Have you guys tried Tazo mint tea?

I had a sore throat one day and it was disgusting haha. It hurt to swallow and I was pretty much DONE.

I was hacking and working on stuff at Starbucks and I wanted some tea with honey. They gave me Tazo mint tea with honey.

OMG.

That stuff. was. amazing.

It wasn't like a miracle, but it soothed my throat and gave me some relief. They don't sell it at Starbucks anymore, but I searched high and low and found it at Target!

So if you're feeling crummy, give it a try! I stock piled some at my house haha. 

Time Management

Lately, I've been focusing on facet and gem cups. I don't know why, maybe it's the combination of bright colors and straight lines? They're just so fun to create!

We decided to participate in Piccolo Spoleto this year in Charleston, SC. The weather was PERFECT: low humidity, in the 70's, partly cloudy. We had so much fun that weekend, meeting people and enjoying the breeze of the battery. I wish I would've planned my time efficiently and created more facet cups! They're my favorite at the moment.

Spring has been pretty hectic. I'm hoping this summer will be different. Having things planned and being time efficient is a goal i would love to master! How efficient are you guys with time management?

Lavender

I've always been attracted to lavender. It brings a nostalgic feeling of when I was a child. My mom planted lavender in the herb garden. She then took a couple of sprigs and laid them around the house.

So when I saw a lavender plant at the store, I had to had to buy it!

As you may know, lavender has stress reducing properties. I love to take a sniff whenever I'm working on a time sensitive project.

The Pecan Festival was a bust

For weeks, leading up to the festival, I did back to back firings. I also experimented on a few pieces and was pleased with the final results:

I'll probably create a series of splatter ceramics soon. That particular kiln opening was pretty great.

So, we went to Charleston the day before the festival to see someone, and while we were there, the litte trick or treaters were walking around the battery! There was something beautiful about it. The kids were lovely and the city is just so romantic.


Flash forward to Saturday; it was hell. A cold hell. haha. It rained as I loaded the car. Then, when i picked up Symon, it cleared a bit. I prayed and he prayed as we unloaded our car and set up the tables.

Then we waited. And it rained. And we were soaked.

It was Symon who decided to pack. I agreed halfheartedly, but I was eager to load when the rain came down harder.

The booth was so beautiful! Oh well.

Whew. A lot has happened since August 2013.

I'm now working (full time!) at a library in the children services area. Oh gosh...it's so much fun! Here are my 2 favorite picks:

Big Bad Bubble - Adam Rubin
This book is seriously crazy cool. I was laughing and walking around, showing the book to my coworkers. Adam Rubin is a talented guy.

This Moose Belongs To Me - Oliver Jeffers
So, I've had this love for Oliver Jeffers books and illustrations for awhile. This book is special in terms of children loving something  He illustrated The Day the Crayons Quit, but because I'm a story time reader, it doesn't work well with an audience of crazy 2 year old toddlers.

Handmade Sake set

I took a break from slip casting. I decided to hand build a sake set for a friend.

Small town mentalities...

I love to listen to Ted talks. I live in a small town. Since I've graduated, sometimes I feel that my brain is turning into some sort of mash mash of nothingness. Ted Talks come in handy. There's so many inventive people in the world who have amazing ideas.

Jarrett Krosoczka. He's a children book author and he talked, candidly, about how he became one
 http://www.ted.com/talks/jarrett_j_krosoczka_how_a_boy_became_an_artist.html

 John Maeda, the President of RISD
http://www.ted.com/talk/john_maeda_how_art_technology_and_design_inform_creative_leaders.html

Sometimes, I feel that we all have this possibility to be "bigger than ourselves" but we have this journey to take to get to that point. When I was younger, I wanted to be married before the age of 23 and have children. Obviously that didn't happen, but I don't feel bitter about it anymore. Especially after seeing people around me struggle with their children. Plus, I don't have the income to take care of a child at this moment.

I feel that there's this calling for me to do something extraordinary. I think that feeling is in all of us.

Trees

I have a part time job at my local library. I read stories to little children. It's a fantastic job and I love it so much. The children are captivated with the books and I like to feel that I bring them happiness for, at least, 30 minutes of that day.

Which got me thinking...what if i try to write and illustrate a picture book? When I was little, I wrote books. They were hilarious and they didn't really have a storyline. But they allowed for me to escape into a magical world. In high school, I decided to become a writer, but several of my english teachers said I had horriable grammar. ( but, on the filp side, they did say I had great ideas and great language!) Haha.

Anyway, I've created some luster necklaces for my etsy shop. They're so charming and I love them so much. They remind me of my life when things were easier. They're tree branch like and stem from my obsession with trees in high school and college.

I would draw trees and etch trees into porcelain, paint branches....there was even one low point where I wished I was a tree (haha) (Things were a bit trying at that point in my life) (no I wasn't going crazy)

In the picture on the left, I created a porcelain segmented caddy commission for a lady in New York. It was my first commission and I enjoyed it so much! She was super easy to work with. I miss carving. It's so spontaneous and freeing. 

