so i made a huge mistake in my previous post. i made mention that i planted the hydrangeas. that was quickly corrected by my lovely mother, who is a very literal lady when it serves her cause or argument. actually, my mother operated the shovel back when those were planted, so
she was the one who planted them, not i. since my mom is one peach of a gal, i thought i would not only retract the claim that i, individually, planted those hydrangeas, but put up a post all about her.
my mom is known for many things: her discriminating taste for tchotchkes; being an highly experienced car passenger; maintaining her elite status as a slot machine high-roller at the casinos; having some very strong political opinions that are polar opposite of mine; possessing masterful wallpaper hanging abilities and keen sewing skills; and, most importantly, her love of dressing animals like humans.
i would like to elaborate on the last characteristic. this started with our dear golden retriever, sassy. sassy was just as her name--a sassy ol' broad. if sassy were one of the "golden girls" (rest in peace, estelle getty), i figure she would have been bea arthur's character, dorothy zbornak. sassy was incredibly smart and knew exactly what she wanted. she would always talk smack back to us and didn't let us get away with most things that humans slip by dogs, such as dressing them up in goofy outfits. my mother tried to throw a hat on her here and there, but i don't think, aside from the red bandanna, she ever found success during sassy's 16 years on this earth, since that sassy ol' broad of a dog was having none of that. then came along our second golden retriever, abbie. abbie was a smart dog, but on a different level than sassy. abbie was more of a dog's dog in that she could be easily tricked into things if it meant getting extra pets or a treat. this opened the door for my mother to feed her deep seated impulse of dressing up dogs. over the years, it was as predictable as my
father's caterpillar cards that the holiday season wouldn't be complete without a picture of abbie in various holiday gear--santa hat; antler headband; new and improved antler headband with jingle bells; you get the point. i always felt bad for abbie, or any dog who gets dressed up in goofy outfits, but my mom insisted that abbie liked it. sadly, abbie passed after about as many years as sassy had under her belt. the memories will live on since we have many pictures of her, with and without the festive wear.
on to their most recent addition to the family--cricket. cricket came from the
local humane society. mom, who came to decide she wanted a smaller dog, as she and my father are getting older, got her when she was a tiny puppy and after the humane society declared she was a terrier and lhasa apso mix and would stay small. it is now better evident that cricket is more likely part giraffe, part border collie. with that said, mom really loves the dog and no phone conversation is complete without many stories about cricket's life. being that cricket is more of the abbie variety of dog--will do about anything you ask her if you offer a pet in return--mom wasted no time to pull out the accessories and the camera. i think i saw it all when my mother sent an email the other day to proudly announce that cricket, in bespectacled glory, made the front page of the local newspaper. it is like my mother has fully come out of the closet and announced to the local community that she likes to dress up dogs. bravo, dear mother, bravo! your unapologetic eccentricity will always be a source of my entertainment.
the below is a casting of a snipping from one of the two cedar trees that flank either side of my backyard.
below is one of the creepy looking succulents. i love them. i snagged them from a large bed of succulents that sits in front of the studio where i cast them.
an even creepier looking succulent. i love the little plant inside the plant (look closely).
below is the least creepy of the succulent castings.
i also played around with transparent enamel colors. again, the picture does no justice since the colors are absolutely beautiful. i have big plans for these enameled domes.
now i really want to get a kiln and all the required beginner items. i really want to get the one the instructor has, which is a smaller version of the kilns in the classroom studio. i figure everything will set me back $2500-$3000, which is a bit steep, but i guess it is a small price to pay for a renewed excitement. also, the idea of getting away with using copper, without worrying about tarnishing on the wearer, excites me since i can put more time and artistry into my work, which will compensate for the use of silver and gold. i sometimes feel that the cost of materials i use hold me back design wise, since time coupled with expensive materials can make items cost prohibitive or make it where my profit margin is low in order to price a piece at a point that will motivate people to purchase.
i just hope u.s. postal service will not responsible for your whereabouts. i shudder at the thought.
