Productive time

I just wanted to stop in with a quick hello. Joey just left with the girls for the afternoon and Quaid is at my parents so I've got to "make use of this time", as my husband likes to say. So,I'm getting ready to dash outside. I might have to put my heater on today because it is so cold here for Easter weekend.

The Circle or Eight got to together last night for a meeting. We're getting ready for our up coming Spring sale the weekend of April 21st. We are really now the Circle of seven because Dale Duncan decide to go back on his own and do his own thing which we all understood. So now we are minus one and just waiting for the right person to come along. I'm not to worried about filling the spot because I know that everything in life usually comes together in some way or another. Its seems whenever Joey and I are fretting about money, some pops up from somewhere ( well, most of the time.) When something kind of bad happens I think it is always countered balanced by something good. You many not be able to see it at the time, but I think it does.
Ok.....time to get out of my thoughts and into my studio!

If you got to have a cupcake everyday, life would be good!

In Mom-land today I had one of two Easter eggs hunts I have to attend for my children. Today's was for my son and was hosted by a lady who pretty much lives in a mansion. All the kids where dressed to the hilt, the food was great and the whole evant seemed like something out of Southern living. This lady even owns her own snow cone machine( not the cheap plastic kind you buy at Target) but a huge snow cone machine for her kids. Does that say wealth or what to a 6 year old. Quaid brains where exploding by the time we left the party. And the cupcakes...wow. All the other mom's where either being really good and acting like they didn't want any dessert or they where partaking in an adult dessert of strawberries and angle food cake. I took one look at the cupcakes and thought wow, I want the bright yellow one that looks like it has a mound of frosting on it. ( Of course I refrained and watched Quaid devourer a orange one with a ton of sprinkles. I could tell he enjoyed every bit of it!)
Tonight I had to make a dozen cupcakes for the girls party tomorrow. I had so much fun making them into little bunny rabbits and of course I could not help but nibble here and there.....(ahhhhhh cupcakes, they just talk to you.) I know when the girls see them they will light up like little Christmas trees. Doesn't everyone need a cupcake a day to make life just a little better?

Flower Blocks

I've been back working on my flower block design. This one is number #3! I do still like the other one's I did but both had issues to still be worked out and I guess at the moment I was eager to get more made and not sure how to work out the kinks in the others at the moment. Plus I'm trying to have a little more continuity to my work, if that is possible. I thought this shape went with my boxes a bit better. Who knows, I'm sure I'll change that thought next week.

I really started being fascinated with flower blocks about two years ago at the Utilitarian conference at Arrowmount. They had all the invited artists to get up and talk about there most favorite pot that they owned. I loved this! Suzi Lindsey held up this elaborate flower block made by....(well, the name escapes me know but I'll look her up). Anyways, this seemed so cool to me that I started looking at some in books. They of course where very popular at the turn of the century when flower and decorating was really in vogue. I saw alot of flower blocks at NCECA so I guess they are now the popular thing. I was remembering back in grad school how spice jar set where really in. I haven't seen a one in years now. After that it was condiment containers and cruet sets. Funny how everything has its in and out cycle. If you have any thoughts about these please feel free to let me know. I love any kind of feedback.

Mother Wren

I had a mother Wren make her nest in my studio last week. I should of kept the door closed as soon as I saw her starting her project but I forgot to shut it and 5 little eggs where laid. I worried for a few days how to handle this bird and her little flock in my studio especially since I have one very nimble cat who can catch about anything. I hate finding dead animals in my studio but birds are the worst. They really freak me out when I find one somewhere that has met its demise.

Anyways, I knew that birds do not like humans touching there nest but I made Jeoy move it because I thought the cat might have a feast of the whole family and at least I could save the Mama bird. We did move the nest to a nearby tree but she has not been back to sit on her eggs. She did sit in a tree the rest of the day and yelled at us in bird language. I could tell she was very upset. I watched her from my kitchen window fly in and out of the studio looking for her nest that had disappeared on her. Joey keeps asking me if she's been back for her eggs...we both feel bad. I took a little photo of them because they are so perfect with little flecks of pink on them.

Cups

Look at all these great cups!

I was searching my usual gallery "haunts" last night and ran across a good cup show at AKAR Design Gallery. I copied a bunch of cups that caught my eye. When you see all of them you can tell I kind of like them because they are either very embellished or altered in some way. It is a fabulous collection of cups so if you get a chance go look on the web site.

Today I also met with the City Historic board about my kiln and it was approved. My next hoop to jump through is the Zoning board. I have a friend on the Historic board who made the motion to tell the zoning board that the Historic Board thought having artists in our community and downtown was an asset to the community, so I think by next week I should be in the clear to pour my slab and get going on the kiln!

Weekend evants

Today the weather was bright and sunny again. Quaid had his first soccer game of the season and actually scored two goals. What a change from last year when he stood out in the field picking clover. ( I use to call him Ferdinand if you all know that book). He was so excited yesterday when he got his uniform that he slept in it. Its so wonderful to see a kid thrilled about just the smallest things in life. Cheap thrills I call them. So, he had a great day.

I took a trip up to Hendersonville NC to have lunch with a friend of mine and visit a potential new gallery there( new for me). I got all my information together and gave it to the gallery owner and we'll see what happens. It was a nice gallery but I think they cater to a more neutral look so we'll see since my stuff is pretty bright. You never know. On Friday I met with some people at The Balintyne (sp) resort here in Charlotte about ordering some of my things for the resort. I have a good friend who works there and set the whole thing up for me, which was really nice. They seemed pretty interested and we'll see how that goes as far as ordering stuff. Its always exciting to see what new accounts I can drum up each year. I use to think you needed to always stick to the same galleries but I've learned that rotation is good and I know from working at Cedar Creek that you need to give some craftsmen a rest from the public eye so when you re-order,it looks new and sells better. ( at least when I get a fall order from somewhere and not a spring I like to tell myself they are giving my work a rest....maybe I'm fooling myself but it makes me feel better!)

Joey and I went out to eat this evening for the first time in awhile. He has been on the no carb diet for months and has lost a ton of weight. I am very envious of his success but happy that he feels good about his weight. Anyways, he really was looking forward to having a real meal this evening so we enjoyed some time just vegging at this restaurant together and having someone cook for us. ( well, Joey had someone cook for him since he likes to do the cooking in our house these days.)

Tomorrow I can not wait for studio time. I'm going to finish up some boxes I've been working on and start doing some decorating to get stuff moving along to the bisque kiln. I've decided that I'm going to stick with mainly black for the brush work and whatever other technique I decide to embellish my pots with. I do have a good reason for this thought...but I'll wait to tell you later.
Good night.

