Playing Catch-Up

Hi there!; yes, it's been months, time flies, and I feel like I am playing blogger catch-up every time I get around to posting; I have it in the back of my mind, burning of guilt, like a little voice in my head that says...yes, another week without getting around to post anything in your blog, not a single word, not a simple photo...zilch.

Let me tell you, I have no kids, only a husband and a very babied spoiled Yorkie that I love as my human child...I keep a 9-5 job, keep an etsy shop, a side business, multiple spring craft shows, stay social in 4 platforms all while playing therapist to my family, and trying to desperately squeeze some "me" time which I feel I haven't properly had since last September.

It is so very hard to juggle many things at once, and while I love to be super busy, it does take a toll, and many things do give and fall through the cracks here and there...and my blogging seems to be one that falls through the cracks ever so effortlessly...but seriously, I still feel guilty.

 

So let me recap...

 

 

January: I spent inside, I put away all of my Christmas decorations....The start of the new year always gets me into home-decor, I want to clean and organize and re-arrange everything...of course this meant organizing my studio,to make it more efficient and neat which of course helps when you're expecting an avalanche of work incoming.  January also tested me, as I had to "impatiently" wait to hear from the shows I had applied to, in the hopes of being accepted...waiting is not my forte.

 

February: I got some shows approval, the main one being Carolina Fiber fest....I began to create a large amount of pieces, as I felt very confident this would be my biggest show and challenge yet. Of course, I always begin my list with very large quantity numbers, always to edit that in a realistic way..maybe if I had a better studio (not inside my closet and a side office table), maybe if I was a full time potter...but maybe I should try to keep my sanity by learning to predict quantities better, so I don't have to create so much in such a short period. My goal was over 500 individual miscellaneous pieces.

March: The stress was on!, I had barely made 100 pieces, with a month away from my first craft show, I was working until 3-4 am every day...my house was a mess, I was solely focusing on my business, letting my home kinda fall apart ..no time to cook or work out..no time for anything else really.....thankfully my husband is amazingly supportive and doesn't complain if the dishes pile up like the Eiffel tower...he may not wash them, but he doesn't blame me or complain..and that helps *_^

 

 April: STRESS + PANIC ; with a week away from my first 3 day show, I was about 50 yarn bowls short...I needed to bisque, glaze and high fire so many pieces...my awesome kiln powered through and performed amazingly!, I ran him every single day for about 9 days straight...I had never fired so much...but I was under a personal deadline, and I needed to make it happen. Of course, with pottery, anything can happen..and I mean anything BAD...now add the finicky porcelain diva that she is, and you have a recipe for heartbreak and potential disaster....overall I lost 10 pieces to bad glazing outcomes...cracking , etc. each piece that doesn't turn out well breaks my heart...but it is something I must learn to accept.....not easy though.

March and April were also filled with booth display designs...I had a new tent and new table and was focused on creating -or rather requesting my husband to build certain pieces that would store away flat, taking the least amount of space in my SUV for the shows...I created banners, burlap tablecloths, business cards, and played around with table setups to maximize my show space, while adding personality and interest to my booth.

 

 

So it's mid May...and tomorrow I'll be doing my last show until fall...I feel relieved and look forward to reclaiming my weekends, and spending more time with my family and dedicating time to sprucing up my home..tending to my neglected garden...play with my baby puppy...spend time outdoors... 

 Sometimes life gets so busy we forget to LIVE...but life will always be busy, and You must make time to enjoy, share and recharge....

I hope to be blogging at least once a week...it may be short and sweet, but at least the little voice in my head will stop yapping *_^

Have a splendid RELAXING weekend

Xo,

             Meli

My recent trip to Amsterdam

Happy Friday dear friends!. I am so excited about this weekend, I have a little open house lined up for my neighbors and friends to see my pottery work, and I am finally free enough to plan my daffodil and tulip planting design! ^_^. 

 

 

This past spring, I visited Europe, and one of my stops was the amazing and very known Flower Market in Amsterdam. You can imagine being the flower lover that I am, that I was in absolute heaven!; there were so many beautiful varieties of tulips, peonies, daffodils etc. that I wanted to buy 3 extra suitcases to fill with bags of bulbs and tubers and attempt the crazy idea of clearing customs with my splurge.... funny thing is I would have probably been detained for trying to smuggle flowers, but for those other travelers, trying to smuggle the "other" infamous legal plant, they more than likely got through *_*

 

Gorgeous canal homes

My favorite flower, the alluring PEONY

 

I did get to bring 2 bags of 10 amazing tulips each, only 14 were viable, so those were carefully stashed in a dry and cool location in my home, and I am so itching to plant them in their new home, to delight me and my husband with their amazing color come spring.

Amazingly huge AMARYLLIS



A view of one of the market stands

Endless selection of tulips, SO CHEAP!

 I also got to smuggle another addiction of mine, CHEESE!, yes, I LOOOOOOOOOVE cheese!, I am happy to say I believe I must have been a rat in a past life, because I adore cheeses, the stinkier the better, apparently *_^ . 



A view of an underground cheese shop in Amsterdam by the flower market

 

I ADORE to travel, and during each travel, I break my own personal record of the number of photos I take; during this 2 week European voyage I took a whopping 7000 photos!

 

I have over 30 gig of photos time shared between my PC, my husband's 2 PCs and my laptop.... for some absurd reason, I have not thought of buying an external hard drive, but don't worry, it is on my "to buy list" for black Friday @ Best Buy! hehe

 

Before I say Adieu, let me remind you that there is still 4 days to enter my giveaway!, you and anyone you know could win a $20 gift certificate for MUDDY HEART POTTERY!, that is a great gift either for yourself or a free gift to give to anyone on your Christmas list!.  It is free to enter, and available WORLDWIDE!

 

Enter by clicking the photo below:

 

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bdbadf0

Have a lovely weekend!!

XoX, Meli

I love fall! ^_^

Happy friday dear friends!; last week I was having issues with blogger, I guess they resolved them since I am able to post today ^_^

 

I have so much to share!; first off, I was accepted to be part of the "Giving Market" taking place in Apex, NC on Nov. 3rd, this is on a darling downtown in a gorgeous historical Baptist church!; This will be my very first craft show, so I am equal parts of excited and nervous!, I have soooo much to do and very little time to get it all done

Downtown Apex, NC a lovely and quaint slice of history overflowing with great shops and restaurants!
 

I have been working on yarn bowl, jewelry dishes and new jewelry lines, they should all be done in about 2-3 weeks tops!, many of my orders are becoming personalized/monogrammed, so those will be as always, made to order, so as much as I am working hard now, the work doesn't stop, and I honestly do not want it to ^_^

 

 

Making porcelain daisies ^_^

I have a huge selection of jewelry pieces that I know will do great on the craft show and open house I'm having... These are gorgeous, delicate and unique



A Pile of beautiful earrings ^_^

 

Amongst all the work and dedication it takes to try to create my dream business, I make sure I sneak in personal pleasures, like knitting, baking, shopping (my exercise of choice *_^, and spending time outside with my hubby and baby doggy ^_^)

 

 

A few of my favorite things ^_^

 

Gorgeous baby roses from the fresh market, a weekly delight for me and my home ^_^

My addictive homemade oatmeal-raisin-coconut cookies, to DIE for!



The fuel of my life, starbucks Frappuccino! ^_^

Fall fabulousness!

My pumpkin haul!, I will be going back for more next week...I have a total weakness for pumpkins!

I hope you are enjoying life and have wonderful plans for the weekend! 

XoX, Meli