I Saw The Dragonfly.

The last couple years have been rough. Learning to live alone again after several decades as one half of a whole - wife to a wonderful, slightly eccentric, sometimes overbearing, but always loving man - is difficult.

Grief never really goes away. It just becomes more bearable over time. But, the grief isn't what has made it so rough. It's anger. Anger because I no longer have my mate beside me at night. Anger because those children he loved couldn't recognize that love. Anger because I see reminders of him at every turn, spend holidays without him, and know he's not coming home.

The last few days, though, have given me some much needed insight - and made me a little lighter in spirit.

I saw a Dragonfly.

I mentioned that the last couple years have been rough - I lost my husband to Pancreatic Cancer, and my big brother a few short months later. Now, my nephew is fighting leukemia.

But, today, I saw a Dragonfly.

Even though I've known I need to let go of the anger I've been holding on to, today I finally realized that I could. Letting go of it is for me - no one else. It's the only way I can move forward - the only way I can begin again - the only way I can continue to grieve without it consuming me at every turn. The grief will always be there - just easier to live with.

I've been putting off keeping this blog updated, because even though I sit down to write, it seems to get garbled when translated from what's in my head to my fingertips on the keys. I am most definitely not a professional writer - all those instructional training processes I wrote at the college don't count. It's a whole, different ballgame. But, I get an idea, and what I want to say just doesn't come out right, so I put if off for another day, and another week, and another month.....

But, today, I saw a Dragonfly.

It may not mean much to many, but for me it's a positive sign - that good changes are on the way. If you look at my profile, you'll see that I've been fascinated by those beautiful creatures for many years - as long as I can remember.

And, today I saw one.

I have no pictures with this post - I have none that would do it justice. Simply seeing it, and knowing they've returned will have to be enough.

This is the best I can do with this post today. You have my thanks for sticking around.

Be well, love to all.

A Spring Thursday in Illinois - Where We Get to Experience All Four Seasons In One Week

I found this in my news feed while I was taking my morning stroll around Facebook -

We don't have nearly this much snow today, but there has been a bit of the white stuff falling - of course, it started while I was delivering packages to the post office.

After I finished running errands, I decided to head to one of my favorite spots in spite of the weird spring weather.















Each spring these pretty, little Trillium grace the bank behind the band shell in one of our local parks.

The hillside is covered with them right now, but we are (unfortunately) under a freeze warning for tonight, so I'm glad I was able to get a few pictures of them today.









I have to remind myself to get the rhubarb covered tonight - and my little fern fiddleheads. Once those dainty ferns grow up, they'll be the stars in pieces like these small cheese plates.

My errands are done - packages mailed, a trip to the vet over and done with, the decision made to ignore the already long grass in the back yard. It's cold - I've gone back to wearing layers of t-shirts and flannel shirts, with my wool socks keeping my feet warm - so, even though the sun is out, I've made myself a cup of Cappuccino and am cozying in with my knitting and Blue Bloods re-runs rather than preparing the plaster reclaim slabs to get all that earthenware ready to work up.

What am I knitting? Comfort Mats for the animal shelters and rescues, but more on that next time!

Stay tuned!

Meet my shop supervisor Scooter. She adopted me a couple years ago, and thinks my work area belongs to her. Imagine that!

Goodbye Winter! Hello Spring!

It's finally here - Spring!

The weather the last few weeks has been crazy - sunny one day, and like yesterday, loaded with a dreary attitude and rain.

But, today? Today is loaded with sunshine, although it's still quite cool. We had a freeze warning overnight, so I worried about these little rhubarb nodes that were just starting to peek through, and leaf out. The first picking (and, maybe the second as well) will go to a local winery for (what else?) wine. But, then? My mom's Rhubarb Upside-Down cake, Rhubarb Sauce, Strawberry-Rhubarb Preserves, Rhubarb Custard pie, Rhubarb in the freezer (and, maybe even a few midnight Rhubarb runs, much like those wrongly accused Zucchini drops) - it's a very versatile plant! If I decide to thin out the patch, I can even use the roots as a fiber dye for some amazing reds! And, did you know that the Rhubarb stalks can also be used as a stain remover? Truly!

