May 31, 2012

Leather Wrapped Hanging or Table UPOs


Our signature hanging UPOs are now available with a longer leather strap. The longer strap allows for wrapping it around the vessel when not used for hanging and can then be used as a table planter. If you want the original hanging UPO look, just unwrap the strap and simply knot at the holes to allow for hanging.  

Two designs in one!  Now available at our store.



May 30, 2012

Macraméd Lovelies


These plant hangers from Matters of Space in Highland Park make our hearts flutter. We're just aching for one of our vessels to be cradled in these. Definitely going back.

May 29, 2012

Public Stairs


Recently the L.A. Times did a little article on the old wooden public stairway in Highland Park that happens to be right by our house. So we expected to see an influx of people walking up and down our street...and then we expected the popularity to go back down after a bit.  

It's a month later, and it's still popular!  L.A. Times has some avid stair enthusiasts! I only mourn that I can't take the trash out in my pajamas and wild cave girl hair anymore because I will invariably meet people walking the stairs. They are amused that we actually live here...yes, I am too.




Dropping a Hint


I take it a little someone wants to go back to the beach.




May 23, 2012

Buddha's Temple


When we went plant shopping, this succulent with densely stacked leaves caught our eye. Finding out the name, we just had to buy it. It's a Crassula hybrid and commonly called "Buddha's Temple". The stacked and up turned leaves are reminiscent of a pagoda. Doesn't it look so serene and zen looking? They are slow growers and the ones pictured here were cultivated from single leaves and took several years to mature to this size. 

We took this plant with us to the Grow! Festival and someone purchased it as a gift for their yoga instructor back in the East coast.  Yup, sometimes a plant just totally matches up with the new owner.

May 22, 2012

It's for the Books!

We are very happy to be giving back 15% of our sales from Grow: A Garden Festival to the LA County Arboretum Library book buying fund. Along our creative process we gather resources for the plants that inspire us and the Arboretum Library is a usual stop. We are always welcomed by Susan Eubank, head librarian and her assistants Tanya Koukeyan, Cynthia Cohen and the many other volunteers that help stock the shelves. We appreciate this public resource!

If you love books as much as we do,  especially about plants and local cultural history stop by and see Susan and she'll help you find whatever you need. And if you feel compelled to give a little, take a look at  ways to give and get involved. We particularly love their children's book wish list and happy to be supporting it.

May 19, 2012

The Pop-Hop

On Friday, we discovered The Pop-Hop, a Highland Park bookstore, print shop and salon on York Blvd. We met the friendly owners, Robey and Sarah. I love that they have a kid section! I came away with a couple of books for Alex.


Congratulations on your opening!


 Happy weekend:)



May 18, 2012

May 17, 2012

New Favorite Cup


One of the gifts Cynthia gave me for mother's day was this lovely ceramic cup. She picked it up from the Xiem Clay Center spring sale and is made by a visiting japanese master potter. It's now my most favorite cup. 


The other gift she gave me was an artisan sour dough loaf baked by Craig Ruggless. Here is Craig of Winnetka Farms holding a basket of his sourdough available every Saturday at Mother Moo Creamery in Sierra Madre. It was such rustic goodness. 



Score! Thanks Cynthia!



May 14, 2012

Lovely Orchid


We hope everyone had a lovely mother's day weekend. I was gifted an orchid for the occasion but I couldn't help myself and I just had to change out the container. So here's the pretty orchid in one of our own PUTIKMADE vessels.




May 11, 2012

Hibernation Weekend


Cynthia said it best. "I'm hibernating this weekend."

After being surrounded by thousands of people at the Grow! Festival all last weekend, we need a bit of downtime. It's so nice to be alone in my little humble hole throwing on the wheel. Ah, solitude. 

Well, at least until the four year old tornado returns from daycare. 

Happy weekend and Happy Mother's Day:)




May 10, 2012

Miniature Pine Tree

Crassula tetragona in wall/table UPO vessel 

We are loving this Crassula tetragona in the wall/table UPO vessel. Also known as a miniature pine tree, it is a succulent native to South Africa. Hardy and drought-tolerant. Water sparingly once a month. 




May 7, 2012

More Scenes from Grow!




Thank you to everyone who came out to the show! We had a wonderful time!

Special thanks to Mike Brown, horticulturist, landscape designer and entomologist, who ran a planting demo/workshop in our booth on Saturday morning using our vessels. We're part of the Mike Brown fan club!

We're going to get right back into production mode so we can fill up the shop with some more handmade goodness. We're also looking to do more events over the summer - we'll definitely keep you posted:) 











Scenes from Grow!









We're a bit tired...but we had a blast at the show!
  
Firstly, we have to say we have the best customers. Like the first couple who walked in Saturday morning into our booth clutching a clipping of PUTIKMADE in the LA Times article saying, "We want to buy pottery!"  

We love it! Just know you are a super cute couple that reduced two appreciative girls to teary buckets after you left :)

Secondly, this weekend provided the best learning experience. Like we definitely needed to bring a shade structure and some sunscreen. Let's say we got a little crispy. And other vendors at the show were so friendly and offered us great advice and encouragement. 

Would we do this again? YES! Online selling is wonderful, but meeting people face to face provides interaction on a whole different level. We met new and old friends, handed out as many postcards as we could, and oh yes, sold a few pots along the way - goals met! More pics later.







May 3, 2012

Little Bit of Everything



We started off the busy day with an early morning power breakfast.  Cynthia made a delicious fritatta with toast and tea. Yummy!

Then we dove into work. 

While I planted pots for the show, Cynthia packed up some orders that needed to go out in the mail.  More errands, decisons, a haircut, korean food and then more decisons made for a long day.  But we are having a good time and we're stoked about this weekend! Below are a few of the planted pots you'll see at the show. Hope to see you there :)


                               




May 2, 2012

LA Flower Mart and a Gabba Balloon


Some more errands related to the show took us to the Flower Mart in downtown LA yesterday. Despite all the May Day protests and road closures, we met our two goals in under 30 minutes - a metered parking spot close by and coming home with a bunch of dried craspedia. Yes!

And Alex got his reward for being a patient little guy.