Pond Life

Frog catching at Nana and Papa's is one of the signs that summer is finally here!!

It was amazing to watch Paul and Sam knee deep in the pond trying to catch frogs and tadpoles.

We came back to the house with a bucket full of pond life. Sam was so excited!

I love watcging him explore and learn. While the asking "Why" every two seconds can get a little on the crazy side, I am glad that he is interested in learning.

Reflecting

I thought that with the passing of the Artisan's Festival Last weekend that I would share with everyone the posting that I had last year at this time on the old blog location.  I read it again just now and think how much and yet how little has changed.  I am still learning for each new experience as well as trying to find what opportunities may be laying in wait for me around each corner and in each adventure!  

I am realizing that being a full time artist, mother, woman and wife is an ever evolving process and I think I am finally coming to realize that I will be forever incomplete and that this is something to embrace and treasure. Since I will never be fully done I can rework and change at any moment.  How freeing is that?

"This month marked the date of my first Artisan Festival.  I was surrounded by 100 other artists and craftsmen on their journey to getting their hand made work into the hands of loving customers.  

Seeing as this was my first big show I was very much on the nervous side of life.  I was unsure how much product to bring and just how much business I would do.  

Set up started on Friday; so  Jon (my studio assistant/brother) decided to err on the side of caution and be there early to make sure that we had lots of time to get things set up before having to pick up my little guy from school. It was a very windy day and while setting up the tent caught wind and flew over the van and crashed breaking all the legs!  So I am telling myself to breathe!  We then made a trip to get a new tent, the poor woman at the store, she must have thought I was crazy being so upset about a TENT!!

 

Saturday was a great day.  No rain lots of sun and lots of people.  We got great feedback on the lessons and the pottery camps starting this summer.  We did learn one large lesson.  It IS important to make sure that you bring the sign that says that you take Visa.  As no one will ask you if you do or not, in reality I was surprised to see that most people do not talk to you at all.  I am guessing that they are shopping and do not want to be jumped all over with you wanted them to buy something.  

 

Sunday was great as well.  More sales and many more contacts.  We packed up and are getting very good at the packing up and unpacking at this point and so we got home with only moments of energy left.

 

As a first show goes I learned many things about selling, my product and services and most importantly about myself.  There is something about selling something that you made and therefore has a little piece of you in every pieces.  In a way I am selling little pieces of myself to all those that buy.  It was interesting to see just hoe emotionally tired I was at the end of each day.  Being out there for everyone to see.  Difficult for me even on the best of days.  As an artist most of us are used to being with ourselves and our work.  Putting ourselves out there is at times the most difficult part of the job.  But with each show I see more and more strength within myself.  So not only have I working at my job and my dream I am working at myself as well.  What a great opportunity!  

 

This month I encourage you to all to look at the little life lessons that you may experience and what does it tell you about yourself and how opportunities await you there."

Enjoy the Rest of the weekend.!

First Show of the Summer

We are having lots of HOT weather here!  It is the first real heat of the summer and I am not too sure what we are going to do.  I don't remember having such a difficult time with the hot weather, however, in the past I did not have a two year old hanging off of my leg and a infant in my arms!!  

Lily loves to be held and rocked to sleep and yet she is upset about being sweaty and hot, so we are having lots of baths and playing in the water table.

Too bad that we couldn't have had this weather on

 the weekend.  The first show of the summer for me and we spend all day Saturday in the rain!!  I was so worried about how things were going to be with Lily and the show and she was amazing sleeping most of the time both days.  While we were cold and wet she was very warm and dry in the sling.  

Show wise it was total bust!  It is difficult to come back from

 a total day of rain.  Then Sunday was Father's Day and so there lots of people at the park but not a lot of buyers. I am hoping that all those that took my card will call and take lessons or come to the Open House to shop. 

I had a new display this year and I am now thinking of ways to make changes.  I have to be able to be under the tent with Lily to keep her out of the sun.  Last year we did not have this and so there was much for display.  At the same time I felt like I had a lot of "filler" and not only my best work.  This year it all the latest and greatest, but more expensive and so maybe not as many sales.  Pottery is such a difficult to price and sell as it is functional to a point and so you have to price it that way.  Also, so many they don't understand or appreciate it as they think that they can buy a whole set at Walmart for the price of some of my pieces.  

We are off to Kingston next weekend for Fanfayr and I am hoping for a better show.  However, we are also staying with my Dad and Sam and he are going camping so we are excited for the time regardless. 

Drying Off

I know I have been away for awhile, but I am cleaning up and drying off from a wet and hot weekend sale.  Last week was all those last minute chores.  

Pictures and stories to come.

A Weekend Well Spent

~ Hiding in the trees

~ Shoes are not part of weekend hiking

~ Finished off with a popcorn snack

June Weekends are the best! New plants, new foods, and new outlooks on life.

It Begins with Colour

Over on the most amazing site Apples for Poppyanne, Erin has created a challenge each week for us all to notice the colours around and among us. She put this out there several weeks ago and I had been almost afraid to submit something or to participate. My inner critic took over and I was concerned about what kind of picture to take, would it be "creative" enough (after all I am a self proclaimed artist), and what would others think.

This week's topic was Contrast and I thought that this would be difficult as it was not just looking for a colour in everyday life. However, I began to see contrast everywhere. It was like when you buy a new car and all of a sudden you start to notice that type of car everywhere. I was seeing contrast in colors, people, buildings and even in myself. Yet I was unsure what I was going to photograph after all Paul is the photographer!

