Mugshots

Etsy Treasuries are always interesting to me. I love how creative people get with themes, colors, stories, etc... My "Rise and Shine" metallic coffee mug is featured in a treasury called "mugshots". I found this to be particularly cleaver with the placement of the mug in the photos - like a police line up of mug shots. Brava to Lolailo! Very clever, indeed!

I found it interesting that my "mug" was in the same line up with another potter I met last year when I bought a kiln from him. It's a small world.

Rainy Days and Mondays

Rainy Days and Mondays...that song will always make me think of one of my older sisters who used to listen to The Carpenters when I was a young kid (and Jill - you know why - ;-)). I know all the words to so many of those songs, thanks to her. The soundtrack of my childhood was incredibly influenced by my three older siblings. I remember sitting outside my big brother's room while he listened to his favorite music on his giant reel-to-reel tape system. I used to play his 45's on the record player when he was off at school. Apparently I often scratched them and I remember him being steaming mad at me for that.

I grew up listening to what would equate to a crazy musical stew of the Beatles, The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Three Dog Night, Steve Miller Band, Elton John, Carly Simon, Carole King, The Carpenters, various disco songs (ha!) - topped off with a splash of musical theater that my mom would stack up on the "hi-fi" (Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, Gypsy, etc...) and the Nat King Cole that my dad loved so much. Those songs are truly unforgettable - the lyrics are burned into my brain. Most of us have a soundtrack to our youths - usually so telling of where we were in our lives and what we were doing. I'm always curious to hear what songs were the soundtracks to my friend's youths. Anyone willing to share?

Today one of my "Monday Morning Coffee Mugs" was included in an Etsy Treasury called "Rainy Days and Mondays". Surprisingly it's not raining today here in the Seattle area - like it is so many Mondays. When I saw the title, I instantly heard Karen Carpenter's deep voice singing that song in my head - which started the above thread of thought. Honestly, these days I kind of like Monday mornings as the kids are back in school and I usually get a little break from the chaos. So perhaps the tune will change to "Rainy Days and Mondays always make me smile". At least for now.

~*~As Summer into Autumn Slips~*~

I just returned from a very misty fall morning dog walk with our big rusty brown colored Aussie, Sequoia. He lives for these post bus stop walks. Every morning he waits patiently for the household to rise and get ready for the day. As soon as the kids throw on their coats (yes, fall has arrived very quickly this year in the PNW), he jumps up, perks his ears and wags his tail furiously.

If dogs could smile I would say he smiles as he looks forward to his morning "cruise" (as I now call it since the word "walk" sets him into a much crazier frenzy). Clearly the wild wagging of his tail is evidence of his smile. Even though "Boya" is 10ish, he still acts like a puppy at these moments. After the cruise he settles into a big long nap like you would expect this grandpa aged dog to do.

Sequoia's coat color reminds me of fall. I returned from our walk and discovered a beautiful Etsy Treasury called "As Summer into Autumn Slips" which included one of my little dipping bowls glazed in a green and rust glaze combination. Cozy stuff!

Moving Day

The kids are back in school and I'm gratefully getting back to work in the studio. The only problem is that I've discovered that someone has moved in while I was "away". Spiders. I get SO incredibly creeped out by spiders. They make my skin crawl. I've just done battle with some HUGE ones and I've got serious heebie jeebies. I considered photographing their remains but can't bring myself to face their giant bodies again as I fear they might inhabit my dreams for nights to come. Trust me. They were big and scary. I had to retreat to the house for a break from it all. I know, I know... spiders kill lots of other bugs. I just wish they didn't have to do it my studio space. I'm refusing to let them move in for good. As I type this, I hear Kristin Davis singing that little theme song tune from Miss Spider's Sunny Patch Friends cartoon and I'm feeling a twinge of guilt. Sadly for the spiders, it's only a very small twinge.