen...

Earth Angels LIVE! NATS CHATS and more... coming soon to the Atlanta Country Living Fair at Stone Mountain

....I sure hope some of you can make it to catch the Earth Angels' "Art Girls RoadShow" 

& The Country Living Fair 

in Stone Mountain -- just outside Atlanta --  

on October 23, 24 & 25.

This event is really something else...a wonderful opportunity to see the pages of one of our very favorite magazines come to life... with loads of vintage and antiques, fabulous handmade and other wonderful goods....

You can spot the Earth Angels Studios' tents as soon as you enter the main gate... 

we are the largest vendor at the event

 and we have a small tent next to our "store and artists' showcase" mega-big tent where we host demos and chats 

to share our know how and expertise.

As promised, we're sharing our schedule with you early... we know some of you have limited time at the Fair and want to be sure 

to catch a certain artist or topics...

Here we go:

Everyday
12:30 pm…NATS CHATS…
What Is Torquay Pottery?Why is this vintage folk art collectible so hot NOW…
Meet experts on Torquay Pottery…and other enthusiasts, authorities and members of NATS (The North American Torquay Society) to chat about this potter -- profiled by Country Living Magazine as "What's HOT in Collecting Vintage" in April 2015...
2 pm …sit a spell & sip a cool drink…
“Lemonade with Letty” Join renown soft-sculpture artist Letty Worley as she shares her artful business journey; how she turned her passion for vintage objects, sewing skills and a penchant for re-using old things into her business in heirloom goods.



3:30 pm…Chat Time…
Can I Sell It?How ready are you & your craft for the handmade marketplace…Bring your craft or art to show & tell with handmade industry expert, Jen O'Connor, Founder & Owner of Earth Angels Studios and get immediate feedback on the sales potential of your creation and business tips.


On-Going…Artist Demos
…browse the tent and see Earth Angels’ artists at work creating items exclusive merchandise at the Fair…visit with the artists and learn more about their artful style and folk art creations

Earth Angels LIVE!  
Formal Demos - Friday & Saturday
11am
Floral Designer & Paper Artist Jocelyn O’Gorman of “The Painted Fern” -  
Creating seasonal decorations and paper follies with vintage ephemera and found trims


1pm
Soft Sculpture Artist & Author 
Jody Battaglia of "Fun Town"
Bringing storybook characters to life from felt & signing her new book

Earth Angels LIVE!  Demos - Sunday
11am
Soft Sculpture Artist & Author 
Jody Battaglia of "Fun Town"
Bringing storybook characters to life from felt & signing her new book 


1pm
Up-cycling maven Sue Parker of 
"Skippy Doodle Designs"
Crafting seasonal paper ornaments and follies with found, recycled and vintage goods.

Hope to see you there!!

Get your tickets

HERE at STELLASHOWS.com

Also nice news...
Ree Drummond will aslo be a special guest at the Fair... I know Ree through Jo Packham and she is a treat to watch demo... congrats to Ree on on new book!