Cleaning is good

I finally got out to my studio today and cleaned, cleaned, cleaned. Joey even put up more plastic so I have an extra layer around the windows to keep me warm. It was suppose to be a cold winter this year but so far I think its been pretty mild. I was out there today looking at the one sheet of plastic hanging up thinking, should I put more up????And then I thought as soon as I decide not to , we'll have the coolest January/February ever. Now it will most likely stay in the 60's but better safe than freezing! Besides cleaning I also re-arranged my set up to give me a little different view when I'm throwing. I also put down a new sheet of linoleum to keep the floor nice and clean and covered. In our last house I use to throw what was the laundry room and needless to say the amount of clay that had to be scraped up was unbelievable ( and I was not the one left to do it because Quaid was only 5 months old so I got to go stay at my mom's while "you-know-who" got left cleaning the house.) SOOOOOOOOO this time I swore I would put something down since I do throw on a screened in porch that one day someone may like to use!

Well, Happy New Year to you all. We are both off to bed early. I've never been one to really enjoy New Years I have to admit. I'd rather watch a movie in bed while enjoying some twizzlers and popcorn.

Did I say the 28th I'd get back to work????

Guilt, guilt, guilt , guilt...........................Yes, here it is and there are tumble weeds with porcelain dust blowing through my studio. I'm just having to much fun organizing my house( I never thought I'd ever say that in a million years) not to much just hanging out with out a care in the world! My sister and her family are here visiting so today my sister, mom and I went and returned some stuff and had Chinese food. We can never do stuff like this with all the kids around so it was a treat. We were going to take all the kids up to the mountains to go "tubbin" but there's no snow so..............Hopefully soon!

I have been thinking a lot about what I'm going to do in the new year pottery wise. Of course my kiln project is the first on my mind but I've decided my plan this year is to revise and make better some items I made this past year that needed a bit of "tweaking". IE. My twins vases, flower blocks, candle holders and I'm always working on my cruets and trays. I'm also going to focus on those big vases I started doing last year. They seemed to be a hit, those that came out and I took to shows. I don't feel like I want to throw to much new into my mix so I can start to really establish a good body of MY WORK. Of course I say this now but I'm sure I'll get a itch to try something new or I'll get bored and off I'll go away from my plan. Maybe I'll write it out really big on a piece of paper and hang it in my studio to keep my on track. Someone remind me of this later down the line when I'm off talking about all the new things I'm trying!!!

Photo's

Here is a photo of the fairy house I spoke of a few entries back. I've helped Quaid with them in the past-its such a good use of the imagination. We use to get little toy cars and stuff like that to put in them but then is friends Wils told him that only natural stuff needed to go into the houses or the fairy's wouldn't come. So to make a long story short, Quaid told me this time that I needed to let him do it because he knew what the fairy's liked!

Here's a photo of my studio cat Clayton. Yes she is named Clayton because she use to like to lick my recycled clay when she was a kitten( which of course kind of freaked me out). I still catch her some days getting a bit of water from my clay buckets( Yuck!!) I say this because she's my hunter so I'm never sure what may have touched her little tongue last. She really loves her home. She's the kind of cat that does not stray away to often so I guess as nutty as she is, she's ours and will always be a clay cat.

Merry Christmas to all

A very Merry Christmas to everyone and I hope you had a wonderful day with the ones you love to be with! Our kids had a banner year. I had no idea of all they where going to get. There Aunt and Paternal grandmother made them a huge puppet theater along with about 12 puppets!!!( Joey's mom is a wiz when it comes to sewing...She is amazing). Anyways, they where all very, vary lucky little kids. As every generation says" we never got all this stuff!". I think every year I decide I've gotten to much for everyone but I enjoy giving gifts and wrapping them is the best part!

