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Posted on July 6, 2011 by claytonhill

Anniversary

thankyouThis week marks the one year anniversary of my Etsy shop … how time flies.  11,000 hits in this past year!  Wow!  I want to thank everyone for their interest in my little hobby!

It makes for a fitting time to try to roll out my latest hobby (dye sublimation) as a shop.  I’ve collected lots of ‘animal-lover’ focused sublimatables … dog tags, collars, bowls, treat (cookie) jars – as well as mugs, coasters, key chains and ornaments.  It’s a long story – but let’s just say ‘flying pigs’ hold a special meaning for me … so I’m thinking of opening a shop called “Flying Pig Designs” … what’cha think?  I doubt I’ll get it up and running this month, but it’s brewing in the back of my mind – display projects, banners, shop design, etc.

fpdbanner copy

Took the kids (and Maggie) to the drive-in last night … Transformers 3 and Super 8 – how could we not go … Good movies, and we had a good time.  My ‘night-owl’ (youngest daughter) was the first one to fall asleep – although, the 2nd movie let out at 230am …

Meanwhile – not much going on in the studio.  Enjoying summer – BBQ’ing, swimming and getting burnt …

sunburnt

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Posted on July 4, 2011 by claytonhill

Happy 4th of July … weekend wrap up

flagI received a major sublimatable shipment on Friday … even my daughter was saying I’d outgrown the studio … But, in the meantime, I did a little dye-sub before going to work this weekend … I now have a new flag welcoming [me] …

And, we put my pretty flowers (MINUS mulch) to good use during our puppy ‘photo shoot’ … isn’t she sweet?  Smile

barista

But then it was time to go to work – on a holiday weekend … one associated with lots of alcohol.  When will people learn that drinking and driving are a bad combination (not to mention illegal)???  I should have a new batch of subpoena’s rolling around in a few weeks …

We had all sorts of alcohol related injuries too – punching walls, burns, lacerations, falls … scattered in with sick folks: cauda equina syndrome, cancer, hypoxia, dementia and a few visitors from the jail … all while working short staffed half the time.  Holiday weekends – gotta love ‘em!

But it’s over for the week.  I’ve made some progress with drilling holes in letters for the mobiles – that new bit is doing the trick.  I’m still having an issue with the new slumping bottles, but we’re getting there.  I will focus on that this week, and forget all about drunks!!!

Happy Fourth of July everyone!  bboop4th

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Posted on July 1, 2011 by claytonhill

A houseful of stinkers!

That’s what I have, both the two and four-legged kind!  During our evening romp outside, I thought it might be nice to get some pictures of the dogs … NOPE – no one wanted to cooperate.  Yoda Kei – the biggest stinker of them all – is below.  He’s such a snot that he’s sporting floppy ears and can’t see half the time, as he REFUSES to let me trim him up.  I’m waiting him out right now – we’ll see who wins … Smile  And there are three of the Yorks just screaming, “Throw the darn ball already!” …

YK6mos    Yorks

And the two legged monsters … I made a sublimated shirt for my youngest daughter.  She loves pink, so the shirt was destined to be hers.  She picked out the picture, but she won’t let me photograph her (all of her – like her face!) in it.

dye-sublimation

The men-folk were tied up today (umm, technically yesterday) with the back hay field – so it was a laid back kind of day:  Got some bottles scrubbed; struggled my way through some of my glass project ‘snags’ (almost there, I can feel it … the right technique, temperature, program is sooo close!); did some internet ‘window shopping’ … trying to decide what purchase should come next – $200 in replacement laser cartridges or more perennials/sublimatables … hmmm. 

Studio news – I’ve switched back to some Christmas ornaments – time to bust-butt to prepare for ‘Christmas in July’ … probably won’t make the deadline, but it’s a good jump start for the real thing …

 

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Posted on June 30, 2011 by claytonhill

The yard work is done (almost) …

For this year anyway … Each year I add to our growing gardens/flower beds/landscaping.  Since our house is in the middle of what used to be a hay field, I’ve had lots of planting to do.  In the first few years, I would surround the house with annuals – in pots, no less.  I quickly learned how much that stunk!  Not only expensive, but those things don’t water themselves!!  Give me perennials any day!  Caught a sale at Lowe’s – and for under $45 I added several evergreens, rose bushes and other flowering plants, and a pear tree (no, really! No partridges yet, but lots of finches!)  And the vegetable garden is done now too.  The only thing left is a bit more mulching … Just waiting on DH …

