Creative thoughts from Cindy

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T10:34:00.000-05:00

This past year has been particularly rough.
I have not posted in a while because I have just not felt like I had anything enough to say.
I still don't have a whole lot on my mind to share. But I want to let you all know that I am still here and still plugging away. I am not as creatively productive as I would like to be, but I am creating some. I have lots of ideas, but not the complete motivation to make the ideas come to fruition.
My procrastination habit has become a real problem for me. I hope in this new year that I can work to reverse that habit. I have been trying for a while, and hope it continues to improve.
I finally got rid of the car I never liked or wanted. I am now the proud owner of a, new to me, 2007 Chevy Equinox. I LOVE IT! The down side is having car payments again, but I have the comfort of knowing my car is newer and in better shape than the 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. (And - it is a really pretty blue!)
Thank you to all of my family and friends for all you have done for & with me in 2011, I appreciate & love you all.
I look forward to making 2012 and on the best I can. A lesson learned from my Mom - no matter what life hands you - do what you can to deal with it and keep your head up. Focus on the positives in life, the negatives are still there, but they won't consume your time and rob you of enjoying what time you have. Others have said basically the same things, but watching Mom practice those thoughts was an inspiration. I only hope that if I am ever faced with half of what she went through that I can handle it with as much grace & I dignity as she did. I miss her every day.

Mom

2011-07-28T07:20:00.000-04:00

10/4/1933 - 7/12/2011

I miss you Mom!

My award

2011-05-08T09:54:00.001-04:00

I participated in one of the two or three shows I do each year. I was in Clayton, GA for Celebrate Clayton.

The weather was fabulous, the entertainment was great, and the organization these volunteers have come up with as the show has grown is amazing!

They have streamlined their set-up times so as not to have any one vendor waiting forever to get to their space. You are given one hour to put up your awning and unload your 'stuff', then you move your vehicle and make room for the next vendor to come in and do the same. In the past, some vendors have wanted to do their entire set-up before moving their vehicle (which sometimes was a BIG truck with an even bigger trailer!)

On the two days of the show, they had a shuttle van that brought vendors to and from their vehicles (parked a couple of blocks away). The amazing thing is that the van on loan for the shuttles is a church van from Mountain City, GA, If you saw some of the news photos of the tornadoes that hit that area a couple of weeks ago, that church is shown with it's steeple upside-down.

You may see a flash of blue in some of my photos. I was honored again with the Judges Choice of Best Pottery at the show. This is something I still have problems believing. I know I like my work, it comes from a place deep inside my creative self. But to have a pair of judges pick mine is an honor and humbles me. As one friend on facebook said, I was channeling Sally Field when I said 'They like me, they really like me!' Hey, if I have to channel someone, I'm so glad it is a talented person like Sally Field!

My new Large Mugs were a hit! And I had return customers buying the Small Mugs as well. That is another heart-warming thing, to know I have return customers; both at this show, the Mistletoe Market at the Anderson County Museum in November, and mostly, at The Mercantile. Thank you from the bottom of my creative heart!

The one down-side to the weekend was somehow wrenching my back! Friday night set-up went great. My friend and fellow vendor Mike and I put up both awnings and set up the tables, zipped down the sides and all was well. The next morning we went to load in our product and set-up the displays.

As I squatted down to un-zip the sides of the awning, my back wet out. I could not get up. I just sat myself down on the street in agony. Luckily, the extremely helpful Boy Scouts from Troop 40 were on hand to help, as well as some event volunteers. A very BIG thank you goes out to all of them for their help!

I slowly and VERY carefully worked my way through set-up and asked for help when I couldn't do something. I even fashioned chair cushions out of the foam pads I pack around my pottery.

One of my customers is a massage therapist and gave me some simple exercises to do to try to relieve the pressure. Thank you Joyce! While I was down by the Rock House to get my award, Joyce stopped by my booth to check on me. Mike told her I was still hurting, and she brought some pain-relieving rub for me. My friend Pat, who is a nurse, told me how much Ibuprofen I could safely take. Thank you Pat! By Sunday, although still sore, I was able to move MUCH better and still asked for help when needed. And lastly, but definitely not least, my friend Mike made sure that I got to the drug store to get more Ibuprofen and some ice packs before returning me to my car to get to where I was staying for the night. He also was usually the only one around to help me when I needed someone to lift anything. Thank you Mike! I would not have made it through the show without the help of all these wonderful people.

The most humbling moment of the show was when I saw a convoy of Search & Rescue vehicles from Athens & Augusta headed out Route 76 toward Lake Burton & Mountain City (and on toward Ringold, GA and possibly beyond) to help with those so severely affected by the tornadoes. I admire the people who can take on jobs like that, they are a special breed!

Pottery Photos from 4/27/2011

2011-04-28T19:21:00.000-04:00

Another special order Sake set...

The mug with an almost all-over glaze is a special order.

Preparing for Clayton

2011-04-27T07:21:00.000-04:00

Life has been hectic lately. I was off cat-sitting & house sitting for 2 weeks at the beginning of this month, back home for about a week, and then another week dog & house sitting. Add to the mix that I work full time in our family business, and I have been preparing to go to my Spring show, and trying to get the special orders completed. When I am not home, it is hard to do.

I have my final glaze firing for the week going in today... photos tomorrow, leave Friday.

With the power cord to my laptop dead, I cannot get it to re-charge, so I was without for the last month.

Still here, but not having much to report...

2011-02-20T13:25:00.000-05:00

I have been just lurking the last month or so.

I had a bit of a creative stoppage, but I am back on track now.

The photo is one they took of me in 2008 at Celebrate Clayton. I ran across it on their web site today and decided to copy it.

My current projects are #1 - first and foremost, figure out what is causing the handles to crack on the large mug and fix the problem. #2 - produce for Historic Pendleton's Spring Jubilee (I am not a vendor, but I add to The Mercantile's inventory at that time.) #3 - produce for Celebrate Clayton. #4 - begin making some clay beads. #5 - decide which design ideas to make next...

Hope all is well with all of you!

My Snow Day

2011-01-10T20:49:00.000-05:00

I have lived in the South for over 11 years now, and although I feel I can most probably still drive in Northern snows OK, I prefer not to drive much in the snow down here. That is for a number of reasons, #1 being that there is seldom enough snow to warrant the purchase of the big plows and sanding trucks like up North. #2 a large number of native Southerners are not accustomed to driving in the snowy conditions. #3 if I don't have to go out in it, then I won't! Nothing is open anyway! Because #4 they can't plow and sand the roads as well... because of #1...

As I walked out to clean off my car at 8 AM

A few photos of the wintry wonderland in our yard...

A look at Dad's car before it was cleaned off...

The pots on the potting table, partially under the eaves...

Then, what to do with an extra day off from work... play with clay!

I have been having some technical difficulties with the handles on the large mug. I re-worked the mold and hopefully they will stop cracking on me!

mugs!

I was able to get a few more rounds of pouring done today... concentrating mainly on mugs, my orders are waiting, and my supply is in need of replenishing...

studio clutter!

Who knows what the weather has in store for us tonight... hopefully, we will miss out on the freezing rain and sleet... schools are closed again tomorrow... not sure if we'll be open yet, depends on the road conditions...

1/10/2011 - SNOW!

2011-01-10T09:20:00.001-05:00

Looking out over the side yard

This was taken at about 8 AM today... there was about 4 - 5 inches or so at that time, and it was still falling...

A few photos to share...

2011-01-02T14:20:00.000-05:00

I was driving home from my dog-sitting and it was a dreary morning. The fog was laying low and everything had an eerie cast upon it.


This was the look in their back yard as I took the dogs out one last time before heading home... the crows in the tree just add to the eerie feeling...


I took a little detour to where I go walking, just to see what the trees there looked like...

Then I went to the SC Botanical Garden in Clemson


Not far from home...

These were all taken around 10 - 11 AM on 1/1/11

Gertie & Hops

And these two sweet pups were my New Years Eve companions...

I will try to get some things posted soon about what I have made lately, I have posted them on facebook, but I will go more in-depth here.

Goodbye to 2010

2010-12-31T20:18:00.000-05:00

As I look back at this past year, it has been filled with so many things.

There have been ups and downs with Mom's cancer journey, and the year ends on an up note. They have reduced the dosage of her chemo treatments and taken out the PICC line (to be replaced on Monday with a 'permanent' port.) There seem to be no signs of the nodules at this time. Her blood work was good before her chemo on Wednesday, so she did not need a Neulasta shot on Thursday. She continues to gain her strength and be able to do more. We can only hope that the new year will continue to bring good news.

I have had my ups and downs with my creative muse this past year. I started off the year with winning an award for the best of show in pottery at the Spring show I do in Clayton, GA. I wanted to use my prize money to take a wheel throwing class, but my teacher got some sort of stomach bug and had to cancel. Then, I needed my prize money to pay some bills... My brother in MA was down for a visit, and took one of my drawings home with him to turn on the lathe. I now have my larger mug... if I can get past the handles breaking off before they are finished... That itself has gotten me in another creative slump... I need to take the time to work on the handle a bit more so it will cooperate... And my brother has given me the gift of making 3 additional models for me. I just have to decide which ones other than a tea pot that I would like made...

