Changes

 I went back to school yesterday.  It was interesting!  Apparently a lot of women and men my age go back to community college to take courses they "want" to take.  I signed up for beginning digital photography in hopes that I might get better at this.  Then I can take intermediate.  Then maybe I can do some 2-D photography that will knock your socks off!  For now, I'm just going to school 2 mornings per week and trying to figure out how to do that again!

I got a MacBook yesterday!  One of our very dear blogger friends had one used for sale.  I've been wanting to switch over for ages, but the investment is steep for our budget.  SO ... it was a win/win deal and now I have this perfect laptop to play with.  I will be learning as I go, so that might explain whatever will come up ... like I accidentally erased my signature already and can't get it back.  ha!

I have a weaving lesson this morning!  I just can't wait to get this warp on the loom and start making stuff.  Joanna should be here soon to get me in gear.  Yay!  (Since I started this post, Joanna came, we dressed the loom with the warp I've been dying to get on it and she adjusted the loom so it actually weaves much better! Now, on with the purses and book covers!)

My studio redo is underway in a BIG way.  I have begun with the "every wall space is a different color" approach.  Some of the colors are SO delightful and fun.  I know it will be a much better space to create in.  And my sweet Paul is being SUCH a good sport about it all ... even rolling out walls!  What a sweet Prince!  Right now I have 2 fat cats back in there snoring away.  I'm getting ready to go begin the 3rd color! You are going to be so surprised when you see the finished room!  (so am I!)

Sir Paul rode his scooter to work this morning.  I bet he froze! It was in the 40's about 5 am when he goes in.  He called to let me know he was there (thankfully!) and he said he was late calling because his brain had frozen!  Hopefully he will have a wonderful and delightful ride home.  It is a GLORIOUS day here in the mountains!  

Must get moving along.  Many miles yet to go, as you can clearly see by this post!

Blessings!

Cheri

Is it just me?

Or is everyone ALL. Over. The. Place!?!  I cannot stay on task, focus on just one thing, or get settled in to anything at all, or even remember what I am trying to settle in to.  Humph! 

 For example:

Monday I wondered around the house in circles, gathered laundry, washes dishes, you know, normal stuff.  I even did Jillian's Shred video.  Then I decided to weave for a few hours. (!)  (My friend Joanna is coming on Tuesday morning to tutor me on dressing the loom so I can make some cute little purses and things. 

 I can't WAIT!)  After weaving my current warp off of the loom, I moved books .... MANY books upstairs and moved a book shelf to put said books on out of the studio to make some more room.  Paul helped me finish this moving project today.  There was NO WAY I could get the shelves up the stairs.  He is simply amazing.  And now ... the library is upstairs and out of the studio! YAY!

Then I made a beautiful journal cover, but of course it isn't finished ... but it is started.  (photo to be posed later - when I get farther along!) When Paul got home we practiced throwing pots, which mine just got turned back in to a ball of clay because I couldn't concentrate on making it. But he, of course, threw 2 beautiful pots!  I went to the grocery store in there some where ... cooked dinner, did more dishes (but not all of them for some reason) and by the time I went to bed the house truly looked as if a tornado had come right through it!  This is NOT my normal m.o. at. all.  Who is this crazy lady anyway? 

I don't even remember what Tuesday brought but Wednesday I shoveled gravel for hours on end.  I was much more focused on Wednesday.  We must shovel out the dirt and gravel around the inside perimeter of our building blocks so we can realign the walls and pour a pad to put the building on.  It felt GREAT to work hard and get the endorphins moving. (and I didn't have to Shred with Jillian!)  All the gravel on top of the plastic sheets I put there one shovel at a time. Boorah!  Now to dig out the dirt, for which I must grow taller. Hmmmm...chances of that happening? z.e.r.o.

When the mail came there was a brochure for the local community college. (Mayland, for you who are local) I registered for an introductory photography class.  Seriously? Another subject? More to do!  Geez! But I want to be able to photograph my work for postcards and such ... and I don't have the information I need to do it!  So, I will gather it and move forward ...

 Thursday I worked at the Rusted Periwinkle and sold some stuff (Yay!) and then went to the farmer's market to support my friends and buy some fabulous locally grown food!  Today (which is really yesterday now because I couldn't even get it together enough to publish a blog!) Paul and I attended pottery class and our wonderful instructor, Patti Connor Greene spent one on one time with me helping me understand throwing on a wheel.  Holy cow am I a grateful thrower!  She is amazing, talented, patient, loving, caring and precious.  She is my hero.  She is an absolute potter.  Patti has been in production mode in a serious way for 3 shows in a row she is having, yet she takes the time every week to go the Senior Center and gently prod us to try our way in pottery.  She has undoubtedly earned her pass through heaven's gate!  We so love you, Patti.  And we are so thankful to you for your kind and sweet spirit.  Thank you, Patti.  Everyone ... go see this showing!  Just look at those teapots! They are incredible. And then some!

