Jean Elton Blog

Not only do I want to take this opportunity, as the writer of this blog, to explain its lack of recent posts, but also to show other fun ways of using your Jean Elton dinnerware!

Lois & Bill, new grandparents

Over a week ago now, I gave birth to my first child (and in the process, made the founders and managers of Jean Elton grandparents)!  And as other parents of newborns can attest, I have been kept very busy as I get used to my new schedule and responsibilities.  But don’t think that means no more posts!  We will soon be continuing to provide behind-the-scenes pictures and current events at Jean Elton on this blog as usual.

And in that vein, let me show you how we’ve incorporated Jean Elton into our nursery!  And maybe give you a couple ideas when you are decorating your next room.

Read the rest of this entry »

Over ten years ago, Bill Barker sat down at his potter’s wheel to throw a jar.  When he was finished, he was particularly happy with his work.  The lines were nearly perfectly even and the shape was very pleasing to behold.  He and Lois like the piece so much, they decided to make a slip mold so they could forever replicate the jar.

At Jean Elton Studio, we still use that mold today and it is not only the basis for our jars, but for many other pieces as well!  We are constantly finding new uses for the shape, for anything from lamps to candleholders!  See the gallery below for all the various pieces that have been born from the same jar mold.

At Jean Elton Studio, we work exclusively with stoneware and have for over 30 years.  We love stoneware because of its durability in every day use, as well as the ability to dress it up for more formal table settings.

Stoneware is so durable because it is made with clay and then fired at very high temperatures.  We fire our pieces at over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit!  Like its name implies, the resulting material is like stone: hard to break and waterproof.  Many of the dinnerware that you can buy at big box stores are made of another type of porcelain dinnerware and tend to break more easily.  Like Lois says, “While we believe they are of better quality, safer, and better designed than many of the imports currently available in the marketplace, we hope you will want to own them because you love the way they look and feel!”

On a personal note, as the daughter of “Jean” and “Elton”, Read the rest of this entry »

1. First, decide on whether you would like an elegant/formal presentation versus a casual one.  This will affect which dishes you will use and what you will accessorize with.
2. Decide which dishes to use.  We here at Jean Elton Studio are trying to create dinnerware that can be used for casual and formal table settings.
3. Match the dishes with a tablecloth or placemats.
4. To dress up your Jean Elton dinnerware (or any dishes that you choose to set), add some of your fine china, crystal, and/or silver flatware.  To keep it casual, accessorize with pewter or stainless steel flatware.
5. Remember, forks go on the left!
6. Find matching napkins.  To make the table more interesting, add napkin rings, or fold your napkins in clever ways.
7. Accessorize with other fun items like individual salt/pepper shakers or miniature flower arrangements at each place setting.  In the evening, add tea lights to make a warmer setting.
8. Finish with a centerpiece to match your theme.  Remember it doesn’t have to just be flowers or a plant!  It can be a matching dish with a candle and greens around it, or a bowl of fruit.

Find creative ways to set your tables and take pictures!  We’d love to see them.  Or if you are out of your own ideas, copy some of our’s from the gallery below.

Our Jean Elton company party was a success, from the “JE” brie cheese to party favors.

Kathy made a “JE” brie cheese, especially for the occasion.  Don’t we have a talented group of people here?

Everyone in attendance got to choose their favorite piece of Jean Elton art!
Doesn’t Alan look happy with his Sail Vase? Read the rest of this entry »

Hi, my name is Amy and I am the manager of this blog and writer of most of the posts on it.  I am also the daughter of the founders of Jean Elton Studio & Gallery and have been using their products all my life.  Now I have a home of my own, and guess what?  I still use the dishes every day!  And not just the dishes.  Pretty much everywhere you look in my house, you will see evidence of Jean Elton.

My parents have encouraged me to write up a profile of myself (as we started doing and want to continue doing with everyone involved in the company), but instead (for now), I thought I’d just post a few pictures of how I use Jean Elton dinnerware and home decor in my home.

This large, hand-painted bowl is on display in my window-sill. You can see all the snow in the background!

This picture has two kinds of Jean Elton home decor! The "PEACE" ornaments hang from my mantle. The small sail vase sits on my hearth.

These are some of my favorite small square dishes, so I had to hang them on the wall. Aren't they precious?

I always use a Jean Elton serving bowl to hold my fruit. I alternate which ones, because I have several colors.

My cabinets are completely Jean Elton dishes! One of the sets you've already seen on this blog in the "Not for Display Only" post. Some of the others I had the privilege to paint myself!

I use a round pitcher for my kitchen utensils. I chose the light pink color to go with some of my other kitchen appliances.

My Christmas Tree was almost entirely made with Jean Elton ornaments!

So as you can see, nearly 30 years of using Jean Elton dishes has not soured me on them.  In fact, with all the new designs and colors, I’m more excited about them now than I ever was!

Our Jean Elton dinnerware is perfect for everyday use, but also can be dressed up beautifully.  For an upcoming company party, we used the dishes on several different tables as you can see in the gallery below.  Each table is set with a different color and design of dishes, with matching glassware and linens.

We’d love to hear about your experiences with Jean Elton dinnerware.  How do you display them?  Do you use them everyday, or just for special occasions?

Recently a woman purchased a set of Jean Elton’s hand-painted dishes and brought them home to put them on display.  Her young son was so excited to see them and immediately asked if they could be used for dinner.  “No!” She answered.  “Those are too nice to use, they are only for display!”

Her son was so disappointed.  “Why is it all the nice things in this house are only for display?”

While she was right that Jean Elton hand-painted dishes are lovely for use on display, they are durable enough to be used every day!  And if you’d like to see the whole process, check back in a few days for a video of the making of the plates, from start to finish.

Around this time of year, the artists at Jean Elton Studio and Gallery are quite busy with a number of corporate gift orders.  You have seen the Making of the Mug, but in addition to pressing mugs, they have been pressing plates and building bowls.  It is not an easy process, especially considering the orders are anywhere from 50 to 150!  But at Jean Elton, they love those kind of orders!

It usually starts around September, because in order to complete larger orders, they need plenty of time!  A busy professional will pick the piece that they want (mug, plate, etc.) and then pick an accompanying glaze.  For an extra special touch, they may purchase a stamp with the company’s logo to be stamped onto each piece.  Jean Elton will keep the stamp so that each year, the professional can purchase an additional piece to match their previous years’ gifts.

Over the next several months, the pieces will be pressed or built (depending on the item), trimmed and cleaned up, fired in a bisque firing, glazed, and then fired again.  The items are then packed and ready to be shipped!

Keep this in mind next year, as you wonder what to get for your employees, customers, or clients!  And don’t forget to order a stamp for that extra special touch.

We all know how beautiful the ornaments have turned out to be, but did you know they can also be personalized?

Just use a fine point Sharpie to write your personalized note on the back.  It can be anything from a simple “to/from” note to a short message for your loved one.  More ideas:

• Use them as gift tags to top presents
• Give them as gifts to teachers, students, employees, and other friends
• Give them as your yearly Christmas ornament to your children
• They also make great stocking stuffers!

The prices range from $2.75 to $4.25, so order yours today!