Work has been rewarding. I love working with the public, and teaching creative classes. My sister Terri & I have had to take on more responsibilities at the store because Mom is not able to come in often. And Dad is taking more time to help Mom as needed. We have a wonderful clientele.

My health has been generally good.

My family is wonderful! We have had visits from all of the siblings this past year... wish we all lived a bit closer to one another! We plan to have a family reunion in 2011, I am looking forward to that!

I don't like to make resolutions, I know I cannot keep them. I just want to strive to be a better person and to grow creatively.

Thank you all for following my blog. I hope to get a bit more organized in the future.

I wish you all a wonderful New Year!

A labor of gratitude

2010-12-05T10:17:00.000-05:00

I have been keeping busy. Not getting as much pottery made as I would like to, but that is mainly an energy issue.

In among working and casting mugs, I made this wreath as a Thank You gift to the nursing staff and everyone on the Cancer floor at AnMed Hospital. They took such wonderful care of Mom during her recent stay there.

One of our wonderful customers brought us a beautiful Magnolia blossom that she had made. 2 days later, Mom was in the hospital. I brought the blossom to her to keep on her night table, knowing it wouldn't wilt or need watering. The staff loved it and could not believe that it was made out of balloons!

When Mom was released, I decided that I wanted to make them some Magnolias and give them directions to make them themselves. After discussing it with Mom, we decided that making a wreath for them to display would be the best idea.

2 of the small Magnolia blossoms on the wreath

The completed wreath

So, off to the party store to buy white balloons.

With a little help from scissors, wire, unshelled almonds and floral tape, the blooms started to come into shape. (I also made some Poinsettias from red balloons.)

We had this beautiful artificial mixed greens wreath and I added the blossoms, a few small ornaments and artificial berries, whipped out a big festive bow, and voila!

The photos are not the best, I am still having problems with lighting... But, you get the idea.

I just need to finish writing the Thank You card (I made one last Saturday...) and get this delivered to them this week.

The instructions are all written, if you would like a copy, leave me a message with your email and I would be glad to share.

I need to take a photo of the Poinsettia (and the card) as well and add it here later so you can see how it looks.

Mom is getting stronger every day. We miss having her at the store with us, but know that staying out of crowds and conserving her energy is best for her in the long-run.

A giveaway at Stone Lotus Pottery...

2010-11-26T21:35:00.001-05:00

I forgot to say that this giveaway is over at the blog of Stone Lotus Pottery...

Holiday Giveaway #2 (click here)

Our newest giveaway is this turquoise cross wall hanging. It is hand carved and measures approximately 6 inches tall and 4 1/4 inches wide. It has a small ring adhered to the back so it can simply hang on a nail in your wall or if you prefer you can thread a ribbon or cord through it.

Just leave a comment on this post with an email address or link to your blog (we have to let you know if you win after all : ) We'll pick a winner at the end of next week!

Get additional chances to win:

1) post a link to our shop and giveaway on your blog

2) post about this giveaway on Facebook

Just leave additional comments letting us know and we'll enter your name up to three times!

Only available within the U.S. You must leave a way for us to contact you in order to win. Once notified of winning, you have one week to provide a shipping address or we'll pick another winner. Good luck!

Suggestions anyone?

2010-11-19T19:05:00.000-05:00

As I have been working on getting large mugs made for the people that have ordered them, as well as mugs for other orders, I have been thinking. (I know, I better be careful, thinking can be dangerous!)

I would like to offer a little more diversity in my product. I will keep the current items, and I will pull out some of my Victorian Hands that are just waiting to be fired, but I am looking for an idea of where to go next?

Another look at my booth at Mistletoe Market 2010

I have thought of several different things... a nice vase or two, a teapot (shorter and rounder than the coffee pot), I'd love to do plates (but haven't had too much luck with them in the past), beads, pendants, buttons, spoon rests, the list goes on (and on). But I would like input from all of you out there as to what you think would be a good thing for me to add.

All suggestions are welcome, I value your opinions.

Thanks for stopping by my blog, and thank you in advance for your suggestions!

A little rambling goes a long way...

2010-11-12T15:16:00.000-05:00

Mom is home now, and she is gaining strength. Today is a little slower, because of the chemo side-affects kicking in. But there is definite progress.

I have been exhausted these past couple of weeks. I wasn't always able to go to visit in the hospital, because of either preparing for the show I went to last weekend, or teaching a class.

I am extremely grateful for my 2 older sisters helping to keep Mom company, as well as taking care of Dad. I usually ended up being the one holding down the fort at the store.

A Wire-wrapped Pendant I made - inspired by my late friend Lucia...

My niece and her husband came up for the weekend to visit as well, at one time we had 9 people in the hospital room visiting! I am very lucky that the large family I am a member of is very close-knit. We come together whenever we are needed. Not always physically together, but definitely we are there for one another.

While I was at the show, I met some new people and had a great time with some of my show friends. I get so much satisfaction out of doing shows. Making the pottery is my go-to activity when I need to creatively re-charge.

Part of my booth on Saturday morning...

The stoneware display

Tomorrow I get to spend the day teaching a Calligraphy workshop. I am trying to instill in the students the need to practice their pen-strokes, drawing the letters and not being worried about whether theirs looks like mine or the one in the book or not... consistency is the ultimate goal. And we even get to have lunch from The Village Baker! MMMMMMMM - MMMMMMM - GOOD!

I tried to call my FIL yesterday to wish him a Happy Birthday, but the line was busy... I tried several times... and again today... busy signal. I hope he knows that I love him and wish him many more birthdays to come (he just turned 85!) My great-nephew also had his birthday yesterday... I can hardly believe he is 2 years old already! And he is as adorable as his parents!

In a little over 2 weeks, I turn 50. I am more than OK with that... age has never bothered me. But, I was wondering if I should celebrate this mile-stone in some special way (other than having family here for Thanksgiving). And if so - how? Any ideas out there? I can't promise you I'll be able to celebrate in the suggested way, but I am curious to hear what you think. And please... keep it clean!

OK - enough rambling... off to take care of some pottery and other things that need attending to.

rough week

2010-11-04T08:16:00.000-04:00

Mom is back in the hospital. I don't have the time to go into the details right now, I need to get to work.

Here is a photo of her from 2 weeks ago with my little sister Regina

Keeping busy...

2010-10-31T20:40:00.002-04:00

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...

2010-10-15T10:16:00.000-04:00

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!

2010-10-11T19:22:00.002-04:00

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

2010-10-01T19:12:00.000-04:00

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!

I'm here!

2010-09-22T06:49:00.000-04:00

I've been busy working with my sister and our friend Phyllis to prepare for a big card making class we are putting on this Friday evening in conjunction with the Heirloom Anderson Rubber Stamp & Paper Arts Festival being held at the Anderson Civic Center this weekend. We have 20 people signed up! It should be LOTS of fun. We are having it at New York Pizza (can't seem to add another link - grrrr) on Civic Center Blvd.. The students get pizza & salad with their class as well!
I WILL post photos! (Both here and on the store's blog TheMercantileStore.blogspot.com)
Today, my favorite traveling bead wholesaler comes to town for me to pick beads for our next trunk show! MMMMMMMMMMM - BEADS! It should be an all day event. Then our local rubber stamp club (The Crafty Crew) has it's monthly gathering at the store. It will be a LONG day, but a VERY enjoyable one!

This is not one of the cards we are making, just one I made in a class last week

Another Adventure in Pet Sitting

2010-09-17T16:26:00.000-04:00

Sandie & Cleo

I spent the last 3 nights pet & house-sitting... the pets are 2 Labs (Yellow & Black) and a bob-tailed indoor cat.

Sandie is the younger of the two Labs, and if you can believe it... she doesn't bark! She has this muffled woof-ish sounding thing, but no real bark. And she whines to get your attention. But that being said, she is a sweetie. She loves to be around you and has a soft silky coat, even at 2 years old. But she definitely likes her beauty rest!

Cleo is 6, I think, and she is the Black beauty of a Lab. Her attention-getting maneuver is to put her paw on your leg or to nuzzle her nose under your arm until you have to pet her. She is the definite watch-dog of the family with her resounding bark. But a real softie to those who know her.

Eliza

Eliza is the cat of the house... and she can head-butt you until you pet her too... great disposition.

There were also all of the birds out at the feeders...

The Mourning Dove perched atop the feeder roof...

This doesn't look like a Hummingbird...

Not to mention the deer... I didn't get a photo, but there's a doe and her two fawns and a buck as well that frequent the back yard.

I had a great time!

The sky on my way into work on Thursday... had to stop & take a pic!

The Large Mug - again!

2010-09-12T11:26:00.000-04:00

I don't have much to write about this morning.

All is going well with production of the large mug.

I have not been able to get to the PO to ship out some things promised to people (wedding gift, prize, necklace...) because when I have the time, the PO is CLOSED!