I pick my Rhubarb all through the summer, until the leaves start yellowing, and it starts slowing down in growth. Many people will tell you that "You can't pick Rhubarb after July!" That's just not so. Like my Mom, when the blossoms start to appear, I just pull them off, and let the plants keep on doing what they do. As long as you don't let them go to seed, you'll have that 'Pie Plant' available all summer long.

I know, I know - the patch needs to be cleaned up. That's the plan for this coming week - hauling out the big, brown yard waste bags, and getting things in order - something that's gone undone for the last couple years. (No excuse other than being pre-occupied in the role as sole caregiver for my husband. No regrets.)








While I was poking around for more signs of this long-awaited season, I found what I look for each year. My neighbor's Snowdrops are almost finished blooming. They were early this year. Normally, they don't poke their heads up until about now, but they've been showing off since the first of the month.

The last of the blossoms are in the lower right-hand corner of the photo.















When the Snowdrops are in full bloom, I know that these little Scilla around my bird bath will be blooming soon. They're like a miniature Amaryllis, with their tiny, trumpet-like blossoms at the end of a tall (for them) stalk.

Of course, we can't forget the little Dwarf Irises, and Day Lilies, and Amaryllis.

I know they don't look like much now, but when even the lilacs are starting to show some green at the ends of the branches, it's a sure thing that warmer weather is not far behind.

I'm a little behind getting my seeds started, but considering it's still quite cool, I don't think it will be a problem. So, I get to start my canning and preserving a little later in the year - no problem. At this stage of the game, I'll do what I can when I can.

The canning season for me will start when the violets take over the back yard. Why? Because Violet Jelly, that's why! In case you didn't know, Violets are one of many edible flowers, and they make the most amazing shade of Amethyst colored jelly you'll ever see. My Mom made it, I make it, my daughter has made it - it's not a strong flavor, but more like a mild flavored honey. It's a specialty, but a fun one. So, don't destroy these little gems. Or, the Dandelions! No, don't do it! They make an amazing wine, but also great for making lotion bars and scrubs.

You should see those patches of Chives and Oregano - they're coming on strong, and will provide a good amount to dry and use during the winter months. And, the strawberries! My goodness, are they going wild! I even found some little fiddle heads where my Painted Ferns reside, so I'll be able to use them for things like these Cheese Plates, and platters, and buttons, and spinners' tools, and, and, and..... Hopefully, my Lavender will start coming back soon, too, so the blossom stalks can be used in the same way.

This website has some very valuable information on gardening, with recipes, and tons of other great information. (They're also on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.) oldworldgardenfarms.com/

I will plant tomatoes, and potatoes - all in 5-gallon buckets that are easier for me to tend any more. Container gardening can really pay off with tons of produce, as long as they're taken care of. Lettuce and herbs in hanging pots? You betcha!! But, the Farmer's Markets also play a big role in my 'grocery shopping' - I'm not only getting the best and freshest produce, but I know where it's coming from, and supporting my local small businesses as well. It's all important.

Go dig in some dirt - make yourself a garden. You'll thank yourself for it - for many reasons.

Happy Spring, everyone!

Shipping Day!

Maintaining an online business has its advantages, such as being able to work from home, on one's own schedule, and even in your jammies if you wish. But, it also presents some interesting challenges – shipping being one of them.

Many online sellers prefer to purchase all their packing/shipping supplies new. Because I'm sort of a tightwad (as my mother used to say), and prefer to keep as much 'stuff' out of the landfill as possible, my packing methods combine both new supplies and others that are just a little bit 'out of the box'.

My new supplies are boxes and bubble mailers that can go first class, as well as bubble wrap and tissue. For Priority packages, I order boxes and mailers from the Post Office (usps.com) because most of them are free – and, they deliver them right to your door free of charge as well. (You do need to set up an account, but it's easy and there's no minimum order, unlike many other suppliers.) They also have a large variety of sizes.

Shipping day is always an adventure - especially when your packing materials are slightly unconventional. But, as one who prefers to recycle or re-use instead of tossing in the landfill, I take every opportunity to do just that. I want my customers to know that I take my job seriously, and appreciate their business. But, I also need to keep costs down, and do what I can for the environment. Some boxes I re-use if they're presentable, but I shy away from those static generating packing peanuts.

