Many people have called into the offices here at Emerson Creek Pottery trying to find out what their long cherished piece of pottery is worth. This is a question easier asked then answered and often times better left to the professionals to answer, if you want an exact dollar figure. We are unable to appraise our older pottery because of our bias opinion and lack of knowledge in the fine art of appraisal. We can, however, tell you the name of the design and/or form and tell you the approximate time it was made. Our records can also tell you the price the piece was sold for during the time of its production. One thing that can be said on the matter is that if the piece was an original signed by the owner/artist Priscilla Palmer it is worth more then one would think. Or a hand throw piece with finger ripples running around the piece would also be worth more. Often times inquiring customers are referred to Ebay. Many people have posted their personal Emerson Creek Pottery pieces for sale and you can get an idea of what others believe it to be worth.

Since we began making pottery here at Emerson Creek over thirty–three years ago, numerous designs and forms have come and gone. Some designs have left when an artist departs or when a customer’s creative request replaces an older design. In some cases, a past pattern has returned for a limited time due, most commonly, to customer’s demands.
However, some patterns have made it through the test of time. The Field of Iris has been with us since day one. In fact, the delicate Iris flower is used as our company logo. In the thirty-three years the Field of Iris has changed slightly in that at one time it had a pink Iris mixed with the current blue and purple. Even with its slight variation the older Field of Iris pieces mix extremely well with the newer Field of Iris. Just as in Mother Nature, the combination of the old and new make for a wonderful array of ‘no two alike’.

Walk into any store right now and it is hard to miss the fact that the holidays are in full swing! I love the flavors and smells of this season. Traditions play an important role in bringing back those elements of the holidays. Each year I try to add a few decorative things around my house that bring back old memories and also I add a few new items to keep things fresh. The first place I begin when decorating is with some inexpensive candles. I anxiously get my home “smelling” like the holidays with the warm flicker of candlelight. Pillar candles are a favorite of mine because they can burn for a long time. This year I am using the Emerson Creek Pottery “Cranberry Design” pillar candle holder to display my candles. I just love the look of cranberries this time of year. The decorating possibilities are endless with cranberries. I can choose candles that are cranberry red, evergreen or winter white and all will look great on the Cranberry pillar holders. They also make great hostess gifts if you are looking for something to bring with you to a holiday party. If you love decorating with candles as much as I do, check out Emerson Creek Pottery’s full line of pillar holders.

Emerson Creek Pottery has combined four of our top-selling items for your bathroom to be sold as a complete set. We realize that when organizing a bathroom most people purchase these four items: a ceramic jar, toothbrush holder, soap dish and a soap (or lotion) dispenser. By purchasing the complete set, you save $18. Sold separately all of these items together would cost $58 and you can now purchase all four items for $40!

Bathroom sets are available in all of our handpainted designs. Why not consider giving a bathroom set as a housewarming gift or treat yourself!

Who doesn’t like to see their name on things they use? Monograms show up on all kinds of products from linens to backpacks. Why, here in Virginia you can learn a lot about a person just by reading their personalized license plate!

Emerson Creek Pottery recognizes the appeal of personalized items. In fact, many of our fine pottery pieces can be personalized. So if your Nana always bakes her famous cookies for the grandkids, how about a personalized cookie jar that reads “Nana’s Cookies”. Or how about a personalized large frilly tray for a housewarming gift that says “The Smith Family”!

The next time you are trying to decide what type of thoughtful gift you can get that special someone consider a personalized hand-painted piece of pottery that will be both used and loved!

Are you ready to freshen up your kitchen with a new look for summer? Many people change dishes for Christmas so why not change your dishes for summer? I think Emerson Creek Pottery’s Buttercup Servingware is perfect for summer. The soft yellows, oranges, greens and muted reds will bring a new look to your kitchen this season. I can just picture a delicious salad of cherry tomatoes, yellow and orange bell peppers and mixed greens served on one of our “Frilly Platters”.

Summer is the perfect time to brighten up your kitchen with sunny hues. In addition to changing your servingware, why not consider new dish towels, potholders and even add some fun stemware to your mix. With the Emerson Creek Pottery’s Buttercup design, I think yellow or orange accents would really make a kitchen pop with style. An easy and edible centerpiece would be to fill one of our “Frilly Fruit Bowls” with oranges, lemons and limes.

One thing that I always seem to buy in the summer is the fragrance “Summer Sorbet” by Aromatique. It is available at major department stores and I have seen it at our local Hallmark store. I like to buy the potpourri and display it somewhere near the door my family uses most often when we come into our house. It just reminds me of summer. The colors in this potpourri are a perfect match for our Buttercup design. It would look beautiful spread out on one of our “Small Buttercup Trays”.

I hope you have found these ideas helpful. How do you freshen up your home for summer? I’d love to hear from you.

