An Incomprehensible Tragedy

An earthquake and tsunami caused mind blowing chaos and tragedy in Japan today.  Totally incomprehensible...Lord have mercy!

New Glazes

There are some new glazes (to me) on some of these beads and others were re-fired because they did not quite get to temperature last time.
The top picture is speckled clay with Turquoise glaze.  These were re-fired because they did not quite reach temperature last time and the same with the TuTu Pink pendant set.
The blue moon is Turquoise over Oil Spot and the last picture is Oil Spot glaze.

New Etsy Listings

I added a few new things on Etsy today.  Wondering how some pieces come out so nice and others have to be fired again from the same load...I just don't understand it!

I really love this piece, I just held the glaze above the piece and let the glaze drip where it wanted to.  Let me know what you think.

Still Experimenting

I am so new to clay I still feel everything I do is an experiment.  I would like to think I know what things are going to look like when they come out, but many times I am disappointed.  Sometimes I am happy with what was done.  And thank goodness, I've learned to take notes, so maybe I can do what I like again.
I am a collector by nature, very sentimental and I have a house full of stuff that appeals to me.  One of those things is an old salt shaker in a beautiful blue glass that I think is Victorian, but I'm not sure, all I know for sure is that I like it.  I used that salt shaker to make a mold for some pendants and here is how it turned out:

 

Maybe not too bad for a beginner.

I used Celedon for the top one and a Hot Orchid in the center with Lavender Lupine around the edges of the second set.  They are glazed over the sides but not on the back.  I usually initial and date the back.  These were laid flat in the kiln and I'm happy with the way these turned out.  

Christmas Day

Christmas Day my brother fell, broke and fractured some ribs, deflated lung, and had internal bleeding.  He did not go to hospital until the next day where they found all these things in emergency surgery.
Fortunately, he is feeling better, his ventilator was removed today.  Hopefully in a few days he will be home.
I cannot imagine what parents with sick and hurt children go through.  This is a grown man, I am 54 and it nearly killed me to see him like that!  One thing, with this kind of incident, my empathy grows for others.  The illness that my mom suffered did the same for me.  Now this.
Lord, I need these lessons, I know I do, but I hate to have to learn them at my family's expense...I hate Satan, he is the one that comes to kill, hurt and destroy.
God will raise my brother up and make him healthy again and I praise His Holy Name!  Thank You Heavenly Father!

Catching Up

Well, it did snow too much for me to go to the Humane Society last week, but I hope I can make it up this week and go another day besides Wednesday.
Dad has been gone for 33 years.
Drove the van in the parade at Pennsboro for the Humane Society Saturday night.  I think they walked eight dogs and I know they had a good time.
Yesterday was a wonderful lazy Sunday and after out TV evangelist went off air I fixed breakfast and slept most of the day.
Have chores to do today and then some clay play--I hope!

Beads 2011

Sent my submission for BEADS 2011 today.  A pair of Shard earrings and two buttons.  I hope they can use them.  They did not call for buttons, but maybe they will put them in anyway.
Planning on working the HS tomorrow, I pray it doesn't snow too much to get there.
We made a flying trip to Parkersburg today to pick up guitar pegs for Ruth's guitar.  Rusty is restringing two of her guitars.
I made a couple sets of shard earrings tonight with a pendant to match.