What goes inside often gets a huge chuckle. And, is appreciated by those who understand why I use what I use. Namely, those odd tins that are saved for me by friends and family.

This is how my shipping duties start - rounding up and making sure all those precious 'shipping containers' are sparkling clean.

You are correct, those are cookie and mint tins - they keep the small breakables safe in transit. The mint tins are the perfect size for most of the spinners' tools, buttons, stitch markers, some of my jewelry - anything small that needs to stay safe from breakage. The tall cookie tins are used for the orifice hooks - again, keeping them safe from damage.

That IS an egg carton off the left - I like to think of them as sorting trays. They're also good for spacers between the inner and outer boxes when double boxing larger items such as yarn bowls, mixing bowls, mugs, etc. But, let's get back to the littles. We'll go into the larger work another day.

Once each piece is safely encased in bubble wrap (one sheet of bubble wrap is used for each tin (cut apart into smaller pieces, of course, so that one quarter of the sheet cushions the contents, and one half is used to wrap the tin once it's been filled – the other quarter is cut in half again and rolled to cushion the wrapped tin inside the mailer), they go into their respective mailers - a bubble mailer for the flat tins, and a small box for the cookie tins.

The paper that surrounds the tin in the box? Don't go buying it – instead, head to your local newspaper and ask for roll ends. You may have to pay a dollar or two, or they may give it to you for no cost, depending on the paper (mine knows me, and calls me when they have a supply taking up room). But, it serves the purpose, saves more stuff from the landfill, and if you end up with more of the rolls than you know what to do with, the elementary school art teachers, and daycare providers will love you for sharing.

One layer in the bottom of the box, and another layer on top of the tin (or, whatever you need to ship).

And, there you have it – fiber dizzes and threaders, all packed safely in their bubble mailers, and orifice hooks in the box – sealed, labeled, and ready to head to the post office. Postage is purchased online for convenience (make sure you have a good, accurate scale) so that all the PO clerk has to do is scan, and drop the packages in the appropriate bins to start their journey to their respective destinations.

And, now, it's time for me to start my own packing and shipping for the day! But, before I do, there's a situation here that closely resembles this.....

Almost Spring! That Means The Dreaded Spring-Cleaning!

Yes, it is almost spring! Even though our weather has been a bit strange this year, I'm confident that it will straighten out soon.

We've had snow the past few days - about an inch this morning when I got up and went out to take care of my studio kitties. I didn't shovel, though, because I figured it would melt off by the end of the day, just like it did earlier this week. And, I was right! It's gone for the most part already.

But, in spite of the weird weather, I've been graced with the presence of dozens of birds in my two backyard trees as well as all over the ground - cardinals, robins, cedar waxwings, chickadees, purple finches, and a few juncos. There have even been a couple of downy woodpeckers, and the occasional blue jay - all of these the best indicator of the better weather to come.

This was the best I could do for a photo - the sun was against me, but I did manage to catch a few cedar waxwings early morning:

I particularly enjoy the cardinals - it's said that when they show up, it's a visit from a loved one who has passed. Remembering the joy on my husband's face while sitting in the backyard, watching them, I have to believe they're a visit from him.

Watching these feathered visitors while working on updates makes the time go faster, and updates like these are slightly tedious. Tedious, because Spring Cleaning is in the works (at least as far as the shops are concerned...) Two of my shops have a coupon code just waiting to be used - SpringCleanUp - for 20% off purchases through 3/15/16. That would be www.etsy.com/shop/claydancer and www.etsy.com/shop/MyGrandmasGarden - I'm still adding a few odds and ends to both shops over the next few days, but if there's anything that strikes your fancy, don't wait. Once it's gone, it's gone.

You see, I'm in the process of re-engineering, refocusing, reworking what I do - not so much with the fibers, but with the clay. I'm headed back to stoneware and porcelain for a while, so the spinners' tools you see will be the last until at least the last couple months of the year.

Be well, everyone! Enjoy the day!

A New Beginning

It's been a long time since I've written anything here – too long. Life has not been kind the last couple years, though, and has taken more of my time and energy than I care to admit.

I had considered just abandoning this blog, and starting a new one on another platform. But it would have meant giving up – I can no longer allow myself to do that. It's time to forge ahead and begin again – a new beginning.