In order to see this info, you need to double click on the pic so it will zoom.  The important info is on it.  The open house is Sept. 9th,  5-8pm.  Burnsville, Toe River Arts Council!  Incredible!

I just finished painting a wall in the studio - turquoise-ish. 

And there are many more colors to come.
Stay tuned.

So ... if I can quit going around in circles, I'll post again soon!  And include pics of the newly decorated studio!  It's exciting to me ... and Paul is entertained! (to say the very least) And as you can see, I'm dizzy.  Anyone else out there having this problem?

Blessings to all!

Yesterday

We picked up a potter's wheel!  Whoo Hoo!  We cannot find a reference to this exact wheel on the Internet, so we figure it's unique (at the very least).  It's old, we can truly figure that out.  And the bottom is made of cast iron!  It's made by Amaco, American Clay Co. and it's number is simply 4!  So of course, her name is FOUR.  Paul hooked it all up for me, and after some instruction and prodding ... and cajoling ...

 I made this sweet little dish!  We laughed and giggled and even got to throw our heads back a couple of times.  Patti Connor Greene gave us a "throwing lesson" yesterday in pottery class, so Paul kind of had a clue, albeit an electric wheel he worked on.  It's going to take me a LOT longer to figure it all out.  And because FOUR is powered by my own leg power, it's kind of like patting your head and rubbing your tummy at the same time.  But hey, I'm a [retired] dancer.  We learn this one thing better than any other ... Practice makes Perfect!  It's a wonderfully tactile thing to do!  I can't wait to get out of my pajamas and get out there to throw some this morning!

And this man finally got his VESPA!  Paul has wanted one of these scooters since I've known him.  He finally got one.  He will be 50 this October.  Happy Birthday, sweet man! 

 He just could not quit grinning - Cheshire cat style!

It is a cute little thing, huh? I believe it's a 1966.  Made in Italy.  In great condition and made the man I love really happy.  What's better than that!?!

Happy weekend dear friends.

Blessings to you all!

Balance

These babies are over 8 feet tall ... and gorgeous!

Today I will be seeking balance.  Directly after a show I am usually a little "lost", to say the least.  It's kind of like the day after Christmas when you were a little kid.  All the build up to THE DAY is gone, THE DAY itself is gone, and you are left with your good fortune, memories and a clear slate.

My house is a wreck from neglect for a week.  The laundry is a mountain.  The garden has been totally consumed by weeds and I KNOW there is food in there some place.  The front porch has been taken over by foreign objects and packing materials (?).  The BIG projects are still in the holding pattern (i.e., floor refinishing, back splash mosaic, finish painting on the furniture in the bathroom, moving bookshelves from the studio to the upstairs den, moving in the stuff to the studio that won't fit with the bookshelves in there, insulating the basement, pointing up the brick work and painting, redoing the exterior shutters and window trim, etc., etc.  It's a menagerie of chores.  I am going to exercise and add Jillian Michael's SHRED program into this month now.  My diet needs some tweaking.  I'm suppose to be doing Chrissie Grace's rainbow quilt project (link here!)  I have a show in October for which I will need new inventory.  AND the construction crew showed up this morning to begin the finish work on the building site. (HOORAY!!!!!)  Then the building goes up ... welding shop, art studio, and/or dance studio ... we don't know now.  But it'll come to us!  I work at the antique shop tomorrow...and maybe Friday.  I'm supposed to be weaving.  I'd like to be weaving.  I need to pay bills.  I am procrastinating!!!

SO, there it is.  How to balance?  I used to have impeccable balance.  Wonder if I can regain that?  Off I go to conquer the task!  I am not bored, sick, homeless, hungry, depressed, alone, sad, or otherwise in drama.  I have wonderful family members and lovely friends in my life.  I am most certainly grateful for having these things in my life to balance.  One of the most amazing feelings in the world is to love and be loved in return.

Happy new week to all of you!  Blessings!

The Show, Indeed

Mt. Mitchell Crafts Fair

Burnsville, NC

There were LOTS of people, crowds, performers, and lovely customers!

I unfortunately did not get to take pictures of the little dancers who performed, but they were all precious!

