It means I’m producing! Here’s my finished Welcome Yoda sun-catcher/sign … Not bad – I like it, and I know what I will do differently next time:
And iridescent platters (Yay!):
And more dichro badge reels:
Of course, it also means sitting at the computer cropping photos, creating ‘fun’ descriptions for the listings and uploading it all to the shops (Artfire and Etsy). Which I do in small snippets of time to keep it from boring me to death. And I play with puppies in between! 
Another good day! After sleeping like the dead for 11 hours, I welcomed the twins to summer. The family enjoyed our lobster dinner – wrapped it up with chocolate cake topped with frosting crack (- what’s not to love?)! Played with all my pooches. Then, off to the studio I went.
I like my Star-N-Moon pendant … the CZ did great and is solidly fused within the piece. Cool!
And, my Welcome Yoda sun catcher is in the kiln, now. I’m playing with the end temperature, as it’s powdered frit on thin glass … will know more tomorrow, when I open the kiln. I took my irid platters through another slump program, for deeper slumping/more relief. Fingers crossed for happy kiln-Gods in the morning!
Mixed results in the studio today, but overall – I’m happy. My irid platters are cooling in the kiln as I type … but that didn’t stop me from catching a quick peak/picture:
HaHa!!! Much better … not perfect, but I like them! And, I have a mini tray fire-polishing in the little kiln. We’ll see. I don’t like what I have going on with the dichro extract pieces – but it was a trial, so now I know. And, I’m ‘setting’ a CZ in my failed-but-maybe-salvageable PNP cab. It’s the first time I’ve played with them (CZ’s in glass), so we’ll see …
And, I’ve been playing with a potential screen print image. I still have so much to learn with tracing bitmaps, color separation and all steps necessary for quality image creation, but – it’s learning so I’m on it. Here’s what I’m shooting for … I hope to put it on glass later today. [Fingers crossed!]
But for now, I think I’ve finally won (lost???) the battle with insomnia, since I’m rolling into my 31st hour of being awake. Time to sleep DEEPLY!
Today (Wednesday) is the twins’ last day of school. So, we have a special dinner planned to celebrate … and then – it’s time to get this summer started! (Garden and flower beds to tend, opening the pool, deep clean bedroom-detail, etc. - oh so many fun summer chores and projects … HAHAHAHAHAAAAA!)
WWU: Point taken, Oh-Great-One!
I live and work in a podunk, rural community. I take that for granted. The fact that, as an ER nurse in my ‘lil county – we don’t often see or care for ‘SICK’ kids. The ones that your heart breaks for … because they’re fighting metastatic cancer. It’s such a kick in the pants to realize that my grumblings and whining about my own (healthy) hormonal teenage off-spring, or working my way through my own annoying medical issue can’t even BEGIN TO COMPARE to what one parent and child are working through – day by day, minute by minute.
The patient is angry. And, he lashes out at the parent – because that’s the safe response. He knows not to piss off the staff … they’re the ones with all the answers, and all the sharp/painful stuff. [This is so NOT their first time at this RODEO …] The parent endures the verbal lashing, doesn’t correct, doesn’t reprimand. Because, in the scheme of things – It’s Such Small Potatoes!!! Our team did the best we could, gave the best emergent care we have to offer in the most caring, compassionate way we know, before we transferred him in a timely fashion to the all-too-known-to-him, BIG-Hospital – where he didn’t want to go – the place where they have all the tools, all the answers … with ALL of these SICK patients/parents.
Sure, I took care of other folks and families this weekend – and gave my best (darn good care, too!). But, this is the one that breaks my heart/messes with my head.
So, my advice … Do something good this week …Find joy … Be happy!!! (I’m going to play with pups, hug my kids, and create in my studio … while I stew, get angry, digest, contemplate, eat, find peace, mend my heart … and prepare for the next WWU …)
[Fingers Crossed!!!] My irid platters are back in the kiln … this is where I blew it last time. Here’s hoping the kiln-Gods are pleased with me today … I’ll find out tomorrow.
I moved my zentangle badge reels/pendants along. I capped one (you’re not supposed to, but I like it), ground edges on a couple of others (I really like that look, a lot) and got the remainder ready for last-round fire-polish:
I tried my hand at frit painting again – this time a person (my daughter). I think I’m going to stick to plants and animals. There is a (SMALL) likeness to her … she DOES have brown hair and she WAS wearing blue in the photo I used … but the face is all wrong (specifically her nose and mouth) … Lesson learned, and I like it (since I know who it’s supposed to be), so she’ll join my ‘art’ here in the studio.
Then, I played with CBS Dichroic Extract. I have a night-light and pendants in the baby kiln now … Can’t wait until tomorrow!
And, we had our puppy photo-shoot. While you can see the cute pics on our website – here are the few I’m sharing on this site:
Hope you have a great weekend. I hope I do, too!
After today’s doctor appointment and lab tests – where they literally took 14 (no, really FOURTEEN!!) vials of blood – I feel thoroughly tested, and a little tired. Oh, and I had a new specialist doctor (yet another discipline) recommended … Lordy! This is getting a bit ridiculous.
So, I came home and took a nap. I feel better, and I’ve decided to boycott doctors offices next week …
Woke from my siesta to a nice surprise in the mail … look at these yummy looking specialty dog treats … Awww. Olivia (recipient) loves them, and they made my day. Her pups are opening their eyes, so we’ll have a photo-shoot soon and share that squishy-faced love.
I’m going to switch gears and play in the studio for a bit tonight, while I work on generating blood cells.
Dog-with-a-bone persistent … yep, that’s me. I cleaned out my coffin-kiln fiasco, and ran to my favorite glass supply store this week to stock up on iridescent glass. I will make some (amazing) irid platters, DANG IT! So, here we go … Take 2, scene 1:
I also have my T.V. Picasso/zentangle cabs etched … finally. They’re ready for the next step.
It’s been a busy week. Not altogether fun, but … eventful. Our family grew by one. One of our pups made her way back home, after 3+ years of not learning manners. It will be a slow-moving journey, but we’ll get her schooled on how a happy, healthy Neo behaves and plays. But first – we need time to get to know each other (more to come) …
Have/had THREE day-walker appointments this week. Uhgg!!! The absolute LAST ONE is in a few short hours. This one has me meeting with a rheumatologist. WTH ?!? … Ok, whatever you say, Doc. [But - I will NEVER become a morning person … EVER. Just sayin’!] I’m functioning on way-too-little sleep here!
DH has a new ‘project’ … this one is a ‘72 Triumph. It’s cute, has potential – and has NO boat-wanna-be qualities to her. So, he’s driving all over lower Michigan, gathering parts to repair her. Here’s a pic of one, in her restored prime.
No in-depth WWU this week. Got through, didn’t hurt anyone … but, I’m struggling. Coworker issues, demanding family members, communication conflicts combined with ridiculous complaints (mosquito bites … No – really!!!) mixed with “SICK”[!!!] folks = NO FUN!
Time for a bit of sleep …
