SHAZAM...there it is...

Well, we are back from the near west. The mountains were mostly grey and snow covered, the trees bare, but there was a soothing, quiet feeling to the area. While enjoying my ride to the top of the tube slide, I began to look up to the sky and there it was....my new idea....trying to create the bare branch look on pottery pieces. I have seen something like this done before, but I am going to give it a try. I already know how I am going to do it, but who knows if it will turn out well, we will see.

Otherwise, the trip was short, but fun. The kids enjoyed skating, swimming, tubing, skiing and snow boarding. I mainly served as logistics coordinator this time around. Even though we are out of that "I need Mommy" stage, my youngest still cannot be left alone, and when her mind changes about an activity, well, let's just say we need to be flexible and have a patient and happy demeanor.

I try my best. This trip in particular was pretty funny. Every activity I said I would participate. Every activity I showed up, was outfitted for the occasion, was on time and ready for action. Every activity was either cut short, never started, or I was requested to take off the equipment and "just walk beside me"!

At some point, I will be able to just strap on skis again and take off for the day, but not quite yet.

Now, you may wonder, well what about the husband? Well, I was really proud of him. He has been a skier all his life. This weekend, he tried snowboarding. He did quite well, and was able to keep up with our son who has been doing it for a few years now. So, I had to let the "men" go and do their thing, while my daughter and I bonded, more!

It was a nice break, but I am glad to be back in the comfort of my own home. I always enjoy coming home again.

Tomorrow, I get back to the studio. I have managed to fill 1/2 of my large kiln with some projects I have done over the past 3 weeks. Hopefully, by the end of this week the kiln will be full and the bisque run will be complete. My first show for the year is March 28th. It is feeling like it will be here before I know it, and then I have 3 more that follow quickly thereafter, so I am feeling the pressure of getting things going. So, off I go... to the mud!

I am looking forward to underglazing some floral pieces that are already in the kiln. They take a long time to make, and need an extra kiln run to complete the process, but they are very popular, and I really love the end result. I will post the pieces as I take them through the process so you can see what goes into making one.

Inspiration Through Exploration

Don't know about you, but I am a country girl. I grew up in the regular old "suburbs", but over my lifetime have gravitated toward rural, uninhabited areas. I have spent time living in cities, and metropolitan areas, but never felt like I could breathe in those places. I was always wondering "when can I get out of here and back to a more peaceful place"?

I know many people are stimulated and find city living quite fulfilling and could never even consider an alternate lifestyle, it just has never been for me.

Many of my pottery pieces are inspired by the colors and textures found in the nature that surround my home. A number of my pieces have been imprinted with leaves, flowers, and shrubbery stems found locally. People who live in these parts recognize their favorite flowers or plants and many purchase items that are made with them. It is a fun thing to walk outside the studio and just hunt and find the items I use to create my pieces. The tray above was created from a local sycamore tree. The tray measured about 14-20 inches, really turned out well, I thought.

It is also interesting that when my husband and I go on "vacations" we tend toward less crowded areas of the world, in general. We also seek out areas of natural beauty. Lucky for me, my husband also tolerates cities, but just doesn't like being there too long. So we are a great match in that area.

This weekend we are headed a little west from our place into an even more remote and uninhabited area. We have not been to this exact spot, but I spent summers in the area as a child at a summer camp. So, it will feel familiar, but still be "new".

We are going skiing and the resort just got a foot of fresh snow earlier this week. So with the temperatures rising a bit, we may just luck out with a nice little break!

Should be fun! I will let you know.