I am a strong woman, but even strong women have their breaking points. I hit that breaking point with the loss of two wonderful men – my husband, and my big brother. And, now, another family member who has been diagnosed with Leukemia, which prompts my request for this favor – take a few moments to look at www.bethematch.org – it's a database for bone marrow donors.

Sadly, every 3 minutes another person is diagnosed with a blood cancer, but many of those suffering from those cancers have no match for a donor. So, please, if you would take a bit of time and get yourself entered into that database as a bone marrow donor, you could be the cure for someone – maybe not today or a year or two, and it may not be someone you love, but a complete stranger. But, if you're a match now or somewhere down the line, you could be a hero – you could save a life!

I'll leave you with that thought.

'Til next time.

Inserting Live Links?

Well, now I'm confused - yes, again!

I'm trying to add links to my posts - I've use the 'insert link' tool in the toolbar up above the copy area - but, it doesn't insert the live links when the post is published!

Well, heck!!!!! Guess I'll try and figure it out later - it's not like I'm not familiar with this stuff or anything, but maybe it's just so simple that it's going right over my head - ya think??

Have a great one!

Will Winter NEVER Leave?

The weather is so very strange these days - AC to cool one day, back to the furnace the next - June 2, and I'm wearing a sweatshirt. Wouldn't it be nice if whoever got Mother Nature so angry would apologize???

But, be that as it may, yesterday, I did enjoy my weekly trip to the Saturday morning Farmers' Markets in our fair town - fresh eggs, bread, homemade noodles, asparagus and handmade soap. My favorite cheese maker has decided not to come back this year, but it's simply because it was getting too much for them. At least I know which stores carry those luscious cheeses of theirs!

Lime Rock Brown Swiss Cheese is one of the creamiest, tastiest cheese I've ever had, and they do have an online store - www.limerockbrownswiss.com - our favorite is the Brick. Absolutely wonderful with some crusty bread, a few slices of sausage, and a bit of fresh fruit alongside. The perfect meal!

I've been a bit slow about getting back to the studio - instead, concentrating on some handwork. I've listed a few of my simple knitting patterns on www.Craftsy.com - the ones I mentioned in my last post. I have a few more in the works, plus a sewing table full of buckwheat hull neck pillows, sachets and project bags to be finished up, and fibers to spin and finish. Those should be ready to show off in a few more days - well, maybe a week or so.

I think, though, that it's time I got back to clay. I have a couple ideas for some cheese molds due to a recent discovery of a simple cheese-making process that I'd love to try - www.eatingrules.com/2011/10/make-a-simple-cheese - incorporate some fresh chives from my garden, or fresh, coursely ground pepper, leave it plain and top it with some newly-made strawberry-rhubarb preserves..... I think I might use lemon juice - or, maybe cider vinegar - but, I will leave out the salt. I don't need it hardened, and that's pretty much what the salt does, as far as I can figure.



Doesn't this look good?

And, why am I contemplating making my own cheese, you ask? Well, because I can! But, mainly because of some information I found when doing family research and translating documents from Norwegian to English. Apparently, one of my great-great (not sure how many greats) Norwegian grandmothers was highly regarded for her cheese-making skills! I don't fashion myself an expert, but I'm just curious enough that it looks like fun! And, because I want/need to know what's in the food we consume - it's as simple as that. Having to be careful of a loved one's diet (and, my own) means that we explore every avenue to keep that person healthy.

So, now that I seem to have a little more enthusiasm for getting back to work - a bit more ambition that's been seriously lacking of late - it's off to the studio to see what I can accomplish in the way of good pots!

Shop News!

My goodness - has it really been that long since I've updated this? Well, I've never claimed to be very good at keeping this updated.

BUT, I've been trying to figure out just where I'm going, what direction I've been headed, and given the latest debacle on Etsy, I'm pretty sure I need to spread my wings and start using all those other 'baskets' I've laid claim to over the years.

So, with that in mind, I invite you to take a look at this website - www.handmadeartists.com - I've had an account over there for a few years (I always at least save my shop name in a new venue, just in case...), but have recently been adding inventory. You can see it here - https://handmadeartists.com/shop/Claydancer - not a lot yet, and it will be a slow transition, but ultimately, I will have this one in addition to the three shops I now occupy on Etsy. Don't worry, I'll add everything to my profile - all the links will be on my Facebook page, too.