I took this shot on Monday before Kathy picked up the FIRST first quality large mug to be finished!

As you can see, the wooden model is to the left, and the original mug is to the right.

Kathy was so pleased! And that makes me feel good too! I have the rest of them in production now for those who have been promised one or more. The glaze on Kathy's seems to be the glaze of choice... ALL 6 that I need to make are the same color!

Well, back to production... I have to go consult this afternoon about my next dog/cat sitting job that starts Tuesday...

What inspires you to create?

2010-09-09T07:34:00.000-04:00

In reading other posts, both on clay and on jewelry, I have seen a lot about inspiration. I am curious what inspires people to create what they do. Is it nature? Something you see that someone else made? Thoughts about a person or place? Dreams? I have been inspired by others work to make something with my own twist or flair, I have also created because of a thought of a certain person. Sometimes, when wrapping a stone pendant, I 'let the stone tell me what it wants me to do'. I have seen things in the print on fabric, or in cloud shapes in the sky. My inspiration can take on many forms... what about you! Come on, leave a note, I'm curious to read about your inspirations! Don't be shy...

Lorelei's Blog: Talk is Cheap

2010-09-08T21:10:00.000-04:00

My friend Lorelei is having a sale in her Etsy shop... you can go to her blog and read about it here...
Lorelei's Blog: Talk is Cheap: "Sometimes talk is cheap. Sometimes you just have to do it. I am tired of hearing myself talk about how I blowing money on Etsy fees . I am ..."

A technical question for my clay friends & followers

2010-09-04T07:59:00.000-04:00

I was preparing to place an order for my favorite clear cone 6 glaze last night and discovered that after 21 years of using it, the company has discontinued it!

Ebonyware Roly & Straight Sake Cups

If you notice, the inside of my pieces have a clear glaze, and on the Ebonyware, it enhances the blackness of the clay...

Well, to my dismay, I have tried many other clear cone 6 glazes over the years, and they either make the black clay look very brownish or they are milky/cloudy no matter the thinness or thickness I apply them.

My question to all of you out there in the blogosphere is can you recommend a crystal clear cone 6 glaze that I can try??? I would rather not change that aspect of my work (the look, that is). Last year it was the company I got my porcelain from going out of business! Luckily for me, I found a better source closer for an equally wonderful clay! Let's hope that with your help and my determination, I can find the right clear glaze as well!

Thanking ALL of you so very much in advance for whatever direction you can direct me in!

Flowers!

2010-08-31T08:19:00.000-04:00

After so much heat and humidity, but not much rainfall this summer, we did have some nice rains that gave the flowers the nourishment they needed.

Sweet Autumn Clematis on the courtyard fence

I went out to take a photo of the Sweet Autumn Clematis... as I walk past it every morning on my way to the car, I see snow capped mountains. The photo doesn't do justice to what my eyes see.

No much more that 2 weeks ago, the poor Black-eyed Susan's were scraggly and their blooms were weak and waif-ish.

They are not show-stoppers now, but they sure look a lot better!

I am working on glazing, and the photos of that are not too good, so I thought I'd give you some flowers to look at during the wait... Kathy's Midnight Rain large mug is in the works, as are the 2 for brother Bill and others as well...

Large Mug

2010-08-29T12:45:00.000-04:00

The Large Mug in Ebonyware with Plum and Surf glazes

TA DA! The Larger Mug!

2010-08-26T20:49:00.000-04:00

Bisqued mugs with glaze Plum and Surf

This morning I loaded up the kiln (well... really only one shelf of it). I was so excited to finally have finished larger mugs!

First peek!

So... I loaded it up and fired it off before I went into work. Past experience has proven that this clay body can handle quick firing VERY well.

After work, I went out to the shed and checked to see that the kiln sitter actually did turn it off properly, and it was no longer glowing. So, I propped the lid open about an inch. And I went back into the house for dinner.

It was soooooo hard to wait, but wait I did, I gave it til the end of dinner, and then took this first peek photo before closing the lid onto the prop at about 3 inches to cool some more. Then I checked the quick photo and saw no obvious signs of cracks or excessive warpage. That is a good thing!

I then waited about an hour for it to cool enough to unload with the kevlar gloves...

the finished mugs!

It was worth the wait! The mugs are GORGEOUS, if I say so myself!

In this photo (sorry about the color being so off), I put one of the smaller mugs (a second) to compare the sizes, yet again...

The new mug is a TINY bit (1/8") larger than I had planned, but that is fine with me! It holds 1 7/8 cups per dinnerware industry standards (to the rim) compared to a cup for the original mug,

I must say, as long as people have been asking for this new mug, I am so glad it is finally here!

My thanks go to a number of people, mainly my brother Bill for getting the beautiful model made for me after my sitting on the drawings for so many years. My friend Mike needs thanks for helping me get the coddles made quicker than I could have done them by myself (and for pushing me extra hard to get back to making my pottery 5 years ago...). I also need to thank my ex-husband Verne and my father-in-law Wally for all they taught me about model & mold making and the ceramic industry, without your teaching me, I could not do what I do. My parents need to be thanked as well for their moral support in my creative process, and giving me a place to live and to create. All of my friends and family get thanks as well for their support, suggestions and encouragement. And my customers need thanks too, for liking my work and buying it!

Successful Bisque Firing!

2010-08-24T20:49:00.001-04:00

This morning I loaded just the large mugs that were dry enough into the kiln for a bisque firing.

6 large mugs ready to bisque to cone 04!

I started the firing at about 8:15 or so and then went off to work... When I returned home, I unloaded the kiln after dinner. Of course, they were still a bit toasty (needed kevlar gloves to unload the kiln) but they cooled pretty quickly.

5 large mugs sanded...

Unfortunately, I had not made much in a few months and I forgot I was nearly out of 400 grit wet/dry sand paper... and I could only sand 5 of the 6 mugs before the paper was too worn out to do any good. (Need to pick some more up tomorrow!)

large mug and small mug with ruler for comparison

Here is a photo comparing the bisqued mugs in both sizes.

As I sanded them, I was able to detect that the firing was a total success! None of them cracked!

large mug & small mug bisqued, small mug glaze fired

This photo shows the comparison of the small mug bisqued and then glaze fired... When the large mug shrinks in the glaze firing, it should end up approximately the size that the small mug is when it is bisqued...

(Those bisqued mugs really are straight, the towel under them tilted them a bit to the left...)

the return of the parsley!

And lastly, just to show that the parsley really is doing well, a photo I took of it on Sunday morning... soon we'll be able to enjoy it again!

Comparison #2

2010-08-18T07:26:00.001-04:00

SUCCESS!

I cast the first of my Larger Mugs last night! Being the first pour of a new mold, it was slow in releasing... so, I let it sit overnight (OK to do since there are no undercuts to hang-up during shrinkage)...

When I woke up this morning (at 5:15!) I was not clear-headed enough to feel like I should be handling the mug... so, I waited patiently (ie - caught up on my blog reading) and opened it about 6:30 when I was feeling a bit more clear-headed and steady.

First pouring of Larger Mug!

I am soooooooooo pleased with the results! The 2nd pouring is draining as I type and may be able to be released from the mold before I go into work this morning... if not, that's OK, it can wait until I get home this afternoon (not sure if I can wait that long though!) [** UPDATE - I was able to release it before 8 AM, and a THIRD one is draining right now!**]

As I was photographing the new mug, I noticed a dry mug in the background that it's handle broke, so, to compare the two at this stage is close to the final difference in size. The amount of shrinkage in the drying is minimal, compared to the final firing.

The handle-less Original Mug (dry) with the Larger Mug (leather hard)

So... a side-by-side comparison... WOW... I am EXCITED! Can you tell???

A top view... color is off... but it works...

This is 20 years in the works... the excitement I feel is hard to describe! To actually see it in clay... that drives it home to me. The wooden model was great, to see in 3-D finally, but in clay brings it to an altogether different level for me!

In my bog reading this morning, I concentrated on clay blogs... well, clay bead blogs... I have been trying to get some clay beads and pendants and buttons made, now that my clay muse has returned, and is in a productive mode... maybe I can get some of those done as well... WHILE filling the requests I have already on my list! Starting tonight, I will add a status line at the top like my friend Kelley does, that way everyone will know where they stand. Why not now, you ask... because I have clay to attend to, that's why!

Wishing you all a fabulous day filled with wonderful things...

And sending purrs to Kelley on the new addition to her family... can't wait to see pictures!

A little comparison...

2010-08-17T06:40:00.001-04:00

Just to let you know the difference in sizing for the mugs... My original mug, if I don't cast it too thick, holds 8 oz. per the dinnerware industry standards (to the rim). The new mug is about 18% larger. Why 18% you ask??? Well, because the porcelain shrinks so much (18%) I was asking a few people over the years how large they'd like the mug. I showed them the mold for the original mug. They liked the size it starts out as the finished size. Wha-la! That is how I decided to make the larger mug 18% larger. How much it will hold is an unknown at the moment. (I should be able to start casting them tonight after work! YAY!!!)

Original side-by-side with Large...

