long lost friend...

I have not made a post in such a long time that I felt like I was seeing an old friend when I opened this up!   "oh...  it's my blog...!"  :)  Since August though, a lot of things have occupied my time.  1) My husband and I spent 3 weeks between Japan and Thailand.  It was an amazing trip!  The two places could not be more different.  Japan has to be one of my most favorite places though, even in spite of the food challenges.  ;)   2) My dad came to stay and visit for about 10 days.  I don't know how, but at 64 he was able to completely wear us out!   3) I discovered facebook and developed an immediate addiction.  How am I three years late to this??   In spite of all of this, I still have new photos to post of recent works and more importantly, the new stamp I ordered from Japan.  (I didn't have time to have one made while I was there.)  I am using it as my new ceramics signature and it works wonderfully.  I've never been thrilled about the artistic quality of my usual signature (block initials - SAS with a heart somwhere nearby) and last year i changed my name after i got married, so I was due for a change.  What do you think?  :)

Fresh oregano and sage

I've been experimenting again with taking photos of ceramics I have in use around the house.  I recently planted some oregano and sage in this pair of pots that I made.  I figured I should capture this in photos before the herbs are either eaten or they just up and die.  (Sorry to be so blunt...  my track record for house-plants is not so great these days...)  ;)  I may have to look for some recipes using fresh herbs before these head for the latter route.  :)

Guacamole fixings...

i was hoping to take photos of ceramics i have in use around the house.  it's hard to see the bowl in this photo (which has a lovely scalloped clamshell shape)...  but that's ok.  :)  this still turned into some amazing guacamole.  my husband grilled some salmon perfectly and we used the guac as a relish of sorts.  it was reaally good.  but, then again...  what's not good with guacamole spread over it?  ;)

Mistaken for Sunflowers

what i love about ceramics is that my favorite pieces and new creative ideas usually start as "mistakes".  this is something that i have come to appreciate over time.  when i first started throwing pots i sought perfection... now i am open to the possibilities that imperfections can bring and use them to explore.

a new set of large serving platter/bowls that i am working on started with a first piece that ended up way too thin in the center as i was throwing it.  (my new bats were adding a 1/2 inch to the wheel head and i just hadn't adjusted.)  so...  in the spirit of saving my beautiful bowl with the too thin center, i thought i'd add a large wad of clay to the piece.  yes, an act of desperation! but...  the method of working/tapping the clay outwards produced a "sunflower" effect that i fell in love with and continued to incorporate outwards.    

these pics are of a leather hard piece that i trimmed today.  i've got a couple more that should be coming out of bisque firing soon...  cross your fingers that i see no s-cracks!

Calla Lilies

porcelin (and organic) lilies...  a trio of new vases.  :)

Bode goes surfing

Bode, my namesake, caught posing with C's surfboard...

What a tart!

no... I'm not referring to myself... ;) take a peek at this beautiful fruit tart that ben and kelly brought to our 5th of July BBQ. it was so pretty i had to take a picture.   wow... just thinking... blogging about a fruit tart may qualify me for free senior admission at the movies? 

celebrating ...the motorcycle??

basically anyone who knows me knows that i am not a fan of motorcycles. in particular, i admit to "not love" my husband's. it's actually not that the fact of the motorcycle itself that causes issues. rather, it's that my entirely safety-conscious self likes to conspire with my overactive imagination to make me wildly nervous around it. yikes! so why should i choose today to celebrate the motorcycle with a full-blown photo shoot? because, sadly, the motorcycle is going to greener pastures tomorrow (or is it blacker pavement?), as one lucky marine comes to pick it up. so here's a toast to the yellow ducati... May the girlfriend/wife of the next owner have nerves much calmer than mine. ;)

summer strawberries

mmmm. what a better subject for a first posting? my adorable nephew has been enjoying his first ever berries.