WHERE'S THE BACON?

“Bacon, bacon! Where’s the bacon? I smell bacon!” Words from thirty years ago surface in my mind as I write this blog. The title of this post seems relevant during these crazy times, but I wasn’t thinking about grocery store shortages. I was thinking of how our three kids are exactly like that determined golden retriever in the famous Beggin’ Strips commercial. “Bacon, bacon gotta be bacon…There’s only one thing that smells like bacon and that’s BACON!” It is the smell of bacon cooking that gets them out of bed on sluggish mornings or the scent of brinner that gets them off Minecraft and into the kitchen in the evenings.

Quick bacon for Baked Potato Night this week!

Quick bacon for Baked Potato Night this week!

 
These Bacon Cookers are ready to be unloaded from the kiln.

These Bacon Cookers are ready to be unloaded from the kiln.

Since we cook every meal at home, it is the perfect opportunity to use our Bacon Cooker. We are using this time to test out some new recipes. We made Baked Potato Soup from our old standby cookbook, Southern Living, the other night. It was so rich and comforting on a cool, gray day!  (The downside was that it had a lot of milk in it, and of course, milk is a precious commodity these days!) This week, my daughter and I look forward to baking some Maple Bacon Cupcakes. We have wanted to make them for a while, and I recently bought some new icing tools. Of course, for all this cooking, we use one of our Blue Sage Pottery Bacon Cookers that Kent (a.k.a Dad) made.

Kent fired the kiln over the weekend and unloaded it this morning. Hundreds of new Bacon Cookers are in the kiln. As you probably know, each of our Bacon Cookers is made by hand on the potter’s wheel and dipped in glazes made from scratch (just like our cooking).  Our unique finishes come from how we combine and layer our glazes. There are so many variable color possibilities achieved by layering glazes, and we love that! We hope that all the options for different colors allow our customers to find the perfect Bacon Cooker for their kitchen!

Select your favorite bacon cooker


MEMORIAL URNS

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Selecting a memorial urn can be a challenging process for obvious reasons.  There are also additional obstacles that make the process unnecessarily difficult.  Most people want to select an urn that is both beautiful and durable. It should also be purchased easily and received quickly, yet finding urns that meet all those needs is often challenging.

Mass-produced urns abound online, but you may agree that a memorial should not look like thousands of like items.  Also, you probably want to be sure that the urn not only looks good in a photograph but is a high-quality, durable memorial befitting a cherished life.  Many online companies have hundreds of memorial products of varying qualities to sift through, which is both time-consuming and mentally draining. Many handmade urns offered online also take at least three weeks to make and ship.  Kent and I do not believe selecting a beautiful urn should be so difficult and time-consuming. We know that our collectors need memorials that are handmade and beautiful. We also think that it should be easy to order our urns and be received quickly.

Pet Urn made with Stoneware Clay

Pet Urn made with Stoneware Clay

If you are looking for an urn that is artistic, handmade, and will be shipped promptly, consider one from Blue Sage Pottery.  Those familiar with our artwork and business know that my husband, Kent, is an exceptional artist who has been making pottery professionally for many years.  He makes every urn himself in our studio to ensure it is of the highest quality. From preparing the clay to making the glazes, from throwing the pot on the wheel to trimming,  glazing, and firing, every urn is handled a dozen times, ensuring it is of excellent quality. Because of the handcrafted processes we use at Blue Sage, there are subtle differences in every pot ensuring each urn is as unique as a fingerprint.  Each urn is not just a product; it is an artwork made with care and love.  

Please consider visiting our online shop or studio/gallery in Amarillo, TX.  Both online and in our gallery, we offer three urn sizes: single, companion, and pet urns in different glaze colors and combinations.  Kent or a member of our pottery team is happy to visit with you about time constraints, color choices, or any other questions you may have. Please call today at 806-282-2275 to visit with Kent or e-mail us at kent@bluesagepottery.com.  If you are visiting the gallery, please let us know what you are looking for when you arrive so that we can help you. 

contact us about memorial urns


SUMMER DREAMS

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If you are like me, you spend a lot of May dreaming up your summer plans, imagining new hobbies to try and places to visit.  What are you dreaming up for your summer?  Do you want to learn a new skill, express yourself creatively, or make something with your hands?  Maybe you want to relax, unwind, and connect with others who share similar interests.  Summer is a great time to do all these things because the days are long and luxurious, full of sun and energy!

In May, the summer seems full of potential. There seems to be unlimited time to do everything you want, but come September, I often wonder where the time went.  If you are like me, you wonder how you didn’t try that new hobby or take that class.  The long summer days are over.  School is back in session, and games and events fill the calendar. Make your summer dreams a reality by planning before the season slips away.  

You have many choices regarding how to spend your time this summer, and we would be honored if you chose to spend some of your free time with us.  At Blue Sage, we offer a variety of class times to work with your schedule.  Let us help you look back at this summer with a sense of accomplishment and some tangible proof of time well spent.  In a six-week class, you typically make between six and ten pieces of pottery if you are a beginner.