Helios issues

Before I went to NCECA I had some problems with my clay that has never happened to me before. I'm still not sure what happened but I got a whole new batch last week and figure that hopefully it won't happen again. I just thought I'd put a photo of it up here before I pitched the pieces that it happened to. At the time I was really pissed because they where big pieces and I wanted them for my show but after looking at them for awhile in my studio I kind of think the clay gods where doing me a favor by "killing" them in the kiln. Everyone I seem to know around me makes there own clay and I just don't have the time , equipment or option to do this so I've been at the mercy of the local clay company and I the last 6 years or so, I haven't been to thrilled. Maybe one day, I can make my own ( of get my kids to do it for an some money...hummmm that's a thought down the line!) ( On second thought I'd have to wait until they where 16 or so just to have the strenght to lift the bags! )

Yesterday I went and had some photo's made at this wonderful studio. This guy had one of the nicest set up I've ever seen...huge equipment and what a camera! I'm hoping for awesome slides to help me more with my quest to get in some bigger shows.

I've got alot of stuff coming up in the next two months and I'm getting nervous about producing all of it. Last night I was up until 12 and then my kids got me up at 5:30 so my plans for this morning where really thrown off. I hate that because napping instead of working while the kids are gone makes me feel really guilty but if I work and then don't have energy for them, I'm not being fair to them because I'm just super cranky. So, I napped and hopefully after dinner tonight I can get a lot done. .

in school every morning next year I'm looking forward to seeing how much more I can get accomplished and hopefully I can help more at night with getting everyone to bed at a decent time in a relaxed setting. Some nights its crazy for my husband to just do it alone now that Quaid is in school and has homework.

Well, I'm off to the carpool lane!

Getting things Done

I feel like I've gotten a lot done this week, which makes me happy. I put up lists around the house so I don't forget about things. I'm sure anyone visitor coming into the house might think I'm kind of crazy. I have in my head that I know I can get all I need to accomplished in one day and I've set out to do it as best I can. I'm sure this sounds a bit elementary to most people but when you have two little girls at your feet its not as easy at it sounds. It almost like I have to pencil in down time for all the "antics" they bring up during the day. I have two very active girls and when my boy gets home if the TV is not on its usually chaos around here. I always had my kids on some sort of schedual so they know what to expect each day. At 4 o'clock, they have cartoon time and this gives me a chance to laydown a bit or get done things I still have to do with out interuptions. I'm pretty brain-dead at that time of the day and if I have screaming or chaos going on I usually lose my cool so the 4 o'clock TV breaks works well for everyone. I often think if I wasn't such a private person I try to get on that show "Super Nanny" because many days I feel like I need some wisdom and help to whip everyone in shape.

I managed to get to a great photographer today and have some professional slides made. I use to try and take my own and at the time I thought I did a fairly good job but I found a few years ago while entering big time sale/jury shows ( like the ACC and such), my slides needed improvement. My photo's did manage to get my into juried one piece shows but when you have to send a multitude of slides together, you need to take a bunch so they all look alike. Anyways I got that done and sent out a bunch of applications for shows. I've been back and forth on the phone with the city planning board about my kiln. ( And that is a whole nether entry in itself, lots of red tape this week). I've been working very steadily in the studio this week which has felt good. My teaching "gig" doesn't start back up again for another week so I'm enjoying my Thursday and Tuesday mornings kid free. In the afternoons I've managed to get outside to work in my flower beds as well because the weather here has been in the 80's. The kids broke out there pool and bathing suits this weekend so they think summer is around the corner. Boy am I not ready for school to end at all. Next week I'll have to add searching for lots of summer camps to my list.

Try to stay focused

I feel like I've gotten alot done this week. I've arranged for photo's to be taken of my work, I've pre-packed up pots for a show I"m in, in a few weeks and I've applied to some shows and gotten pots thrown.

I still have been struggling everyday with staying focused on my decoration. I really want to do so much new stuff and I know I will...I always do. I just don't see how people do the same work over and over again and don't get sick of it. I'm always re-inventing my work. New forms, new surface..ect. I have stayed consistent with my glaze lately. I know changing work all the time has got to be bad but I think its also good. In my head everyday I just go back and forth. I obsess about it. How I can keep doing the surface work sort of the same way but different. I would love to come up with some new imagery for my pots but then I would really be getting away from continuity of some sort. Do I really have any??? So does this mean that those people that never change there forms or there surface don't "suffer" with some sort of attention issue? Does it mean they aren't as creative and that they are more mechanical in the way they go about learning and creating something?

I have alot of computer and math related people who take my class. I'm always kind of amused when I get a bunch of beginning students in my class and find out what they do for a living. The math or computer people usually have a hard time accepting that they can't make a perfect pot. When these people enter into my intermediate class, they have this issue as well. When I ask them what they would like to do for the session they say" perfect my pots". They always want to learn how to throw a classic, round simple form. So..I guess why I am talking about this is because I think maybe I've answered my question about jumping around with form and surface. I was never good at math....hated math except for geometry. Geometry you could "see" the math, it wasn't just numbers that made no sense. Algebra...oh good lord, it was a miracle I made it through that class. So.......I guess my pots will always change and I know one will never see a really classic, simple form on my sale shelves. Doesn't everything need to be altered???

Peter and the wolf

I've spoken before about how when I was growing up I was inundated with classic music and really anything education that my parents could find. Of course my parents where both educators so this made perfect sense to them. I really appreciate all the places they took me to now, but at the time I was like any child who really just wanted to stop at "South of the Border" or go ride go-carts in Myrtle Beach. Well, the tradition lives on in the Lawler-Mecca house-hold because I got tickets this weekend for the whole family to see the Charlotte symphony put on "Peter and the Wolf", complete with the NC ballet performing along side. I do have to admit that "Peter and the Wolf" was one of my favorite records to listen to when I was young because it was someone reading you a story. ( This record along with my Electric Company and Toni Orlando and Dawn.) Well, it was really fun and I was glad that all my children seemed to really enjoy it. The whole time we were sitting there and I had my most "antsy" child on my lap ( Aydan), I was thinking about the time my mother took me and my sister to see "The Magic Flute". I remember to this day being such a wiggle worm and my mother trying anything she could do to keep me still. I can't say I really loved going to that, except for the costumes, but I do recognize the music to "The Magic Flute". Since I really don't like roller coasters and crowded amusement parks, I think I'll keep the tradition going with dragging my crew to educational places they will either love or hate.

Just when the day is planned out...

