Da Weekend

It was one of those weekends I long for...one with not too much pressing, the energy to get some things done and of course, to be creative!

I took these pictures last year, but since the season is changing I thought I'd include them. Ahhhh...

Friday, I had some work projects that needed done, so I got those out of the way - well, most of them.

Saturday, was spent doing some catch up things and in the afternoon my sister-in-law and I went to see a movie. I hate to admit this, but I hadn't been to a movie in probably over a year. We went to the somewhat new theater in my hometown - very strange for a small town to have eight screens and in the process of adding four more. Growing up we didn't have even one theater in town. Strange indeed. We did the girl thing after the movie - we SHOPPED! Nicki is used to having two little guys in tow, so she enjoyed just browsing and an unhurried pace.

Sunday was a very quiet day - I got my long walk in, worked some more and have been doing the usual catching up things everyone has to do.

I am going to Las Vegas next weekend to celebrate a friends birthday. We'll be gone almost four wonderful days - it'll be good to get outta town, have some fun and do some different things. Meanwhile, I'm trying to find the perfect gift for the person who has EVERYTHING!!! I did manage to scope out some tickets for an interesting VIP performance while we're there. I don't want to let anything out of the bag since my friend reads my blog. You'll just have to wait until I can spill the beans and tell about our wild trip in little over a week.

Until then, get out your glue and have fun!
Joan

My ceramics pieces

Lindy and I got our ceramics pieces back from David. They are awesome! The techniques were so easy - can you guess what the black lines are made from on the vase? If you guessed string dipped in the glaze, you're right! Think of all the crafty accents you could use that technique on. That got me to thinking about using a feather for the same technique.

Lindy and I got so excited about our pieces that we just decided to take one lunch time EVERY week and get going on our holiday gifts. I'll share some pictures as we get going. Fun, Fun, Fun!!!
I have lots going on this weekend - I'll share as it all unfolds. I hear the balloon festival is going on this weekend - I'm not sure I want to get up before daybreak and head down there...we'll see.

Make it a great day!
Joan

Speaking of ceramics...

I was at my brother's home this last weekend and asked my 5 year old nephew if he would help me get some stuff out of my car. He came over to help and saw all the boxes and asked "Did you bring me ceramics?" I do believe he is enchanted with the whole ceramic thing. Just before he started Kindergarten a couple weeks ago, he and his brother (OK, Mom was included) painted and painted some more. Their pieces turned out fantastic! I can't wait to see where these two little guys go with their lives.

Joan

What a fantastic day!

Yesterday, I had the great PLEASURE of spending the day learning about ceramics from a world famous instructor - David Hoff. It was a day away from the office with just David and a co-worker, Lindy. The day was bright and beautiful and David's home was incredible with an amazing yard and great studio.

I am now writing/editing the ceramic instructions in addition to craft instructions so it was time to learn from the master. We went through the Creativity Guide (catalog) and talked about glazes and how they were different and what to apply them to. Then, it was time to make projects! We made a Wine and Dine plate and Saucer Vase.

David made us a wonderful lunch (he even bbq'd the chicken -yum) for our tasty salad. The day was warm, so we enjoyed chatting about ceramics in his backyard and watched squirrels running across the fence.

Our pieces went in the kiln yesterday and David will bring them by today - I can't wait to share with you.

It was a very informative day - thanks for sharing David! Lindy and I are already making plans for spending our lunch time making holiday gifts.

Joan

Bedroom Makeover, Seeing My Friend Lauren, Going to a Concert, a Party...

Seems like I could just cut and paste because I'm always doing the same things - but it's all very different...

My bedroom has been (shhhh, don't tell anyone...) a pile of boxes here and there, with a mishmash of stuff and things - certainly not the way I'd like it. I finally took some time earlier this month and went through boxes and took a tour through my local Target store with my skimpy budget in mind to find some girlie things. My parents had given me money a few months ago to buy one of those bed-in-a bag thingies, so I had a good start.

I literally haven't slept in 3 years, so I was on a mission to make my bedroom a sanctuary - my criteria was to find something to keep the light out of the room at night and to have some 'noise' to drown out the hustle and bustle of the city.

