SmallTown-GoodTime

Went "home" for a couple of days this weekend and decided on the way, I'd take some pictures to share with you.

These are just pictures taken on the drive over, out the window of the truck, so some of them are a little blurry.
This first picture was taken just going up Smithville Hill.

Calhoun County line.

First cut of hay, a very busy time for local farmers.

Going past the old home place.  Sadly, going into disrepair...

A close knit community...my Uncle's home.

My best friends house.  She has lived here all of her life!

Going down Big Springs Hill.

This is known as Jackson Curve just before going up the hill to the Nobe and Lovada turn offs.  This has been a very dangerous curve and there have been lots of accidents here over the years.

Spring and Summer means road work...

Just a few miles down the road, more road work...

Looking back...

More road work, the hill side has slipped again.

Big slip in the road!

Grantsville, West Virginia, my home town!  Don't blink!

Town Square covered with the carnival rides, food and fun.

My table is set up right behind the popcorn booth...good stuff!

The white building is the county's funeral home.  The yellow brick building is now the realty office, it was a bank at one time...long ago.

This is the second day, I wanted to get a picture going down Jackson Hill into Jackson Curve...

Hang on!

Through the curve, on the way to Harrisville.

Thanks for taking this little trip with me, I've enjoyed showing you around my little corner of the world.

Old Friends

Found out a few hours ago that a childhood friend has passed away.  We were more than friends, actually third cousins as well.  I feel as if the wind has been knocked out of me.  We had lots of ups and downs as children and young adults, but ended up forgiving each other years ago and am I ever so glad for that!  Hadn't seen each other in many years and just a little while back connected on Facebook.  I enjoyed catching up with her...now she is gone and I am so sorry about that.  Rest in Peace Martha Ann, you deserve it and I pray to see you again someday and to hope to spend eternity with you.  You were much loved and will be sorely missed by many...myself included.

new opportunity

I have a new opportunity for making some buttons for our Juniors at the Nationals!  I have sent buttons before, but never been asked to do the Junior "show" buttons.  Exciting and scary all at the same time.  Exciting for obvious reasons and scary for obvious reasons as well!  I know I am not an artist...not at all like I would like to be, so...here goes anyway, I'm going to give it my best shot and hopefully they will be good enough.  I will blog my process as I go.
First things first, must work up the clay and get it ready after I do a few chores around the house today and I must go to the PO after lunch.
.......

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.

Winter Weather

We are expecting bad weather for the next few days, snow and around zero cold.  I hope things are going to be okay at the shelter, I won't be there until Thursday.  And Fiber Arts is this week...maybe.
I hope to do some clay tomorrow.
My brother has been having anxiety attacks and he is worrying me.  I try to be upbeat with him and I hope all he tells me is the truth, but I worry about him.  Lord, please keep him in the palm of Your hand and give him peace that passes all understanding.  Help him to clear his mind and to rest in You.  I love him, he is my only sibling and I need him here.  Thank you Lord!

Kitty Hammocks

Sewed for a while this afternoon making some more kitty hammocks for the Humane Society.
Russ wants to go to Parkersburg tomorrow, I need to write a list for groceries and things.
It has been very cold the last few days and I'm not liking it.  I am getting cold again after not getting cold for several years.  I haven't even worn a coat for the last four years in the winter and now I could sit in the house wrapped in a coat...not good!
Millie and Quincy play twice a day and they really tear it up in here.  They are pretty good together, run and play, but seldom get mad at each other.  I always separate them when we leave the house.
Am sort of frustrated with not selling many of my clay pieces.  Don't know what to do about that.

Saturday120410

This has been a long day, but I really don't know why.  I can't hardly wait to go to bed and that hasn't happened in a long time!
Caught up on a few loads of laundry since the the water line has been fixed.
I made a few beads a while ago.  I added "sprigs" which I haven't done before.
Listened to Hard Rock line up all afternoon, heard some really good songs.