A few pics around the yard – I love summer!  And there’s the future studio …

needs-mulch   sweet-pea   frontyard

2nd-floor-future-studio

Meanwhile, I’m collecting substrates like crazy for heat pressing, while my subconscious is spinning with ideas of images to sublimate.  As for my glass projects – I’ve hit some snags.  I’m breaking lots of my letters when drilling a hole in them for the mobiles.  We bought a new bit to try (dremel vs. drill press) – we’ll see.  And I’ve got some ideas for slumped bottles I’m in the process of trying – both regular and mini-bottles.  Since I’d run out of the mini’s – I had to stock up on more.  It’s so tough – suffering as an artist!  Smile

lettersbreaking    suffering-artist

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Posted on June 28, 2011 by claytonhill

Hibernation …

So … I seem to have fallen into a strange routine.  I’ve been sleeping 11+ hours on Mondays.  This is bizarre to me, as I typically function on 4-7 hours of sleep and then magically wake up, whether I want more or not … My only complaint is that I’m waking up at strange hours of the morning (3-6am) on Tuesdays, wide awake and ready to start my day … Whatever – I guess I’ll roll with it.  It does give me lots of ‘net/shopping time.  Smile  I’ll have those new substrates coming this week.

2003 barn rec room xmasMeanwhile, DH and I talked more about moving the studio to the barn.  It begins with cleaning the upstairs out (has been storage for 7 years), finding an appropriate flooring (has old, icky carpet now) and then designing/building.  So, I’ve been stuck on the flooring part.  I want something with industrial strength and durability, easy clean-up and attractive.  We’ll probably end up going with commercial floor tiles (like in hospitals) – but I’d love something ‘prettier’ … Since it’s on the second floor, I can’t go with ceramic tiles (too much weight), and as a warm/hot glass studio – carpet is out.  I fear that wood isn’t durable enough (plus the whole hot glass thing).  The room is 30 foot wide, so linoleum seams would show … Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.  I figure we’ll be at this (cleaning, remodeling) for a while (6 months or more), as it’s not a priority …

I programmed and ran the production kiln with mobile toppers before hibernating yesterday … apparently not the best idea, as I ran the wrong program (toooo hot).  What a mess …

kilnmess

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Posted on June 27, 2011 by claytonhill

Weekend wrap up – Balloon Fest

balloonfestThere are three weekends that I really don’t like working … Balloon Fest, Easy Rider and Melon Fest (and for fun – many years Easy Rider and Melon Fest are on the SAME weekend!) … Too many people crammed together in a small town, lots of alcohol flowing freely on a hot summer night … a triad of bad juju …

This past weekend ran true to form … cardiac arrests, intoxicants, loads of legal blood draws, chest pains, family members of co-workers, assaults, rude and inpatient 20-somethings … overall just too busy!  At one point I popped some Motrin as I realized my back was hurting.  2 hours later I stopped for air and realized the Motrin wasn’t helping … Motrin has never failed me at work!  I call them ‘Nurse Vitamins’! 

Sunday started to slow down – still plenty of legal blood draws and rude 20-somethings to go ‘round … One (weekend festival) down, two to go …

I’ll leave with my little ‘tribble’ … Winston snuggled deep into a ball on a giant (Neo) bed – his favorite way to nap!  Smile

TribbleWinston

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Posted on June 25, 2011 by claytonhill

Week-DAY wrap up – Summer Birthdays ….

So, I had 5 kids today – as I casually pointed out to the husband … “you’re acting like a child!” – and he agreed !!  Alright buddy, what do you need?  A nap, a time out … what???

Meanwhile, we got through our photo-shoot with pups!  Some cute pics, despite  the ‘number 1 child’ …  While not the cutest pic – I love it!  He’s singing – all Luther Vandross style …yodeling

MIL-mug

And then he (DH) came down to the studio to ‘play’ on MY computer!  But, I let him … hovering like a nervous hen … he struggled to produce a coffee mug for his mom, for her birthday.  It’s rudimentary, but it’s all his …

While DH was ‘creating’ – I got the kilns going with that bottle slump and some more letter/medallions for the mobiles.  The special wire (for the mobiles) should be arriving shortly.

We had a Father’s day/Birthday celebration with my dad on Thursday.  Happy to say we had a great day and somewhat maintained the Martha Stewart façade … all Rosie O’Donnell style – which I’m OK with …

And my youngest son … the most laid-back of the group (WHY couldn’t he have been the firstborn???) … finally found an activity that spiked his (outside the house) interest … FENCING – no-less.  Whatever … it’s a sport (of sorts) and he’s enrolled.  Watch out you swash-buckling thieves – my youngest will protect us … some day!!masonfencing

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Posted on June 22, 2011 by claytonhill

Morning (after) news …

wide awake eyesAnd so, the insomnia returns … It’s 3am.  The house is sleeping.  My studio is still 94 degrees, as the kilns are ramping down.  And I can’t sleep.  I’ve perused the ‘net, cleaned the studio, played with dogs and puppies, had a cocktail or two (or was it three … ???), and still – WIDE AWAKE!