And, a photo of my nephew DragonBen taken yesterday, his last day of summer vacation before starting 5th grade!

What a face!

And the Winner Is...

2010-08-16T07:48:00.002-04:00

56 entries

mix them up well...

WINNER!

I want to thank all 29 people who entered for a total of 56 entries in my August Giveaway. I have found some fun new blogs to follow in the process!

I wanted to do this drawing as early as possible... I had the names written last night and in the fabric bowl, waiting to see if any new entries would join them this morning... none did

So, I drew the name of the winner of the August Giveaway - ledamewood!

Then, feeling a bit celebratory over finishing the mold set for the Larger Mug... I decided on the spur of the moment to do a second drawing from the same group... to be added to the list to receive a new Larger Mug when they are ready...

Mix them up again for a 2nd SURPRISE drawing...

2nd WINNER!

And Carol Dean of Sand Fibers is the winner of my SURPRISE 2nd DRAWING!

Congratulations to both of you - I will be sending emails to you in just a few minutes (as soon as this is posted).

My apologies to my niece Karen who really wanted to win this... but she knows where to get a necklace and mug made by me anyway... I love you Karen!

The Larger Handle Mold is FINISHED too!!

2010-08-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

This handle needed to be about an inch longer than the handle on my original mug. Otherwise it might not be balanced when the mug is filled with the beverage of choice... Not wanting to deal with the fragility of carving a new handle, out of plaster, from scratch, I press molded a handle in the smaller mold, then press molded a smaller section and spliced them together. I used my modeling clay for this process.

The model set up to pour the waste mold

The waste mold with modeling clay keys added

Once I had the waste mold made, and added some modeling clay keys, I was able to set up the coddles and cast the first side of the working mold.

ready to pour!

Then, I had to wait for the modeling clay to cool off after casting the first half of the mold. The heat from the curing of the plaster caused the model to deform when I removed the waste mold... So we went out to eat for Dad's birthday...


Not too bad... needed a little more work before casting the second part of the mold...

Ready to pour part 2!

this is what the poured side looks like while it is curing! Almost like watching paint dry...

Waiting to see what the mold looks like... patience! I don't want to open the mold too quickly, the plaster might not be hard enough... breathe!

When I finally opened it, I noticed some air pockets inside... but they are patchable... and I just want to get a few mugs out of this to see how they work...

OK - it isn't a pretty mold... but it'll work!

Then I strapped it all together and put in in front of the fan to dry... With all of the humidity, I don't know if I'll be able to cast tomorrow evening or not... time will tell...

The set of molds for the larger mug!

And here is a photo of Dad's gift all wrapped this morning... (A little bit of color to the post, plaster is kind-of boring looking...)

Giveaway & Parsley

2010-08-15T09:46:00.001-04:00

Viking Braid in (from top) Non-tarnish Brass, Non-tarnish Silver & Non-tarnish Copper

First order of 'business'... The deadline for my August Giveaway is midnight tonight. And entries received after that, sorry. I will choose the winner when I get up tomorrow morning and see if there are any additions to the drawing. I am doing it by names since I haven't figured out the random number generator thingy yet...

If you want to enter, scroll down to the original post and the 'Another way to enter' post for rules.

The sprouts are thriving!

Next on the agenda is the Italian Parsley plant that was devoured by the Black Swallowtail army of caterpillars this past week. It is thriving! There were 4 sprouts visible yesterday afternoon and they look healthy! All the Parsley needed was a little pruning. And the result being the possibility that there will be 10 more Black Swallowtail butterflies in our garden is DEFINITELY worth it!

The Basil

And, I did keep a watchful eye on the Basil (every time I snipped some off to add to lunch or dinner) even though it is not on the list of preferred foods for the Black Swallowtail Caterpillar... And, it looks (and tastes) GREAT!

So, in conclusion, if you have not entered the giveaway and would like to, please do so today or your eligibility will expire. And, if you should ever see the beautiful caterpillars I did this week, munching away at your parsley, I hope you can let them enjoy their feast. That is, unless you are growing the Parsley for profit and can't afford to lose any right now...

Hoping you all have a wonderful Sunday. I have a handle mold to make.!

The Larger Mug Mold is FINISHED!!!

2010-08-15T09:16:00.000-04:00

Despite the heat and humidity, I persevered and finished the mold for the Large Mug...

Measured & marked carefully... secured model to the coddles.

First, There was a lot that went into making this mold... I have taken some step-by-step photos to walk you through it.

Making sure the coddles meet tightly...

Adding the last side with the model attached...

After I had the box made for the plaster to be cast in, it was time to pour the plaster....

The plaster was slowly added to the water and allowed to slake for a few minuted before mixing...

Gently mixing the plaster so as not to introduce any bubbles...

What happens when the plaster is mixed too long... it gets messy!

I don't know where to look in that storage unit for all of my formula sheets to know how much plaster to make... so it was trial and error. My first pour (besides being too thick) was not enough, so I needed to make more to top it off. This part of the mold was a waste mold part to help set up for the actual working mold parts.

It cleaned up pretty well!

After pouring that, I needed to cut some keys (registration) into the waste mold so when the working mold is finished it will fit together properly every time.

The waste mold with keys all set up for the next pouring.

Again, I sealed the surfaces with release and set up the coddles once more...

The new mold part - looks fabulous!

And the pair of working mold parts - FINISHED!

I won't show you the pouring of the second working mold part, it looks pretty much the same...

Here is the completed mold with the model showing them off for us!

The mold all strapped together and set to dry.

I made my mark!

What to do with left over plaster :~)

Now my mold is complete! Yay! I just have to finish the handle mold today (it dries faster) and I can start casting.

Please, don't put any visions in your head of me doing a happy dance, it isn't a pretty sight! Which is why I only do one when I am alone!

And, for those of you who know that you NEVER pour unused plaster down a sink without the proper settling tank, what do you do? I just poured it out on the ground and picked it up after it cured and threw it away!

And, as a side note... today is my Dad's 79th birthday... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!

The Larger Mug

2010-08-12T19:56:00.000-04:00

Some people started asking for this when I first started making my Ebonyware mugs... 20 years ago... the current mug sold so well, I procrastinated... then took a couple of years off from production, for a number of reasons... and now, do not have the equipment to make the turned models. What to do? Then, in talking with my brother Bill back in April, I discovered he has a lathe. A-Ha! Out comes the drawing I've had - FOREVER! And he agreed to make me a wooden mug model. YAY!!! Thanks for being such a wonderful and helpful big brother!

The beautiful turned wooden mug model - out of cherry! Gorgeous as a piece of art in itself!

The model and my newly made plywood coddles to make the framework to pour the plaster into.

I took some photos of them as they were drying after a coat of clear polyurethane was applied... light sanding in the morning and another coat... Plaster should be able to be cast on Saturday! If the sun stays out, I should have a dry mold to work with on Monday... I can't wait!

Hopefully the new coddles and the mold in the imminent future will entice my muse to return from wherever she has been hiding. I am taking all the extra time I would have been in pottery classes and just diving in! Well... almost all... I did take a bit of time to feel disappointed, but I'm over it now... I guess my pottery related creative slump is officially OVER!

My first few large mugs are spoken for already (and YES - I will complete the wish lists of others at the same time), including the Cider Mug Sale at the Clemson Arts Center in September.

Hungry?

2010-08-11T18:22:00.002-04:00

While the family is off visiting other parts of the family, part of my vacation to-do list is to keep the outdoor plants from frying in the sun or wilting into oblivion with this heat (today 95 with a heat index of 102!).

On Monday, I was really actually looking at the plants as I watered them, and noticed that some of the Italian Parsley looked as if it had been picked. I figured Mom had taken some with her to my brother Rick... who doesn't LOVE to receive a fresh bouquet of parsley???

Then, on Tuesday, MORE was gone! I began to think someone was snitching our parsley! Then I looked closer...

These caterpillars were munching away on the parsley

You can see that now (Wednesday) they have eaten quite a bit!

Not just one...

And not that one and this one...

In this photo, if you look closely... there are 5... but that's not all...

More than this!

They were EVERYWHERE!

As I looked around the plant, there were a total of 10!

I looked them up in the Butterflies of the Carolinas book that Mom has... I wanted to be sure that they were not destructive (to anything other than the parsley, that is...)...

They are the caterpillars for the Black Swallowtail Butterfly!

WHEW!

Then, I went about my business and let them eat the rest... it was mostly defoliated already... I can always get Mom a new parsley plant... I took the photos late yesterday, and they had munched all night and there isn't much left... some of the caterpillars even left the plant to go find something else yummy. (And yes, the plants in the carrot family - of which parsley is - are a common food for this caterpillar)

I am keeping an eye on the basil now... though the book says nothing about them liking basil...

OK... so now I have gone back out in the sweltering, muggy heat and looked at the parsley again... the pretty caterpillars are all gone now...

And so are ALL the leaves!

Are those little green round things on the top of the soil what I think they are???
(see the new sprout coming up on the left?)

And here is one of Mom's miniature roses... just covered with blossoms!

