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Wedding Commission

Last week, a friend contacted me, saying she was headed to a wedding in Louisiana, and asked if I would make a necklace and earrings to match her dress. Yesterday, I finished the necklace and earrings, and am happy with how they turned out. It was a challenge, I have a really hard time with color coordination, but it was fun, especially knowing that it was for a good friend.

Most children these days get a much better education than I ever did, especially in art. Children are schooled in color theory, and elements of design…the school I went to we had lots of hands on opportunity, but none of the reasons behind it, or ways to make it better. So, when it comes to color, it is hit or miss with me.

Several years ago, I went back to get my masters in education, which then landed me a substitute teaching job in a local school system. I felt like I was finally getting the fifth grade education I never had as a result of teaching. So many holes in my education that were finally explained. The art teacher in the school system was particularly good.

Nothing like learning the things you should have learned in fifth grade at the age of 50, but better late than never. I still have much to learn, but I feel like I am making progress.

Anyway, here is the picture of the dress she sent me, and the necklace and earrings I made.

Do you have a special function coming up for which I can make you a necklace? 

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Pottery lessons

Looking for one of the best ways to relax? Learn to throw on a potter’s wheel! Let me show you how!

I have been throwing for more years than I care to admit.  I have gone back and forth between eathenware and stoneware, and am currently working with stoneware clay. As a clay, it is extraordinarily forgiving, and I have found, pretty easy for even beginners to make something nice.

The attached video shows me throwing an oil lamp. I first started making these in college. The inside piece you can fill with lamp oil, and around the outside, you can make a ring of oasis and add flowers and a glass chimney. It makes a stunning table centerpiece. Because I have been working with earthenware, pretty much exclusively for the last decade, I have not been able to make one of these. The oil slowly leaks from the porous earthenware clay. In college, graduation weekend, I realized I needed cash for gas to drive home. Most likely I had drunk most of my budget with days still to go. Being ever resourceful, I took my oil lamps decorated with locally picked flowers, to a local restaurant and sold them, providing enough cash to get home. What I didn’t realize, until years later, was I had filled the rings with apple blossoms, which, when I dropped them off were gorgeous…but, apple blossoms don’t last as a picked flower. I always figured that was one of those karma things that would come back to get me.

I would love to teach you how to throw. It really is a wonderful hobby, art form…Let me work with you! https://worksfromthewoods.store/product-category/classes/