Unavoidables

Have had a couple of mishaps around the house this week.   We had a huge water bill and found out there is a leak, so poor husband is out in the freezing weather with his bad knees digging and fixing the leak.  I wish he would ask for help, but that is not his style so he is doing everything himself even if it is hard on him.
The car should be out of the garage and we get to take back the rental tomorrow I hope.  Someone lost control of a grocery cart and gouged the side of the car.  Bad scratches and one dent, but hopefully that will be fixed very soon.
I am planning on going to the Humane Society again tomorrow too.  I am anxious to see how things are going, I know it is much better out there now than what it was!  God bless those girls, they have really been working hard to clean up out there.

Our Humane Society

I worked at our Humane Society today for a few hours.  Well, you can't really call it work, mostly answered the phone and helped where I could.  I wish I could have done this 30 years ago, I could work then.
Anyway, we adopted  out three dogs and it looks like they went to good homes.  I would like to have them checked in a few weeks, but we'll see.
There are the most beautiful cats there too.  One I saw today puts me in the mind of a snow leopard.
I've never been involved in something that is either loved or hated as much as this HS.  Most folks around here don't even agree with a Humane Society, but I don't much care for what they think.  I love animals, always have and hope to be able to spend a good bit of time there...

New Glazes and Clouds

Opened the kiln this morning to a so-so glaze fire.  These are Georgies glazes and the pieces here are showing the ones with the most color.

Also had to go to town this morning to get our rental car while ours is in the garage getting a new paint job on the back door where someone gouged it with a shopping cart.  

On the way I took more cloud pictures, they were awesome this morning!

Glazing Beads

Off and on about all day I've been glazing new beads and pendants.  These are greenware and will only be fired once at cone five and I am anxious to see how they come out.  I've done a single fire before, but it's been a long time.
The glazes are new from Georgies and I am really looking forward to seeing how they do.  The colors are very pretty so I hope they turn out.
This glaze fire also has the clay class Christmas Ornaments, so lots of anxiety and prayers...lol
Will share some pictures later on.

My Pets

I love my pets, can you tell?  Millie came to me after I lost a dog companion of 13 years.  Her name was Precious and she was my dog from day one.  She was a maniac and I loved her dearly and she loved me.
Millie just happened to debut online and every time I saw her little video, my heart would smile, even though just losing Precious had broken it.  She would woo at the door of her foster parents and it was just adorable.  I've had her over two and a half years now and I love her dearly.
I began looking for a pet for Millie after our 17 year old cat died.  I went to our local shelter which is always full of cats, kittens and dogs and there was this little black and white fellow who pushed himself to the front of his cage and really made me notice him that day...but I wanted a long haired female and he was a short haired male.
Anyway a few days later I took Millie to the shelter and we sat on the floor while at least a dozen cats and kittens ran all around us and didn't pay any attention to us at all, they were just thrilled to be out of their cages for a bit.  Quincy was the last one out of a cage and he sat right at my feet and looked me square in the face.  After which, he crawled up my left side, around my neck, nuzzled my right cheek and then crawled down my right side and nuzzled with Millie.  Needless to say, he was going home with us!
I am so thrilled with him.  He fetches, follows me from room to room, goes outside on a leash, and so many other "doggie" things that Millie wouldn't lower herself to do!  They are a riot together too!
Quincy has been learning to sleep with me and he's getting the hang of it.  I love having him with me, he is a real doll.
Two months and two weeks after I got Quincy our humane shelter burned down and his little sister that was with him in the crate and many, many others lost their precious little furry lives that night.  No people were harmed, thank God, and now there are many working hard to get a new and better shelter built where that will never happen again.
My little fur-babies are a blessing to me, and I love them dearly.    

Thanksgiving Day 2010

This has been a blessed day.  Family, loved ones and our furry babies all are well and full.
The weather is rainy and in the high 50's.  Unusual for this time of year, but we are grateful.
Sorted through some buttons this afternoon, needing to get rid of many non-competition buttons.  I have enough wreaths to suit me, so what to do with them?
Thank You Lord for this day, our friends and family and our many blessings.  Amen!

Wet Sanding

I cannot remember who told me about wet sanding the first time, but I am sure glad I heard about it.  Most of this day has been spent with my fingers in muddy water, wet sanding each piece, each bead until I have them all ready to be glazed.  All one hundred of them today.  Not as many as usual, but with the clay class pieces, it should be enough to fill the kiln.