It’s official – Clayton Hill Studio will be at the show on November 18, 19 & 20th. Come join us for some Holiday shopping! All are WELCOME!
Now to get busy!
PS – tried to embed a countdown clock … After spending an hour with no success … I give up! Grr!!
Pictures of a few of our bracelets:
Now – off to bed before more ER nursing fun!
Jeez Louise, my sleep schedule is a mess right now! Seems I’m embracing this menopausal-nuttiness. In between 10 hour slumbers, combined with a few blocks of no energy, I’m waking up after 3-5 hours, somewhere around 4am – wide awake and ready to DO STUFF. I tried to self-correct by pushing through an 18 hour day, only to crash at 8pm, wake up at 3 am, Do Stuff … and now I have to nap, so that I can work 12 hour night shifts … DOH! Circadian-rhythm-what?!?
Moving on … I’m in a cab craze. The mica cabs didn’t work out, and in retrospect, at the high temps I take the cabs through … they wouldn’t. [Duh!] But, the enamel with crushed glass, hot glass and frit … There’s definitely some playing to do there! So – here are the photos: Cabs from my last post, close-ups; Cabs pre-fire and post, back in the kiln for another round right now; Today’s cabs waiting for their turn in the kiln:
Meanwhile, I’m assisting DH with our 3 season (hot tub) room. After years of putting up and taking down temporary walls, we are finally making it pretty, and official! Our house has rocks and boulders all around, so we are incorporating some on the back side with a faux cobblestone finish. I love it! We’ll be doing something fancy to those unsightly 6×6 posts, as well as wrapping that huge beam and adding soffit to the overhang … Gorgeous! [No really, it will be! 
]
Next week, in between messing with my sleep schedule for some day-walker competencies, I’ll be working on some nightlights, spoon rests and tea bowls … I can’t wait!!! But first – I have to try another bout of this sleeping thing again … wish me luck!
Cabbage-fest has officially begun! We cut into our Dutch Flathead this week. Made the (Emeril) side dish – which I didn’t love, along with a huge pot of Smoked Sausage & Cabbage Soup – modified for my allergies … Which I do love! We have enough whole frozen leaves AND a batch of chopped cabbage for two more meals (the golumkis and another [modified] soup recipe)! All from a $5 head of produce. Thank you Farmer’s Market!
DH (my paint expert) and I continue to play with more durable finishes for my cuff bracelets. I’m just not thrilled with the wear my test piece shows after a few days. I will admit, I’m not so gentle on my jewelry, but I still expect 
it to shine longer than our first sealer … [2nd sealer – wax – was an immediate no-go!] So, here are a couple of photos from ‘take 3’ – with better lighting. I’m waiting for another product, or two to arrive (plans D & E), but … If all else fails, I have DH talked into sealing them with automotive clear! [DOH! “Nothing’s gonna get through that sucker!”]
I finally have a kiln load running. Just a quick tray of penDots and cabs. But I’m experimenting with a bit of Mica and enamels … We’ll see. And, I’ve hooked up my replacement desktop plotter (my old Sizzix died, and I like their software – very easy to customize images) … So pretty, and ready for another No Days cutting session! All while I patiently wait for some overseas mail to arrive … I love morning glories!
I’ll leave with an early ‘Happy Birthday wish’ … our oldest son turns 22 this week! Birthday Hugs to you, my boy!
We had a great time at Harvest Fest on Saturday. Beautiful weather, great people and … while I have no pictures of me, I was smiling! Here was our set-up this year:
I stumbled on a new (to me) kind of cabbage at one of the vendors … Flat Dutch Cabbage … It’s supposed to be a bit sweeter, and it’s HUGE (~10 pounds!)! So, I’ve been searching out recipes. At this point, I plan to make two soups, golumkis and a cabbage side dish (which is apparently Emeril’s favorite) … And, I think I’ll still have some cabbage left over. [Not my photo, but you get the idea …]
Got through the (ER nursing) weekend fairly painlessly. So I’ve earned a bit of playtime in the studio. Here is another completed metal mania cuff bracelet. It’s copper over brass with a bezel-set fused glass cab. I call this one ‘bubbles’. I realize, yet again, it is extremely helpful having a 
professional painter in the house. We’ve tried both matte and gloss sealer. I’m wearing my first bracelet to see how they hold up under use. I’m not sure I’m loving the enamel sealer, so I’m trialing metal wax on a few others … And, now I’m thinking of other types of bezel settings … Studio funk/slump is officially over! 
And tonight I played with alcohol inks and metal patinas on the the cuffs. Crummy lighting in the photo, as they are more vibrant than pictured, but … I like them! The one on top is aluminum, while the rest are brass. I want to make some new cabs – both for the cuffs and as penDots!
