hey there! just checking in to say hello and that i have not forgotten this little blog! i have been sick with the cold that never ends for a couple of weeks now and i am finally on the mend.... but nursing a bit of a head-ache today.... that, coupled with the gray and rain today sort of make me want to just drink peppermint tea and curl up with a good book. Alas, i am fasting and there will be no tea for me until after sunset and i have approximately 19,000 things on my to do list, and so i don't have the luxury of doing much relaxing today.
i pulled a fairly good sized mug order out of the kiln the other day and was so relieved to have it out of the way, as it had been hanging over my head for much too long. The mugs were picked up and the check was written and then i got a phone call; "The mugs are too small". all of them. and so i need to re-do them all. harumph.
but i did pull some other sweet things out of the kiln that are colorful and springy and now i need to take a bunch of photos.... but let's see if i can find a picture to share with you for now, before i head back into the garage to throw some bigger mugs. ugh.
totally unrelated to the post above.... these are some little magnets i made about 2 years ago.... i am thinking of making some more.....
and these little flower components... because they are so bright and cheerful
OMG. i never really say that. but it kind of makes me laugh.... and it did seem sort of appropriate right now because i am sooooo excited!! so- OMG!!! PRECIOUS METAL CLAY--- where have you been all my life??? my friend Molly, of Rockwater Glass, here in atlanta, gave me a little package of this stuff to play with a couple of months ago... and then she fired it for me and it went for a little tumble in her rock tumbler the other day.... i used a silver tarnish on one set of beads- just experimenting, and the other pendant and beads i left in their super, shiny, fresh from being tumbled state--- and i am IN LOVE!!! these photos aren't the best, because i have missed the best light of the day and am taking these in the office with very poor light--- but i was just too excited to show them off to wait for the correct lighting!!
i think i am going to have to keep these for myself. Then again, i always say that, and somehow, i always end up selling the things i like the most. I guess i will just have to make more!! my head is swimming now and i can't wait to get my hands on more of the stuff!!!
i can't wait to try something else!! look out for these
so i am up to 20 followers now!! thanks guys and gals!! now that i know that SOMEone is reading this blog (besides my mom) i am inspired to write more often, share more information and do some fun give-a-ways and things of that nature! SOOOOO..... i have set a goal for myself... to get 50 followers! of course, ultimately i would like more than fifty followers :o) - but for the time being, that seems like a doable and realistic goal to shoot for in the next months. When i reach 50 followers, i am going to do a fun give away.... a little care package of sorts.... a little jewelry something, maybe a mug and some magnets or something of that nature-- a little assortment of fun goodness!! when the number reaches 50, i will print out everyone's names on paper and do a good, old fashioned drawing from a hat! (or maybe i will use a bowl- but you catch my drift!) and then i will announce the winner and send them their goodies!
In the next week or so, i will draw together the things to be included in the giveaway and then share some photos with you! so, spread the word! this blog is going to get bigger and better! stick around!!
a little teaser..... sample mug and earrings.....
something like what you might get if you are the lucky winner!
i often like to take pictures of materials, tools and unfinished work even more than finished pieces! To see the mounds of pendants, beads, buttons and other components grow before my eyes as they wait for their bisque firing is so much fun! i thought you might get a kick out of seeing some of the yummy little things waiting to go into the kiln this week! ...along with a big custom mug order.... that i need to get back to right now! ...cause i am running late, and only 22 minutes left with the babysitter here!! gotta run!
The thing about having two full time jobs- in addition to being a mom to two small children, is that you are never, EVER caught up! Work for the tea house- the fabulous- you must visit and/ or buy some tea- tahCha.com has been keeping me most busy for the last few weeks, and i have only been able to dabble in the studio.... yesterday i was finally able to get in there and do some much needed cleaning-- so at least this lays the groundwork to be able to begin working in there again!! additionally, i took about 700 photographs (well, probably more like 300) and then uploaded and edited them on the computer.... (you can't sell your work online unless you take pictures of it!). Today i hope to list a few of these newly photographed things... but it remains to be seen whether time will allow. The children will be back soon and then there is the business of feeding and bathing them. i just made them dinner last night, for crying out loud! why do they have to eat every night?! (of course, i am just joking here. mostly anyway). Otherwise, the rest of the afternoon will be spent in the garage continuing to throw mugs and yunomi for custom orders, the tea house and my dwindling selection on etsy.
Here are a few pics of some of the things i was photographing yesterday and hope to list soon.
I just realized that i had not yet listed anything in my shop with this design... People at my shows buy them all up!
starting to get some spring fever i must say.... these pendants
are awfully fun- and so very springy!!
are you sensing a theme here? i love the bright colors on these rainy days!
here are a group of them together.
Some of these little cuties will be listed here soon--- so come and visit and check out what i have going on in my little corner of etsy!
The holiday season, family obligations and the business and "busy-ness" of the tea house have kept me from being in the studio very much, and from being able to list new things on etsy.... all great reasons, but still a little frustrating.... largely because i have so many pieces ready to go that are just waiting to be photographed, or worse yet- have ALREADY been photographed and are just sitting and twiddling their thumbs waiting to be shared with the world! not that there are too many people waiting with bated breath to see what's coming out of the studio.... but anyway....
so today, after a phenomenal business meeting with my partner and a woman with whom we may work in some capacity (more cannot be divulged at this point... but it is exciting stuff), i picked up my littlest one, played on the playground a bit and then took her out to lunch. That was a rare treat as we don't get too much one on one quality time any more, and she was delighted by the opportunity to be with mama for a little while before she went to her grandparents for the day. i was delighted too! upon my return home and after certain domestic chores involving dogs and taking out garbage etc... i finally got out to the garage to work on some mugs for an order that i got a few weeks back. I threw a few pieces but then had to take a break because my clay is not as nice and soft as i like it to be for throwing, and i wasn't coming out with forms that i loved... so here i am; thought it would be a nice chance to check in with this blah-blah-blog and say hello. maybe i'll mist the clay and wrap it up for tomorrow. I have a couple of paintings in the works that i could spend some time on instead.
here are the first few strokes on a canvas that i worked on throughout my show last month
color number two introduces itself... a nice warm ochre...
mmhmm... let's get some red in there...
bringing in the green...
okay- this is starting to get fun!
a detail of what is starting to happen....
now we're getting somewhere.
almost finished....
detail of almost finished painting
all done!
this and other paintings will be on display at tahCha tea house in an upcoming show... i'll keep you posted with details of the event and the opening reception.
this painting measures 2 ft by 4 ft and is painted in a combination of acrylics and oils.