You might wonder if you should take an art class at Blue Sage Pottery this summer. Lots of things make our pottery studio a little different from the rest.  We have a lot of experience teaching (over 35 years combined), which means we know how to help you best!  Secondly, we make all our glazes from tested and safe recipes and “fire” your artwork to Cone 10.  Our glazes are tested and mixed to the proper consistency to get an excellent result every time! The result is well-made high-fired stoneware with food-safe glazes that you can use in your kitchen or feel good about giving to family and friends.  Blue Sage Pottery is the only private pottery studio in the Texas Panhandle where you can have your pottery fired in a “high-fire” handmade brick kiln.  If you want your pottery to look professional, you will want a studio potter to fire your work for you!

If you want to get creative this summer and make beautiful pottery in a historic building on Rt. 66, sign up for our classes now.  Classes begin June 10th. Spaces are limited because we have many returning students.  Reserve your spot by signing up today.  Come September, you will be so glad you did!  

Call about availability


EXCITING CHANGES

One of the things we love about pottery is that once a creation is fired, the job is done. Every physical detail making that pot or mug or bowl special is captured in time, and the future is up to its owner. Next time around we can experiment with a different glaze or design, but the job—at least for the moment—is finished.

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Most of life is different. Life is in flux, the clay is still on the wheel. No matter how well things are going, we can work hard and make them better. That’s true for art, for businesses, for families, for everyone. We continue to grow and encourage growth in those around us. The more we improve ourselves, the more our community improves along with us.

Blue Sage Pottery is doing great. That might seem a strange time to make changes, but we didn’t get where we are by standing still. Just as we continue to hone our craft, we’ll keep doing everything we can to keep Blue Sage the premier pottery studio in Amarillo, Texas. We’ve updated our logo and we’ve given our website a makeover. But the soul of Blue Sage hasn’t changed.

WE STILL MAKE GREAT POTTERY

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There was a time, not that long ago, that everything we used in our kitchens was made by hand. Every treasured pot and pan was one-of-a-kind. At Blue Sage, we’d like to get back to that mentality of building something that lasts, but keep the convenience we all love.

The quality of our pottery continues to be exceptional, with every piece unique, functional, and long-lasting.  We still make every piece by hand on the potter’s wheel or slab roller.  Our work looks great on display in your home or garden, but our pottery is useful in your daily life. Our clay and glazes are still dishwasher and kitchen safe.  Our pottery’s still as durable as it is beautiful, so you can brighten up meals and even your morning cup of coffee. All our pottery is dishwasher safe, so you’ll want to use it all the time!

We’ve expanded our partnerships with businesses who utilize our quality pottery for their own products. You can’t beat Blue Sage for consistency, and our large studio allows us to meet high demands. If you’re interested in using Blue Sage for your business, please contact us

Our selections of urns has grown. We believe everyone deserves to choose how they’ll honor someone, or how they’d like to be remembered. If you’re interested in our urns, you can visit our studio or browse our online gallery.

THE BEST POTTERY CLASSES IN AMARILLO

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Artists have a long history of passing on their skills and secrets from masters to apprentices. That’s why we’re still offering the best pottery classes in Amarillo. Whether you’re wanting to learn a new skill, make someone an unforgettable gift, or just looking for a new way to relax, you can’t go wrong with our pottery classes. We were all beginners once, and artists of all skill levels are welcome. 

You can learn how to hand-build with clay or use the potter’s wheel. Each session lasts 7 weeks, with six weeks of classes. We take one week off for drying before glazing our creations. Those six weeks include two hours of instruction time and, for the wheel classes, two hours of open studio time per week. 

Our wheel classes meet Mondays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Tuition is $180 per session, which covers the use of clay, tools and equipment, and the glazing and firing of ten small to medium size pieces that you can take home.  

Our classes are in high demand, so space is limited. If you’re interested, you can learn more here. Remember, Blue Sage Pottery classes make a great gift!

OUR GALLERY

We’re fortunate at Blue Sage to run a gallery alongside our working pottery studio. At our location on 6th Street in Amarillo, on historic Route 66, you can see our pottery (and us!) in person.  We’d love the opportunity to meet you and demonstrate what makes our work so special. We’re open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Mondays by appointment.

It’s an exciting time in Amarillo, Texas. The arts community is continuing to grow, and we’re doing our part to add our special flare to the thriving cultural scene. Not only is our gallery the place to showcase our pottery, it’s our opportunity to feature the work of local artists. Blue Sage is the perfect place to find something special for yourself or someone you love, and we always have something new.

We don’t know everything the future holds for Amarillo and for Blue Sage Pottery. But we’ll continue doing what we love and helping others do the same. Come visit us at our gallery, or browse our creations online. You’re sure to find something new and special.

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Browse our online collection