Out on our weekly hike in the woods I for the first time all the trees and knew in an instant that this was to me contrast. Such tall trees with narrow truncks and they stand up to all weather. So here it goes my picture of Contrast...................

Beauty

Since I am new to this whole blogging thing I got this idea in my head that I should change the layout of my blog. What an idea! After much searching on the internet for blogger templates and trying to import them while knowing nothing about HTML and other internet language I ended up erasing everything and having to start over! Hence the newer appearance.

The picture in the header is one taken two summers ago by my husband. It is an amazing photo and we had it framed for Christmas last year and it now hangs in our kitchen. He took it in Prince Edward County where my family has land and we often go in the summer. It is a beautiful place that is inspiring for all of us in many different ways. We always say that we would love to live there yet we always get in our cars and drive back to the city. I hoping that one day we don't get back in the car.
Another one of Paul's amazing shots. I am trying to encourage him to sell them. We are hoping that he will at the Grand Opening and Studio Sale here in August.

Outside

We have had a break in the rain and the sun is shining here, I am so excited to take the kids outside and RUN!!! It is amazing what an hour ouside will do for us. Everyone is refreshed, energized and smiling just alittle more. I never really realized just how important being with nature was until being held up indoors for the long winter while being pregnant. I was not able to get Sam out and playing as moving was just difficult not including snowboots and winter gear. I am much happier to be enjoying the warmer and sunnier weather as well as enjoying Lily outside of my body.

Kiln Cooling

The kiln is cooling with new pieces in it. I will be opening it later today I wonder what wonders await me inside. It is always like Christmas morning opening the kiln. There is a lot of excitement around here.

Glazing Weekend

It was a beautiful day here with the sun bright but I was not able to enjoy it as I was on the studio glazing my heart out!! Today we (Mom and I) glazed a good portion of the pieces needed to start firing to the Artisan's Festival in 2 weeks.

I had a really great plan and then all of a sudden I was freaking out and not sure how I was going to get it all done. So Mom came over today and helped to get a handle on things. Paul and Lily hung out together and Sam "helped" us. Of course we got a lot more done while Sam was napping then when we was helping. However, I like that he gets to see me work and be a part of my business and art. I want him to know that being an artist is just as important as Daddy going to work outside the house. That being creative is important.

We still have a bunch to get done but now I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

It All

I am getting to a point in which I am unsure anymore whether I can be all the roles that I need to be.  I am not too sure I can do it all anymore.  Mother, Wife,  Artist, Business Owner, Daughter, Sister, Friend....... the list goes on and on and I just can't balance it anymore.  How do I do it?  

I have this vision in my head about how everything should be.  How each and everyday should look and it never happens.  I end up sitting crying feeling like I didn't get anything done, that I failed in some way.  That some days all Lily has done is cried and I didn't leave the therapy ball, Sam watched TV all day as that was the only way from keeping him from getting into stuff and hurting himself, and the house looks like someone broke in a ransacked the place!  Oh, and I haven't even gotten dressed!  

Creativity.......... Where is it on those days?  When was the last time I was able to be in the studio without being rushed and overwhelmed?  Months ago and the beginning of the summer season is about to start and I feel like I could have been more prepared and organized and I am missing out on so many opportunities because I wasn't organized enough.   

I am thinking can I run the studio?  People are not paying to come for half-ass service and watch me spiral into something else.  I can't even remember to get students clay so that they can make stuff and even more to the fact that I don't have the money to get it for them.  I am just not a business person and I am not running it well.  

Why is it that I can't let go and let things just flow?  Trusting that it will all flow together?  What if it doesn't?  What if everything just falls apart, what will I do then?

Worried about Time

I am so very worried about getting all of my pieces galzed and fired in time for the Fairy Lake Artisan's Festival here in Newmarket. It is the kick off of the summer show season for me as well as being a very large show here in the town in which I live and work. It is the most important show if the year for me.

I am way behind and I am starting to get stressed!! I only have 15 days to finish all the glazing that I need to do as well as finish and order. I had a plan all worked out and then it didn's seem to happen. I am also finding it very difficult to do all of this with Lily who doesn't want to be with anyone else but me. Therefore I am only being able to work for a few hours or moments a day. What I need is two full days in the studio and I would be fine. The trouble is finding this time that it not at midnight each day!

I am hoping to a productive weekend and then days firing over and over. Look out electricity bill!

Summer

Thinking and planning for the summer. So many shows, family events, and places to take the kids.

Trying to work it all in and enjoy the time as well.

Alone

Today is my first day alone with both the kids.  My brother who has been living with us for the past year and gotten a seasonal job and is back in the workforce.  Thus leaving me alone to during the day with the children.  For the past 9 weeks he has been a second pair of eyes in the house making sure that things run as smoothly as they can with a 2 1/2 year old toddler and a newborn, plus the postpartum sister!!  

It is lunch and I am doing o.k.  We went grocery shopping and got Lily a few more cloth diapers as the new system is going well.  (We used disposables with Sam as we lived in an apartment with no laundry and had to cart to the laundry mat)

This morning has been interesting as Sam came to tell me this morning while I was nursing Lily that he pooped all by himself and even flushed it!!  There was no mess in the bathroom which I am very grateful for!  However, he did try and clean up the kitchen for me with a good portion of the liquid soap!  They are just messes I tell myself and can be cleaned, he is trying in his own way to be helpful.