But first, I have to wrap up the final online competencies and attend yet another work-class. Yay! Time to get busy …
So, I’ve been quiet. I usually don’t get that way for too long ….
I was in a creative slump. Apparently, I was feeling stressed. But now, with ENPC (Emergency Nurse Pediatric Course) and a large chunk of of nursing competencies completed … I feel better. The fact that I can say ‘see you next time to another ENA “Inspectandpalpate” class’ – umm, BONUS!!! [And, yeah – this Mom got to tell her freshman college twins she got another ‘A’ …] So, with a whole day of ME-time before the next necessary 6am wake-up call … Obviously it is NOW I’m feeling inspired!
We’ll be at the Brighton Farmers Market Harvest Fest this Saturday (tomorrow!)! But, in the meantime, I’m making cuff bracelets. Here are my first two (silver and brass with copper and glass cabs) with 7 more in production (wrapped in copper). [Thank you Tanya Metal Mania!]
My new creations may not make it for the 9/24 deadline … But no worries! We plan to be at Bogie Lake’s Arts & Greens this November!
Up next – spoon rests, sun catchers, night lights, necklaces, and a few more cuff bracelets. Hope to get some bowls and platters going too! So good to be back in the swing of the studio!!!
It’s almost Nursing Competency time … I realize I’m early, but … Dang!!!
Somewhere along the line ‘SuperNurse’ (Is that me???) decided to wrap up a frustrating few days [ummm. twins going off to college – what could be easier?!?], combined with a bit of spousal-discord (must be the time of year), with my own hell-bent need to master CorelDraw TODAY… So, you bet – NOW was the best time to finish off some pesky nursing competencies.
Sweet Baby Jesus – stab me in the eye … PLEASE!!!
What was I thinking? No amount of wine could prepare me for this nursing HELL. Jeez Louise, even [the online narrator] Jean-Luc-Piccard-wanna-be couldn’t quite manage to stifle the YAWNS throughout this annual-nursing HADES! [Umm, no it wasn’t Jean Luc … but it didn’t matter!]
Who is this type of learning made for? Certainly not this stimulation-overloaded Florence Nightingale! I might just hand it off to my next 3 year old patient …
Picture this … you probably need glasses (I know I do!), but … Nah!!! Now, you’re studying this 2×2” screen that has 8 million dashes, dots and icons on it, something along the line of ‘air traffic controller’ … Jean Luc has just asked you to do something … What? Where? But there is this friendly little help button … OH YEAH – I was just about to hit that hidden icon … Dude, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? You FAIL … try again! Nope … I’m out of wine. Your loss Jean-Luc!
So, yeah, tonight I do believe I am officially too old for this sh*t!
*** The good news??? I only have 11 more ‘units’ to go! [Help me!!!]
Not sure what I planned for this week – but I didn’t expect what I got!
So it started well enough, with a COE 96 (100+ sheets) glass delivery filling up my (old) studio!
But then it got nutty! I am sorry to say that Zen Artisan Boutique is out of business. Yep … before the holiday weekend. I don’t think DH and I have ever had a tougher week! [… I’m talking Zero pool-time! …]
As a mostly silent partner in the shop, when I finally figured out what was going on – well … it was too late. My original co-partner (Ashley) had the right idea when she left 3 months ago! Doh!
This ‘thrill ride’ was such a tough call for us to make. I’m trying to stay positive – but it hurt. I’m so angry with myself. I told DH that I may never ‘try new’ again … I don’t want to believe it! Am I really so gullible? Damn-it-all!!!
So thank you to my family (DH and the twins) for helping Mom out! Love you guys!!!
Find the silver lining: It’s nice having all of my ‘stuff’ back home – where it belongs!
Upbeat note: DH and I added a new coffee table to our ‘cabin’ … and, our Fall shows start in T-3 weeks …
I spent the last 48 hours surfing the ‘net … learning techniques and gathering supplies. Oh boy! I am eyeing some new inks (copic markers and Tim Holtz crayons); prepping for our fall shows with more jewelry/displays; ordering (domino) art tile supplies and stamps; and getting ready to load up the kilns with night lights, bowls, spoon rests, ornaments and glass pendants … Productive downtime!
Time to get busy!
Crossing so many things of my dreaded to do list! BAM!!
Plus, I’ve gathered up all of my ‘Love your partner’ photos (FB challenge): 30 years of DH and me … I have 7 ‘couple’ photos to show for it. (There are probably a few wedding photos, but – I don’t know where that album is hiding …)
Now, I can sit back and decide which projects I want to work on in the studio. Oh, and pick up my two crates of glass at Delphi … Happy Anniversary to me!
I will leave with a handsome photo of Victor (renamed, as his look reminds me so much of Underworld’s Viktor) … he (Victor) doesn’t want any of the toys, he’s got his own stick!
Clayton Hill Studio 