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

Happy 2013!

 Happy New Year!

I hope your holidays went smoothly, but most importantly, that you enjoyed them with family and friends!; May 2013 be a healthy, happy and prosperous year for you and your loved ones!

Mine was filled with amazing food, loving family and dear friends as well as lots of gifts and tons of great ideas for my handmade business. I gotta say, I had set a goal for myself when I started, and by the end of the year, I tripled that goal!, that lets me know that I am capable of way more than I think I am, and that is such an amazing realization!, sometimes our biggest critic is ourselves, and to know that we're honestly in awe of our accomplishments, well that is flat out FANTASTIC!

So aside from all the winter wonderfulness, of course one of my special highlights were the amazing gifts I got!. From boots, to sweaters to vintage jewelry to gift cards from Starbucks  one of my amazing new toys is the SUPER useful slab roller, courtesy of my amazing hubby. This 20 lb gadget allows me to flatten a smooth sheet of porcelain clay at my desired thickness, this is amazing news for my hands, as pounding and rolling the clay is not an easy task, and with my new roller baby, I can do this fast & easy!. Thanks baby! *_^

Since it is a new year, and that always results in resolutions for everyone, I thought it appropriate, if not fitting, to create a line of inspirational bracelets, to give the wearer a boost of confidence, strength and to remind them of a special message that in the heart, has mountain-moving meaning.

I have many deigns, which I will be listing this weekend, so far you can get your hands on the "Believe" one, which is already for sale in my Etsy shop.

 Any-who, I will be getting back to my roller baby, I swear I hear it calling my name...Meli, come play with me... lol.... ok maybe not, but I will take off to work on some cool new designs.

See you all next friday, have a splendid weekend and an amazing new week!.

Toodles,
Meli