I got up this morning at my usual time on Thursday ( Joey gets to take Quaid to school on this day so I get to sleep in a bit) at 7. I got the girls up, feed, dressed and ready to go and the whole time I was planning on how to handle my day. I had free time in the morning with everyone at school and I knew the three important things to do today was work, go to get groceries, exercise and clean house pretty much in that order. I keep going back and forth in my mind on weather to run to the store in the morning with out any kids in toe ( because that truly can just wear me out) or go for a brisk walk and get right in the studio. I went over the list of things I needed to throw in my studio and decided that I would have to forgo the quiet trip to the store and just take the girls with me after school. I also decided that my walk had to be limited to 30 minutes because I had alot of things to throw today. Well... needless to say nothing of the sort happened. As usual I got the girls out to the car ( of course they had to run back in and pee, check on there worms they caught the day before, say Hi to the garbage man...it goes on and on until
I usually have to threaten them and they finally hop into the car.) I finally got them in the car and couldn't find my keys anywhere. This is not an uncommon thing for me because I lose my keys a lot! All I could think about was if I couldn't find my keys, my work time would be gone. I finally found them in the ignition of the car ( yes I left them there all night long because the day before one of the girls was crying about something when we pulled up the driveway and I'm sure I just rushed her inside and forgot my keys). When I got in the car, it wouldn't start. A friend of mine came to my rescue me and got the girls to school and we got my car jumped and off to the shop to fix whatever was wrong with it. So, no work this morning, no exercise. I did manage to get my mailing list done and of course I got to work tonight so it wasn't all bad. It was just so funny to me how with coffee in hand this morning, pushing people out the door, braiding hair, making beds I spent so much mental time plotting my morning for nothing but stress over a car. Happens to all of us...right?

Wed. is my favorite day

The girls and I had a good day today. I was thinking today at how much I enjoy Wednesday. Its the one day in the week when I don't have to be 3 million places, no teaching, no afternoon car pool, no running the girls to school, its just a good productive day at home. We usually go to the gym and the girls play while I "try" to burn some fat off, than we go to the library where they have story time. Today it was all about spring and the girls got to make a little garden in a cup. This was such a little thrill for them. I just love to see them excited about the simplest things. We planted some bulbs today and the got so tickled over all the worms that we found. Of course they wanted to name them and bring them into the house. I'm sure at this moment there are a bunch of worms in my yard recovering from "worm heart failure" over the two twins that kept dropping them and picking them back up.

Anyways, back to the library- I always notice how all the other mothers are always so made up and look so clean and polished. This is something that has alluded me every since I had Quaid. Its like I stayed in sweat pants during my pregnancy because I refused to spend a bunch of money on maternity cloths and now...I'm still in them. One reason I don't get all dressed up is obvious - if I can run out to work, I do ( but that is very rare). Another reason I don't is that I'm still in denial about getting into all my old cloth pre-pregnancy and if you don't feel good about how you look, why get dressed up. The third reason is that I'm always racing out the door and to tired to fuss. All of these are rotten excuses but today as I was looking around at everyone and than at myself the thought really hit home. If you hadn't noticed yet by my other entries, I'm not trilled about getting older and turning 40. I use to be that cute little "hipster" and now I'm just a frumpy mother. Guess this is something I defiantly have to work on more. ( My husband hears this constantly from me).

Anyways....the rest of the day was spent on much needed house cleaning, working on my mailing list, thinking about what needs to be done in the studio this evening and making lots of phone calls. I arranged to get some new photo's of my work shot and ordered some new supplies; this is always exciting! In the studio tonight I worked on new flower blocks and got handles on my new mugs. Joey even noticed I was doing a new mug shape and it seemed to meet his approval so I guess I'm off to a good start. I'll get some photo's up when I have a good amount of work to show.
Happy Wednesday!

Forum

I was having trouble yesturday posting something on the Mudmama's webpage so I emailed Lana, I just got a reply back that I thought I would post just in case others where having proublems. I admit I am horrible when it comes to the computer and figuring things out so maybe its just me but just in case..here is the email I got back. Jen

Hi Jen,

Lana Wilson forwarded your address to me, so I know you were having problems posting/reading. Perhaps these few instructions might help...

In order to post to the forum, first you must be a registered member and it appears that you are now. Next, you must be logged in (you can log in at the upper right-hand corner of the main forum page). Then you will be able to post or reply to any part of the forum. As to reading the posts, all you need to do is click on the individual subjects to see the posts and anyone can read the forum even without being logged in.

As a member of both ClayArt and this forum, I can tell you that ClayArt also has members who feel it is difficult to use. As with all things new/different, it takes time to get used to change. ClayArt is an e-mail based program with literally thousands of messages incoming each day and unfortunately we do not have the webspace or transfer capacity to run a forum in that form, nor do we have enough people to staff such a project which requires full-time people to monitor the system daily. We want this to be a user friendly forum, but it will take time for everyone to get used to something new, so please be patient with us and don't give up on posting/replying/reading the forum. If you still have trouble, please let me know. Hope this helps...

Sincerely,

________________________

Mud Mama's

Here is the URL for Mud Mama's www.mudmamasandpapas.com
I think in a previous post I spoke about the lecture I attend on being a mud mama. Well I thought I'd post the URL for those of you who would like to get on there and talk. ( I tried to log in today and post something but....me and computers don't always get along and understand each other so once again I'm going to have to consult my tec guy on what I'm doing wrong). I'll try to get that up here soon so you can check it out. I got an email from Lana Wilson saying they really needed some activity on it to get the forum up and going. It looked like they spent a lot of time putting together the web-site so I'd like to support it. So far since I've been back I've really been thinking about a quote by one of the mom's about having to move heaven and earth to get to NCECA. This terms hits home for me a lot. My family does so much for me so I can do what I love.
Today I was thinking about how I have to really think and prioritise what I do with my free time on the days all kids are gone for awhile. Today I had to run errands so one hour of my work time was lost. When I got in the house there where toys everywhere and dishes ect. but I focused and realised I needed this quiet time to work on my mailing list for the up coming show my group is having. I knew that the time I had left by myself would not be super productive in my studio and I needed to save that for the evening. I did get back in my studio this evening and started throwing. Of course I started with my favorite items.....mugs.
I found out last night that I got wait listed for the ACC show here in Charlotte. I felt pretty good about that even though I'm pretty down on the list. At least I got a foot in the door so to say and I'll keep trying. I have some other big shows I'm going to shot for so I'll cross my fingers for those as well.

Still more NCECA stuff

Here are some photo's of our show and the gallery. Hummmmmm what can I say about the show. Well, it was a real honor to have a show at NCECA. This is actually my second time of being in a show for NCECA so I guess I can feel pretty good about that. This time however I can't say I was to trilled with the way the gallery owner handled the show. I felt like we where kind of overlooked in a way. I do know that at least people that where at NCECA did come by and see the work, so that was good to know and we did have a good turn out for the opening. The thing that was lacking was the reason for why we did what we did. We had all written wonderful things about our influences and the gallery owner did not put this information anywhere for folks to read. So....I hate to complain, but its kind of been "itching" at the back of my brain since I've been back.

