Spooky little mask project

The feeling of a mid-life crisis has passed.  A new plan is in the works.  Hopefully, involving a clay studio.  It has been ten years since I have worked in clay.  But I know it's still there inside me...it's in the tips of my fingers just waiting to come out.  My super awesome sister-in-law has a wheel she is letting me use.  We are working on a kiln and studio space.  This is the first time it actually feels like a reality.  Already thinking about my favorite combination...porcelain and raku.

This is week three of what I call solitude.  The hubby is on deadline.  He leaves about 6:30am and resurfaces around 10/11pm.  I could literally go all day with out seeing another human being above the age of 8.  The thing about solitude is I dig it.  I love being alone.  I am weird that way.  This is how I know I am meant to be living on a secluded piece of land in Vermont with my art and a farm.  The longer you are alone the easier it gets.  Maybe its easy for me to think because it is not forever.

Jude sportin' his super cool tie dye he made.   I am jealous of his technique.  I helped him fan fold it and secure it with rubber bands.  Then I let him have at it with the dye.  It was super controlled from a kit.  Just three colors in squirt bottles.  I love how kids are so uninhibited in their creative endeavors.  Adults are focused on the final project/results.  Kids can get lost in the process.  

Ok, now for some honesty.  I think I am having a mid-life crisis.  Not the 'get a divorce-buy a motorcycle-pierce my ear' kind.  More of a "ok I quit my job and what I have done my ENTIRE life no longer appeals to me" kind.  I started out teaching art 11 years ago and somehow morphed into a preschool teacher.  I don't know what I want now.  A studio? A new profession? No profession?  How can I be 34 and not know what I want to do with my life?  I have never been ho-hum about anything.  I am trying to embrace the idea of an opportunity presenting itself.  But how hard should I look for this?  Doing something with art again would be amazing.  But what I really think about is my love for music.  Those who know me day to day, know my obsession with music.  Even as I am writing this, I am drumming my fingers on the counter, thinking....thinking....Goodness, I love this blog. It provides space for me vent.

Have a great weekend!

Heart and Thoughts, They Fade....

 Jude's heart-shaped road rash

 Elizabeth's awesome heart rock find

Mumma's warped heart rock find (so fitting)

August, really?  We all say it "where did summer go?"  I am pretty sure part of my summer went to putting the slushy kids on the beach through college.  Part of summer is on my face in form of a few new wrinkles.  Elizabeth is sporting summer in her hair, a green tint from all her swimming.  Jude is lovingly sporting summer on his arm in the shape of a heart from his bike injury.  Summer is on our forever dirty calloused feet from dancing barefoot on a Castle lawn, tiptoeing across hot sand, gripping barnacle covered rocks.  Summer is in our bellies from all the berry picking we did.  Part of our summer went to saying 'yes' as often as I could to things like spontaneous play dates, ice cream for dinner, messy art projects, endless days spend life guarding our pool, bike rides, the mushroom park, staying up late.  This is the first time I have no pending engagements looming over summers end.  Nothing to worry about or plan or budget or schedule.  The husband is working like a dog.  Late, late nights.  My voice may be hoarse at the end of a bad day around here but most days I collapse in my bed, exhausted from spending time with my own kids instead of someone elses....We still have our overnight together at Storyland, my brother's 40th birthday party/pig roast, and maybe a girls weekend for the mama...