My studio is looking very lonely and I'm getting antsy to get out there and clean, organize and than throw some bowls. After Christmas for some reason I like to throw bowls to get back in the swing of things. Most of the time I'm making bowls for various organizations that do fund raising for the poor. I also donate bowls to our church for a fund raiser the youth do. This year I have a lot on plate already for the new year so I really need to get going. I have a show the first of February and I really only have about 10 pots worth selling out in my studio! That's something that has not happened in the past so I've got to get going. I think I'm going to buy some nice red low-fire clay and mess up my wheel a bit and have fun with these bowls this year. Nothing like a little something new to start off a new year!

Cups

I have been meaning to put some photo's up of cups that I really liked from the Charlie Cummings Cup show that I was in. I thought Pete Pinell (sp) did a really good job of finding some very interesting cups. I only posted my favorite on here and of course they where all functional but there where some that where not and I always really appreciate those as well because I always wonder how those ceramic artist make a living off of just sculptural things. ( Really the most likely make a lot more money than I do now that I think about!) Anyways, If you haven't gone on line to check the show out its still up until January 6th I believe. I also apologize for not putting the names of potters with the cups. I have dial up and just to go through all the cups took forever the other night and I got lazy.

Boy, now that this show I coming down soon I need to get on the ball and start applying to some more really soon!!

My kids are out making mud pies. Quaid, of course, is heading up the operation being the boss.( I have the busiest kids I think). The weather is getting colder which I'm happy about. It just gets me down to have Christmas when it is 70 degrees outside. ( I grew up in upstate NewYork so I really long for snow at Christmas time.) If I don't get on here before Monday, have a great Christmas. Jen

Just hanging out

I told myself I was going to blow off the entire night and go to bed super early, but I could not get away from the computer...Once again. We have dial up so I know I could cut down on a lot of wasted time sitting here waiting for stuff to come up but I'm to cheap to spend the extra money on high speed. One day.

My bowls for my friend Scott came out really good. Joey loved them so I guess that means I should put them into my regular group of things to make. I've been having a lot of last minute shoppers this year, which I always welcome. My shelves are pretty empty so I know I got to get cracking right at the first of the year. I've all ready have a list of special orders to get going on plus a show in Feb.

The first of January I'm going to be doing a hands on workshop with Julia Galloway. She sent out an email to all of us today which seemed very promising. I'm doing the workshop with my friend Amy Sanders so I'm sure we'll have fun.

Quaid has had back to back doctors appointments this week plus I'm still shopping. Of course there are only a few more days till Christmas and I can't really say I'm getting done all those household things I planned on doing. This happens every year to me. Oh, well there are just so many hours in a day.

Fairy houses, Charlottes web and Santa

( My tec guy is asleep on the couch so I have yet to figure out why I can Not put HeatMiser up but I'll get on that tomorrow.....Plus the other photo's I need help with. Seems I forgot how to upload them this evening).

Christmas is coming the goose is getting fat................................Well you know the rest. We went and visited Santa Saturday. Joey and I like to take the kids to this nice hotel called "The Balentine" in Charlotte to see Santa. The mall Santa just seems not very believable to me. Here its a small room, the kids get to write out there list, put it in a mail box, decorate cookies, get a little stuffed animal and talk to elves( plus the photo opt....and yes, its not for free). The girls seemed to really love the elves this year. They kept wanting to talk to them. Santa, was not a huge hit with anyone really. Quid kept looking at him in a skeptical way and finally he told me that THAT Santa was just a helper. Already I'm trying to figure out what male friend of mine I can pay to put on a Santa suit and climb up on our house!! As for the girls, really there is nothing super appealing to any female about a large man with a face full of hair and a silly suit trying to get you to sit on his lap! Of course the allure of a free stuffed animal did work for about 2 minutes and we were back to the female elves. Quid just mostly stared at them.

Now Fairies on the other hand are very believable to my children. Infact, Quid has been working on a farie house in the back yard for a few days now. Friday I took some photo's of it and helped them build another one. He has another little friend who he learned all about fairies from and I of course keep this mystical lie alive as well.