On a high note, look at the color of those walls! I loved my pots next to those walls!

Up close

THIS PHOTO*

Some of you wanted to see how the box turned out that I put on the blog when it was leather hard so here is a close up of it. I loved it when it turned out but of course now I'm critiquing it.......the judgment and jury never stops in my head especially after seeing so many wonderful pots at NCECA. I took a lot of photo's of great pots with my regular camera because I wanted some more slides to show my classes when I teach so now I regret I don't have any of those photo's to talk about on my blog.

THE CONFERENCE*

As for the conference, I really didn't get to sit in on to many lectures and I'm not sure I missed much...but I'm sure I could of pick up some information of use. I did sit in on " Being a potter and a parent", which I of course loved. The beginning of the lecture was a sculpture who talked about coming to NCECA 4 years ago with her baby and sitting at the back of a lecture hall in tears because people kept turning around and looking at her every time her child made a noise. I totally could appreciate this feeling and when she spoke of this I almost felt sorry for all those successful women potters who don't have what we have. ( Not that those where the people giving the dirty looks). But for so long I've felt envious of these women and I'm sure on days when I don't see my pot in a magazine or I'm still not getting into big shows I'll feel this way again. But nothing was better than knowing when I got home I had three little people so excited to see me and that they are my biggest fans! One of my epiphanies was that maybe I will never make spectacular pots. Maybe its just not in me and I shouldn't beat myself up for not being able to get to that point. Maybe its ok to make marginal pots that sell, not to everyone but some people and maybe its ok that I'm a mom trying to do this just because it was what I choose in school and I love and it will pay some bills, cloths my children, give me another reason to get up in the morning and that is OK. You know, you can set your goals up so high that maybe they can't be reached and its not that you see the glass half empty, its just that you see it for how it is and do the best you can. I just don't see beating my ego up anymore and this trip, seeing all the shows and great work didn't work me up into a frenzy about my pots as it has in the past. No comparing my work to others, just enjoying what I saw and knowing I'm going to come home, keep working, keep entering shows and plugging along at the slow pace I do trying not to kill myself mentally for what I have no accomplished yet.

Boy...this is deep!

( Who am I kidding...I'll always want to be Lucy Rei!)....I wonder if she had kids?

Home again, Home again....you know the rest

I got in last night at 11:30 from my NCECA trip. Boy was I glad to get home and see my family! I had so many epiphanies on this trip, I don't even know where to begin. I guess every adventure is a self discovery of yourself.

Anyways...where to begin! Here are the items I ended up sending to our show. If I didn't explain before what the title of our show was it was "Circle of Eight-emerging artist and the People who have influenced them". We all thought it was a pretty good concept and we all wrote wonderful paragraphs on why we choose who we did.

My influence was Linda Christensen, who is from Minnesota and makes woodfired pots. I met Linda back in grad school when she came to ECU as a visiting artist. Linda and I make totally different pots and I can't say we have the same sort of personality either. I guess this is why I just love her so much. She was the first potter who I felt like didn't take what she did so seriously and was able to say she just enjoys throwing and may not do it the right way, but its her way of doing it. She was so giving to everyone at the school and in critiques.She never made anyone feel like there work was horrible or insignificant. She is someone that keeps her opions to herself but encourages what you are trying to do. I also took a workshop at Arrowmount with her last summer because I felt like I needed a connection and some answers from another female potter that was a mom ( which Linda is). She once again listened to everything I had to say and really answered my questioned about how to get ahead in this business while trying to be a mom and a women. She also did'nt sugar coat it for me or say it was easy. She admited that it alot of luck and very hard work...which I'm learning. So....that is why Linda's simple, wood fired pot is up near my very active, busy low fired work!

Off to NCECA

I"m off to NCECA. Here our invitation to our spring circle of eight show! Have a good week potting or doing something else fun.jen

Family Time

This weekend Joey took McKenna to Raleigh to visit his mom and it also gave him time to see his friends and go to see that new movie 300, which I'm sure is something I wouldn't be to interested in. He said it was great and I know he likes to see his mom and make sure she is doing Ok. We've been trying to rotate the kids when we go on short trips. This time it was McKenna's turn. At the moment she is the most difficult to deal with so I think this was very good for her to be away from her siblings. Joey said she was great on the trip and Quaid and Aydan did great here with me as well. Having two kids was SUCH a breeze for me this weekend!! I took the kids to Discovery Place in downtown Charlotte and then for a little dinner out at Cracker Barrel~Quaid favorite restaurant.( Of course he likes it because you walk in and its like a toy store before you can sit down to eat! How clever of Cracker Barrel.) Than we had a slumber party at night and watched Star Wars with a big bowl of popcorn. The house stayed a mess and I just lounged around with the kids. Sunday Joey and Mckenna came home and we had a big pasta feast at my folks with my 97 year old grandmother. ( My dad is Italian so pasta and sauce has always been an important part of Sunday meals.)
I thought maybe last night I would go clean my studio but with the time change and all I got myself in bed by 10, which is very rare for me...and I needed it. Quaid is on spring break this week so this morning we are basically back to normal. The girls are fighting over a toy, Quaid is running around and teasing his sisters whenever he can get a gab in and I'm doing a mound of laundry.
This evening I'm going before the York town board with my kiln proposal to get approval. The secretary at the planning department told me last week that I may have to wait another month because they may have to talk to the zoning board. ( I really did not like the sound of that!) I'm anxious to get going on this project and not wait till the last minute. I have till September to build the kiln but since I'm seems to fly by in my life so fast I know I have got to get going!

Pots On A Towel

The amber came out the best on this pot and although I running of the glaze on the springs makes not sense design wise, I like the idea's it can give me later on down the road. I love this glaze and wanted all my pots for NCECA in this glaze. Instead I sent one's that where all aqua....a pretty standard glaze color for potters.

I made 8 of these tea-bowls and I think they are kind of sweet. This is my green glaze with resist and stains. (photo had a lot of glare)

Here is a teapot with springs in my green glaze. I like the way the glaze come out( the photo does not do it justice but I think the springs where to random)

I said in the last post that I ran out of batteries to take photo's of the pots that went to NCECA but when I did finally get some batteries, I think I should of photographed them on something better!

My firing

(This is the flower block the I speak of down in the middle of my post)

I forgot when I last posted because the week has been a bluer. It is Saturday and I spent the whole day just enjoying it with my children, but I'll get to that later.

My kiln load....where to begin. I had one of those events as a potter that you hate but have to make the best out of. Here were my issues:

1.I mixed up new batches of glaze and my amber went on some of the pieces kind of thin...which is a look I really don't like for my pots, so those where out.

2. Two of my teapots had sprouts that twisted just a bit so those where out. ( I had thrown these differently than I normally do so I won't do that again!)

