Saturday, November 27, 2010

Hauntcast is Now Playing!

Featuring an interview with one of my favorite haunters, Dave the Dead of The Shadow Farm, this episode of Hauntcast will be a great one!
This episode is an important one for the whole crew of Hauntcast, so be sure to listen all the way through!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

New Treasures From the Kiln

I've been slaving away over my "rest-of-the-year" pieces for the past couple of months. We had a soda firing last week, a couple of Raku firings several weeks ago, and are going to be having a pit firing in the next couple of weeks, so I've been prepping pieces for them. Here are a few pics of the most recent results.
Raku Fired "Gromit"

Raku fired jar

Soda fired vase
I can't wait to see what the new pieces will look like! We have another soda firing to look forward to this week, so I can play with some glazes for that, then on to the pit firing.
It's so nice I don't have to wait 'til Christmas to open presents, huh?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Clearly exhausted from non-stop eating and cocktails, Beloved takes a breather.
Happy Thanksgiving, All! I hope it's safe and satisfying for everyone!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Brandywine Cemetery

Hauntcast pal Robert of Brandywine Cemetery has truly outdone himself this year.

I have envy. Deep, deep envy.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Darkside Cookies Pajama set by Crazy Dog Tshirts

Love these! Just went on my Jack Skelington Wish List.
Darkside Cookies Pajama set by Crazy Dog Tshirts

Spider Rider Stills 2010

As Hallowe'en Night wound slowly down, I asked Mr. ShellHawk if he would mind the shop while I took a quick trip over to Spider Rider's Haunt. I hadn't gotten to see the full display, and was really stoked when Mr. S smiled indulgently and gave me his blessing.

"Have fun!" he said, as I trotted out the door with my little Canon PowerShot.

The man himself was camped out in the driveway, waiting for unsuspecting tots to wander by. It was great to see him again, and he graciously gave permission for me to take some pics and some video of his haunt. Here are the pics. The video is going to be awhile, and I plan to run it by him before I post it, so it has his approval.
If all goes well, we'll do an exchange of services this year; he'll help me re-do my witch (I still hate her!), and I'll make him some custom tombstones. Sounds like a pretty good deal to me!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

When You're Falling

I've been listening to my iPod lately and wondered if there was a video for this tune-one of my faves from a band I love.

There was. Click on the pic to watch.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Johanna Parker Giveaway

For those of you who like Johanna Parker's work, head over to her blog to enter her giveaway. The prize will be this little darling, pictured below:
Actually, don't bother entering, as I'm going to win him for Mr. ShellHawk's snowman collection.


Stills

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Holy Hand Grenades, Batman! Two Years I've Been Writing This Drivel?!

And you first readers are mostly still here! Amazing!

O.K., I'm such a big, fat loser that my two-year blog anniversary came and went on November 3rd without so much as a peep from me. Yup. Two years since my first blog post. Hopefully, you can forgive me this oversight.

I want to thank blog buddy Spooky Blue for being the very first person in the blogosphere to notice and comment on my blog. Spook was encouraging from the very beginning, when I was pretty darn sure that I was blogging to a completely disinterested web. We had been something like pen-pals the previous year, when Stewie was under construction. I'd write with an idiotic question, and Spook would send back a knowledgeable and kind response. (Not, "You freakin' idiot! Stop writing me! Effing stalker!")

Spook, you are still my prop hero and I just think you are da bomb! Your writing is thoughtful and always either inspires me or makes me giggle. Thanks!

Wow, two years. My grandma was a spring chicken of 99 years old. I did my first sculpture, and a bronze at that! Stewie was still new and proud, and at least a year away from looking like he needed neck surgery. I was forty, and wanted to start to do what it was I believe I was meant to do and set my feet on the artist's path once and for all. Now I have a piece in a museum.

The time went very quickly, and the work was, and is, sometimes frustrating, and sometimes disappointing. I'm in the process of learning some new throwing techniques, which makes me feel like I've been busted back down to rank beginner. Oh, well! It's either grow or die on the vine, right? Today at school we're doing a soda firing. I made four or five pieces and glazed them last week in preparation for it, and I'm really excited to be involved in it! Next month, there's a pit firing, so I need to make sure I have some pieces ready for that. I'm pretty sure Mr. ShellHawk would frown on my digging a pit in the back yard!

So life goes on, and hopefully, learning and growing will continue. I hope the same for you, too!