Now is one of the best times of the year to plan a trip to the Peaks of Otter. If you love the vibrant purple blooms of the Catawba Rhododendron or the soft pink blooms of the Mountain Laurel, plan your trip for one of the first two weeks in June!

If you have never visited the Peaks of Otter, allow me to introduce you. These magnificent mountains are located in Bedford, VA on the Blue Ridge Parkway. While there, you will be able to hike on a variety of trails or fish in beautiful Abbott Lake. The Peaks of Otter hiking trails range from easy (a one mile hike around Abbott Lake) to strenuous (one and a half miles to the summit of Sharp Top). You can even get on the Appalachian Trail from the Blue Ridge Parkway near the Peaks of Otter.

If fishing is your preference, you can fish for catfish, small mouth bass, golden shiners, sunfish and blue gills. Take your catch home for dinner or save some effort by dining in one of their two restaurants. Whatever you do, you are sure to enjoy your stay.

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I hope you and your friends or family will get to enjoy the Peaks of Otter this year. To remember your stay, you may want to order one of Emerson Creek Pottery’s handpainted pieces of the Peaks of Otter. Click on the picture of Emerson Creek Pottery’s Summer Peaks Round Tray at left to learn more about the history of the Peaks of Otter and see how you can own one of these collectible pieces.

Over the years I have attempted to incorporate various houseplants in my home. I love the look of real plants and the feeling I get when a plant I care for actually flourishes. I’ve learned that houseplants rely on many of the same things as outdoor plants. For one thing, location in a house is important since some plants need direct sunlight, others diffused light and still others seem to be okay in a dim bathroom with no windows at all.

One plant that has worked really well for me is the African Violet! This plant is a lot like me. For one thing it seems to like the temperature in the house to be about the same as I do, about 70 degrees F. It doesn’t like to get too hot (over 80 degrees F) or too cold (under 60 degrees F).

The lighting that the plant prefers is perfect for my kitchen window. It needs sunlight but it shouldn’t be too harsh. One way to check this is to put your hand between the plant and the window with the back of your hand toward the window. If your hand gets too hot then that is not a good place for your African Violet as the leaves may get scorched.

The African Violet is a little picky about the way it wants its water. According to the African Violet Society of America, it is important to not OVERwater your plant or the plant could experience root rot or crown rot. You are also not supposed to get water (aside from occasional spritzing) on the leaves of the African Violet as it can cause blemishes on them.

I’m excited to say that Emerson Creek Pottery is currently developing a ceramic pot that will make watering African Violets much easier! It has long been recommended that these plants be watered from the bottom. Our new design consists of an unglazed ceramic insert that goes into the bottom of a pot. This insert allows water to slowly seep into the liner which holds the pot for your African Violet. Now the African Violets can stay at a constant moisture level which they prefer.

I’d like to know what you think about this idea and if you have any experience with African Violets yourself. As soon as I have a picture of this new African Violet pot available, I will add it to my post. If you would like to read more about the African Violet you may enjoy visiting the African Violet Society of America’s website at www.avsa.org.

We all know how beautiful cut hydrangeas look in bud vases this time of year. I was looking forward to updating my guest bathroom with fresh cut flowers now that the weather has warmed up. Unfortunately, my poor hydrangea bushes were victims of the late Spring freeze we experienced here in Virginia. Since my garden is lacking for any other specimen that would make a nice cut flower, I’ve decided to come up with a new use for my Emerson Creek Pottery Bud Vase this year.

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You may have noticed Reed Diffusers in many specialty stores over the last couple of years. If you haven’t seen them, they are basically little vases that contain a fragrance oil with reeds inserted. The reeds soak up the oil and diffuse the fragrance throughout your home. These are ideal for me as I love the smell of burning candles but with small children and a forgetful mind they have become a hazard.

I found a website that sells all of the supplies needed to create my own Reed Diffusers, www.wellingtonfragrance.com. I love the fact that I can still use my Iris Bud Vase in my bathroom! In fact, at only $14.00 each, the bud vases would make a nice gift for someone as a “create it yourself” gift. Let me know if you try this at home. I’d love to know what fragrance you choose. I’m trying decide between the Ocean fragrance and Georia Peach. Maybe I’ll try both!

Are you trying to put together a kitchen with a French Country flair? You may be incorporating elements such as wrought iron lighting fixtures, stone or clay floors and natural or aged wood furniture. But one thing is for certain, you most definitely have been considering adding Rooster motifs to your room.

Emerson Creek Pottery has a charming line of ceramic pottery with our exclusive Rooster design. Our dinnerware would look amazing on red plaid placemats in your kitchen. Or you could try a Rooster Frilly Fruit Bowl filled with Red Delicious Apples placed on your table for a simple farmhouse centerpiece. The possibilities are endless with our wide array of Rooster pieces. Just click on the picture at right and it will take you to our entire Rooster selection!