3. Some pieces for an odd reason did this strange explosion in the glaze kiln. Not the kind where the clay just pops off everywhere but it made these areas that kind of "feathered outwards". It was something I have never seen before and the only thing I can think of is that there was a rock or some type of imperfection in the clay.( Of course these where two big pots...waste of clay and soooooooo much time) All of it comes from Highwater, out of the bag so...........................I'm not the first person that has had clay issues and I won't be the last. It just happens.

So, the quandary of all this was to come up with 3 pots for the show. Of course my favorites had issues. Pots that I spent hours on.....just did not come out. I had a great box with a stuck lib that luckily a friend of mine was able to bang off. I had 3 good teapots, 5 good egg cups, some vases, some bowls( that where special orders and filled the kiln) and one huge flower block that I was super proud of but had two small cracks in very noticeable areas. I have to admit my heart sank at the thought that I didn't have a great selection to choose from for the show but I had to make due with what I had. So, I sent the box, 6 egg cups( that are new for me and after seeing them I have one big design flaw that is going to keep speaking to me the entire time I'm at the opening.

" Psst...Jen, hey, we have this small hole in the cup part you need to cover up!" "Jen...yeah hey get away from the food, are you listening? Everyone is looking at this hole we all have!"

( Ok, don't worry I'm not hearing things, this is just how my mind works some days) I threw these in one part and there was no place for air to escape so I poked a hole in the center thinking it would shirk up. Not so...next time I'll know!

The last pot I sent was my favorite teapot and two tea bowls to go with them. I did try to take photo's of these pieces but I was in such a hurry to pack them and ship them that I my batteries ran out so..................

I tend to be very hard on myself when it comes to my expectations. I had so much to do this week at one point one night I was up to late telling myself I still had more things to do and just keep going. Then I looked at myself in the mirror and saw the blood shot eyes and thought "YIKES" get to bed and lay off your self! I'm trying to work on this;giving myself a break from thinking I need to do it all and just tell myself that I'm doing the best I can. Maybe everything doesn't always come out great or go the way I want it to but that is Ok because I'll just try again. This is something I tell my students over and over again. If a pots just ...well dies in some way or another where you wreck trying to fix the rim, trim through the foot or glaze it some horrible combination. It will be ok because the next one will be that much better. I'll have to remember this when my eggs cups are talking to me at the opening and I'm seeing a gold halo around everyone else's work but my own.

A state of calm today

Yesturday was a crazy day as I knew it would be. The day before was'nt any picnic either now that I think about it! I'm happy to report at 12:30 last night the kiln got loaded and begun its decant into "glory" we can only hope. I had started glazeing the night before and I took a very long time with each piece so hopefully my runny glazes will not stick on any pots. I did soak the kiln this morning because lately I've been getting these small bubbles at points on my sprigs that I'm sure are popping at the end of fireing and don't have time to smooth out before the kiln shuts off and starts cooling down. We'll see if this works or not. I have'nt soaked my kilns in long time ..mostly because it always turns off when I'm asleep and I've gotten sooooooooooo lazy with this electric kiln. That will all have to change when I go back to the Soda kiln! I think I should of made a kiln god just in case- alot is riding on this kiln load!ahhhhhhhhhh

So many things I've wanted to blog about besides pots lately but when I think about something it escapes my brain when I finally get on here to post something.

Today I'm in a state of calm. Yesturday before starting to glaze at 8pm I basically spent the whole day in the car running from teaching, to pick up my girls than to pick up Quaid than back in the car with 4 kids for an hours drive to a birthday party and back home again at 7. Somedays I relise how lucky I am to not get in a car wreck dealing with all the caos that goes on while I"m trying to get kids from point A to point B. Bus drivers should make the amount doctors do!

I've got to go pull all my kids old cloths and stuff for "The twin sale" I spoke of in the last blog. It is the best thing closest to a sale at Target on something. I'm able to cloths my children, get some books and a few toys for a very low price...its a consignment sale with very nice stuff. So I make money and spend a little as well. Its kind of a crazy thing because you have to get a lottery number before you can shop and of course the women go running in and just start grabbing at what things they want. I admit, I too have a system down so I can get what I came for and not hurt anyone in the process.

I will unload the kiln in the morning so I'll get some photo's> Have a great and relaxing day!

teapots

Here are some teapots, I think I scaled down a bit on the decortion than I had with the other things. I'm curious to see how the light carving comes through the glaze..if at all. I'm running out the door to take the girls to the dentist so I'll write more later. Busy week, I've got these pots fire and send out, make-up classes, birthday parties to 'Taxi' too and the twin sale( NO...I'm not selling the twins! I'll elaborate later) Anyways, busy week, I hope I'll be able to post some thoughts!

Saturday

Obviously the elf I ordered did not come in time!

Also, the one on the right fell to his death on the way out to the kiln so I guess he was not happy with the "undergarment" I choose for him. ( Glaze being his cloths).

I always think of my pieces as being little creatures. And no, I'm not ready for the funny farm yet. I just mean what goes from my head to my hands when I'm making something turns out to have some kind of "creature" quality to it.

Ok, Ok, its late...I need some sleep.

Back to writing

I have no idea why I have not gotten on here to post anything this week. Maybe nothing struck me as being to exciting going on. I'm just finishing up things for NCECA. I'm so nervous about how its all going to turn out. Last night I was still trying to make somethings and I thought"are you crazy"???So I stopped and kept to task of the pots I have done. Now for the decorating.We'll see if I can hold back. Wouldn't it be great if you could rent a little fairy or Elf to sit with you when you really need someone to stop you from doing something that you can't seem to control yourself? Boy, if you could rent something like that I would have an enormous bill at the "Rent your own Elf" shop. I would have to use him for not eating certain things, getting myself to the gym more often, driving faster than I should and of course not over decorating my pots. You could walk in the pick and choose from all different elf categories. There they would be just sitting on one big shelving unit. I would have to find one with a design background and than another one who was a personal trainer and dietitian. Ok...........I'll get out of Jen Dream world.

Oh, there was something exciting that happened this week. The gas guy came out to give me an estimate on my gas line. He had a lot of questions about the BTU's which threw me off. I need to really read my kiln book because I forget all that and I'm sure the more kilns you build the more you can retain that information. Anyways, its going to be around $600. I think I will also get a pro-pane estimate as well just to see the difference in the two. I've only fired with propane once at Penland( years ago) and I'm a little more worried about that since you can't smell it if you have a leak. The idea of putting something that can blow-up in my back yard does scare the crap out of me but thank goodness for safety devices for burners!

