sneak peek

holiday 2010 ornaments. 
see y'all later!

quiet

 I am, I will be, I want to be, a little quiet around here for the next week or so.  I'm working on building inventory for holiday sales- my own pre-holiday home sale on Nov 12 and 13, a ladies' night before that, a post-thanksgiving sale, and another thing or two in Memphis.  And a big etsy update, as well.  
I'm excited (always am) about new work and have a harder time cranking out the things that people actually "need," like mugs and bowls.  I'm making those too.  Honeypots, butter crocks, colanders and tumblers.  You know, the things that sell and bring in my income.  I have a lot of pots to make in the next few weeks.

Today I'm not making any pots- I need to bisque fire, and it has been rainy so I've made bread and tomato soup.  I went to see a new movie (I hope there will be more info up at this link later) screened at the Indie Memphis film festival.  I wish that this movie were a book so that I could read it again and again. 

ok.  see y'all later.  hope you have a good week!

oh, hello

I'm still here. I went camping. It was awesome. Good food, good company, beautiful surroundings. It couldn't have been better.
Re-entry has been what it always is- kind of tough. The first day you're refreshed and then real life comes crashing back down. There's homework to do. Luggage to unload and put away. Laundry, bills, and, if you're me, pottery that has to be fired and glazed *right quick like* so that you aren't behind. And I am behind, perpetually, but that's ok. I'll never be where I want to be, production-wise, because I have unrealistic expectations of how much I can do in a given time period. I do a lot, but it isn't quite what I think it is.. That's also ok. What doesn't get done isn't earth-shattering.

There have been some good things, too. New ideas I'm working on. A new project I'm feeling extremely lucky to be in on from its inception. A finished pair of socks (I like 'em bright) and 2/3 finished sweater. 40 something jars of tomatoes in the canning pantry and a really really nice stash of tomato jam and pickled okra. More freelance work coming in, new things opening up.

There are three dates left for the regular season of the farmers market.Believe it or not, I intend to put up *one more box* of tomatoes. No, they won't be the best or tastiest or whatever, but this winter, I'm not running out of tomatoes. Yes, I have a problem. And I'm fine with that. I'll be there this weekend and on the 30th. And at the holiday sale on Dec 11.

Speaking of problems, I pulled this little individual teapot-thing out of my seconds box in the basement.  Hubs was ill yesterday and I needed a teapot that wasn't a full-on teapot for his preferred small cups of tea.  I'm not sure why I thought this was a second (actually, the lid isn't quite where I would have liked it to be, but nothing is perfect), but I'm glad I pulled it out.  When we're both working at home, we tend to have a lot of tea.  I think this will be in use a lot. 

finally fall

The weather's finally cooled down.  As much as I looked forward to summer, I really never thought it would end.

This weekend I went camping with some good girl friends- it was fire-less because of the drought we've been having (I think we're on day 40 without rain), but the weather was crisp, the breezes were plentiful, and the skies were amazingly full of stars.

Once home, I made a batch of spicy tomato jam (and I do mean spicy) for gifts and for the pantry.  I have another 7 quarts of quartered tomatoes on the stove, and this evening I'll finish up my last box with as many pints of marinara as I can eek out.  Last summer I canned 2 boxes of tomatoes- maybe 10 pints of puree and 12 quarts.  This year I've gotten almost 4 boxes of tomatoes- I have no plans of scrimping on my tomatoes or running out.

Outside the kitchen, it is time to really ramp up on the making.  I'm participating in a "trunk show" type sale at a friend's home, my own pre-holiday sale (Nov 12 and 13), a Thanksgiving weekend sale, and the Memphis Farmers Market second annual holiday sale.  Plus I plan to have a fully stocked etsy shop for the first time in, oh, who knows when.  So, folks, it's time for me to get rolling- I've already begun making pomegranates.  And I'll have lots more butter crocks and honey pots.  I can barely keep those in stock, and I'm grateful for that.

Have a great week, y'all.  I'm off camping again at the end of the week with some really dear friends.  I can hardly wait.  See you next week!