I'm going to post my progress here on this blog with the writing and luster necklaces. (and, hopefully, carving) I feel that the trees are leading me into something nice and imaginative...haha.

Vultures are cray

We had an impromptu trip to IKEA in Charlotte!! (2.5 hours away from Florence at 2:30 in the afternoon) yesterday.

While driving and singing various songs (plus the chorus to this song in particular) I switched lanes to avoid hitting road kill and two vultures, which led to me hitting...a vulture. ALTHOUGH, It was his daggone fault.

Both vultures decided to move a little too late...then WAM! One had hit the side mirror of my car. Do vultures eat vultures? That was the running joke that afternoon. It was so hilarious. and sad. But mostly hilarious.

IKEA was wonderful. I live my life in day dreams, so staging several areas of a house in different options feeds my obsessive, thoughtful head-in-clouds nature. Annnnd, did you guys know Ikea sells FABRIC? I was all over that. Like, seriously, I wanted to buy all of it. They had very tasteful patterns!!!

We ate at this lovely raw place: Lunas Living Kitchen. I hate to admit, I didn't think the food was going to be filling, or even tasty...but it was DELICIOUS. Guys, seriously. Try the classic veggie burger. I wanted to lick my plate. (Bad manners :/ )

(It seriously tasted as delicious as the photo looks)

I feel bad about that vulture. oh well.

Artfields etc...

WOW. I haven't post in awhile.

Artfields was fantastic. I enjoyed looking at the interesting and UNIQUE art that was there in Lake City. I was also surprised at the wonderfulness of it all! I didn't take pictures because I was SO busy, but things are changing here in the Pee Dee Region. Which is good.

I started listing items on etsy again! I'm so nervous about it...but...you can't live your life in worry. You have to just take it, one step at a time. I did sell pieces at artfields, so that's positive. :)

 

Rainy days are the best way to be productive.

Serrriously.
I love to shop...on bright, sunny days when I don't have to work. Lately, I've been indulging in Hobby Lobby items. So, I'm glad it's raining.

Goal setting is another way to become productive....I haven't got the hang of that yet. It seems intimidating...okay, I'll work on it tonight. haha. Anyway...

Things are moving along nicely. My "business cards" arrived in the mail Saturday, and they look....nice. I chose Tthomasarts because I like to create all sorts of things...from installations (which i need to post) to ceramics, pottery and paintings. I do miss the painting on the card.

Starting a Movement

I know the bowls should be cleaner...but I adore the messiness of it...it seems as if the food was dripping off the edge.  Oh well. Maybe I should just embrace the messiness.

Slip casting isn't ideal, but it's one way to continue to be productive in ceramics without a pottery wheel. Yes, hand building is another way, but I miss the feel of the clay...the way the pottery wheel would move beneath my fingers...that slippery soothing feeling...I think I used it as therapy.

We should start a therapy of art....some sort of crazy soothing, exciting Art movement here! Create something exciting, different and thought provoking! Instead of people gossiping about silly things, we could create this "way of life..." something that caused waves of excitement with contemporary art and culture!

On Saturday, my friends and I went to Charleston and had blast. Charleston is so busy and interesting...totally different from the non existent culture of Florence. Gosh, I just wish there was something raw and interesting and fascinating going on around here! I think I'm just an excitement whore.

Wonderful day

My twin brother and my birthday was actually yesterday....but I'm sitting here typing at almost 1 in the morning. My family had a small gathering of friends...it was so wonderful.

Tonight, while looking at everyone, I realized how wonderful it is to have people in your life that care about you...even if you're a beyond broke college graduate with nothing to give back.

I would love to give back somehow with my art. I think it's the one thing i struggle with subconsciously. I would like to rid myself of "self"...and, somehow, help others through my gift. I want to go beyond the basics. I just felt like typing this to just get it out of my system... :/ haha.

I tried another firing today...we will see how that's going to turn out tomorrow morning. A lot of the pieces are test tiles and glaze combinations...so I'm nervous/excited. PLUS, I'm taking a trip to Charleston tomorrow too!! Hopefully, there will be a lot of pictures.

Ikea. Ikkkeeeeeaaaaa

Who DOESN'T love Ikea.

Gah.

Damn straight there's an Art Fair Saturday. 

And pizza for only $1.50??!?

And a Carolina Clay visit!! I left my pottery wheel parts there. We said a little prayer. My pottery wheel stopped spinning a couple of months ago. It's an older wheel...so it might be sleepy or ready for retirement. Just like my burgundy jeep...

Monsters, Thai Tea and post college neurosis

I don't know if the monsters are a good idea but I like them. Vegetable monsters are coming to make sure you eat healthy. Maybe they're trying to push me to eat more vegetables and to stop drinking so much thai tea and eating girl scout cookies. *yummmm*

I also discovered sleeping earlier at night helps me to stay focused. Well...that's rather obvious huh.

I've also "also" discovered that I miss playing with color on clay. I'm so used to high firing, that I forgot about my color testing from my freshman days at FMU. I miss that place. But alas...we must grow and make something of ourselves past college. Then life is hectic and confusing! And THEN months go by...and you're like..."Hey. I wasted two months being confused..." Or is this just me.