Gene Pool

Today I took the girls over to the church parking lot so they could ride there little purple bikes. I was thinking while I was sitting on the curb at the beginning of our adventure how this moment will only come once in my life; the moment of watching them go round and round and seeing how they maneuver this object with wheels under there little feet. The most interesting thing about having girl twins for me is to figure out which one was like me when I was little. I guess most mom's who have only one girl does the same but only has that one to watch and wonder about. I am lucky to have two...just in case one does not show any signs of things I know I did and remember doing, maybe the other one will. The other crazy and wonderful thing about twins is seeing how as they grow how different there little personalities are. When they where babies ,they pretty much did the same thing. When one started walking , the other one did it the next day. When one got a tooth, the other one would get one on the opposite side the very same week. It was like a science experiment....and still is some days!

Today Aydan could not wait to get on her bike and ride in and out of the parking spaces. She was determined to do it all herself. When he got stuck of tipped over, she got a bit miffed at herself but didn't want any help. McKenna on the other hand verbalized the whole time as to why she wanted to push her bike around and not ride it. She'd get on it for 2 minutes, not go very far and then tell me why she was getting back off and parking it. She would then come sit on my lap and instruct her sister on what she needed to be doing. Aydan would just ecnore her and go around and around acting like a motor cycle rider. There brother Quaid was just like McKenna at 3 and here again is when the gene pool is so amazing. A brother and a sister who have pretty much the same personality traits while Aydan just marches to her own drummer.

I'm really clinging on to this age because I know with each day, they are only going to get bigger and bigger and these innocent times will be gone. Having children forces you to slow down and really take a look back at the "cheap thrills" in life that you forget when your rushing around trying to get through your adulthood. I've relised as of late, that I need this more and more!

Boxes

Here are a few more things to show. These are boxes that I've been making for awhile. I've had a lot of trouble coming up with feet for them and I spent a lot of time pondering this last week so I just left them off. The are kind of tricking to get through the firing because there shape tends to act as a slope for the glaze to just run like hell down. I enjoy how they look when they come out the kiln and people seem to like them as well so I thought I'd add them as possibilities to my "show" work. The vases are the ones I fuse together in the kiln so they form a family or grouping effect. They look great with flowers in them and like I said before, I've only made them one other time and sold out.

Last night I went hog wild on a new form for a flower block. It is a bit over top but fun I think. If they make it through the next 4 steps( drying , decorating, bisquing and glaze application-firing) I think I'll have to charge a $1000 dollars for them. I spent from 7pm to 12 last night just putting them both together. Crazy!!!!

I may have keep these a secret until the show if they come out.

Shut up and Sing

( This image came out to small..sorry for that, it a photo of The Dixie Chic's).
A few evening ago I watched the Grammy awards. I am a sucker for award shows because I like to know what is "hot" and what movie are out there that I have not seen. Also, I have to admit, I like the Glitz and Glare of Hollywood and the Music industry. Like most kids I wanted to be one of those people when I was little. (There...I admitted it.)

Anyways, on the show the other night the Dixie Chic's won a bunch of awards and I really liked the song they song on there as well. I do have one of there albums and I use to listen to it years ago. I can't say I'm a huge fan of them but I had remembered the remark Natalie made about The President and how much controversy it caused as well. So when they won all these awards and there was more talk about there political statements I thought I needed to watch the documentary"Shut Up and Sing, which I did Friday night. One thing I can say for sure is that I am so embarrassed to be living in the State of SC even more after seeing this film. Of course most of the clips of fans acting like total ignorant a------s( you put in the letters) where from Sc. Oh, Americans can be so rude and ignorant, its embarrassing. It was so interesting to see how the radio stations where so fueled by money and how these girls careers where just hushed up so fast but they managed to hold there ground and get back on top. It was a very interesting film and after seeing it just made me want to run out and get there new CD, not to mention the fact that if I where from Texas, I would be embarrassed that our president is from there also! I also loved Natalie the lead singing..she is chic I would like to hang out with.

Thurseday

I'm waiting on my mommy's helper to show up so I can go out and work in my studio. I had three days of teaching this week and of course two nights away from the studio really puts me behind more than I should be this month. I usually send out letters to my gallery's in January asking them if they need work and when I can put them on my calendar. I haven't done that because I'm a little scared of not being able to finish orders if I'm knee deep in trying to get this kiln built. The other side of me says "you fool" we need the money and it's dropping out of the sky. I guess I'm going to see how the shows go that I plan on doing and then just call up galleries when I have a ton of work left over. Not a very good business plan... a bit risky but it will have to do I guess.

Once again, it will be a quiet weekend planned here at the house. I'd like to take the kids up to the mountains and see what snow is left on the ground. Maybe if I get a lot done Friday night and Saturday, this would be a good Sunday adventure for us. Today is so nice out all I can think of is spring getting here and my plans to get my kids in snow will be gone.

Well, it looks like help has arrived so I'll be off.

Catch-up

Well I said I would elaborate on what I did this weekend in Seagrove. For those of you that are not familiar with that area of North Carolina, it is a place where many potters live and there are many generations of potteries. If your familiar with a potter by the name of Ben Owen, he lives there and is a third generation potter and very successful at having this lineage and making pots for a living. Anyways, I went down to see a man by the name of Dwight Holland, (also an important figure in the Seagrove area) and his kiln. It was a wonderful visit not only because I got to see the kiln and get some idea's for my own but also because Dwight has one of the biggest pottery collections around. He has everyone you basically see in the all magazines and that you have read about. When I came back to my studio and was looking at some of my posters from past NCECA shows and other large conferences, I noticed that some of the pots he owned where the actual ones from these shows . It was such a treat and since there where just three of us there we got to ask a lot of questions about all that we saw.

As for the kiln, it was for the most part what I want only I think I need to make it a big taller. It seems to only hold about 3 shelves high of work; those being the big 24" shelves. Its a little sprung arch kiln and he's got the salt holes in the top of the kiln instead of on the front or side of the kiln. We talked about how if I was planning on doing soda that I really should go back to putting the ports on the side of kiln. Its a pretty little kiln but since Joey and I keep saying we need to sell this house and find another closer to Quaid's school and over the border into NC - the size would be perfect for the time being. I hate to lock myself into something bigger and then have to tear it down in a year or so. I'm not really worried as much about building it now. The only parts of it that seem sort of a challenge to me are the arch and getting the angle iron on it. The gas company is coming out this week to tell me the cost and what would be involved in taking our gas line out into the yard. This weekend I plan on drawing up plans and in two weeks I meet with the historic board for approval.

This morning Quaid went back to school( and was not happy about it either...such a mama's boy). The girls went to school and I got a chance to finally do some things for myself like go to the gym and work in my studio. I put feet on my tall, three pod vases and threw some forms for my oval boxes. So, it was a good morning! Tonight I'll get some photo's taken of what I've gotten done.