When I'm not covered in clay, I find other creative endeavors to keep me occupied. You know I have a thing for spinning fibers - and, knitting - but, did you know that I also enjoy working up my own patterns? Nothing real difficult, but I'm quite please with them.

Small, Reusable Produce Bags with several design options -

'Onion' Bags -

And, SPA Sets! All three patterns include a washcloth, facial scrubbies, bath scrubbies and a bath puffie!



All the above patterns can be found on both www.MyGrandmasGarden.Etsy.com or https://handmadeartists.com/shop/Claydancer

That's all for today - the sun is shining, rain is holding off and it looks like I can do some work in the yard finally!

Be well everyone - here's your thought for today!

Test

This is a test - just to see if photos are uploading properly.

I threaded a needle today...

Yes, I did.


Now to most, this would sound a bit strange – you threaded a needle??? Well, isn’t that nice (in a very condescending tone).

15 years ago, I would have thought the same thing - maybe. But, for others like me whose eyesight is compromised – whose eyesight is not quite up to par (for any number of reasons), this is a major task on some days. It was about that time that I started to have trouble - the culprit was Glaucoma.

Glaucoma comes in several different varieties and results in elevated ocular pressure that, if not controlled, can cause irreversible damage to the optic nerves, resulting in loss of sight - blindness.

My own troublesome variety is called ‘Narrow Angle’ Glaucoma. It’s caused by trauma to the head (in my case, a car accident) and can sit, hidden away for years, only to be triggered by stress. Yes, stress. And, any type of stress can cause it to flare up without notice. There is no cure - only management.

After several surgeries, it was all good - the culprit was under control. However, at the first of this year, that control started to be an issue and is now a major concern. But, it will get better - I have good resources who will help me get things back on track.

So, yes, I threaded a needle – not one of those tapestry needles with a larger than life eye, but a real sewing needle - the tapestry needle, too, but the big accomplishment was the one to sew on buttons.


It started with this….





My daughter (of whom I am extremely proud – just ask me – I’ll tell ya!) is a very sensitive, caring and generous woman. A few weeks ago, her friend and coworker was diagnosed with breast cancer and subsequently had to have a double mastectomy.


My dearest one immediately went into action – she was, and still is, a woman on a mission. (Now, for you men who are unfamiliar with this type of action, it can be amazing to watch – and, not something you want to try and derail.)


She made meals, she started organizing fundraising (including a Facebook team page) – there has been no end to her specialness.


So, I decided to make her a little something of her very own to show her support – this little coffee cozy.





Which lead to this -





I just can’t seem to stop making them - they’re fun, easy and really quick. Not sure if I want to tackle any more charts, though. I like easy, and charts and I really never got along too well.

Yes, I threaded a needle - several times - and, will continue to do so while I can.

I'm working the clay this morning, for the first time in a few weeks - I'm ready! Knitting and spinning will have to take back seat for another day or so - I've got some catching up to do!


Be well, everyone -


Being happy doesn't mean everything is perfect. It means you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.
--Unknown

Thought for the day, continued...

My post of last evening WAS a bit snarky - it really wasn't meant to be. It was just that kind of a day.

You see I'm from the tail end of a generation that still kept women in the home - we were still, more often than not, the ones who kept hearth and home. My parents, though, were very progressive for their time - they encouraged all of us kids (both boys and girls) to follow their dreams, no matter what and be happy doing what we did best. And, to think for ourselves - to be able to take care of ourselves no matter what the situation. The boys learned to cook and sew - the girls worked right along with Dad. We all know that hammers and screwdrivers are neither right or left-handed, but will work both ways.

When I was widowed at a young age and with a 5 1/2 month old baby girl, I was thrown into situations that made the point clear of the mindset that we were still thought of not as second class, but not really as capable as men.

One case was when I was waiting to take possession of a new home, but needed to make a couple of repairs in the current one. The bathroom faucet was leaking - I knew what I needed to fix it, but when I went to the local hardware and asked for help finding the correct faucet stem, the response to me was "Well, little lady, don't you have a man who can help you with that??"

