I guess I have to catch up from my last post last week. I can't believe I have let so many days slip by without one little blog. I seem to get distracted at blogging, even though I really do enjoy doing it. I guess uploading the photos, changing them, saving them and then blogging them tends to get a little overwhelming.

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So enough with my excuses...I'm sorry and Thanks Sue for being concerned about me and my well being. I am pleased to announce that I am well and feeling pretty good about the cleanse now. The first week is always the hardest, especially when you have to feed two other humans in your house and they are not especially digging the rabbit food that you are consuming. I did have one minor set back yesterday...not really sure what it was about but my body finally either caught up with the cleanse or I had a little bug. I spent the entire 16 hours on the couch in a ball. I feel much better today and have actually starting eating as of lunchtime.

No not regular food, back to the bunny basics!
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A quick recap of last weeks throwing...I banged out a ton of pottery in one day. I felt pretty pleased with myself and am dying to get back doing it. Maybe tomorrow if the snow day that they are predicting ends up with 1/2 day, I'll be able to throw in the morning without interruption. Take a quick note of all my goods in the above photo.

So a quickie about gum. I have found a new love for gum. It totally takes the craving of hunger away for a little while. My jaw is definitely getting some good use with the amount of gum I have been chewing lately. Remember that when you go to reach for a bad treat...grab the gum and enjoy (really, I just said that?).

So the above photo is taken during a workshop I attended this past weekend at Syracuse University. The guest artist is Ayumi Horie and you can visit her website here:
http://http://www.ayumihorie.com/
Pretty amazing stuff this woman does. I think my mouth was open the whole time watching her throw. A very interesting technique she has created. The above photo is of her removing a large ring of clay in order to make a dinner plate. I can't really explain how she does it but it is similar to a wood carvers way of creating a bowl or plate. A huge waste of clay but it helps save your hands and arms with the amount of tendonittis you can get.

This show a plate that I purchased from her. I fell in love with the birds and dots....

I am inspired and want to create....

And now I leave you with just a cute little cat photo of Stitch curled up on my legs sleeping.

Day 3...and I think I maybe doing pretty good on this cleanse. Although ask me last night and I would have said something different. I hit a wall around 6:00PM right when I was taking care of my great aunt. Needless to say, so sympathy was bestowed upon me...I bit my lip and carried on. When I got home around 9:00 I crashed hard. I think the lack of junk food and the cleaning out of all the impurities in my body seems to be taking a toll on my and it is only day 3.

Ugh...I know it will get better and I will have more focus.
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Speaking of focus, tomorrow is a day of being home all day and I plan on making good use of my time. Hopefully I will be able to publish the fruit of my labor.
Any suggestions on what to throw???

So today was a little uneventful unless you consider day 1 of my 21 day cleanse. I started off by sleeping in to around 9:00 this morning. Wow, I don't even know when the last time I did that!!! Then got up, had 1 small cup of coffee (I really am not suppose to have it but I NEED it!!), then around 10:00, I had my first shake of the day. It is a combination of mixed berries, apple juice, cod liver oil (it doesn't have a taste, Thank God!), 1/2 a banana and 2 scoops of my dietary supplement from the cleanse. I didn't feel like eating breakfast this morning because of such a late start. Lunch time was a mixed greens salad with 1/3 cup of poached chicken and a EVOO/balsamic dressing. Another shake at 2:30 and I just had dinner of 1/3 poached chicken with brussel sprouts and artichoke hearts. It actually wasn't too bad today until my lovely husband put a bucket of movie popcorn on my lap to hold while he and Graydon hit the head before the movie...Mall Cop. Nice huh???

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Anyhow, in combination of what I just told you there are some dietary supplements (pills) I need to take. This is a very healthy start to the beginning of the year when I have been eating everything that isn't held down. Check out the website:

http://www.standardprocess.com/display/StandardProcessCatalog.spi?ID=45
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Anywho....we went and saw Mall Cop this afternoon. It was pretty funny with Kevin James starring in it. I would give it a 3 thumbs up (out of 5). Those of you Kevin James fans will really like the movie.

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Well, off to work...see ya tomorrow!

Today was the start of our Empty Bowls project that we, "Clayworks Pottery Studio", help with. We are donating over 200 bowls for this great cause. I will be having more information regarding this local event as soon as I get it. I believe the date is in April and those of you local people should stop out, get a great handmade bowl and a delicious bowl of homemade soup to boot.

