Everyday Crafty Goodness

Well, it’s the last day of 2007 and I’m putting on the third coat of mud.  This website has some very helpful hints for taping drywall.  It recommends that you wet the tape and knife often for a smooth finish.  I think the extra bit of water is slowing down the drying process and I probably won’t get to the sanding by the end of today but I’m pretty happy with where I am.

When I told my sister what I was planning to do during my holiday break she told me to “get a life!”  Hey, what’s wrong with wanting to tape some drywall on my days off?  Geesh, some people just don’t get it.  :P 

Anyway, I’m usually not into making New Year Resolutions because I don’t think that you need to wait until the New Year to make them.  However, I’m excited about 2008 and I can feel that the tides are changing.  I have some big plans for the upcoming year, well, maybe not that big, but plans nonetheless.  More on those later…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I took some before pictures of my bedroom renovation project.  I plan to finish the drywall by the end of the year.  My room (which is an attic room) used to be open but I decided that I want to close it up.  Here’s my bedroom door that my carpenter put in!  Now I can slam the door like a teenager.  Right outside the door to the left is the staricase.

And here’s the new closet.  This used to be a little nook.

The wall between the bedroom door on the right and the closet door used to be a half wall overlooking the stairs, now it’s completely closed, woohoo!

So this is not a huge project and I’m actually psyched about the taping when I return home from visiting my family (where I am now, using god knows who’s wireless internet connection).

Whew, now that the pottery show and sale is over (I sold all 26 of my soap dishes and most of my other pieces, yay!) I can focus my energy on some things that I want to finish before the end of 2007.  Lots of people have New Year Resolutions but for a procrastinator like me, the End of the Year Resolutions are better because there’s an immediate deadline … and I work much better when I have a fire under my ass limited time.  The main project I want to finish before the end of this year is to finish the drywalls in my bedroom.  I had some walls and doors put in last week (to close off my open bedroom) and to save money, I decided to finish the walls myself (something that I’ve done before).  By December 31, I’d like the drywalls to be taped, mudded, sanded and ready for priming.   I can do the priming and painting after the New Year.    It’s a pretty realistic goal and I hope I can do it. 

So what are some of your End of the Year Resolutions?  Get them out of the way so you can start the New Year one step ahead.  Leave a comment and you’ll be ACCOUNTABLE for your resolutions.  I’ll check in with you after the New Year! 

The Show and Sale at the studio runs from Thursday to Sunday.  The Weekend Special (where seconds, discontinued pieces, “experimental” pieces, or stuff that people just want to get rid of, etc.) always draws in a big crowd because of the terrific deals.  There’s a special group of HARDCORE shoppers who always wait in line well before the studio door opens at 10AM armed with their own bags and boxes (and sometimes lawn chairs) ready to get the bargains.   These are the same kind of folks who would wait in line at 2AM in front of Best Buy on the Friday after Thanksgiving. 

Anyway, this is what I saw this morning as I walked towards the studio at 9:30 (note that the windchill temperature was probably down in the single digits).

Hmmm, that’s weird … where’s the line of people waiting with their boxes and laundry baskets?  What’s that little red cooler doing on the ground?  Wait, there’s a note on it …

“HERE AT 9:15 – Staying warm in car (2 people)”

They have the right idea … numb frozen fingers and pottery do not mix well.   When I first read the note, I thought it said, “Staying warm in can“.   These people crack me up.

Here are some pieces I will be selling at the pottery show and sale this week.

soap dish in action (square soap dishes to go with my square soaps)

different soap dish designs (these are all handmade)

I really like these guys.  I think they’re good for sea salt or cinnamon sugar.  These are thrown on the wheel, altered, and then handbuilt.

And here’s a table full of pieces I have to price tonight.  I also have to set up my display shelf tonight.  I’ll post more pictures of that tomorrow.