After I walked out, the hardware store across town was where I got the help I needed without any attitude. You see, just because I'm a woman doesn't mean that my brain doesn't function as well as, or even better in some cases, than a man's. (Of course, my dad got a chuckle out of the story - with a huge smile on his face.)

My daughter is a good example of what women can do - she's wise, talented, capable, thoughtful and the best Mom I know. I'm very proud of her - not just because she's my daughter, but because of who and what she is - a great woman!

So, with that, I'll simply add a reminder to:

Be the kind of woman who when your feet hit the floor in the morning, the devil shouts " Oh, Crap! She's up!"

And, for everyone -

Thought for the day...

A quick 'drive by' - just for grins and giggles - anybody else have one of these days??

Snark Alert!!

A little bit of snarkiness today (don't say I didn't warn you!).

There are not too many things that get my dander up any more, because I've learned over the years how to choose my battles. But, there are still a few that just rankle me no matter how hard I attempt to overlook them.

The background - I've been trying to get my inventory up for the upcoming season - not only for the shops that carry my work, but for a hopeful new account, my own little online Etsy shop and some custom work that's woefully behind.

I have a TV in my work space to keep me company - nothing fancy and no cable, just something to give me some background noise. So, when, a couple weeks ago I heard a Christmas commercial, it made me cringe just a little bit. But then last week, when I heard another company pushing the season early, I cringed a little bit more. Yesterday, however - on the last day of OCTOBER - I start hearing and watching several more commercials from yet one more big company, and it just made me angry.

Now, I know that anyone creating work to sell needs to have the necessary supplies available to them as early as possible - that's what we see in the craft supply stores and catalogs. But, really - really?? Christmas commercials in October? Can we NOT just at least wait until November to start pushing goods? Wouldn't it be nice to simply give some honor and dignity to our holidays? Are these big, well-known companies so hard up that they need to increase the commercialization of one of the most beautiful holidays?

It makes me sad - and, I won't patronize those businesses for my holiday shopping.

So now, let's talk about the decline of 'nice'.

Since I don't have cable or satellite reception in my work shop, I depend on all the local channels - the auxiliary channels are filled with some of the most entertaining court programs. Among them is one that has been around for many years with an announcer that's very outspoken.

Outspoken is OK, but what has happened that we tolerate the decline of a few niceties in our day-to-day speech. Since when has it become OK to state that he'd be 'pissed off, too'? Or, that the defendant is 'pissed off'. Have we become so complacent that we no longer understand the meaning of words such as 'angry', or even attempt to use it instead of resorting to the more commonly used street talk?

I'm not a fan of Judge Judy's program. I am, however, a fan of what she tolerates, but more than that - what she DOESN'T. Have you noticed that she doesn't tolerate street talk? And, that she expects a question to be answered with 'Yes' or 'No' instead of 'yeah' or 'uh-uh'. And, that she has absolutely no qualms about dressing down someone who is not properly attired. No holey jeans for her - and, in at least one instance, has asked a woman where the rest of her outfit was. Yes, for her values, I greatly respect and admire Judge Judy. And, I seriously doubt that she would stand for the speech habits of the aforementioned announcer. Her values are high and she expects others to meet them as well. Nothing wrong with that.

And, since we're on the subject of language, can we at least teach people in commercials to pronounce and use words correctly?

Espresso is NOT expresso - jewelry is NOT joolery - we talk or discuss, NOT conversate. And, lastly - wouldn't it be nice if someone were to send a message instead of INBOXING???

Well, that was fun! And, I feel better for airing my views and thoughts, no matter how silly some may thank they are.

This photo might just apply to my current state of mind.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.....

For those who understand you, no explanation is necessary. For those who don't, none is possible.

Waiting, Waiting, Waiting..... (Sung to the theme from Rawhide)

Since I have to wait for the delivery man with my clay order (that may or may not come today), I figured it was a good time to do some updating. For the record, I'm keeping the 'Rainy Day' background, at least for now. I've grown to like the looks of it - and, I enjoy a soft, gentle, day long rain that creates lots of mud puddles for little kids to splash through. Oh, alright, big kids, too.