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I got to the studio at 9:00 this morning, started the vat of coffee to keep us going and then pugged at least 100 pounds of clay. We went through the clay pretty quickly and by the time I left at 1:00, there were 15 students helping out. We have several months to go...but the sooner we start this, the better. I made about 8 bowls while I was there. The far cry of 20 I wanted to complete...but it is a start!

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The above photo was taken from my phone and it shows some of the bowls that were completed. If you do go, the students sign their work on the bottom of their bowls so if there is someone in particular you are looking for...flip the bowl over.

Here is a link to one website that I found...check it out for some information...

http://www.emptybowls.net/EmptyBowlsProject.htm

McYUMMMM!!!

Who does not love a McRib sandwich from McDonald's??? Show of hands please....no-one...Good!! I LOVE McRib sandwiches as gross as it may seem. Right around this time every year I crave them. The drippy BBQ sauce, pickles, onions on a sesame seed roll. Ohhhh....goodness!! So upon shopping at the grocery store today pondering what to have for dinner I decided to re-create my fav! Sorry for those of you on a diet or cleanse I must continue.

I started off sauteing chicken breast in a little olive oil after pounding them out. After cooking them almost all the way through I cut them up and added them back to the pan with delicious Emirl...BAMMMMM...bbq sauce. I then took rolls, toasted them and added the chicken with the BBQ sauce. OOOOoooo my mouth is watering again! I then added some yummy pickles and vidalia onions to the top! Add some fries and call it dinner I say! The above photo is actually what I made. Show of hands who wants one...

Needless to say, I am starting a cleanse on Monday and have decided to indulge myself this week. The next three weeks may be a little grumpy. I apologize in advance!

Not too much new around here in these woods except for the fact that we got about 8" of snow up here on the mountain last night. It is slightly flurrying as I speak (opps I mean type) but I do not know what the forecast outlook is like, nor do I really care. When you live where I do you just put up with the weather knowing that in a few months it will be spring and outside work to be had. My husband drives me nuts in the winter time. Bored as he calls it, he wanders around the house with his hands in his pockets looking for something to do. Although at the present time he can not help me organize or clean my "crap" room (nor do I want him too), he has kept up on his end of the deal with the dishes. I hate to do the dishes...love to cook, and that is what our deal is suppose to be.

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I have still be organizing and cleaning. You must think that my house is like one of those old people that you see on TV. The only way into the house is through a path of newspapers and there is garbage floor to the ceiling. Well, my house is not like that, at least all but one room. The "crap" room was suppose to be my little slice of estrogen in this male testosterone house. Well, considering all of you who know me well, know that I dabble in just about any kind of media out there thus the mess in this little room. Jack of all trades, master of none is what I say... from clay, paint, wood, drawing, painting, sewing, concrete, fabric, scrapbooking and more. Metal forging is on my list to do but that hasn't started YET. The poor little tiny room of mine has been neglected for quite a while. It will now be turned into a media room for the boys, seeing as which media has now invaded the living room. The office is now my room. I have been sorting, labeling and arranging for days and I can finally see the light. I purchased a cheap espresso colored bookcase from Target last night and even assembled it myself (except the back). The office is really taking shape and there will be photos in the next week to peek at.

Until then...I bid you farewell and happy organizing!

We woke to another snow day today...not much of snow but a thick layer of ice that has blanket the cars, trees and ground. I was happy to have a day off today and so wasn't Graydon. Before we went to bed I had asked him if he had is white socks on (it is the only color he really wears) and he said yup! White socks, snow day...yippeee!

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Anyway, today was a slightly productive day. Here's what I have done so far...

1. Played a round of monopoly
2. dishes
3. 4 loads of laundry (wash, dry and fold)
4. played wii with Graydon
5. made lunch
6. cleaned more of the "crap room"
7. organized more stuff in bins
8. built a lego Star Wars ship (it took 1-1/2 hrs...ugh)
9. made homemade chicken noodle soup
10. threw 2 mugs and a colander

Whew...busy day! I am looking forward in settling on the couch with a blanket and a heating pad on my back. Night all!

You all are getting a two-fer today!! I went after work to get my x-ray and they actually let me walk out with a dvd of my x-rays. Not great for a person like me let me tell you. I resisted as long as I could when I got home not to pop that baby in the drive but temptation got the best of me. Now I am not a professional or anything like that but something tells me that the above image just doesn't look right. Notice the top vertebrae and the one underneath...why doesn't it have any cartilage between the two?