The LOOT

2010-08-04T07:27:00.002-04:00

This is the first of Marsha's pieces that I won...

And this is the second one...

And this is the custom Worry Stone I won from Kelley....

The quilt magazines and fabric item I won from Jill have been designated for her to send to my sister Regina.

I unfortunately did not win either of the last two giveaways I entered, but there were sooooooo many more entries that my chances were really slim.

(I'll plug in the links to these wonderful artisans tonight, when I have more time...)

Another way to enter!

2010-08-03T07:28:00.000-04:00

I forgot... there is another way to enter... silly me!

4. Post this giveaway on your own blog and let me know that you have.

**Those of you that have already let me know you are sharing it on your blog have already had that entry logged. Thank you!

Tonight I will post pics of the 'loot' I have received in the last couple of weeks from the giveaways I have won... the last 2 pieces arrived yesterday (THANKS Marsha!) and I was too pooped to photograph last night.

For now, I will share a couple of really amateur photos of two projects I completed this last week...

Red Creek Jasper, Quartz, Goldstone & Copper


A not-so-great photo of a customization for my youngest sister Regina

August Giveaway

2010-08-01T20:09:00.002-04:00

As family and friends have urged, I will host a giveaway.

The item to be the 'prize' will be a custom made necklace with Viking Braid and a wire-wrapped stone.

I do not have a photo of the finished piece, because it will be custom made, but here are some examples of the wrapping and the braid...

Viking Braid Bracelet in Non-Tarnish Copper

Custom wrapped stone in Non-tarnish Silver and Non-Tarnish Copper

Custom Wrapped stone in Non-Tarnish Silver

The Giveaway starts tonight (August 1st, 2010) and runs until Midnight Eastern Time on August 15th, 2010 and is open to residents of the US only.

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post with a way to get in touch with you to verify and confirm your entry.
Share this post with others on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you did.
Become a follower of the blog and let me know you have signed up.

This gives you up to 3 ways to enter.

The winner will be chosen in a random drawing. After that, we can discuss stone colors and wire preferences. (I am drawing by names... since I don't have the patience to check the time stamp on each entry to see when it was submitted...)

Sand Fibers Giveaway!

2010-08-01T14:07:00.000-04:00

One of the wonderful creative beading artists I have come to know through Facebook is having a giveaway to celebrate her sales on her Etsy shop.

To enter, go visit Sand Fibers blog to see what you need to do.

(News about my giveaway will follow later today... still finalizing the details...)

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...

2010-07-31T21:23:00.001-04:00

The Writing and Art of Andrew Thornton: Thursday Giveaway...

There is a fabulous giveaway over on Andrew Thornton's Blog... a wonderful stash of all sorts of beautiful beads... If my luck holds and I win this one, I'll share with the Hole in The Bead Gang friends... I PROMISE!

The Power of Suggestion

2010-07-29T20:00:00.003-04:00

As I made note on Facebook this morning about the good luck our family has had this year, winning ribbons & giveaways, my dear niece Karen said she wanted to win something. Then both she and my younger sister Regina said I should do another giveaway... and I WILL! It will be posted on Sunday August 1st and all of the details will be included...

(The pieces I have won lately from on-line giveaways are a CUSTOM Worry Bead from Kelley's Bead Studio and a beautiful Cut Flower Porcelain Pendant from Marsha Neal Studio PLUS some quilting magazines and fabric that I am giving to Regina (I don't quilt) from Jill)

So, you have been ~~notified~~ warned!

PS - Marsha is having another giveaway on her blog. Go to Marsha Neal Studio to enter her giveaway! OOPS! the deadline has already passed... SORRY! And - not only has the deadline passed , but I WON AGAIN!

Under Construction...

2010-07-03T21:31:00.000-04:00

I am finally able to find a little time to work on my blog design. I set up several new pages, but am still working on filling them with the content I want. I'll take a little bit of time, between work, family, creating, and sleep. I just got photos onto one page, but am having a little trouble figuring out how to add captions to them.

In time, they will be somewhat like I envision...

Floral beauties

2010-07-03T19:56:00.000-04:00

Moms collection of flowers

Mom was recently in the hospital for about 5 days. She is home now and doing much better.

The flowers to the left are the ones she received during this most recent hospitalization. She has displayed them together on the table in the sun room. They compliment each other very well.

The lilies from Bobby & Shelly

The lilies from my oldest nephew and his wife are absolutely gorgeous! The buds are opening every day. And the fragrance is heavenly.

The paper flowers were made by my nephew DragonBen and his mom (my sister) Terri. Each piece is hand made, some from punches and some cut free-hand from papers, formed and glued together. And, at my suggestion, they added glitter to some of the flowers as well!

The paper flowers made by Terri & DragonBen

The pink rose in the bouquet was to remind Mom that her mother (Nana) is looking over her from heaven...

A close-up of one of the paper flowers

Adventures in Cat-Sitting

2010-06-27T13:21:00.002-04:00

A little history first.

When I was young, in Jr. High and High School, I used to pet-sit for our neighbors pets. Sometimes it was just one cat or one dog, but often it was for our 'back-door' neighbors who had a few cats and dogs. The time I remember most was when both dogs and the 2 female cats had litters at about the same time... wow! Unfortunately some of the tiny kittens died because their 'not much more than a kitten herself' mom abandoned them and I could not find them until it was too late. Boy did that upset me!

But the puppies... lots and lots of puppies! One mom was a Wiemeraner (sp?) and the other was a Border Collie. I remember naming them while the family was away. I think their vacation was 2 weeks, but that was a looooooong time ago. They were so cute! And they'd just all climb all over me when I'd sit on the floor! I loved it!

In my adult life, I have had only cats... I'd love to have a dog, but I don't have the time to make sure it gets regular walking and is taken out for potty time. Cats are a little more self-sufficient - most of the time...

Rocky & Sophie hanging out on the spiral staircase

A couple of months ago, my friend Frankie & I were talking. She had just gotten a second Rag-doll Cat - Rocky. He had JUST joined their family, and they were headed out of town for a couple of weeks. So, I agreed to house & cat sit for 16 days. It was WONDERFUL! Both Rocky and their other Rag-doll Sophie were a joy to spend time with. And the lake-front house was like a mini-vacation. If only I had my fishing license and rod & reel at that time, I could have practiced casting off their dock!

The view from the house

Flash forward a couple more weeks and my friend Lisa, here in town had seen my mention of cat-sitting on my Facebook page and asked if I had done it just as a favor, or if I was open to doing it again. And, as a lover of cats & dogs, I said I would be glad to help her out if needed.

This time I am just cat-sitting, not house-sitting as well. And the cutie I am sitting for is also named Sophie. She is a beautiful short-hair white cat with beautiful green eyes! She greets me with meows at the front door and loves to give kitty-kisses. She sure misses her mom... this is the longest her mom has been away from her...

Sophie misses her mom

I miss my Max, he was my own sweetie. But he has been gone now for over 3 1/2 years. He lived a long life and kept me company through some good times and some bad times. If my life weren't so crazy, I'd adopt another cat. But I don't have the time to give one the time and attention it needs... though some day, things may be different.

And, who knows, maybe some day I'll get a dog... you never know...

My Max...

In the meantime, I am glad to help care for my friends furry families while they are away.

One of my new glazes...

2010-04-28T08:04:00.003-04:00

Here are a couple of pics of one of the new glazes I introduced at this show... I tried it out on both the Stoneware and the Ebonyware Porcelain... it was a hit!
It is difficult to tell from these pics, but it is a mottled blue with greens and browns... I think it looks fabulous on BOTH clays, but that's me. I also sold some of it as well at Celebrate Clayton, which is a good sign.
PS - Can you see the leftover rain drops on the canopy side behind the stoneware mugs? I was one of the lucky ones who did not have any damages or losses due to the storms...

An eventful time...

2010-04-26T08:53:00.009-04:00

Mom & Dad spent 10 days on a much deserved and much anticipated cruise to the Panama Canal with her sister Celeste and their friends Joan & Brad from back 'home' in Alfred, NY. While on the cruise, Mom had a UTI and then they called from Customs to have us schedule a Dr's appt. because her cough had gotten worse. Mind you, they still had a FABULOUS time!
Upon their return Tuesday evening, they were greeted by my brother Bill, his wife Miwa & their 2 boys David & Chris who were visiting on Spring Break. Mom's appointment led to having another chest x-ray, which determined that there was no infection in her lungs, hence supporting the diagnosis of Congestive Heart Failure.

Wednesday, sister Sue arrived to visit with Bill & family, and to assist with the fabrication of the Connie-Tron and the Earl Arm Support Equipment. Meanwhile, Miwa & the boys came to the store to learn some beading techniques.

All the while, I am in final show prep mode, trying to get all the last minute glazing & firing completed to pack up on Friday afternoon. This, in addition to working in the store all day and helping to teach the final sections of the OLLI classes Terri and I teach at the store.
Thursday, Mom had a wonderful day visiting with family, and then Jeanne, her Lymphedema Therapist and friend came over for dinner and to consult with Bill on the new apparatus he and brother Rick have been working on since Christmas.

