It's October!

Yay! Fall has finally arrived here in middle Tennessee after enduring months and months of 90 degree plus weather. Boy was I tired of that! Now it's in the 60's, low 70's, even some 50's. This October loving girl is just so happy about it too!

News? I'm busy filling lots of Etsy orders. I think I just hit 405 sales! Woo Hoo!! It's awesome that I have so many return customers. To me that means they love what I do, and of course that's why I do it! So doing lots of painting; snowmen and witches...you know, the usual. My art studio is now in my dining room, spread out all over my dining room table (that we never eat on), this way I can keep an eye on my doggies in the adjacent room. I like it better that way, though it is messy.

Whmsical Witch painted on a Bass wood plate

Vlad, a paperclay sculpture

Oh and I was taking a ceramics class up in Nashville that I enrolled in and started back in August, but then I fizzled out on it, realizing that it just wasn't my thing. I'm a painter pure and simple. I need more time once I create a ceramic piece and the first firing is done, to be able to sit and think about what colors I want to paint, or what design, and in the class, you don't really have that luxury. It's more about the creation in clay then it is the painting, so I just don't think it's my medium. Good thing I didn't invest $1,500 on a kiln! I did enjoy it though, don't get me wrong. My teacher, Crystal Shade, who owns Crystal Shade Pottery up in Germantown, was a hoot! She creates really awesome animal creations just to name a few and donates to animal organizations (which I SO admire!). I feel bad it wasn't for me, but you don't know till you try I guess. I made a few things; a funny cat mug, some little houses and also some ornaments.

Paperclay sculpted owls - I love these!

A new Frosty paperclay sculpture

Right now besides filling Etsy orders, I'm trying out a new technique with carving my design in wood and then painting. I've done one large one and I like it. It's different for me as it's not as detailed as I normally get, and also it's not "perfect" which is hard for someone that's semi-anal retentive such as myself, not to try and get everything "just right". It's good for me to loosen up and not go back and fix things, though trust me it's hard! LOL! Anyway, my first creation was done on an 18" x 11" wood plaque that I had already painted with a base coat of off-white, so when I did my carving, it wasn't quite the same as having a clean piece to start with, but I think it turned out fine. I just started a smaller one now that hasn't been painted first, so we'll see how that goes. I'll update this post with a pic of the other here shortly.

Well that's kind of it for right now. I'm just home, enjoying doing all my art and working with my wonderful customers, and spending time with my horses, and my cozy little house. Life is sweet and I'm blessed for each and every day, and grateful for so many good things in my life. Happy Fall everyone!!!