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.

American Craft Council Show

Hey Everybody! I'm home from my American Craft Council show and I had a great time! It was awesome, and I met so many nice people. Artists and customers alike. It was my first time showing with the ACC, and hopefully I will be able to continue to do so. I am sure that most of you already know this, but the ACC is awfully hard to get into as it has such a wonderful reputation. But they really put on a nice show and work hard on their advertising. I had great sales and now it is time to come back home and get back to work making some pieces! Marley was there, and she is officially a "show baby". Here's a pic of us the first day of the show opening, in my booth. Charlie took the photo, which is quite funny, as it is not exactly in focus! But you get the idea... I had a great show, but now I'm home, trying to build up inventory. There is also a lot of personal work I want to do and some scupltures I want to start... All in good time....

Wow, How Time Flies

Wow, time is just zooming past these days. Having a little baby is awesome and fun and exciting, but you sure do start to lose track of different things! Let's see, quick update on everything. My Mom is doing okay. She is stable right now. Chemo doesn't seem to be helping with the cancer, but we have found a steroid that keeps her symptoms at bay. Now, it is a quality of life thing - this steroid keeps her headaches away and eases the confusion and gives her energy and a appetite. So I am glad that she feels better. Little Marley is four months old now as of tomorrow, and I can't believe it has already been four months. We saw a dad in the grocery store last night with a new baby, and I can't believe that Marley was that small! It is really mind-blowing. She's well and she's happy and she just got her pavlik brace off her legs last week. For anyone who didn't know, Marley's hip sockets were a little loose when she was born and she had to wear a canvas/velcro brace for three months. She is doing much better now and only has a brace on at night when she sleeps. I'm back at work in my clay, even though I am not getting nearly as much time to work as I would like. I have a show coming up in Charlotte next week that I am very much looking forward to. It is with the American Craft Council and is a very nice show. I will not have all the inventory I would have like to have had, but with everything going on, there was just no way I could make more time for pottery. Between moving, my mother being sick, and the new baby, our lives have been a little out of whack this entire year. But we are slowly finding our way in this crazy new world. That is a photo of Marley in the studio with me while I'm prepping for glazing! So right now, things are good, they are stable, and now I just need some more sleep...

Happy 3 Months to Little Marley!

Today, Marley is three months old. I can't believe it. This time, three months ago, I was getting prepped for surgery. Marley was a planned (sort of) c-section. They prepped me and at 11:45, I walked down and into the surgery room to have a baby. It was a wild sensation to submit to surgery like that, but knowing that when it was all done, I'd have a baby. None of the contractions, none of the birthing pains, just surgery. (All my pain came after the surgery!)But she was worth it! I mean, look at that smile! Not only are we celebrating Marley's birthday today, but we are also celebrating our new house! Yes, we have moved in, thanks to all of our friends helping us out. They came over one Saturday and helped us move all the big stuff. Furniture, mattresses, anything heavy. We still have stuff over at the old house, but we keep working at it and we are getting there. One day, we will have all of it over here at the new house!