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I tried to find Todd's friend Russ at the Hospital to see if he could read it for me (he's the professional) but no dice. I did call my Chiropractor who ordered the x-rays and he told me to stop looking at them. He's a friend so he can be blunt with me. I guess I'll just have to wait until Wednesday for my appointment. So until then...feet up with warm heat I say!

Daily Grind...

Well, I'm back to the daily grind.

Lunches to pack, clothes to get ready, kid to get out of bed which I might add was a feat this morning. If I would have let him, he still would be sleeping! I'm glad to have spent all this time home with Graydon and Todd but all good things must come to an end. I need to get back into my routine of getting things done. I am back to work today...not that I want to but the $$$ is talking to me. We have decided to completely renovate the room that I am cleaning out. No it is not the office but the craft "crap" room. The wall paper needs to go...it is even on the ceiling! The carpet is in really bad shape so good-bye! I will be doing most of the work myself except laying the carpet. That is where our friend Bill will come into play. But for now, nothing can be done until it is hauled out.

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After work I am heading to get boxes to put stuff in for future looking through...thank goodness we have a barn for storage!! That will be my spring time job...hauling out the barn! But for now, this is a perfect wintertime job for me. I do expect to try and throw a little pottery tonight. Hopefully the back will hold up. Somewhere before Christmas I injured my lower back and it is still bad. I am heading for an x-ray today to see what the deal is. Wish me luck!

My New/Old Friends

Who doesn't love a label maker and plastic totes!! They have been my life saver for the last two weeks. What would we do without them?? The sound of the motor printing and the little label popping out the side just gives me goosebumps! Sounds like I need to get out more?

Anyways....I'm on a roll. I have decided that if I haven't looked at it in a year...buh bye!! The garbage and recycling guys are just going to love me this week. When the office is done and organized I promise I will post pics but until then, I need a shovel!

Does anyone out there have a New Years resolution for this year???

Wanna hear mine?? Too bad, your gonna hear it...

CHANGE

Yep, that's right, change.

Now when I say change...I mean not drastic or anything like that, well maybe. I'll have to think about it but I am turning a special number this year, and it is freaking me out a little. So I am going to keep busy with change. First thing I am going to change is my organizational skills. I have really been trying for over a week now to sort, throw out, clean and organize my life. I have a secret room in my house that not too many people have seen. I have stashed and stowed stuff for years in this room and now it is time to revamp. We need some more room in this house for Graydons toys and electronic equipment so what better way than to clean out this hell hole.

Do I hear a gasp from you??? You all have someplace in your house that is like this. Whether it be a drawer, closet or room...you all have one!!! Don't be shy...own it baby!

I have not taken a before photo of this "crap" room...opps, I mean to say craft room, but I will divulge some photos when it is cleaned out and you can see what the carpet and walls look like. Awful!!!

So change it is....

There will be more changes to come in art, life and maybe even me. I don't think I am ready for a haircut just yet but maybe.....

HAPPY NEW YEAR

TO ALL YOU BLOGGER FRIENDS!

I have been slightly absent for a while (too long I might add) and I apologize. It seems like Christmas hits me full force and leaves me no time! I promise that the new year will bring more blogging, more art and more life in general!!
I thought I might share some photos of the past couple of weeks. Thank goodness for digital cameras! The top photo was a batch of cookies I made for my sister and her family when they came to make our annual pasta for Christmas Eve dinner. The above photo shows just a scant of the pasta we made during the day. I think the total was 5-1/2 pounds for Christmas Eve dinner and 1-1/2 pounds for dinner that night. Everyone loves the pasta...especially my family! I made a batch for New Years Eve dinner....yummm!!

While making the pasta, the kids made reindeer food for Christmas Eve. Every Christmas Eve they head out side for some "sprinkling" of the food! Note to self...do not let them make it next year WHILE we are making the pasta! Glitter was everywhere, but as you can tell, they had a ton of fun!

Christmas tree hunting was a little late this year. We ended up at the "fat" tree farm and had to top a tree. No, the tree farm is not called Fat Tree but it just goes to show you what the trees looked like. Very, very large!! But I do have to say our tree is so pretty and it smelled GREAT too! I think next year I might try a live tree and then plant it. Better for the environment.

Lots of handmade ornaments for the tree this year. I tend to like them more than the store bought ones.

Our barn adorned with a huge wreath for the door.

I think this is Graydons favorite present this year!!

Callie even go festive for the month of December wearing her little collar.

And finally....

Steve, Shea, Ahne, D'Lynn, Graydon, Me and Todd