Keeping busy...

It has been a busy month.  

Mom has had some rough patches in her chemo treatments, including an adverse reaction to an antibiotic when she had a sinus infection.  This left her pretty sick for a while.  But, she rallied and was feeling better when my sister Regina and her family, plus my sister Sue came for a weeks visit.  She went into work for the first time all month just yesterday.  Today she is feeling a bit tired, as is natural for the 3rd day after chemo.  But she is definitely stronger than she was after that sinus infection/antibiotic reaction!

Classes at The Mercantile have been hopping!  That is a GOOD thing!  We have a total of 11 wonderful ladies taking classes through Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Clemson each week.  They just completed week 2 and have 3 more to go!  And our regular class schedule at the store is also quite full.

I am in the throes of getting ready for my last show of 2010... The Mistletoe Market at the Anderson County Museum... this coming Friday and Saturday!  Casting, trimming, bisque-ing, sanding, glazing, firing...   I have a bisque firing and a glaze firing yet to do before Friday.

I hope you all have had a good October, and that November will be even better!

Somebody I know turns 50 in November...

ME!

Moving right along...

I had a dry spell with creating yet again, but I am back in the groove.  Having an upcoming show can do that!

The molds filled with porcelain slip

I have been casting at least once a day, having to work around my work schedule at the store. 

The Large Mug waiting for the handle

Roly Sake Cups drying in the molds...

All scored and ready to attach!

I have also been taking LOTS and LOTS of pictures lately... most of the 4-500 are of jewelry class samples for work, but I have also been taking pictures of the changing season and other things that catch my eye...

One of the several clusters of mushrooms in the side yard

A Black-eyed Susan

The Red Japanese Maple

Looking past the Dogwood out into the side yard at the Pink Dogwood and the Crepe Myrtles

The Camellia on Wednesday morning

The same Camellia blossom on Thursday morning

The Camellia in the front yard

They're BAAAAAAACK

Autumn is definitely in the air, especially at night.  The day-time temps of 70's and 80's doesn't really feel autumnal though... 

The caterpillars are even slowing down, they aren't eating the parsley as fast this time... and there are only 2 of them.

I need to get back to trimming pottery, and helping clean to prepare for visitors.  My most favorite little sister is coming with her hubby & munchkin on Sunday and my most favorite oldest sister is coming in to visit also - all 4 of us girls will be together for a few days!

My mom is undergoing chemotherapy for a metastasis of her breast cancer (first diagnosed 11 years ago).  She discovered yesterday that her hair is starting to fall out.  So, in true Mom fashion, she made an appointment to get her hair cut SHORT this morning!  

I hope you all have a great day and a wonderful weekend!

Giveaway at Sand Fibers ends tonight!

  It's October, and The Best Little Bead Box has had a great project launch, and Sand Fibers has had a great two months, and,  just because I feel like it  (and I am the boss and the boss gets to do what she wants every once in a while!)  And, while this may be "just because," it certain isn't "just any" giveaway.  

This time, the random number generator and I are going to choose 10 (yes, you read that right:  TEN) winners!  The first 9 numbers drawn will receive $15 Sand Fibers gift certificates (enough for two patterns - 3 for 2 will not apply, however). The grand prize winner, the 10th number drawn, will receive a Blooming Bead in the colors of her/his choice, a $58 value.    

To enter the drawing for these prizes, you can do one or more of the following. Please note that to take full advantage of these you must leave a separate comment for each. 
1. Leave a comment here. Just say hi or something ;) 
2. Blog about this give away and leave a comment here with a link to your blog post.  
3. Twitter about this give away and leave a comment here letting me know you did. Be sure to reference @SandFibersRedux in your tweet.  
4. Link to this post on Facebook  and leave a comment here letting me you know you did.  Be sure to use the @SandFibers tag in the post (it will show up on my fanpage wall)  Please leave your email or your etsy/ArtFire/Bonanza store name or something in the comment as well so that I have a way of contacting you in case you win.  

If you do all four of these things, you will leave four separate comments and have four separate chances to win. You could, of course, choose to just do one of the four, or two, or three...and that's okay as well. Just enter!  

Entries/comments must be made by midnight on Monday, October 11. I will use my trusty random number generator to determine the winners on Tuesday morning and will announce the winners on this blog later that day.   

Regardless of the number of entries, each person can only win one prize. If a name is drawn a second time, the random number generator will be asked to pick another number/name.   

Now be well and get going! Be(ad) well and prosper!

This 'n That

I have been a little remiss about posting regularly.  But life has been busy.

We have been teaching two 5-week series of beading classes at the store... (just finished week 4, one week off and then two more 5-week series begin...)

Working on Kumihimo Braids... look at that concentration!

And we were planning, preparing and teaching a big class (21 ladies) lats Friday night  at our favorite pizza place, NEW YORK PIZZA (on Civic Center Blvd. in Anderson, SC) in conjunction with a Rubber stamp convention that was in town...

Make & Takes over the weekend at the store...

My pottery has suffered from neglect, my items to ship out are sitting un-packaged, my energy level has been almost nil.  My creative muse has left the building again...  I feel a little lost.

One thing that has continued to inspire me and caught my eye is the sky.  The cloud formations and the way light plays upon them...

Rain in the distance...

The sunset's reflections on the clouds

The sunset over Pier One Imports last week...

I took today to just re-charge and try to get motivated again...

My apologies to those of you waiting patiently for some of my pottery or jewelry, it all has just  been sitting here while I was concentrating my energies toward the family business.  I have not forgotten you, I will get things moving again on Sunday.  It is my next day off from work and I can concentrate on enticing my creative muse to come back and help me finish projects long overdue.

Thank you to my friends who have been there for me, whether on-line or in person, your friendships mean the world to me and I cherish them all!  Sometimes it is just that your blogs or facebook posts are there for me to read, and others you are there for me in person.  Sometimes we all need a little encouragement, and I am so grateful for the network of friends that I have who can give me the encouragement and support (and inspiration) I need.  THANK YOU!