When Life throws you a Curve Ball!

 Well, I was creating, as I mentioned in my last post. Unfortunately, 2 days later I tested positive for COVID and was unable to create anything more before Christmas.  I just did not have the energu or motivation to work on things. Once I started to feel better, I was able to finish glazing some things that were ready and then fire them and add gold afterward. I did get one more shipment out just before Christmas. (The recipient knew it was late getting out and they were OK with it.)

I am hoping to get some things made this week, but they won't be finished until after 2023 rolls in. I am feeling a LOT better, but the cold weather (unseasonably cold for SC) and drying time will keep me from finishing all before Sunday morning.

I made over 700 pieces of Gnomes and Friends in 2022. WOW!  And there are not a whole lot of them remaining in my posession. THANK YOU ALL! 

Here's to a 2023 that doesn't throw us those cruve balls and is void of anything but good things. (I know, life isn't that way, but one can hope, can't they???)

Still creating for the holidays!

 

I am working on filling a few special orders and also building stock.

It is the busy season at work (retail does that) and my energy in the evenings isn't always there. I tend to create more in the mornings.

Last weekend, and the next two, we are open until 8:00 PM both Fridays and Saturdays. There is a Christkindlmarkt out on the village green those evenings and it only makes sense to be open.

This particular piece is already sold, but I am making more! And more angels are in the works too...

If, by chance, I do not get back to the blog before then, I hope that all of you who celebrate have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy 2023! It is unknown territory for us, being the first without both Mom & Dad. The most important thing is that we do have eachother and each of us has a circle of friends who are like family as well.

Thank you all for your support, it is greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

I had a wonderful Mistletoe Market. 

Thank you to all who came and adopted my creations.

I am posting in my group on facebook (Cindy's Gnomes & Friends) what I have left so non-locals (and those unable to make it to the Market) can pick. I am making more!  I have wish lists for more that what remains. That makes me smile.

I have taken the week off from creating because I needed a little break. 

Again, thank you to all. I appreciate you and am humbled by how much people love my creations. I get so much joy out of their creation, and even more joy seeing the response and knowing they are going to loving homes.

Ready or not...

 I unloaded the last glaze firing destined for the Mistletoe Market this morning.  I just need to add the accents and sign, number, and price them all. Easily done.

I started more packing of product for Friday. It is amazing how many gnomes, snowmen, etc. fit into one of my cases compared to mugs and coffee pots...

I'm ready. I'm looking forward to this wonderful show.

Home Stretch

 Mistletoe Market at the Anderson County Museum is one week from today!  EEEEEEEEEEK!

That being said, I am 95% sure I am ready.

Some of the hand painted wood ornaments I will have this year.

This piece is sold, but I can take orders. It is larger than the rest and the tree is attached to the snowman.

This piece is also sold. Again, it is larger and the tree is attached to the Santa Gnome.

A few of the friendly snowpeople.

A close-up mug of the newest friends of the batch - Hedgehogs!

Some of the trees (and a few cardinals in the background).

I am excited. I love, Love, LOVE this show! 

The organizers are wonderful, the customers are too! 

And the other creative folk showing are fab-u-lous!

I have most items that are finished already priced, some packed, some in progress still, but I only have 2 - 3 more kiln firings, one glaze firing tonight, and maybe just one more glaze firing, I think it will all fit. If not, 2 glaze firings, I have time for that. 

(And time to add the gold and other acccents, sign and price them.)

I wish all of the exhibitors at the show a wonderfully fun and profitable time!

I thank the museum staff and volunteers for all they do to help this be such a great show.

See you Friday!

Life

 

I am back creating the Limited Edition Autumn/Halloween Gnomes. It was difficult to jump back in, but I know it was the right thing to do, and putting it off was not in my best interest.

The 40 in this limited edition are all spoken for, and are all shaped. I have bisque fired half of them, the others are drying. I will begin glazing this week.

I also will be making some commemorative pieces for my family. When Mom was half way through her treatments in 2000, a tree was dedicated in her honor at the SC Botanical Garden in Clemson. At the time of her passing in 2011, we took a few tablespoons of her ashes (at Dad's request) and sprinkled them at the base of the tree. we did the same with a small amount of Dad's ashes last week. We also took a few snippets of leaves from this gorgeous Japanese Maple. I will impress them into clay and make ornaments for my siblings. I will share photos when I get them started.

Below is the labor of love my family contributed to and my nephew's wife put together for the funeral. A life well lived with much love. He will be missed but we all must continue on with life.

Goodbye Dad

 

Last Wednesday was a gorgeous day outside. The day progressed as any normal Wednesday, I did the grocery shopping (so Dad could take advantage of the Senior Discount), Dad helped me put things away, and our day moved on as usual, I went to work and Dad stopped in twice that day to have a cup of coffee, and we had a nice turkey dinner. After dinner, I gave him his evening eye drop and as I headed into the other room to cut some things for customers on the computerized cutter, he said he was headed out to the shed to do his exercises. (He had his knee re-replaced several years ago, and he still had difficulties with it. He often did stretching exercises he learned at the physical therapist. He had set-up an exercize spot in his former wood shop.) 

The cutter is a noisy machine and I cannot always hear things going on elsewhere in the house.  When I was finished, I went into my room. I could hear the tv on in the sunroom, as is normal. I fell asleep early that evening with my tv still on. I awoke around 1:00 am to use the bathroom and noticed the light over the stove still on. He would periodically forget to turn it off as he went to bed.

In the morning, I went out to the kitchen to get my breakfast. Dad was not up yet, but once in a while he would sleep in. I then went out to the sunroom to open the blinds and that is when I saw his rollator.  He used the rollator at night so if he needed to go to the bathroom, it was steadier for a sleepy person who is a bit unsteady on their feet. As soon as I saw that it was still in the sunroom, I started franitcally calling his name. I looked in his bedroom and the bathroom. He was nowhere in the house. I ran out the door and found him lying on the ground at the door to the shed. He was not breathing.

My next instinct was to call my sister, who lives a couple of blocks away. She arrived and called 911. 

Thankfully the coroner said that he had had a heart attack and was deceased prior to falling. That helped my mind a little, knowing that although his body, unbeknownst to me, was out there all night long, he was not suffering. He had not suffered at all. His death was instant.

My world is turned upside down. I don't know how I am going to make ends meet. I don't know how the house will be once all of my siblings have gone to their respective homes. The funeral is tomorrow and the last of the out-of-town family leaves Sunday.