Sunshine is energizing!

The sun is shining! And it is energizing me! Today I listed a lot of new items to my etsy shop and have more to get done tonight. Then I'll be adding new items to my own website shop, too. And I placed new items at the Canad Inn, Third Street Gallery, Forks Frame Up and Dakota Harvest Bakers. It feels so good to have those tasks taken care of for a short while, anyway.

I've been researching artfulhome.com as a possible place to list my tables, lamps and lamples. It is a juried online shop and print catalog so I've been working on my application. The need for professional photos are creating a quandry for me. Should I invest in a better camera, lights and some backdrops and 'set up' a photography studio for myself? Or should I bite the bullet several times a year and pay a professional to take the photos for me? Anyone have advice for me?

I'm excited to get to work, now that it is spring, on some new tables. I want to use the diamond willow branches that my brother-in-law kindly hauled 350 miles east for me. And I want to do some new ceramic table tops to go with them...lots of ideas.

I'm really missing our little granddaughters. We had so much fun - I just finished putting together a photo album that will help them remember their visit with Grandma!

I sold 5 tatami mats this morning that have been taking up space in my closet for over 5 years. The buyers were thrilled to have them and I was thrilled they will store them instead of me!

I only have 3 times left with my weekly students before we take summer break. We are finishing up with sculpture and I'm really looking forward to that. I love three dimensional work with kids - it is something they usually don't experience!

Glaze kiln loaded

I just fired up a glaze kiln - its almost 2am and I had a hurry-up glaze session going tonight. I taught a kids' pottery class today so as soon as they finished I cleaned up that mess and started glazing. One of the sculptural pieces in this kiln is sold - pending approval of the final appearance - and it is needed as a wedding gift. The purchaser is flying out on Wednesday so I need this sculpture out of the kiln on Tuesday, hence the rush job.

My daughter, Amy, came down at midnight and helped me finish up so that was awesome. She also made homemade chicken dumpling soup for supper! I have several styles of flower vases/centerpieces in the kiln, pasta dishes, dipping bowls for salsa, flavored oils, wasabi, etc., larger bowls, some madonnas and a couple other sculptures. I hope things turn out - glazing always makes me nervous. I'd so much rather just make the pieces and let someone else worry about glazing them!

We are missing our granddaughters - it was SO fun having them for a week. I'm putting together a photo album of our time together and will send it along with some things I forgot to pack and a few little gifts I got on sale.

I'll post photos here of my new pottery - be sure to come back and check it out!

Locked out!

We were about to leave on a shopping trip for new pj's, shoes and The Cat in the Hat Comes Back when I decided I needed to bring along some Kleenex for my granddaughters. But as I turned the knob on the door, I realized it was locked. Taylor, age 3, locked the door as we went out. The key was in the house. Another memory made!

I have a lot to get done in a day and a half, after our granddaughters leave tomorrow. I need to get a bunch of bisqueware glazed and fired so I can open the kiln by Tuesday. One of the sculptural pieces is sold - to be a wedding gift next weekend! I hope it turns out!

I finished my final report today for the North Dakota Council on the Arts. They gave me a Professional Development grant to attend the NCECA conference last week. Thank you to them!