 Crowds!

 Shoppers - really concentrated ones! 

People visited with each other and ate walking down the lane!

Lots of friends customers with colorful personalities and willing to have their photo taken!

There was the token storm with raging water sweeping away product for a brief period of time.  The wind was fierce and gave us a run for our money here and there.  But we were equipped with bungy cords galore!  Unfortunately, the water was not able to be "contained" and we just had to wait for it to evaporte in its own time.  Mother Nature - always keeping us on our toes!

There was plenty of sunshine and extreme heat.  I found this great hat in the straw basket tent!  Then when I looked in the mirror, my mom was looking back at me.  When did THAT happen?  Gheesh!

There were great friendly vendors, who made wonderful neighbors, and new friends.  Some of the vendors had such refreshing attitudes and were equipped with a great sense of humor.  It was fun to see how many wonderful talented artists there are "out" there.  Amazing how many different types of crafts were represented.  Some where between 140 and 150 different vendors.  That's a lot of talent!  And although there were many different potters, glass artists, etc., not any of the mediums looked the same!  I always find that amazing!

 Isn't this a great little vehicle??? I fell in love with it!

 This was our neighbor, David McRary, who is a fabulous photographer, posing with Shannon. 

I am sad to say I never found out this guy's name (r), but he sold some very cool wooden floor lamps and was next door, but one, from us.  A really nice and fun-filled guy.

And then there was the opportunity to sell our stuff! And what a fun couple of days we did have doing just that!  It was a lovely and productive show.  We are very grateful!

 space 128

A lot of our pieces have found new homes now.  We are so tickled! We are also very tired.  I am grateful for the rain this morning so I can sleep and not feel too guilty about not being out in the garden pulling weeds, dead heading flower pots, trimming back lillies and stuff that has been neglected while on show prep!  I plan on napping today ... a lot!  Thanks to all of our friends and family who have sent us good thoughts and given love to our weekend!  We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

And now, a nap!

Blessings,

Amazing

After 9 glorious and wonderful days of having this little guy at our house, we returned him to his beautiful momma yesterday afternoon.   We had a splendiforous time entertaining and indulging him.  Nothing like a miracle to make you gain perspective!  Most of you know about Christian's recent illness and recovery.   Managing to recover my own  strength while I was waiting for Christian to wake up and join us is another story entirely!

take your heart with you everywhere you go
by Jenni Horne

I had been following my favorite (new at the time) blog by Jenni Horne.  She always seemed to strike a nerve, or hit a mutual chord somehow with what I was going through.  On the first morning of the first 24 hour vigil in the waiting room of the Children's Hospital of Atlanta PICU unit, I pulled up Jenni's post.  She had posted such a sweet painting entitled "A Gentle Spirit", no doubt prompted by the grief she was feeling in her own life.  She had also added the prayer that I recite every morning of my life.  Seeing the precious painting and feeling the energy in it, and the familiar prayer in writing melted me back in to reality and I realized I was no longer holding my breath, and my heart seemed to be beating again ~ its familiar rhythm back in my body.  And the bond was cemented between Jenni's blog and my life.  So, I did what everyone would have done ... I wrote to Jenni to thank her for her post, and for sharing her soul.  Her generous spirit was apparent immediately when she offered to come and sit with me ... a complete stranger ... while I waited for sweet Christian to wake up. 

Well, as you can plainly see, Christian woke up indeed! And he has pretty much returned to the little precocious, precious, articulate, intelligent boy he was before he was taken ill.  He is a medical miracle, and he is where I have found some personal inspiration for pause, perseverance and a lot of soul searching.  Jenni created a painting for me that CLEARLY expresses the entire picture!  You MUST go here to see her photos of my beautiful painting because my photos simply do not do it justice.  But the other reason you must go to her blog is to become familiar with this beautiful woman!  She has written a lovely post about the painting from her perspective as well.  So many thanks to Jenni for reminding to me stay connected to my heart ... which leads to so many other wonderful things!

On a completely different subject, Shannon and I (Clayzaics) have an art show this weekend in Burnesville - The Mt. Mitchell Craft Fair, (9-5, Friday and Saturday) so I will be glued to my chair in the studio preparing for the show.  Paul and I  have had house guests for the past 3 or 4 weeks.  We have enjoyed every second of our friend's and family's visits, but now it's down to business!  I have a lot to get done.  If you need me, you'll know where to find me!  Please think DRY thoughts for us.  I would love to have a show without rain for a change!

Glover sunflower garden, July 2011
Blessings to you all!