Pottery and a new leaf

I have failed at keeping this up. Something about the great creative writing exercise that was my dissertation, and the cumulative exhaustion that followed.

However, I'm back!

I have:

taken a pottery class (raku and stoneware glazes; handbuilding, mostly, because sitting at the wheel kills my back)

bought 2 vintage sewing machines (one built in 1955, one in 1951--more one this later)

been crafting for the UMW fall bazaar

Each of the above deserves at least one post, and will get them. But here's a sneak peek:

The raku kiln

Raku wall plaque #1

The kitchen table/crafting area

The hammock that distracts me from blogging and crafting!

More books and bookmarks, too

A new book, bound with a variation on coptic binding...

Inside cover

Spine with beaded trim

Book Strings beaded bookmarks

Project for one of my classes

I needed to do soemthing creative to satisfy me, and for a class project, so here it is:

Cute little books

I made these cute little books over the last couple of weeks:

6 x 2.5" stab bound jotter notebooks


The inside of the orange & pink book: each has a coordinating first page, and then are filled with recycled paper.

Brown and blue stab bound book 5 x 4.25:

6 x 6 perfect bound book with alternating patterned and solid pages:

6 x6 perfect bound books with recycled paper:


Another 6 x 6 perfect bound book, with a look inside:

A sewing thing

I dragged out the sewing machine last week, and this is what I came up with:




I started with the woven ribbon panel, because I could kind of see in my mind how it might work, and then it occurred to me that it would be great as part of a stole, which I knew how to make...so I did.
This one I gave to a friend, but I'm thinking of making another, and putting it in my Etsy store.

First UMC Carwash

Ben's youth group did a carwash fundraiser for the Relay for Life.
This is the final moment:

Funny thing I saw on the way to the coffee shop

I took this with my phone the other day.
Wonder who he's waiting for?