Whoosh...

We now enter the craziest time of the year for our family...
It starts at Thanksgiving and goes full speed ahead through January.
But it is great fun!


This time of the year is about celebrating and being with family & friends...


We made our first gingerbread house. From a kit. Very cool, but somehow lacking in smell that traditional gingerbread houses seem to have...


Dave has taken it upon himself to master balloon animals & shapes for two upcoming birthdays!


We have an almost 5 year old and almost 3 year old! And they are non-stop fun.


As I stole Sunday as a work day making items to fill orders from my Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale, Chloe came and hung out with me (I think she was into at least 5 games or projects in the few hours we spent there).


As my orders were drying I started to take look down my "to do" notes.
One of the top things I want to get out there are these terrarium sculptures.


So as I had the studio in chocolate clay mode, I worked on some assembly...


Then set them to dry...


The thought of more finger bowls hit me - love having them around as catch-small-things and just to look cool!


Lots and lots of porcelain into the kiln for a bisque - including some terrarium mushrooms!


Oh. And had to quick jump back to porcelain after clean up because I NEED to glaze these up with oxides and colored celadons...


Note to me:!make some skinnier holders to tumble bisque in for this skinny Mama Bear kiln (she is the middle size of my three).


And I have this much glazed up, waiting for a few other pieces from that bisque firing for orders. Have to do some quick Thermocouple repairs to the Papa Bear kiln so I can get it firing by tomorrow morning.

Will be posting about my preparations & ideas for Chloe's first "all friends from school" birthday party (I Love Pinterest for ideas!) as this week will be consumed with all kinds of crafting and food projects!

I am not sure if who is more excited - Chloe or me? I'm trying to not think about how this is her last birthday party with all of these friends that she has been with since she was in the infant room with them (4 years last August). We're going to let them have a blast and get to have some parent hang time. It will be great to chat outside school pick-up & drop off.

Before you know it - it will be January! Such a whirlwind...

- Posted using BlogPress from my mobile device

Alone Time Brunch

Yesterday was my day to head to Bead Fest. After quick good-byes to Dave & the kids I got in the car, put on some music, and started the hour drive to King of Prussia, PA.

I think this was the first time ever going to a bead show that I was not on a time constraint. So I took the back roads through Kennet Square into Chadds Ford (PA). It was so beautiful & calming. It was just what I needed to gather myself from a crazy busy week, and the loss of our older cat Stinker (we decided to have her put down).

Half hour into my drive, I decided to pit stop for a bite to eat at The Terrian at Styers. This Anthropology owned Flagship garden center (I would venture to calling to be an extension of a botanical garden - it would be a botanical garden's dream gift shop and cafe). Inspirational. To shop there on a regular basis would be out of our household budget, but a few things here and there is ok.

So I picked up a Birch Bark planter for creating some interesting photos with my new Terrarium pieces.

I enjoyed French Toast and Applewood Bacon with unsweetened blueberry vanilla iced tea from a mason jar. It was amazing!

The perfect way to have some inspirational alone time. Then go see bead friends (because you know I talked the entire time, only got a few beads, and need to go back today for the things on my list).