Friday afternoon, Mom needed to take a rest. Having half of her diaphragm paralyzed due to radiation damage from 10 years ago, tires her easily. I left about 2 PM, but did not want to wake her. When she awoke from her nap, she was not feeling well and had a fever. After discussing it, they decided it was best the sister Terri take her to the Dr. (Terri is our designated medical escort for Mom... she has a good head for the medical stuff...) Long story shorter, she needed to go to the hospital for IV antibiotics for Cellulitis in her bad arm.
Meanwhile, I got to Clayton, GA, set up the canopy and tables, put the sides down and called home to find out about Mom being sent to the hospital. I stayed in Clayton because there was nothing I could do for her anyway, she was in the best of hands and getting the care she needed. I kept my cell phone with me in case they needed to contact me.
Saturday I awoke to rain... what a way to start a weekend outdoor show! The rain subsided enough for most of the artisans to get their vehicles unloaded and booths set up. Then it was off and on sprinkles for a bit. About 1:30 or so, the RAIN came... and it came some more, and then it was torrential! The event chair came around and said that I had been chosen to win the Best in Show for Pottery & Ceramics but that the awards ceremony for 3:30 was postponed until Sunday because of the rain. They told us we could close up for the day whenever we wanted to.
We went to Dillard House in Dillard, GA for dinner... it was delicious!
The rains continued throughout the night, one customer from Clayton said there was 4" of rainfall at her house.

Sunday morning early (5:30 or so), it POURED!!! But by 7 it was sun-shiny and I went back to the venue to see that my canopy had survived the rains, although some people lost theirs over night. I re-set all my product and then the winds came. I didn't lose any pottery though! I tried to make sure I had things relatively low-profile.
At times I had to hang on to the canopy to make sure it didn't blow away... even with weights on it! The wind gusts were pretty powerful. More vendors lost their canopies or displays to the gusts, we could hear crashing and shattering glass sounds.

I received my blue ribbon and cash prize, and sold a decent amount of product.
And... I got a copy of the Clayton paper which had excerpts from a phone interview I had on Tuesday evening with one of the reporters about the show.
When I got home, I was checking my email and discovered I had won a custom made worry stone from Kelley's Bead Studio.
Mom may be released today, if they feel that her arm looks enough improved. Her fever has been gone, which is good. She is in good spirits and feeling much better.
Thank you to my family for being the wonderful people they are and taking care of Mom. Also, thank you to Phyllis & Renee (friends-who-are-like-family) for helping Terri at the store while Dad recuperated from being at the hospital with Mom til early morning hours. And thank you to Cissy, Marsha & Peggy (more friends-who-are-like-family) who spent the day at the store Saturday having a wonderful time. I love each and every one of you!
And now... as soon as I get my laundry finished... it is off to start the work week.

Interesting to watch...

2010-04-16T08:09:00.000-04:00

I don't have a picture to share today... just a link to a cool site that shows the ships going through the Gatun Locks in the Panama Canal. Right now I am watching my parent's cruise ship go through... Panama Canal Webcam it is so interesting to watch...

The view from my studio

2010-04-11T12:46:00.000-04:00

It is a beautiful bright April morning here in SC. I could easily be distracted by the beauty of all around me... but I have a show in 2 weeks... no time to be distracted...

But, that being said, I had to share what it is I am looking at as I am creating... The beautiful Pink Dogwood in bloom across the yard, the azaleas starting to open near the house, the smell of freshly mown lawns in the air... and this is only what the camera took in... there are gorgeous spring flowers all around the house, birds singing and children playing...

Need to take a break and go to the Hole in The Bead Gang meeting this afternoon... then back to the 'grindstone'...

New Look

2010-03-28T09:46:00.000-04:00

I love this new option from Blogger to customize my blog even more! I had fun playing for a little bit... now I need to get back to making pottery! Have a great day!

Spring!

2010-03-19T16:45:00.002-04:00

"Came the Spring with all its splendor,
All its birds and all its blossoms,
All its flowers and leaves and grasses."

Longfellow - Hiawatha

Roses for Nana

2010-03-13T07:28:00.002-05:00

March 4th would have been my Nana's 100th birthday. We have adopted a tradition from one of our friends to go out to dinner in honor of our loved one's birthday and eat somewhere they would have enjoyed and just celebrate the life that was.
On the 3rd, we went out for Italian (Nana was Italian) and had a wonderful meal. Afterward, we were in the grocery store and I saw these gorgeous pink roses. Pink roses were Nana's favorite. I bought them. This is a photo of them in the morning sun the next morning, which was actually her birthday. They lasted a week, but have gone on to rose heaven...

A productive day!

2010-03-07T19:32:00.003-05:00

Here is a closer look at he Ebony Porcelain coffee pot and mugs... the sugar and creamer set was not in this photo... but this is the mottled chocolate brown glaze on the set that sold at the Arts Infusion Show.
I spent today casting the mugs and all out of porcelain and stoneware... I have to try to get some cast each day if possible.
Maybe not as productive a day as I would have liked to have, but definite progress was made, the slump is over!

Give Away!

2010-03-06T21:08:00.004-05:00

Over on MaryLou's Art Adventure blog, there is a great give away.
You see, MaryLou won a $1000 gift certificate to ArtBeads... so, she is doing a give-away herself of a $25 gift certificate to her Etsy shop.
You can go to her blog Time2Cre8.blogspot.com and find out the 4 ways to enter... and you can enter ALL 4 ways if you wish!
(Just let me win this one!... I wanted the $1000 from ArtBeads!)
Well, I didn't win :( but that's OK, someone did, and that is a good thing! Some day I'll win...

Inspiration has returned!!!!!

2010-03-05T15:56:00.003-05:00

This past week I entered 2 'pieces' of artwork in a small first-time show to benefit people who have little or no insurance to cover chemotherapy at the AnMed Health Cancer Center Infusion Center in Anderson, SC.

One of the 'pieces' I entered was the Victorian Vineyard vase and the other was an ebony porcelain coffee set similar to the one in this photo. The one I entered had 2 mugs, a sugar/creamer set and a coffee pot. The lid of the pot and the rim of the mugs were glazed in a mottled chocolate brown.

Last night was the opening reception for the show. I attended; and when I arrived, my friend Melanie was eager to show me that my Coffee set had won a blue ribbon, AND it had sold! The woman who purchased it works at the hospital.

I went back today to bring a riser to place the vase on top of and the Coffee set was gone. The gal in there told me that the woman who purchased it wanted it so badly she took it already!

I happened to be there when Mom & Terri were looking over the show as well (after Mom's chemo treatment) and they asked if I could bring in another set for the remainder of the show (it is a 2 week show), she said yes. So, I hope to send one over there on Monday morning.

Terri also entered a mixed media assemblage in a shadowbox with the quote "Leave room in your garden for angels to dance". It was exceptionally well received by all! Her garden was 3-dimensional and the angel was only about 3/4" tall - - all cut out of paper! If I could figure out how to copy her photo from Facebook to here, I would, but that is a little beyond my capabilities...

When I posted the news and photo on my Facebook page, I got a lot of positive feedback, even some purchase inquiries!

Then, today, in the mail, was the official acceptance letter for the Celebrate Clayton festival in Clayton, GA at the end of April. It will be the 4th year for me to do that show.

Needless to say, with all of the positive vibes these last 24 hours, motivation and inspiration are back!

inspiration?

2010-02-26T20:02:00.006-05:00

What inspires your creativity?
For me, I envision a piece and then try to create it, whether it is beaded jewelry, paper arts, pyrography, or pottery (to name a few). The finished piece does not always end up as envisioned, which is alright with me, I usually like it better.
Sometimes I see something that inspires me to create something else.
Right now, I am not seeing anything that inspires me to actually get in gear and create. And I have a show to do in 2 months! That is not a lot of time!
Yes, I have made this or that, and done a little, but then I lose all interest and momentum.
I have it set in my mind that I will spend Sunday morning creating. I re-set my work table so it is ready, my molds have been cleaned and my clay is ready and waiting... and once I get started, I should be able to do a little each morning and evening during the week (unless I have a class to teach at the store). Sounds like a plan...
One friend on Facebook suggested I try to slow down the rest of my life to find that creative vein again, unfortunately, that is much easier said than done these days. Someone else suggested I find a bigger shovel to dig myself out of this creative slump I've been in.
I'm looking for feedback. If you have any additional constructive suggestions for lighting the spark of creativity, please let me know.

Introducing Fred

2010-02-21T10:31:00.003-05:00

You may remember me talking about Shadow, the cat we inherited that then adopted our neighbor. Well, Shadow is gone after a long and happy life. Now our neighbor has adopted a new kitten. The kit's name is Fred.
Fred was to be an indoor cat that went out sometimes... he has turned out to be an indoor cat that LOVES being outdoors, but comes in to take care of business...
One day, I was looking out the window in the sun room and thought I saw a rare White Squirrel in the tree. Some of the panes of the window are fogged, so I moved to see better and realized, it wasn't the White Squirrel at all (known to exist in Brevard, NC), but it was Fred.