There's a kiln full of greenware ready to bisque tomorrow - lots of work that I'm claiming for myself so you can finally see something different in my Etsy mini in the sidebar. Wouldn't that be nice? ;-)

So, would you like a sample of what I listen to? This was sent to me by a good friend some time ago and I'm always amazed at the engineering that went into it. Thanks RJ!!

Understand that I have no idea who this belongs to, but if I've offended anyone or made a faux pas by posting this here, I'll take it down with no complaints.

I can't share it on Facebook, so I'll just link back to it from there. But in the meantime, have a listen for yourself and enjoy! (Boy, do I hope this works.)

Music Extraodinaire

A New Look?

I'm trying out the new updated Blogger interface with some of the more interesting layouts and templates for this dusty, boring blog. So, if you think it looks a bit different from day to day - well, it just might be.

So, what do you think? I love the rainy day background - but, that might be because it's been raining and storming for the last few days. The kitties are pacing constantly and want attention - does that mean there's more brewing? I would bet it does.

Pictures of the road trip aren't uploaded yet, but I'll get to that in the next few days - it was wonderful! And, I'll leave it at that for now. Except for the fact that there are a couple places that just won't be the same.....

Not quite ready to charge back into work just yet, but hopefully very soon - I'm still a bit weary, but that seems to lessen each day.

That's all for now - see you soon.

"A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour."

~Unknown~

Road Trip!!!

It's been almost forever, it seems, that my creative drive has allowed me to sit down and do some writing - that drive has been waning steadily for the last several months and I've finally figured out what part of the problem was.

My birthday road trip did not materialize (for several reasons, but they were valid) - I haven't taken anything resembling a vacation for years and my 'Oomph!!' is just gone. And the untimely and expensive kiln repair this summer didn't help matters any.

I have finished work that needs to be photographed and listed/delivered or shipped to shops, glazed bisque waiting to be high-fired, more clay ready to turn into wonderful work, handmade jewelry components to put together, several baskets/boxes/containers of beads and findings that will ultimately become stitch markers and other 'jewelry' for hand workers, piles and bags of fiber that's ready to spin, spun singles anxious to be plied, completed yarns that need to be washed and finished, knitted hats, scarves and handwarmers anxious to have all those loose ends woven in - but, I'm putting that all aside for the weekend.

Why? Because we're going on a weekend road trip! Yes - really!

I've put the finishing touches on all the produce that has found it's way into my kitchen with just two small batches of pickles that can be finished off this morning. A couple loads of laundry are waiting and some 'groceries' need to be gotten for our wonderful neighbor Dan who will be tending to the furkids and then it's time to get ready to leave in the morning.

Am I excited? You bet! It's been 4 years since I started my 'retirement' and I'm ready to go! So ready, in fact, that I'm forgoing a trip to the annual 3-day, very much looked forward to 'Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival'.

And, hopefully, once we're home and re-energized, I can do something about the lack of a good banner and try to finish redesigning this blog! LOL

Be well, everyone and remember -

We are all weird. Some are just better at hiding it.

"Under Construction!!"

Please excuse the mess while I make a few changes!!

I'm having a bit of a challenge with the new banner, but I WILL overcome the difficulties and conquer the darned thing!

Later!

Wow! Dusty in here isn't it?

Oh boy - look at all the cobwebs! Excuse me while I do a little housekeeping. Gotta get all those dust bunnies in the corner, too. And the film on the windows - let some light in. It's such a sunny day, but it's kind of dim right now.

There, that oughta do it - LOOK! I can see out the windows now - and, there's a floor underneath all that dust.

Whew! Glad that's done.

It's been almost a year since I left the college, choosing retirement so I could live a life less 'stressful'. Many things have happened along the way - lots of bad, but lots of good to balance the scale. Life does go on, no matter what.

My grandson, Grady, is growing like the proverbial weed. He's a joy to his parents, but especially to me. Even of temperament, handsome and now with two teeth, has the most beautiful smile one could ever behold.

I've opened shop on Etsy (you can see my mini-Etsy off the bottom left). I had intended it for a showcase for my work, but so far haven't gotten much of the good stuff up. BUT, (you knew that was coming, didn't you?) it is serving a purpose, if for no other reason than to create a following and introduce me to the world of supporters of handmade.

