Good morning

Good Morning! This morning I am feeding the baby and enjoying a cup of Black Magic coffee. The baby is self-feeding herself boiled egg yolk and whole wheat bread. A good wholesome breakfast for a 10 month old! Later today, I have a good friend coming over to join me in the clay studio. She has admired a creamer and sugar set that I made a while back, and so I told her to come over today and she could make one for herself. This will be the first time I've let someone into my new studio to work and I know we will have a good time! I will post some photos later, hopefully later today.

Big Coil Pot

I just finished my big, big coil planter. Well, I finished building and carving into it. Now it has to dry for a long time, then go into the kiln for the first firing. I can't wait to use color on it. This planter is for my pool patio and I will try to use some colors to make it match the decor. All this coil building has made me want to get an extruder, to make nice even coils. So much time is spent just smoothing and smoothing..... But I am looking forward to doing another one. I want to have a pair of these. Also a good friend of mine has already mentioned the idea of me doing some for their new house. That is exciting! It is so good to be back in clay.

Had to get more clay!

Hi guys, I just got back from the ceramic supply place - I had to buy more clay so that I could finish my big planter! I had enough clay to bring the planter to its full height, but I still need to put a rim on it and then cut it into two sections. I will have to make a tight fitting flange for the seam so that I can put it back together after firing, and I needed more clay for that too. So I was close, but not close enough. I should have the planter finished here in the next few days... Its so good to be back in pottery, and what a change in direction! Kelly Thiel Pottery back in action!

Pots for Myself!

For the first time in probably 2 or 2 1/2 years, I am making work for myself! How liberating it feels! I took of quite a bit of time after my mom passed away, as I just didn't have the energy or creative urge. I was in mourning and did not want to make pots. Just last week, I decided to my hands back in the mud. The clay was calling. I wanted to make items for the new house, and so I decided to make planters for our patio. Here are some pics of the planter - its my first planter, and I have already started on a much bigger one. I think the bigger one will be about 34" - 35" tall and I may have to do it in sections to get it in my kiln. Then I will probably epoxy it together for use. I'll put photos online when I get it built!

Well, I have Bad News

For anyone who has been following our battle with cancer, my mom finally lost. She died on Feb. 3, 2009 at 4:00 pm. It was peaceful, but it was so sad. I have to keep reminding myself that she is no longer in pain, and her body isn't sick anymore. Mom lived 10 months and 1 day after the diagnosis of the cancer. Her oncologist originally gave her 1 year to live if she received treatment. Her doctor predicted pretty well, I'd say. I can't believe she is gone. I can't believe that I will never get to hear her voice again. It seems so selfish, all this grief, but I can't really let go of it. I should be happy that she suffers no more, but I can't really get there. Maybe when a little time passes, and my feelings aren't so raw, I can move in that direction. The only good thing (that I can see right now), is that we don't die alone. My mother was talking to people and told us several times that people were waiting for her. She spoke to her mother, who died last June, and she said that her mother was there in the room, waiting. I feel absolutely certain that Mom wasn't speaking nonsense; I think she was telling the truth. So, I like to think that one day, when I am dying, that my mother will come get me. And even if she doesn't, I know there will be others there, waiting for me. That thought helps me and gives me comfort. I hope you feel the same way.

Christmas in 5 days?!?

It seems like for the past 8 or 10 years, Christmas has this amazing ability to sneak up on me. Every year, I am so surprised that Christmas is right around the corner. I used to get somewhat miffed at Walmart and all the other stores that put up their holiday merchandise so early, but now I have a different opinion. Now I feel like Christmas comes and goes so quickly, that maybe it is a good thing to put up holiday decorations a bit early. At least that way, you sort of draw out the Christmas spirit. From now on, I think I am going to start my holiday decorating on December 1. That way, we enjoy the other holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving, but then we stretch out Christmas. Maybe that way, I will have more time to enjoy it. For anyone who is following my mother's health, we are still hanging in there. It has now been 9 months since she was diagnosed and she has outlived the doctors' predictions twice. She is still going through chemo and that has taken such a toll on her body. Cancer treatment is a crazy thing. We poison the body to eventually cure it of the disease. Bizarre. I pray that one day we can develop a better, and more effective, form of treatment. Mom is struggling with the brain cancer - that seems to be the one that we have to worry about. The effects of the cancer are noticeable in her personality, in her thought processes and even in her speech. The effects of the chemo are obvious too, but more physical. I didn't know if she would even be here for the holidays, so I am thankful that she is with us for this Christmas. My plan is to have a camera handy and really make the most of it this year. She is one of my best friends and I want to have visual memories of this Christmas.

Great Horned Owl!

Last night, the coolest thing happened. Charlie and Marley and I were upstairs playing on the bed, when I heard an owl nearby (the doors were open). Charlie went out onto the deck and very quickly spotted a great horned owl sitting in one of the pine trees in our back yard! It was dusk, so it was easy to see his profile. His "ears" were very clearly defined, especially with the binoculars, and he was just the coolest thing to see. Every time he hooted, he would sort bend over and fluff his tailfeathers. We made a sort of hooting sound, and he turned our way - and I got to see his face! He was so beautiful and strong. Living here in the new house, has been such a new experience of Folly Beach. It is so quiet and we get a lot of wildlife that we didn't really have at our old house. Our backyard is the marsh (as you see in the photo) and we get to see so many marshbirds. I love the way they sound so exotic as they fly down the tidal creek. I 'm so fortunate to love where I live and I am looking forward to raising Marley in this place.