Fred has taken a liking to perching in the TiTi tree to observe the bird feeder hanging there. I have seen him there almost daily since the first sighting.
I'm not sure he deters the birds too much though, I see them flitting around in the upper branches teasing him... and if they were on the feeder, I don't think he could reach them. Sometimes he looks as though he may be curled up in the branches to take a nap.

Happy Birthday to the Queen Bee!

2010-02-17T07:08:00.004-05:00

Thursday is my little sister's birthday. This photo is from a few years ago on a sunny Spring day back in Alfred, NY, where we grew up. It was taken in our side yard.
Regina has a few photos of herself in the family archives where she is smelling flowers. I especially like this one because the vivid blue stripes in her shirt go so well with the sky.
She calls herself the Queen Bee because her name - Regina means Queen in Latin. And these days, she describes herself as buzzing from one project to another.
Regina is the youngest of our family and currently lives in western NY state with her hubby and her munchkin (who turns 5 this month!). Among her creative endeavors are quilting, rubber stamping, bead work, gardening and whatever seems to intrigue her at the time. All while working a full time job, being a wife and a mom and working on renovations to their house.
All of our family is prone to filling their days with things to do. I spent the day yesterday working (teaching 3 classes) from 9 AM til 9:30 PM with an hour for dinner myself. Terri and I often have days like that. Sue is Quilting, teaching quilting, working on Relay for Life and a bevy of other interests (her hubby Jim does most of the gardening and her 2 'kids' are married). Bill enjoys bicycle riding (serious riding!), camping and cooking as well as woodworking to fill some of the spare time he has, often sharing with his wife and 2 boys. Terri has her bead work, her illustrations and her Assemblages along with teaching a pre-school art class to help fill the little time she has to spare (her DragonBen turned 10 last month!). Rick had woodworking and Blacksmithing along with hiking, kayaking and all sorts of outdoorsy things to fill the time sharing most of the outdoorsy things with his wife Alice and their compilation of 3 teenagers.
We have each been known to hold more than one job at a time, even if one of the jobs is a full time one! But a good work ethic was taught to us as we grew up.
So, Happy Birthday Regina! I know I posted this a day early, but I wanted to be sure you saw it before your special day begins! LOVE YOU!

A South Carolina Snow...

2010-02-12T18:49:00.002-05:00

Having grown up in a snow-belt area of Western NY state, snow should be no big deal to me. But we don't get a lot of it here.
As long as I have no place else I need to be, I am very content to look out the windows at the snow, it is a thing of beauty!
I did go out a while back and sweep the snow off the deck... a futile attempt to stay ahead of the snow... it had other ideas and 20 minutes later you could hardly tell I had swept!
They don't predict this to last, most of it is supposed to be gone sometime tomorrow...
The kids around are enjoying it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2010-02-10T08:34:00.003-05:00

Well, I couldn't work on pottery for a while because of my finger injury (it is healing well - thank you!) and hope to get back to some tonight after dinner.
In the meantime, I created two Valentine cards for a Valentine exchange at Mom's Breast Cancer Support group meeting.
The first one (Purple & green) also included, as part of it's design, a lapel pin I made of copper & silver plated wire with Swarovski crystals.
The second one I made with a paper quilting technique.

I swapped the one with the pin & Mom swapped the quilted one. We had a wonderful time at the meeting, it is a wonderful group of ladies we feel are part of our extended family. So sad that cancer is what brought them all together. The sharing, caring, laughter and tears are so inspiring!

OUCH!

2010-02-03T20:38:00.003-05:00

So, I was doing a bit of quality control on some mugs for my friend Matt from high school... I've been having so much trouble with these stoneware mugs lately. First, the glaze crazed so much the mugs leaked. Then, once I got the new, better glaze, I had troubles with them breaking somewhere in production. I have orders for 8, 6 for Matt and one each for Janie & Luke. I started out with 18. In trimming, I lost 6. In the bisque firing, I lost 6 more. I was down to 6, got them all glazed, they looked great when they came out of the kiln. I didn't get to take a good look at them for a day or two, too many other things going on. So, this morning, I went to pick one up, and it broke in my hands! The result is this lovely cut on my left ring finger. Or as the kind doctor at Urgent Care called it - a de-lamination of the skin... The worst part (aside from the 2 1/2 hours at Urgent Care) was the Lidocaine shot, IN the cut, to numb it! OUCH! I almost passed out! The Tetanus shot was a piece of cake! Yeah, I'm a woos that way!
Anyway, I now have to make MORE mugs to be able to get Matt his 6! But I have to wait until my finger heals over a bit first.

**No, this is not one of the 'fun' pictures I said I hoped to share this week...

Brrrrrr! (And a link to a give-away)

2010-01-31T14:32:00.005-05:00

We had some icy/snowy weather here this weekend. I was doing a small show for the Electric City Shag Club in Clemson.
Though it is only 4 miles down the road, I ended up staying there, not knowing what the road conditions would be like. Thanks to friends for making sure I was safe.
The show went OK, about the same as I did last year, and, considering the economy, that is a good thing. I really enjoy this show, there are so many wonderful members of the Electric City Shag Club and other Shag Clubs in the Southeast. It is so nice to see the familiar faces each year and I have made some good friends.
Now it is time to get some much needed rest... just waiting for my laundry to finish drying...

About that give-away...
February is my younger sister's family's 'Birth Month' celebration. She, her hubby and their Munchkin all have their birthdays in February. They celebrate every day with a small gift in the pockets of a wonderful quilt. She is doing a Birth Month Give-away on her blog, just stop by there to see how to enter. She has a photo of the quilt on there, it is so bright and colorful!

I hope to have some photos of some fun things coming up later this week.

Am I seeing things?

2010-01-24T12:01:00.004-05:00

Last week I was moving a piece of furniture with a very low clearance, hence difficult to clean well underneath. There was a piece of paper that had been under it which had collected dust bunnies.
Can you please tell me what you see (besides dust bunnies on a piece of paper that is...)
I see a woman's profile... am I seeing things that aren't really there?
No, I don't plan on using it as inspiration for creativity, I was just amazed that I saw this. If it sparks your creativity, or clears the dust bunnies out of your creative thought pattern, great!
I have seen cartoon bears in the folds of a plastic grocery bag, dogs in the knots of a wooden floor, and I don't even remember what image I saw once in the kitty litter. (Yes, EEEEWWWWW!!!!) Not to mention the numerous cloud formations that bring to mind all sorts of things. No, I am not preserving it and auctioning it off on Ebay. It is long since sucked up into the vacuum! Do not call one of the gossip tabloids. I do not want a stream of gawkers knocking at the door to see the 'Dust Bunny Lady'. Show's over, Elvis has left the building, yada, yada, yada...

Sand Fibers Give Away

2010-01-10T09:02:00.003-05:00

Thanks to my friend Jo of Dogmaw Glass, I heard about this fabulous give away over at Sand Fibers. I just discovered her blog, but love it already! She has beautiful bead work and sells on Etsy. I look forward to following her and seeing her work. From what I see, she works primarily in Peyote stitch, one of my all-time favorite stitches! Even if I don't win her give-away, I am just glad that Jo led me to her work! (Jo posted it to Facebook - yes, I have fallen into the abyss of facebook as well... )

Starting off the New Year

2010-01-07T21:13:00.004-05:00

This is a bracelet I designed for a class at The Mercantile. I was inspired by a totally different bracelet in a recent magazine. I was trying to modify and make it my own... this was the fourth and final attempt. It looks absolutely nothing like the bracelet that inspired me. I had no name for the bracelet when we made up the class schedule. Terri dubbed it the MMX bracelet (for the Roman numerals for 2010).
I have been a little creatively challenged the last several weeks. Partly because of all of the holiday hustle and bustle, then I had a sinus allergy that left me nearly voiceless for Christmas.
My mom had a biopsy on some nodules on her back and neck, that turned out to be breast cancer cells. She fought it 10 years ago, she's determined to fight it again. And yesterday we found out that the PET scan shows no signs of it being anywhere else. YAY!!!! (She goes to the Oncologist Monday to find out her treatment and treatment schedule... she has a cruise planned for early April!)
I have orders to fulfill with mugs, and a show to do at the end of the month. Saturday I hope the weather allows us to go to Atlanta for the Gift Market.

(Sorry my post rambles a bit... I'm tired and ready for bed... good night all!)

Hoping your 2010 is a wonderful year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

2009-12-25T06:07:00.003-05:00

I have been lax about posting lately.
I want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas. Try not to over eat too much! Enjoy the company of the loved ones around. And if you do not practice a christian religion, I wish you a very happy, safe and enjoyable day. To everyone, a wonderful 2010!
(I hope to be better about posting in the new year!)

Please be patient with me...

