I’ve told you plenty in a bazillion different posts about my Aunt Tena’s pottery. My number of mentions and my Kitchen Cabinets definitely attest to my love of her work.
But I’ve been keeping a secret from you: Her son, Nathan (my cousin), and his wife, Katie.
They also have some magnificent work that they’ve been selling at art shows for years, but they just opened up a shop on Etsy to share it with the online world.
(Their Etsy site still a work in progress, so all of their work isn’t up yet, but if there’s something you see in this post you want to buy, I’m sure they’ll let you.)
While Tena’s work is mesmerizingly sophisticated, Nathan’s is every bit as whimsical. You can immediately sense the masculine touch in his humorous designs.
My favorite of his creations is the Monster Bowl, sure to get any picky eater to chow down if they get to eat straight from a Monster’s Mouth, right?
These retail for $30, and I adore them.
Some of his other creations include this fish bowl:
And his Robot Bottles, which are ever-so-creative:
His wife, Katie, also has a knack for clay. She has been using it to make gorgeous and unique jewelry pieces:
They are all hand-formed, so each one is a unique work of art:
Now, for the giveaway:
I have two Monster bowls, and one will go to the child winner of my Basketball Bracket Pool (which is actually the one who does the worst, as I previously explained), and the other one is to give away to one of you!
If you’d like to win a Monster Bowl, simply comment on the post.
You can earn up to four extra entries by:
- Going to Nathan and Katie’s Etsy Site and tell me one thing that you would want to order.
- Subscribe to OR Follow my blog
- Follow me on Twitter OR Facebook
- Tweet, blog, OR Facebook about this giveaway
(be sure to leave separate comments for your extra entries.)
Best of luck! This giveaway is open until Monday, April 5th. The winner will be randomly selected and posted on my giveaway winners page on Tuesday, April 6th.
I’d like to give a special Thank You for all of these amazing photos, which were provided courtesy of Amanda Pair, an awesome local photographer. Be sure to check out her site – I was blown away! Thanks, Amanda!
Disclosure: I received no compensation to run this review and giveaway. I do it simply out of love to all of you, and out of love of Nathan and Katie’s work. And I’m really starting to consider writing completely oddball things in these required-by-the-Government-disclosures, just to see if anyone reads them. Such as, I find the term “Opposable Thumbs” strange sounding. That’s all.
{ 94 comments… read them below or add one }
Opposable Thumbs does sound strange.
Love that fish bowl.
This owl pendent is super cute too!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43548863
I follow your blog.
And on Twitter. (Actually I'm just secretly stalking you.)
I read your government required italicized notes.
I'd love to win!
I follow your blog.
I went to their etsy site and my favorite would be the owl pendant or clay ring.
I also follow you on Twitter.
Your new blog design is so adorable! (I read through Google reader you know…) You and your family are just some talented folks!
Ohhh, i definitely want that clay ring – the one with circles in it. Such pretty color.
I follow your blog.
Monster bowl, I mean that is really cool. If I win it, I'll have to buy another one to suit both kiddos!
I feel bad about trying to win this so I'm only going to do one entry. But you know I'm a follower, I LOVE the square clay ring and I posted this giveaway on my sidebar!
I want to order a monster bowl and the clay pendant with the hints of red. LOVE.
I follow you…all the time…muah ha ha!!
I know what you did last summer…on FB.
AND I'm going to tell EVERYONE!!!!
on FB.
Ha ha, as you know, I am an avid follower!
I just love, LOVE that monster bowl, but the robottle is a close second!
Although I won the last bowl I still want to have a chance at that adorable bowl.
Those are so cool! And really, I think $30 is a fabulous price for something so unique and awesome.
Thanks for the chance.
soluckyducky at gmail.com
I really love the green and rust colored robottle in their shop too, and what a clever name!
soluckyducky at gmail.com
Following your blog
Following you on Twitter as soluckyducky
soluckyducky at gmail.com
How adorbale is his art. Amazingly talented family you have Rachel!
So misspelled that last comment by accident.
Anyway…I am a follower.
I am coveting the fish dish. May have to grab that one! Its so me!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43560232
I want it all please
I love the fish bowl
very cute.
very fun- love the fish bowl too
I have a fussy 3 year old boy and if that monster bowl will motivate him to eat then i'd buy 100!!