We bought some plants and flowers … “Just a few, hon – I promise!” …  4 flats later, we were heading home.  I resisted the urge to buy a 5 foot metal peacock on ostrich legs … something that remarkable  (yea – pretty memorable in an ugly sort of way) is just dying to live in my yard!  Summer’s not over yet – so we’ll see.

1003113_EX53141_A_600

I’ve spent some time ‘scoping’ out other substrates (items to heat press), but have held back for now.  While I love organization and neatness, and I’m NOT a product of the great depression, I do have hoarder tendencies.  Why buy one, when 10 is way better???  And if you buy a pallet, you get a HUGE discount!!  So, I’m battling with myself, which might be why I’m not sleepy … That, and the fact that I’m ruminating about an idea DH threw out:  He has a giant man-cave (30×40 barn) that has a currently unoccupied 2nd floor.  1200 square feet of space – drywalled, plumbed, a mini-kitchen of sorts … just waiting to be decorated.  I could have SOOO much room for all of my ‘arts and crafts’ … The down-side?  I’d never want to leave there … hmmm.  My current studio is in the walk-out basement (INSIDE the house!) … The kids are old enough, right? Hmmmmm …

Tomorrow … um, later today – I’ll get all those flowers planted, see how the glass projects faired in the kilns, slump some bottles and take it from there … I think I’ll have DH man the BBQ for bacon wrapped-provolone-shrimp-kabobs … yeah, those are low-cal … Smile

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Posted on June 21, 2011 by claytonhill

Morning news …

Woke up refreshed and renewed after sleeping 11 hours … now ready to embrace the ABCs of Life …

monkey-juiceSince I woke up at 630am (such an unnatural hour to wake up), I started working in the kitchen.  I made a batch of what I lovingly refer to as ‘Monkey Juice’.  What started out years ago as Sangria, has now been modified and tweaked … all my favorite fruits, some juice, Cointreau, coconut rum, white rum, Liqueur 43, gin, mango vodka, some wine – a little of this and a little of that … It will ‘marinate’ all day to make for a yummy cocktail or two this evening … Smile

I’ve played some with the heat press – a coaster (Yorkie-style) and mug (my banner):

Tunie-coaster  mug2mug1

Ran my production kiln yesterday for a fun, retro tropical (?) colored blank … Will prep the coffin for some more letters, mobile toppers and medallions.  And then promptly leave the studio as it heats up to too-warm temperatures … Zeus (and Winston) have been keeping me company in the studio:

   retro-tropical-blank   zeus-winston

And now to work on the garden and flower beds … I have a rooster and chicken to watch over them … Smile

gardenchickens

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Posted on June 20, 2011 by claytonhill

Weekend Wrap Up … just another day in paradise

It was a busy weekend.  This weekend I refused to get sucked into anyone’s Jerry-Springer-drama (be it the twenty-something’s ‘crisis’ [can you say ‘vomited for 2 whole hours’?] or a co-worker’s overload tantrum) … Did that make me come off as uncaring?  Maybe.  But here’s what I saw: A heart rate climb to 195+ beats per minute due to some unknown overdose; a peer throw trash in the hall in response to frustration; more than one suicide attempt due to marital discord; a family of 10 (or more ???) gather and ‘vigile’ in the wee hours of the night because of a young person’s bad choices.

Here’s what I did:  Stayed calm in the face of [organized] chaos; started IV’s on people with no veins(!); directed (and re-directed) medics and patients and stretchers to accommodate new arrivals; took part in filing a child protective service report; struggled with (and BEAT) a computer program designed to slow things down; fought off a biter/scratcher/kicker; babysat a WING of intoxicated patients; sent-off a coworker (via potluck – that no one had time to enjoy) due to budget cutbacks; (almost) fell in love with an adorable 3 month old baby (yeah … I know what they turn into -> TEENAGERS!); got home just in time to eat my ‘lunch’ and survive another [summer] weekend …

And then sent my 16 year old son off on his date with girlfriend … Yep –  just another day in paradise …

I’ll leave with a photo of my ‘clock wall’ in the studio – finally got the plaque hung that I fell in love with 4 yrs ago … BTW – the ‘ABC’s of life’ … I’m working on it!!

ABCs

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