Sunday Ceramics 1 - The Blogging Clay Community

Thanks to a clay acquaintance on Facebook, I stumbled across this awesome blog by Frogpondsrock, called Ceramic Sunday.  It's a way for us solitary potters and ceramic artists/sculptors to unite and get some of our "socializing" in.  It's a way to build a community that knows no boundaries. I decided to take the plunge and join in on the fun!

Cleaning Mr. Peter Pugger - Part II

Good evening (It's Tuesday evening, as I sit here typing this up.. :) )! Hope ya'll are doing well!  So guess what....I DID IT!!!  I am soo proud of myself!  I completely disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled my pugmill!  Those that have been following me for a bit know what an AWESOME accomplishment this is, especially considering all the health hurdles I traverse daily.  :)  But *pat on the back* for me!  :-D  I didn't get it spotless, like Scott and Angie did when they cleaned their Shimpo Pugmill.  BUT, I got it clean enough for my purposes.  I want to make my own batch of paper clay (which, do you have any idea how hard it is to find a tutorial on how to make your own paperclay, that actually provides accurate ratios of paper pulp to clay?!?)!  Good thing I plan on writing about THAT too..hehe

Cleaning My Pugmill - Part I

Have you ever cleaned a pugmill?  I hadn't..until tonight.   I can now see why potters will pick a single type/color of clay to work with.  I have a dark brown clay, a speckled buff clay, and a white clay that I work with.  What can I say, I liked diversity...  But I'm finding out it can be a pain in the ass when it comes to wanting to reclaim my scrap clay using my Peter Pugger Pugmill.  Currently, I have a mixture of clay scraps that I've been reclaiming in my pugmill. It's roughly 50/50 of the white stoneware and the buff speckled clay.  BUT...I want to start working more on my sculptures, and through research, have found that paperclay might work best for me.  So I'm going to make some (another blog post to come, detailing that process...so stay tuned!).  But in order to get ready to make said paperclay...I need to clean out the pugmill so I can get all the colored clay out of the hopper, so I can mix some white paperclay.  :)  

Intuit Marketing Contest

I know it's been a while...my health has been kicking my ass.  Sitting here with my TENS unit on, my back is finally starting to feel better, and I just might be able to get my hands in clay before I fall asleep tonight. :)

While I've been sitting here, I found and entered a contest Intuit is having.  It's to win a $5,000 marketing package.  It would help get my name out there and hopefully grow my business.  I would LOVE your support!  If you would be willing to take five minutes to vote for my shop, and spread the word along to your networks, I would GREATLY appreciate it my friends! 

Here is the link:

https://sblb.intuit.com/me/JSB-Arts/5890/us

http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/

NOT disabled....DIFFERENTLY-abled!

When I first got sick, in 2010...I was bumming.  I was heart broken, and continue to be blindsided as my health continues to decline.  It all started with seizures in April 2010...followed by cognitive decline... memory and concentration issues... tremors/ticks... weakness and numbness in my left arm/hand... severe leg pain and weakness ... and last but not least... urinary incontinence.  I think that's it... haha  OH!  Yea...forgot the PTSD...All of this has occurred in the last 3 years...For a while, I let myself feel sorry for myself.  I can't run around with my munchkin-boy anymore.  I can't go for a hike through the woods with my husband.  I have been unable to complete a college degree/further education.  There's a LOT of things I CAN'T do...It's been in the last year with the support of my hubby and the innocent wisdom of my son, that my mind set has changed.  I used to send a thank you note with my Etsy orders, as well as have it printed on my business cards; "Thank you for supporting a disabled veteran's business".  Yes... all of these physical, psychological, and physiological issues have created boundaries and limitations...  But they've also showcased my strengths and other abilities I never knew I had.  

2014 Goals - 1 Down, 13 to Go!

At the beginning of the year, I created a page for my 2014 Business Goals, to not only help me keep track of the goals I set for myself; but also so ya'll can help keep me accountable.  One way to almost always achieve your goals, regardless of what they are, is to share it with loved ones, friends, and/or the public.  Once you've put anything out there for the public to see...there is an innate pressure to uphold your end of the bargain.