Sunday, late

I really feel like getting off to bed but thought I should write a little before go. Plus I got on Joey's blog and saw that he finally did another entry after a very long time and thought I should not "let him down" with all my computer activity he spoke of. I think I am a bit addictive to the computer but some days it my only form of outlet to my adult friends so I always have to check my email. So, here I am!!

It was a good weekend. Yesterday kind of wore me out because I went to Seagrove to look at Dwight Holland kiln. My friend Julie went with me which was great for company. I've known Julie now for almost 13 years I think! We always joke that she is my Clay baby because when I was in grad school she was a freshman and we worked at a coffee shop together where I would sell my work. She got interested in what I did and finally took a pottery course...the rest is history. Anyways...we had a good trip catching up and talking pottery stuff. I think tomorrow I'll talk about my trip since its all about my kiln.

Back to the weekend....when I got home I played with the kids and than Joey and I got to have a movie date, which was a treat. He thinks its funny but I get a thrill whenever we can get to a movie together and agree on one. It reminds me of when we first dated because we use to go to the movies A LOT. We saw Casino Royal and we both really enjoyed it. Today I got to work in my studio almost all day which was greatly needed. Here are some photo's of my teapots drying. I did add some sprigs on two of them but thought a lot about there placement for once. I can tell the surface of these pieces are going to be very hard for me to come up with . I'm going to have to exercise a lot of control and thought. ( And yes, all this is good!)

No studio tomorrow. Quaid does not have school either, so I think I'll take the kids somewhere and then I'm off to my night class.

Friday

I'm looking forward to another weekend as this day comes to a close. Tomorrow I'm going to Seagrove with my potter friend Julie to look at a kiln. I need to get some plans drawn up and think about really what size I want this kiln to be that I'm building. I'm going to meet an old friend of mine Blaine Avery and his wife who are both great potters/ceramic "people". Its always such a treat to visit with old friends and I enjoy going down to Seagrove to poke around studio's and such.

I did finish my teapots. I ended up making about 7 of various forms and shapes. I'm letting them dry super slowly because I just can not afford to lose anything this next firing. I also started throwing parts to some triple flower vases that I made for a one person show I did last summer. I really liked how they came out so I thought I'd try them a little big bigger and see what happens. Some other pieces I'm going to try for the show are some flower blocks and maybe a pitcher with cups. I love to throw pitcher but I can't say they really fly off my shelves. I guess things like that you just have to take into stride-- Make stuff you want to make and a few that seem to keep you in business.

I had two mornings full of teaching this week. I made up a snow day today and really enjoyed teaching on a Friday morning. The studio was really busy with all sorts of folks and I kind of liked all the energy that was going on. At the end of class today it was nice to hear from my students that it was a good class and they thanked me for what I was teaching them. It always does the mind and spirit good to hear that the efforts you have made have paid off.

Check back for some photo's of my trip tomorrow!

Teapots

Here are some teapots I've been working on. I always find it very nerve racking to make teapots when I'm trying to make them for something special. It seems like when I make them just for fun I don't have as much trouble putting them together. I guess its not really the putting them together its the fiddling with them. I did that a lot last night and I'm sure I'll do it more this evening. Anyways, lots of different shapes so I can see what kind of surface looks the best on what shape. I also wanted a lot of different options in line and curve when adding thing onto my pieces. Julia and I talked a lot of about that, especially when adding my spring to things. I'll post some more photo's as the progression of the pieces continues.

Heart Day

This is how we enjoyed our Valentine's dinner yesterday. This is McKenna, she decided to come to the table in her "Rat" mask. She sat down and said she was a nice Rat, not a mean one like Templeton in Charlotte's web. I told her, "ok, well then I guess you can come eat with us". Of course my kids had day of nothing but sugar thanks to school and other parents who give to much at parties. I guess I do allow the kids to have some candy in moderation but the big reason I don't like all the sugar in the house is because I eat it! I'm one of those mom's who'd rather spoil the fun and give each kid a card and a pencil or sticker. At the moment I'm eating a little bag of sweet-tarts!!!

Really trying to think

These are some sample pots from the workshop I did with Julia Galloway. There really was no rhyme or reason to either of these. The creamer was just trying her inlaid surface drawing and the sugar bowl was a new form for me. The clay body is not one that I use and the glaze I really hate( and yes , it is one of my colors). BUT.....these pots I have above my sink in the kitchen to look at everyday and think about; or remind myself of things I'm trying to change in my work. In fact the writing on the creamer was more like a diary entry when I was in the workshop. It talks about what I think I'm missing and what I want to say with my work. On the belly of the pots are two pea-pods just to remind myself that being a mom and being at home is always right in the for front of having a career in pottery.

Sunday I was able to throw some teapot forms and parts. Last night I taught so this morning I was able to visit with them again and make even more. I'm trying to get work made for my up coming group show at NCECA. I like to do some new stuff but if it doesn't work.....that's a risk, but if I'm not sold on what I was doing, do I really want to show it? Oh the thoughts that go around and around in my head days on end. I go to bed thinking of pots to make.

The photo's I took of my tumbler I really liked where all blurry so maybe if they didn't all sell in Shelby( which of course we hope they did!), I'll try to get another photo of them. The one's I put aside here in my studio got snatched up by my mom for some Valentine's gifts. At least there was one other person that appreciated them besides me. Of course my parents are my best fans!

Nurse Ratchett

Have not been able to step into my studio since ...I guess Tuesday and boy is it a mess and in need of some work on the shelves. Poor Quaid is now having a hard time of it with his surgery and between him and keeping the girls away from him I have been to worn out to do work. ( Not to mention I have my sinus infection back). I heard the opening at Shelby went well. If you want to see some photo's on it go to Ron Philbeck's website get on his blog, he's got some good ones.

I've rested a bit this afternoon and Joey has taken the girls shopping a Quaid is getting some quiet time in front of the TV so I may sneak out to at least clean up the cyclone that hit a few days ago.

Ant Farms and displays

( You ask what the two have in common...well I'll see if I can bring it around full circle with some sort of conclusion...like a sermon that makes no sense but somehow the man at the pulpit ties it together.)

Quaid had his surgery yesterday and went through it like a big boy. On the way to the hospital he drew all these pictures of the doctor standing over him with a chain saw and spiked teeth. What a little mind can come up with . He instructed me that I was suppose to tell the doctor that he would ONLY have his tonsils out that day, nothing else. Anyways, he did have a host of stuff done to his little head and he did pretty well in recovery and now is eating sherbert like its going out of style. ( Today I did manage to get some real food in him but it was hard). He's on a good bit of codeine so he's walking around like my 96 yr. old grandmother and his sisters are still creating havoc around him. Here's a photo of his ant farm. These ants never sleep or stop and I don't really see any pattern to there tunnel digging or mound making. Ahhhhhhhh...here's where my pottery talk starts.

