New Kiln Booty! Turtles, a Penguin, and more!

Not a lot of blogging recently (time constraints, plus I'm trying to figure out if blogging is truly dead or dying). Well, the heat is really preventing me from getting a lot done in the studio lately.  Despite that, I did manage to get out there in the wee morning hours recently, and here are my new critters.  Just hearts today, so nothing to photo yet, but these I am quite proud of. :)

What Matters Most, and How You Need to Get Back to It

There are tons of books on organizing, prioritizing, getting things done, time management, and that sort of thing.  You've probably read lots of them too, and are perhaps even burnt out from some point of all the "useful tips" these books offer.  A friend of mine (who proclaims she's had plenty of it too) had work send her to time management training years ago, when planners were all the rage, and that actually did stick -- she still uses it to this day (forsaking even her smartphone and tablet, no less).  At the same time, she is still dissatisfied every week (and many days in between) at the fact that she still didn't get the things done that she'd hoped for.  Why are so many of us still swimming, yet never arriving on dry land?  If we are all perpetually drowning, who's going to pull us out of the water?  Hey, I like to dog-paddle as much as the next gal, but there are times when we need to start swimming, and in specific directions.  This is the kind of thinking I feel is good for Sundays....

Getting to the point: While it's great to learn about time management, we need to remember to continuously assess which direction we're going instead of going the same direction we are already headed.  As either Einstein or Rita Mae Brown said, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results." Aside from planning to use an insanity plea in the future, why do we continue the same efforts and expect better?  Identify what is important in your life, and what makes you happy, and make time for those things.  Not later, but now.  Just a little bit.  Be happy right now (or make time for it today).  We truly can't live in the future, as it will get here and we'll still be waiting for the next thing coming.  Serenity now! :P

I like hiking: it's nature combined with exercise (which I desperately need), what could be better?  It's Paul's fault, he got me hooked on it.  It's also important to find something you love doing that your partner also enjoys (like glass, hiking, etc.).  I also love eating good food that someone else cooked, but sometimes that hobby can get expensive! ;)

So get out there!  Figure out if your current direction is the right one, and make time to be happy now.  No one else will do this work for you, and if they do -- I don't trust them... :)

Footnote: Yes, this is still my blog on glass art, but more importantly it's partly to describe the (not-so-creative-at-times) journey through it, and how it ties into the other aspects of a (what I consider) successful existence.  At least, that's the direction I think it may go.  Come on, haven't we all been tempted to change the direction of our blogs?  There are so many abandoned blogs out there that I wonder how many folks just gave up because they ran out of things to say on their chosen topics, instead of trying to slightly alter the direction.  Well, today's post is more about direction than glass, and if you only read here for glass goodies, please forgive the change, and I will of course still post glass goodies as the general theme.  Just mixing it up today. :)

3 New Listings, Hot From the Kiln!

After my recent brush with death (ok, so it wasn't that dramatic, but it was closer than I've been in years!), I finally got back to the studio (unsupervised, too!).  You and I do enjoy our glasswork, and I'm sorry for dropping off the map, but you understand, right? :) 

I've been making some neat beads lately, but they're for a project that's still top-secret, so no peeking at those today... But I do have three newbies on the fire block: Spiral Bee, Grey Rhino and Whale Fluke!

Spiral Bee Pendant on ArtFire

Grey Rhino Pendant on ArtFire

Whale Fluke Pendant on ArtFire

Yay for glass time!  Now if I can finish my beads soon, perhaps I'll get to show and tell with those... Otherwise, stay tuned.  Have a great Saturday and final day of March! :)

Back on the Juicing Wagon!

Since recent events have reminded us to get back onto the path of nutritious foodage, I was compelled to resume my juicing hobby today after working in the garden for a few hours.  No, I didn't grow these veggies, but they are the next best thing: from my local farmer's market and Goodwin's Organics market! :)

Cleaned veggies before juicing

I juiced almost all of this, the only thing different is I only used half that beet at the northwest corner of the shot, as you really have to be careful when starting out with beets.  Some folks get sick to their stomachs from too much, and although Paul and I have juiced them before, best not to risk it and only use half. 
This isn't a recipe from a website, but just what felt like the right ratio today.  I used:

• about 15 carrots
• half a beet
• 3 stalks swiss chard
• 3 leaves kale
• 5 stalks celery
• 2 apples

Yes, I omitted the ginger today because I forgot it until I was juicing, but that's OK.  It tastes fine without it, and it's not a huge batch anyway.  Before our vacation, Paul had juiced a large batch and we ended up wasting some of the liquid gold, so I'd rather start small at first to ensure none is wasted. Plus I used lots of carrot because it's delicious and again, I'm easing back into the greenish-brownish-brackish-water-looking-stuff we normally drink. :)

The end result was about 40+ ounces of delicious/nutritious juice (I drank some before photographing, sorry!), plus all this pulp.  The carrot pulp will become carrot-banana-coconut muffins later, and I'm undecided about what to do with the green pulp, maybe soup?  I juiced the carrots first so I could separate the pulp for the aforementioned muffins. :)  Off to sip some juice and have some tofu onion pepper curry I made last night. 

*Cheers: To being more healthy this year!!*

My Favorite Seahorse (Today)

Well, I shared it here when the house got burglarized two years ago, might as well share about this:  Friday at the Farmer's Market, I had my first (and hopefully last) seizure.  It was the scariest thing in recent memory, and even worse for Paul, as he thought I was dying.  (Neither of us had ever witnessed a seizure, so I guess it looks terrible the first time).  My legs have been sore since then, and I have an appointment today with the doctor.  I don't like to miss work, but I guess this was a wake-up call that we've been pushing ourselves too hard, what with limited sleep and extra caffeine and ginseng, I guess we had to learn the hard way...

I want to get back out to the studio.  I'm off today because I have to go to the doctor, but I'd really like to go and make some new glass goodies.  After having the seizure Friday, I'm just a little scared to be out there without Paul, though I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.  It was probably just the perfect storm of stress and lack of sleep compounded by too much caffeine and ginseng (which is like caffeine).  I'd just like to hear that from the doctor.  Then I'll feel better about it. :)  In the meantime, this is my favorite seahorse.  If I blew a mental fuse and never got to do glass again, I'd probably keep all my critters, and wear him the most, though I'm sure that's not the case and everything will be just fine. :)

Fire Divas January Challenge: Poll Closes TONIGHT!!!

Glass lovers pay attention: ;) This month's Fire Divas challenge is Romance, and although I'm sure you good folks have already seen this poll and voted, I'll repost it here just in case you had to re-heat your cup of tea last time before you could click your vote in, or comment and BE ENTERED IN THE DRAWING FOR THE GRAND PRIZE!!! The Poll closes tonight at Midnight EST!!!

One lucky commenter will receive a 25% off Coupon for Sonja’s Artfire shop. So after you vote don’t forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the post on the Divas Blog to win!! Poll closes at Midnight (EST) on Saturday, January 21st.



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Good luck, Fire Divas!