I'm a follower!
The fish bowl is too cute
Diane Baum
esldiane@gmail.com
the owl pendant mverno@roadrunner.com
LOVE the idea, the grandkids would be fighting over who got to use it first
I love all the clay pendants and how each is unique
following you
following you on twitter – saphyress
I don't think my thumbs ever opposed anyone…I don't think. Now there's another finger we could definitely call opposable.
I can't believe i like these as much as I do. Pottery is awesome! gbloganx@aol.com
AMAZING…
very cool and unique!
tvollowitz at aol dot com
That monster bowl is hilarious!
Opposable thumbs are what separate us from the animals… Except for monkeys! When I had my cookie-making accident and severed the tendon in my thumb I discovered just how important opposable thumbs are!
HORTON111@AOL.COM
SOME PEOPLE ARE SO TALENTED
HORTON111@AOL.COM
I LIKE THE CLAY OWL PENDANT
Love the fish bowl!
I went to their etsy site and think the owl pendant is really nice.
Love the Robot bottles. Became a fan on Facebook would have signed on for newsletter but couldn't find link nor a link for google read or friends. But would love to have the monster bowl for those we tiny monsters that drive one crazy for example that button with no hole or the paper clip with no paper and there is always a penny that nobody wants but it needs a home anyway.
I have the perfect spot for the bowl.
I love the Robottle.
Clay ring all the way!@#$!
Opposable thumbs is kinda weird, but I'm grateful for them!
These are the most unique and wonderful pieces ever. I got a bad case of the "I Wants".
Very unique! If I put veggies in it, will my kids eat them better? Worth a shot!
I'm a subscriber…
I follow you on Twitter…
Anything is worth a shot to get the broccoli into the kids bellies.
Oh…I love the rings…I want all of them!
First Comment: Nathan & Katie are just brimming and overflowing with talent and creativity – so congratulations on their new Etsy Shop – which I immediately added to my Etsy Favorites!
Suggestion: with the Rings, Pendants and AMAZING ReBottles (!) PLEASE give or assign them names to make it easier to specify which item one is referring to/trying to order. (see second comment)
I am a blog reader subscriber
I also Follow your blog publically via Google.
(Aside: I love your Blog name:
"grasping for objectivity in my subjective life" is a marvelous, provocative and inspired name – and sounds like the story of my life too!)
Love the monster bowls!
Subscribed of course
Follow you on twitter
I work in a public school system, and whenever I can, I try to win stuff we can use as door prizes for our ESE teacher training sessions. This bowl would be PERFECT–any teacher would love to have hit. Thanks for the chance to win!
bbentry [at] aol [dot] com
If I had any money to spend (which I unfortunately don't right now), I would love to order their clay pendant.
I follow your blog (Bacallsmom).
Following you on Twitter (kailua67).
I like the fishbowl. Adorable. Thanks for the chance.
mogrill@comcast.net
They have some unique and interesting pieces. Would have fun with Mr. Monster.
I love everything pottery!
Those are truly great!
Jennifer, jennem22 at yahoo dot com
I'm so impressed by creative people! The Monster Bowl is adorable!
These are awesome! Thank you for the chance, and God bless you!
I follow you on Facebook (Angela Townsend).
I love the clay ring at http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=43547449.
Wow! Very original.
I follow.
I love the clay pendant, thanks!
Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com
I love to try their fish dish
How adorable! I also like the jewelry.
I love how cool it looks.
hafner611{AT}gmail{DOT}com
I would order the clay owl pendant.
I'm a follower.
Those are so incredibly unique!
doot65ATcomcastDOTnet
I follow you on twitter (blueviolet)
I follow your blog!
I love the clay ring! I also love the small monster bowl!
Oh wow, these are cool looking!
clay owl pendant
I would love to win this prize. It looks great. garrettsambo@aol.com
I like the clay owl pendant.
Those are gorgeous. I would LOVE to win one.
THANK YOU! alisonad23 at gmail dot com
I had lost Nate and Kate’s email about a year ago and have been searching for them ever since. I was hoping to see them at the 2010 Monte Sano Art Show this year but they weren’t there. Thank you for this blog and helping me find them!