I have a kiln going tonight. Just a last minute easy bowl order. I did a little decal test the other day. I got some decals for my class last session but we haven't gotten around to finishing them yet. I had some pots lying around that I wasn't to attached to and I just played around with some bee decals. It was kind of cool and maybe something to think of in the further. My studio and kiln shed are a total wreck and driving Joey crazy so I told myself this evening that around the 28th or so I'm going to do a total cleaning and re-organizing of my spaces. Once again the cats drug in part of a squirrel for me........ahhhh. I can not figure out how a cat can catch a squirrel because they are so mean! Knock on wood I've had no birds of late.Nothing worse than those little skinny bird legs sticking up towards the sky after being pull down out of it.

(Sorry for that end note) We all went to see Charlotte web today...go see it, you'll want a pet pig!

Do you know this guy?

I had yet another great day of "goofing off" so to say. I took the girls to Clayworks and we had lunch with my clay gal friends Julie, Amy and Alyssa. I did a wonderful trade with Alyssa for some great water colors of far-out baby carriages. I'll have to take a photo of them and put them up for all to see. Trading is just soooooo great when your an artist and have no means for affording wonderful art( like the people who buy from you do...............hummmmmmmmm I feel a topic there).

Anyways, we had a great lunch and then I had to hit SouthPark mall to buy Joey's niece a gift at Urban Outfitters. I have to say I'm getting very prudish in my old age because they had books and stuff in there that made me go "oh my". ( Yet another topic......)

We than came home for a nap and some TV down time for me. I had to put a photo up of one of my favorite Christmas guys, Heat Miser. I have been taken with this guy since I was young and I know he has come up in many conversations I've had over the years. I just like the name I guess. It is hard to me to conceive that people don't know who he is!!!! Of course these cartoons where popular when I was little and now they run on cable so not every kid waits for Monday night to see " A year without a Santa Clause". Of course we have this video because I had to make sure my kids now Heatmiser along with the song. Do you?????

Wrapping the throwing, the two can co-exist

I'm shopping, I'm wrapping, I'm doing my Christmas cards and yes I did manage to throw yesterday! Enjoyable fun stuff. ( Of course all throwing is enjoyable but under pressure.....Not so much some days.) I'm finishing up a order of bowls for a friend of mine to give out as gifts. Just the kind of order I like....Do anything I want. I made some bowls about a year ago that I loved but haven't made since so I choose that shape. They are kind of chunky with a wide edge that I stamp and then cut. I glaze them in two colors and left the thick glaze pool in the center. They where really pretty. I think Cedar Creek got all of them that year in a order. Anyways, I'm excited to see if they come out the same.

Back to my cards!

Friends are awesome

I had one of my best friends come visit this weekend and we had a blast. I meant to write awhile ago about my best friend from high school that came up to visit me as well( but of course, I lost that train of thought at the time). Boy, friends are just so important especially those that know you so well or that you have known for a long time. Both these gals have seen me through a lot and we have had some awesome laughs. Both are also childless so it is always interesting to see how they act around my kids. Of course I have to admit I enjoy the constant praise they give me for doing all that I do. My friend Laurel and I where having a good laugh this weekend about how we should go on the show "wife swap". Of course we came to the conclusion that I would basically have a vacation and she would run screaming back home.

We went out to eat at Joey's favorite restaurant called "Table" in the Balentine area and then went to see "Running with Scissors" at the fancy movie theater there. Boy was that a good film, sad and funny at the same time. Annette Benning should get a nomination for that role. The next day we enjoyed a very fun make over at South Park in a Swanky department store( I've never done this before) and then we saw Monty pythons Spamalot. It was wonderful. So needless to say, I had a fantastic weekend! I am enjoying my December this year so far and only two more weeks until Christmas...I can not believe it!! Its Joey's turn next for a little friend break, he also needs it and is much deserving of it after this weekend of nothing but kids and women cackling.

Christmas parade

( Here are Yorks finest, the walmart check out clerks with there carts in our parade!)