I love what I found at Target and they were all on sale - I think I spent less than $50. The swoopie thing on the ceiling is actually a velvet burnout TABLECLOTH that I thumbtacked on the ceiling. I gathered some ribbon and thumbtacked it at each corner and I had some tassels with rope attached that I put cascading down the wall and at the center of the canopy. I had a gold tablecloth (that had originally been the swoopie thing on the ceiling) that at the last minute I decided to tack to the wall. I had the framed flower image and hung it over the tablecloth.

Then on to a 'me' place - I bought a microwave stand (great for storage underneath!) for $30, draped another tablecloth over it and proceeded to bring in some of my favorite things without cluttering things up. Here's where my noise 'machine' comes in. Remember my fountain I'd made out of travertine tiles from a remodel job at my last house? I moved it indoors and it's the perfect trickling sound.

This weekend I'm going to ANOTHER concert - this time Big and Rich - I don't know much about them, but we'll have fun. A couple weeks ago, a friend and I went to see The Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton - AWESOME!

Last weekend my high school class celebrated with a 50th birthday party - we had about 35 people there from all over. It was great to catch up with my classmates - one was a guy I went to elementary school with too and we hadn't seen each other since high school graduation. My college roommate (we went to the same high school) was there and we chatted about all those memories...It was a great evening! We're already planning our cruise!

We're expecting rain starting tomorrow - I love this kind of weather. I can't wait to spend some time indoors - it was a wonderful summer filled with trips, lots of exercise and family and friends but it will be nice to start making soups and thinking about my indoor projects.

Keep crafting,

Joan

Happenings...

Sorry that I haven't been posting a lot lately. You'll see why...I've been traveling, CRAFTING!!!, and having lots of fun.

I'll give you a little snippet of what's been going on the last few weeks and then more detail with pictures hopefully tonight.

Clear out the cobwebs...

Labor Day Weekend - My friend Frances and her husband Rudy (remember them from the wedding last October?) had a 'no special reason' party that Friday night. It was great to just kick back, chat with friends and enjoy!

The rest of the weekend was crafty! My bedroom was in a major need of a 'dress up' - I had boxes in the corners and it wasn't very nice. I cleared out the boxes, straightened things up and got to it. It was one of those projects that just evolved. I had purchased one of those bed in a bag things a few months ago and that's where my motivation started. You'll have to see the pictures to truly see what I did. It sure was nice at the end of the weekend to stand back and see my handy work and finally have a bedroom that was a sanctuary.

Doobie Brothers and Peter Frampton Concert - being a girl of the mid-70's Peter Frampton was IT! Well, almost 30 years later, he's on the road and it was fabulous to see him. My old cubicle mate from work and I headed to my hometown for an evening of music. Strangely, Gloria and I went to the neighboring town to have dinner since my hometown doesn't have much in the way of eating establishments. The town we went to is the county seat, so it's not a small town, yet, not huge. As we walked into the restaurant, I had a feeling that I was going to see someone I knew - just as I was thinking that I noticed out of the corner of my eye, my parents best friends and then looked at the couple they were with and it was my parents - yes, a small world. The concert was absolutely awesome - we decided to leave just before the concert was over to beat the traffic, but we found ourselves dancing, skipping and having a good ol' time in the parking lot! Thanks Gloria - I needed that!

Last weekend was again spent with my Aleene's friend, Lauren Johnston - Friday night we went out dancing (great exercise, by the way!), Saturday we went for a walk, indulged in a massage and after the massages we were so mellow we hung out watching TV the rest of the evening. Sunday was busy doing girl things and all of a sudden it was time to head home.

This weekend my high school class is celebrating our 50th birthdays with a football game and dinner the next day. We decided not to do the centerpieces - I'm disappointed, yet I'm relieved that I didn't have to paint all the ceramic cake pieces.

I'm sure I've forgotten all kinds of things.

Oh!!! My friend Pattie Donham filmed her web segments for Life Time last week. Check out her blog for great behind the scene photos - she even mentioned me! http://www.pattiewack.blogspot.com/

Make it a great week!

Joan