2009-12-02T08:51:00.007-05:00

For those of you who are getting some of the stoneware mugs, I should have them ready by the end of next week, or beginning of the following week. I had some problems with the clear glaze on the inside and am expecting the new glaze to arrive soon. I checked with the 'experts' and they are recommending this new-to-me glaze for this clay. I didn't think anyone wanted to have mugs that leak... or maybe you do... (PS - Phyllis, the problem occurred because I didn't want to have to fire twice like I did yours...)
But, as a result of this set-back, I need to make a BUNCH of new mugs to glaze with the new glaze. The decorative glazes on the rim are no problem, so those of you who have specific orders, I can still do those. I know Rick needs his 2 for guessing the Carolina Wolf Spider with her babies, and Matt wants 6 or so for a gift, Janie wants one for her mug collection, and I need to get some more over to the Arts Center in Clemson for their Holiday Show & Sale.
It was so hard for me to literally throw away a dozen mugs and a sugar/creamer set the other day. But I can't sell them or use them, so I just took a real deep breath and dumped the whole tray into the garbage can...
I am working on finishing up some custom bracelets for a customer to give for Christmas, but I am working on the mugs in-between.
Oh, by the way... where in the world did 2009 go?
(I repaired the link to the Arts Center... typo will mess it up any day...)

Hole in The Bead Gang

2009-11-22T19:07:00.006-05:00

Last week the Hole in The Bead Gang had their Holiday gathering. It was a nice relaxing afternoon of food, fun and friendship.
One of the activities each year is the surprise gift box. In order to have a turn at opening the box, someone has to roll a 6 on the die. The stipulation is that you must be wearing the work gloves in order to open the box. That person works on it until the next person rolls a 6... The first photo shows Dee working on the outer box, then Phyllis has one of the inner boxes. The last photo shows me with the next to last box (nobody said you cannot use your teeth :~) ). In the end, I was the one to read the note inside the smallest box, so I won some beads. I will post them tomorrow after I take a photo of them.
As always, it was a great gathering of wonderful and talented people.
I hope to post sooner next time... (darn Facebook takes up too much of my computer time...)
Please show thanks for the things in your life and have an enjoyable Thanksgiving day.
I am thankful for my family, my friends, my health and my ability to pursue my creative side.

Nature's Beauty

2009-10-18T13:44:00.004-04:00

These photos were both taken on Wednesday, October 7th. The photo with the heron in flight was taken around 8:45 in the morning in Clemson while I was out for my walk. The sunset was taken in Anderson, SC after having had dinner that evening (the photo was taken at about 6:45PM or so) at NY Pizza. The buildings silhouetted are K-Mart & Publix...

And the roses bloom...

2009-09-27T19:14:00.003-04:00

These photos are of one of the miniature rose bushes at the house. They are of the same flower... one taken on Thursday morning and the other taken this morning, after all of the rain...
Ahhhh... the beauty of nature!

Bead Challenge Sept. '09

2009-09-20T19:52:00.006-04:00

Just a few photos of what a few of the members of the Hole in The Bead Gang bead club created for our September 2009 challenge.

Jo went to the ISGB Gathering in Miami and brought back oodles of beads she received in trade from other bead makers... she told us to pick out one or more and the challenge was to make SOMETHING out of them... whatever we wanted...

The copper and beaded necklace is mine... two different glass artists made the beads, but I loved them together... just add some copper, pearls and Swarovski crystals... voila!

The Cat box was made by Donna... she fell in love with the cat bead and didn't want to make jewelry... so she knit a little pillow, added beads and a ball of yarn...

The black and white bead was one of the ones chosen by Phyllis... she made the kumihimo braid bracelet and embellished with seed beads...

The fish is 'Little Jackie Horner' the fish with Horner's Syndrome... and that was Mom's entry... The starfish bead was one that Terri made into a wonderful necklace that has garnered a lot of compliments this past week...

And the one with the gold kumihimo and chain maille is another of the ones Phyllis designed...
Next month we will see what others may have done with the beads they chose...

A Pendant for Cheryl

2009-09-16T21:00:00.003-04:00

One of our customers was in a couple of weeks ago and saw some of the wire wrapped pendants I have done while teaching classes. She didn't want to take the class, she wanted me to wrap it for her.
I know the name of the stone, but it escapes me at the moment. It has gorgeous shades of light teal and lavender. I finished it on Monday and she picked it up yesterday. I was so happy with how it turned out. I know it sounds strange to some, but the stone let me know what it wanted me to do with the wire.

The top photo is of the front of the pendant, and the bottom is the back. I try very hard to make the back as appealing to the eye as the front.

The Fox and the Fish

2009-09-13T08:42:00.004-04:00

A little over a week ago, I was test firing a new terra cotta clay. For some reason, I have been wanting to make a fish for a few months now (since Art Camp). I proceeded to roll out a slab and cut out a fish (Bass). When the Bass was completely dry, I prepared to fire it. At the same time, I finally fired the small fox head I had made in Art Camp.
I had been carrying around a small ball of clay while checking on the students' progress. As I walked around, I fiddled with the clay, and the result was a fox head. I finessed it and kept it on my work table here at home for 2 months. It was definitely dry... but for some reason, I was wary. When I loaded the kiln, I put the fox head off to the right and the fish off to the left. What you see in this photo is the remains of the fox head and the bare spot the fish shielded. The photo doesn't show the fine details. It literally vaporized! There is a fine terra cotta clay dust covering the entire shelf except for where the fish was and where some larger pieces of the fox landed. Unfortunately, the heavy debris you see near the fishes tail broke the tail off. But there are creative plans for the remainder of the fish...
The good news is, I am glad I got the new terra cotta clay, it survived the firing, which is why I wanted to stop using the old clay (which the fox was made of)... I had too many things explode on me in firing...
A little more good news, I have found another resource for black porcelain (that is closer to home, so lower shipping costs!). I still have to do the glaze test firing to see how it works with my glazes and also how black it actually gets. Those results will follow in a couple of days...

Sandie & Cleo

2009-09-03T07:48:00.003-04:00

I went to dinner with some friends last night... it was a nice relaxing end to the day. After dinner, we all sat out on the deck and watched to see if the deer would come to eat the corn. Sandie & Cleo joined the rest of us. They seemed to know that the deer was in the trees before we could see it... their nosed started sniffing the air furiously... unfortunately, the deer got spooked and went back into the woods without eating any of the corn. There had been some gunshots heard back there earlier in the morning... poachers. That could explain the deers hesitation to come out and eat. I was able to get a few good shots of Sandie & Cleo, though a lot had to be deleted because of blurriness.

Our fine feathered friends...

2009-08-31T19:53:00.004-04:00

As long as I can remember, Herons have been my very favorite bird... I love other birds as well, but the Heron (Great Blue, Lesser Blue, Green, Black Crowned...) has always been extra special.
When I go walking with my friends near the outdoor track in Clemson, we walk along the old Seneca Riverbed. Most days we see at least one Great Blue Heron, some days more. Today, I saw 8, though my friends had only seen 7 by the time I left, my 8th one was flying overhead as I drove out of the parking lot...

These 2 pyrographic pictures I did several years ago show a Great Blue Heron and a Green Heron.

The photograph of the great Blue Heron was taken by my friend Linda when she was out near the Seneca Riverbed with her grandchildren a few weeks ago.

testing 1-2-3

2009-08-30T19:28:00.002-04:00

Just testing to see if the feed works properly, it says it isn't installed correctly... hmmmmmmmmm

Cindy Earl Higgins - Portrait Photographer

2009-08-30T10:37:00.003-04:00

NOT!!!
Just playing around with my camera a couple of weeks ago I took this photo of myself... this and about a dozen others... only 2 were worth saving (the pluses of digital photography!)
No, it's not the best, but I thought it was a keeper.

My hair has grown down to my eyebrows already... much too long... gotta get it cut this week! Can you tell I had just recovered from a 'personal heat wave'???

a busy week

2009-08-30T08:38:00.003-04:00

This last week was sure a busy one! Mom & Terri both needed time off because they were not feeling well, but we also had lots of customers as well.
This is one of the cards I designed for the class I had Saturday morning. The girls loved it! This is my favorite of the 4 we made. But, Lilies are among my favorite kinds of flowers... (These cards are more for hand-delivery or sending inside a package... the PO would ruin them otherwise!)
I'm looking forward to a quiet Sunday. I plan to get some pottery worked on and some test pieces of the new Terra Cotta trimmed for firing in a day or two.
I'd like to get some photos scanned and saved into the computer. But, we'll see what time and energy allow for today.

I'm focusing my mind's eye on a quiet lakeside cabin with a wonderful workspace, birds singing, water lapping at the shore... a place conducive to creativity... no, I am not at that quiet cabin, but if I imagine hard enough, I can be , in my mind...

Arriving at Art Camp

2009-08-25T07:18:00.002-04:00

This photo was just sent to me by Debbie at the Clemson Arts Center... she took it one day as I got to camp, wearing this year's T-shirt.
Along the wall behind me are photos of Clemson taken by all sorts of people. There are some especially wonderful photos, to see Clemson through someone elses lens...
The table has the full day student's lunch bags... me, I have not yet deposited my tote bag nor purse so I am laden with them. Ignore the glasses on the idiot string... I'm not really old enough to need them...