Like any good craftsman or artist, I have stashes for many different media (you know - just in case...) but, I've run out of room! I did have some help, though, it's not all my fault! There was one big-time enabler that had a hand in all of this. I just love enablers, don't you? (BWEG) Maybe because it takes one to know one?

A long, long time ago (back in the dark ages) I did a lot of beadwork - and sewing - and lots of other things. I've knitted for years and love spinning my own yarn. I also dearly love working with clay and anything else that 'makes' something.

Some time ago, an insurance adjustor made me get rid of many of my supplies due to smoke damage after a house fire. (I really needed to redo the kitchen, but I don't recommend this method for redesigning/redecorating/rebuilding/reconstruction.) Among those supplies were several tins of buttons - her rational was that because many of them were plastic, the smoke would have penetrated and they would be unusable, thus rendering them 'not economically recoverable'.

Since I use vintage buttons as embellishment for my knitting needle jars and some of my felted work like hats, handbags and the like, I needed buttons - not any ordinary buttons, but vintage shoe buttons, sew-through mother of pearl buttons, colorful plastic buttons. The kind of buttons one can only find in those buttons boxes handed down from grandma to mom to daughter. I was at a loss - and, I did a lot of whining about it! One of my family decided to haunt the auctions and garage sales and thrift stores and anywhere there was a jar or box or tin or bag of buttons, picked them up and brought them home.

I was sorting buttons in my sleep! I didn't need ALL those buttons, so since Etsy also allows vintage items and especially supplies, I decided to list them there and give all the ones I don't need/can't use new homes.

I've also discovered that I can no longer work with wool - I've always had a mild allergy to it - I could spin it or knit it - I just couldn't wear it. However, it seems that the condition has become full-blown. What to do with all those lovely wool fibers and yarns that I had plans for? What else? Etsy!!

Next will come the beading supplies that I no longer need or want, and then the fabrics that will never see the light of day as a finished project, and then the technical magazines and books that need to go somewhere besides my bookcase(s).

I can't believe how well this is working - I won't bother with eBay - the fees are too high and I don't really want to do the auction thing. I'll still do some of my shopping on eBay, but for selling purposes, Etsy is where I'm going to stay. It's easy, affordable and I've met some wonderful people - not only as customers, but as sellers as well.

Well, there's my bit of self-promotion for today. I have to go - stuff to list since I have all the pictures ready to go. (The camera is another story for another day.)

Remember -

Life is a work of art,
Created by the one who lives it.

Here's a little something I found in the garden the other day - yes, he's real:


See you soon!

Grandma Lori

Newsflash!!! Poor, Neglected Blog Adopts Pet!

adopt your own virtual pet!

Meet Winston - I'm not sure just how to get him to a sidebar, but once I do, that's where he'll live. Isn't he cute?

This poor blog has been so neglected for almost 2 months. I should be ashamed of myself - bad blogger!!! No excuses - I just need to do it!

I've been doing some more digging into my family's history and stumbled on a Yahoo! group for Norwegian Genealogy (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NorwegianGenealogy) - of course, I subscribed to it right away. I may actually be able to help one or two of the other members with some of MY family's information - we may even be distantly related.

FYI - For those family members reading this - I'm sending out invitations to a group I've set up for our own purposes - Steien_Adams at Yahoo! Watch for them in your inbox over the week-end.

We've become scattered and because there are so many of us, this seemed like a good way to keep in touch. You can use it as a bulletin board or to post information on family history you'd like to share with others. Memberships will need to be approved to keep out spammers, but to use it you'll need to subscribe to it.

OK, so I'm on a roll today. Got some Christmas shopping done and I'm actually getting work completed to put online (etsy.com) in the next few days. Now, I need to order some shipping materials from USPS - nice that most of what I need can be ordered online and delivered right to my door with no charge incurred. I can even print shipping labels and pay for postage and request them to be picked up at my door. A person could get spoiled!

I'll also be listing some of my pottery reference books on eBay soon - I have duplicates of a couple and most of the others, I really don't need, so they might just as well have new homes.

That's all for today, folks - gotta get some more work done. I'll send a link once I get all this stuff up online.

For now, stay warm - weather's changing and we're in for a winter storm watch tonight.

Take care,

Lori