The annual York Christmas parade was today. I have taken the kids to this since Quaid was 1. I mostly go because I get a kick out of small town parade. Last year they most of the Walmart cashiers where in it pushing there carts all decked out in tinsel and stuff. I had to clap for them because I visit Walmart pretty much about 5 times a week. Its the only place in town to buy really anything so I have no choice. I have to say, for the most part all the check out people are really nice! There are always lots of Home coming Queens and stuff like that. This year there where lots of Town honors that the group I was with all thought to be interesting. Stuff like "Citizen of the town". I'm curious how one applies for that and who votes. Anyways, I'll get some photo's up here as soon as I can. Lots of good "Red Hat" ladies that posed for shots. The kids loved it and the rumpled Santa at the end of the parade didn't matter to my little girls. On the way home Aydan said he got into his red car and drove home after the parade.

Lost my train of thought

Some many times during the day I have so many" deep thoughts"; stuff I want to post on here but than they all leave my brain by the time I sit down to post.

One topic I wanted to hit on was brought up on my pal Ron Philbeck site a few days ago. He talked about those "bad voices" that come and invade your head when everyone else around you is selling work and you are not. Its is bad feeling and we all have been there. Its especially hard when all your friends work is selling and yours isn't. You want to be up beat and happy for them but in your head that voice is saying. "What's wrong with my stuff? It must suck." So you quietly look over your pots and second judge what you did to them. You think your prices are to high or you didn't make the right things. Its sometimes really hard to shut that voice up. Sometimes I found it helps to be totally tired believe it or not because your just so over the whole thing you say to your self in a sleepless stupor" ahhhh whatever". ( that was sapose to be funny).

Anyways, I have a theory on those of us who beat ourselves up and are potters. For one, we are use to failing. There are so many things that can go wrong with making pots that you get really use to flub-ups and its almost like the will you sometimes want over a child. You never know what your materials or equipment will throw at you ( like a kid) so when ever you start a new batch of pots you kind of say to yourself,"ok, lets go again". Or as I like to put it" let the games begin". And than, I'm off on a quest with my materials and equipment. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose and most times, I'm use to the losing. Also I think potters tend to be really hard workers with good work ethic. It takes a lot to get everything done! Potting is hard work. I never believed that when I first started out and would listen to all the potters at Cedar Creek, where I got my start talk about how hard making a living at potting really was.

So, that was my lost thought for the week. Please, comment if you have any other theories about this subject I may have forgot to mention!

FINALLY I can enjoy December

Last night was my last show and boy today I am so glad. We our opening at Clayworks and I think it went really well. Lots of people, lots of sold pots. The student work on display also looked really good I thought so maybe we are pushing along with our pursuit to be the best place to do ceramics in Charlotte. I think our goal is to be like Baltimore Clayworks, which would be really cool. I would love to be associated with a clay center that had some great shows. Speaking of shows, Charlie Cummings Gallery has a cup show that is up for all to view. I have two teabowls in it and boy are there lots of great cups to purchase on line. I think also 3 more people in my Circle of 8 group are in the show as well! Our show at Wooden Stone is about to come down and I finally got some photo's of the display I'm going to post in the next few days.

Today we went and got our Christmas tree and tomorrow Joey and I are going Santa shopping. I'm really looking forward to spending some time just hanging out with my hubby and having some fun shopping for the kids. Today we had our annual Christmas photo taken( well, we have only done it the last 2 years). I use to hate to get posed shots of kids on Christmas cards but these days it seems to be a good idea, plus its fun, I have to admit to get my girls all decked out. We opted to get a family portrait made this year and didn't I go and mess with the color of my hair the night before. BIG mistake. I looked like "Heatmiser"( if you all know who that is, he's a character in a one of the 60's animated Christmas stories about Santa Clause) anyways, I had to wear a scarf around my head to hide my big mess-up............oh, the things I get myself into. Atleast I always have a good story.