Missing my Studio Time & Having Fun, too

This week has been a flurry of activities!  I've had to forfeit my studio time to get ready for Christmas.  I've actually enjoyed the shopping, and hearing the music and buying for my loved ones.  I'm feeling good this holiday, I love my family, and I have much to be thankful for.  But just last night, I started to feel that feeling, the one that makes me grumpy if I don't get in the studio.  I am waiting for some pieces to dry, then I can add them to my kiln for a full load.  I am at a good stopping point in the work flow of things, but I don't really want to stop!  I think what will happen over the next few days is that I'll have to carve out some time for other creative things, like sketching or art journaling.  Those things are so much more conducive to working in a 30 minute window.  It's hard to get much done in the clay studio in 30 minutes.  That's just long enough to get your hands dirty, and then it's time to clean up!  I'm in a glazing phase right now, and that takes me a little longer to complete a stage. 

All this chaos has been fun, though.  What's really fun is seeing Christmas through the eyes of my 2.5 yr old daughter.  She is so excited and is having SO MUCH fun seeing all the decorations and hearing her favorite Christmas carols (Rudolph and Jingle Bells).  I am so happy we decided to have a child.  She brings so many smiles to our lives everyday!

Here is a photo of another birdhouse I've made.  I like using simple forms and playing with the surface decorations.  This form actually started out as a square bowl I used to make back in my functional pottery days.  I am using the underside of the mold and forming the square birdhouse from that.  It gives me a supported surface that I can then draw and carve into!  I like this little red bird, too.  We have a lot of cardinals around my house, and I was thinking of those guys when I painted this little one.  I've rested the birdhouse on a shelf for the photo, but this one has holes and will hang on the wall.

Hope you have a fun and merry weekend lined up! This is the last weekend before Christmas and there is a lot happening! Tonight we have a Christmas party at my house with friends, tomorrow is a holiday crafting party with Laura Otero of Strategic Online Marketing and Dreamy Designs, and then Sunday is our local parade, where my hubby dresses as an elf and rides his unicycle.  What a riot! He is definitely a local celebrity around here, just due to the parade.  :)

Have fun!
~Kelly