The Twenty Year Mosaic

I've been wanting to make a mosaic for...hmmm, let's see maybe 20 years. I have the mosaic book, sure, I read it and it just never happened. Lately someone has to light a fire under me to help me accomplish my goals. Hence the 20 year mosaic is complete.

Linda is teaching a class at Clay Creations and what a great class and fun, creative people in the class. soooooooooooooooooo, tonight we grouted This dragonfly will find a place in the house to live. It will be a prominent spot I think, it's not every year that a 20 year mosaic is completed. The little frog on the left is a tiny round tile I made a while back and I glazed it green and fired it just before the class started a few weeks ago. When it all came together; happy, yay. Love the process, must do more, must do more...

Meanwhile back on the loom I have a full width warp on for the first time. (Just to experience the thrill of it). Nothing fancy but I hope I will have enough to make a vest or skirt or something when I'm done.

Teapot in the Making....Again!

Once more I find myself making teapots, this time I may have gone too far. I mean, teapots AND dragonflies? Well, it's too late now, the damage is done.

I feel it is time once more to de-stash my various supplies of crafty items, maybe the grandchildren would like some. I'll have to run that by my daughter though...how quickly we accumulate too much "stuff".

Bobbin Winder Search

I have been winding my bobbins by hand, my husband actually would one for me. Well, about 1/3 of one, then he handed it back to me...

I tried to make my sewing machine wind the bobbin but it isn't cooperating. I have read that some people use a power drill; I'm having trouble visualizing myself with that drill, it is really heavy, when I use it, it goes kind of crazy in my hands.

A Swedish bobbin winder is the tool to get I'm told. Eventually I'll get one even if it isn't the perfect Swedish one. Darned things cost about $100.00. They just look like a fishing reel for Pete's sake!

Making a teapot with a dragonfly on it, carved into it. A dragonfly, what else? I wanted to do something different but my hands started carving the dragonfly, so there you are.

Summer To-Do List 2008

I love to make lists...my list for this summer includes the following:

1. Make a tile mural for the wall behind the stove.

2. Make a set of squat vases for someones wedding party - using Shino glaze, yum!

3. Make some 3-D fish for multi media display...twisted roots, rocks and the like.

4. Handbuilt ice cream dishes in happy primary colors.

5. A tray with this image I have in my head that involves a Jacob's Ladder with stars, eyes, etc.

6. Some of those heat/cold therapy neck wraps (I will offer them for sale at the Johnston Holiday House in the fall and they are nice little last minute gifts too.)

7. I had it in my head once and now I lost it but I think it involved making a tray using a sort of patchwork style...fish in the patches, various colors with a pitcher and some tumblers too.

Can a person look at one more dragonfly on a piece of pottery? This little guy is such a nice size, maybe some mints or nuts would be good in it.

Long Time Recovery

This Whipple procedure was a real ordeal and the recovery process is so slow...sometimes the days just drag by for me and I'm sure they do for him as well. It feels like years since life has been normal - normal, hmmm, not sure what that is really! It all started 10 February and hasn't stopped, normal is now different for us. I am gaining weight while he lost nearly 25 pounds in the hospital for a month....the nursery rhyme about Jack Spratt keeps surfacing.

I do, however, have high points and the gas kiln firing was one of them - although it occurs to me to make something more than dragonflies....

Dragonfly Serving Dish

Just wanted to post the photo of my dragonfly bowl! It turned out just the way I hoped it would. Cone 10, reduction firing.

I made this for Dr. Eugene Groeger and when the kiln was opened - ta-daaa...I was so happy that it turned out! This summer I'll attempt to make another one or two....and if they turn out like this one - well, I'll be one happy potter!

My Friend Who Makes Her Own Shoes

At lunch the other day I was visiting with Mary Loomis and she is so talented in so many ways that I almost forgot that she makes her own shoes! The last time we talked we were discussing an upcoming Gem and Jewelry show at the San Mateo County fairgrounds. The time before that we talked about her skills with gold filled wire and what she makes and how she does it and all of that. So when she mentioned her updated website and the sales of her book I was stunned, well, not "stunned" but I felt like, Oh, yeah....

I bought her book a few years ago and it is on my list of things to do: Make shoes! I think that one may stay on the list a while but isn't it amazing the things that we make??

Meanwhile, back at the beach another tile has found its way onto my blog. This is made using a technique called cuerda seca. I doubt that I will make another one, it was time consuming and messy. The black lines use a petroleum based product that is messy and difficult to control. I do like the tile very much but I'm not sure it was worth the effort...