A giveaway at Stone Lotus Pottery...

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?

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...

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

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...

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!