I went and put up my display for the Treasure's of the Earth show this Tuesday. I didn't get all my pots out of the kiln that day so I had to go back yesterday with another load and finish.( Of course I was in a rush getting there and putting everything out so it looked nice. ) After I went around and looked at everyone else's work and got back to my booth my eye's told me the truth about my pots at a quick glance. All the stuff I do to my pots makes my display look like a circus act! There is just to much going on with those pots. I've got springing, staining and now this shellacking( which I do like I have to admit). To many colors also. Just to much and I'm sick of looking at it all in a jumbled mess. Am I hard on myself or what? Really I'm being truthful I think and I've decided to limit my decoration. I don't think I'm going to do the staining anymore and I think I'm going to just keep to three glazes. Boy I can not wait till I am able to use the kiln on just a white clay body for some eye relief on my pots. ( ie. when I get my salt kiln going). I'm sorry I did not get any photo's of the new shellacked pots because some of the vases where really nice and subtle. Maybe I'm onto something with that. I did keep out some of the tumblers so I'll take a photo of them finished for my next entry.
Ok....displays and Ant Farms....so I work like an ant, just crazy going all the time but all my hard work sometimes does not make any sense when it all comes together. There, I did it! Maybe I should just go and get ordained and leave the potting to someone else.

We'll see how it looks!

Got my glaze kiln going about 8pm this evening. I have another one that needs to go as soon as I can cool this one down tomorrow. Tuesday I have to go set up for the show I'm doing in Shelby Nc. Its called TREASURES OF THE EARTH and it is held at the Cleveland County Arts Council. I like doing this show because you just set up your work in your own 10x10 space and it stays there for a month. People can come in and purchase something and than they pick it up when the show comes down mid March. The only thing the arts council asks from us is that we donate bowls for there fundraiser ( soup and a bowl). There's not much going on in the way of galleries buying work in February so this is a good way to make some money in the lean months.

Here are some new designs on tumblers that I'm going to try this time. Really they are not new for me. I did this sort of brush work in grad school when I had to focus on something. My theme was art nouvou and these little flower shapes are inspired from that. I've been thinking a lot about what Julia said to me about needed something for my work to say. That of course puzzles me but it feels kind of good to go back to these images that please me and make me smile when I see them on surfaces. Here I'm also using a different application of my stain, one i did back in school as well only with wax. Julia reintroduced this whipping away of clay from a brush mark using shellac and I find this way to be a lot faster in dry time. I'll see if I can get a photo of them when they come out of the glaze kiln.

Hope everyone had a nice weekend. Crazy week for us because Quaid has his surgery. By the way, for my friend with the Ear, nose and throat husband, the doctors name who is doing Quaid's surgery is Fredrick Levy in Gastonia NC. Wish us luck!

In the studio

I got my bisque loaded...atleast the first one. Thing are in my studio drying that I still want to put in next week show. It will be another fast drying process as always. I'm going to really have to change my way of doing things once I get back to a gas Kiln that is for sure!

Had some technical issues with my clay body. Nothing really new, the handles on my casseroles popped like crazy. I hate porcelain some times. I use to like this clay body but I know they changed it a few years ago and now it is hell to work with when you are adding handles. I know there must be some secret to keeping them from doing this but I have yet to find it. Very aggravating when you spend so much time on those pieces. I'm about ready to just give up on casseroles and move on, something is always going wrong with them. I did make some new cream and sugar trays that I like, we'll see how they look once the whole set is together. I am a little concerned that I made the foot to big but we'll see.

Off to bed!

Snow

A day off for all of us. No class for me, no school for the kids and much to my surprise, Joey did not try to go into work today. The kids finally made it out into the snow but by the time the two of us got our stuff on, it was raining.....not much fun. We did manage to play a little bit and the kids did'nt mind that much. They did go out twice today for some time. I enjoyed how it looked but always want more. I can say that part of me is glad we don't live in the North because
getting all those snow pants on wore me out!

Visiting my pots

I got to spend some time with my pots this morning. The girls go to school every Tuesday and Thursday morning so since I teach on Thursday morning, I really LOVE Tuesdays. Peace and quiet and my time!

I got started on my journey with my kiln project today. I went down and spoke with some people at the York Planning department. We live in an old southern small town and our house is in the historic district. In the past no one has really said anything to anyone about what they did with there homes mainly because families just past down the houses from generation to generation. I guess in the last 7 years of so, as those old houses have fallen into disrepair or worse, bought up by city slicker from the north, the historic committee has decide to approve everything that is done to the homes. So...........here I go with begging for this kiln to get built in my back yard. I am happy to report that one of the ladies on the board buys my work and knows me fairly well. My next step is to get some plans drawn up along with as much information as I can provide them and go before them at there annual meeting in March. Wish me luck.

In the studio I finished putting handles and my decorative sprigs on my casseroles so I just have trimming and lids to do on them this evening. I like to get one more day of throwing in before I start that firing process but I'm not sure that is going to happen this week. I have taxes to do and application for things to fill out. We'll see!

Productive weekend

Its Sunday so I'm reporting on my weekend of work. It was good!!! I managed to juggle family and work time well this weekend and it seemed to work well for everyone.

Friday night we enjoyed some High School basketball and the Homecoming Court. Quaid asked a very good question during the presentation of the homecoming girls which was " what did they do to get this?". You know, I had no idea how to answer that question without sounding caddy. The girls where all beautiful and of course super skinny and all there escorts looked very awkward, as most boys do at that age. I did finally come up with a good answer and told Quaid that they where all kids who got really good grades in school and where wonderful students and did a lot for other people. ( Ok, so I may have lied but it sounded good, something he could work towards and we can only hope, that is what brought them to the homecoming court.) Ok...so how many of you reading where homecoming Queens?

Saturday I took the kids to visit my 96 year old grandmother in the morning while Joey worked and in the afternoon I got silence in my studio for a few hours and got lots done. I had a wonderful time losing myself in "Cold Mountain", which was being read by the author. I had read that book a long time ago so hearing it and envisioning some of the movie stars from the motion picture are all equally fun to whirl around the brain. Saturday I finished staining pieces that where bone dry and kept loading the kiln. Its almost full and should be ready to fire on Tuesday.

Today I spent the morning with a fellow "studio mate". The girls went with there father to Charlotte to visit family and Quaid stayed with me. He was sooooooo excited to just have mom to himself and make pots with me. He did crank out a coil mug and several small sculptures while talking a blue streak to me. My solitude for working was a bit interrupted at times but I trudged on and when his Dad came home he was happy to give up clay to play baseball with his Dad and sisters. I managed after that to throw square casseroles and trim my clam boxes. This evening the wind is blowing so hard the door on my studio will not stay closed and the cold air only allowed me about 2 hours out there before I had to call it a night. Tomorrow is class so I won't be visiting my pots again until Tuesday. Until then~