Steve Knipp - Hosta Pottery

Someday (soon, I hope) the sun is going to come out and melt all of this snow so that I can busy myself with actual hostas, rather than whetting my appetite by buying things that just look like them.

Although, there is some beautiful Hosta merchandise out there. Case in point: Steve Knipp's Hosta pottery.

I found out about his work while perusing through Cheesehead Gardening's blog (she's a Hosta Geek too). She had ordered a few pieces from Steve's collection, posted about them, and they were beautiful. So, I sent Steve's link over to GeekBoy for his input and he took it upon himself to email Steve for more information. Steve replied to him with a video he'd made just for us, showing the pieces that he had available and their prices. It was a very cool way to do business - very personal. It was very hard to limit myself to just a few items, I really wanted them all, but we have these pesky bills and such, that keep cropping up.

So, I give to you, the pieces that I (really, GeekBoy) procured:

A sushi-type dish. What's neat and different about Steve's work, is that he actually presses the Hosta leaves into the clay on the front,

and the back. So they are interesting on both sides. And he put felt feet on them! A man after my own heart. I'd put felt pads on the cats paws if they'd stay still long enough. And not scratch the living shit out of me.

Please forgive my less-than-stellar photography skillz - I'm not well versed in the art of still-life photography and making things look like they are floating in a white space. Maybe someday. Probably not, though.

A large leaf shaped serving plate. Steve actually uses a Hosta leaf to create the plate, so they are truly one of a kind items. He's got a video up on his site showing how he makes the hosta leaf bowls, in the event you are interested in maybe trying it out yourself. Me? I'll stick to forking over my credit card instead. I took pottery classes about 10 years ago and some of my little bowls (I never graduated from little bowls) weighed 5 pounds each.

Here's the back of the plate. (felt FEET!) Ignore the packing tape and little trees on the side of my kitchen towel. I'm too lazy to crop them out.

The last piece I got is a small appetizer plate. I'm considering putting it on my dresser and using it to hold jewelry - screw the appetizers. I'm on Weight Watchers, food is the enemy. (not really - it's just that I want it out where I can enjoy it all the time and not shut up in a cabinet somewhere, collecting dust because we never entertain, a byproduct of not liking people).

Even the small pieces have detail on the back. But no felt pads :(

Here they are all together, just waiting to be put to use:

Oh, and Steve also included some cute thank-you cards in the package. I thought that it was a nice touch.

They say 'thanks this much' on the front and are blank inside so you can write your own message.

Steve's got one more piece that I really, REALLY want. Maybe if I'm super duper good, it'll just show up at the house someday. (hint hint - GeekBoy, you know which one I'm talking about)

Next up - maybe some soap. Or maybe more Hosta stuff. Or possibly an owl. Who knows, you'll just have to tune in and see.