View Full Version : Finally getting through it? *trigger*
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magie06
16-07-15, 11:01 AM
Can you get some time to yourself to have a rest?
Can I bore you all with what I think is troubling me?
Go for it, I won't be bored.
You wont bore us hunni and we may be able to help
Oh I think you might. (think)
Its a hodge podge of things all totally irrational and stupid, some of them soooo stupid I may not put them here as they are too embarrassing. They are not in any order...
Tax Credits.... Gov will give me tax credits as I had no income last year.... But in order to satisfy them at the end of the year I have to show that I made an income that is equivalent of a minimum wage. I told them I work 40 hours a week so that means I have to show that I earned (after taking off running costs) £286 a week or they will take the money off me.
Art club. In order to try and get more people across my threshold I am starting an art club... 12 people are interested so far. I can only take 6-8 so I will have to split the group to accommodate them all. They only want to pay £5. As it will be a club I will need to set it on a club basis, ie have a treasurer, secretary and chairman. I hope to be able to take at least £20 a session for me but what if they think that is too excessive? and I am scared to setup the initial meeting.
Blind group. I am scared about starting this. I dont know what I am going to do with them and how it will go. What if I cock it up?
Dad. Not seen him in days but cant face going out with him at the moment.
Income so far it looks like my income will be £55 a week unless I can sell some stuff, but I am crap, my bowls are wonky and it takes too long to make stuff.
Firing. I have some stuff ready for the kiln and a lot still drying but after my mistake with firing stuff when it was not properly dry before (it exploded!) I am scared to load the kiln.
Getting agoraphobic. I am scared to leave the house and the immediate environs alone. I would like to take Ember down the beach but cant face it.
Losing my benefits. I currently get DLA but the gov are going to reasses all DLA applicants onto PIP I know I wont get enough points to qualify. I can manage my MH providing I do certain things like have a nap or break of work when I feel anxious or down and take someone with me when I am anxious about going to a new place but I know this wont cut it with the DWP.
I will have to tackle the council tax. Now I am no longer a student I am going to have to find the full amount of tax.
I am missing having a support worker to talk to. I am expecting a call any day now from the CMHS to tell me that I am being discharged and that my financial support for the art therapy group will come to an end.
I should be going up to art therapy but I am getting too scared of the social anxiety to go. I will have to go on another day to what I was going and I am scared about who will be there.
Mucked up my mandala drawing that I have been working on since last September. Don't know what to do, whether to risk making it worst by adding another colour over the top.
Hubby and his house... need I say more. Still need to write back to the solicitor.
Sorting out my "den" which is where everything from the main studio was dumped on Friday but is now such a mess I cant retreat there.
Problem with my Talk Talk service. I should be getting Sky but the box upgraded the software a couple of days ago and now I cant get it. I cant face trying to tackle them about it.
Electricity bill. Not yet had one since we moved in and no idea what I may have to pay.
State of the house. Not done any vacuuming for weeks. Washing up is piled up from the last two days. Washing off the line from yesterday is dumped (not even folded) in a chair. Next lot is on the line. Clean washing from last week is on my bedroom floor as I have not got round to putting it away. Sink and shower in bathroom are disgusting. (I did ask son to clean them but I guess he forgot)
Financial review tomorrow. See bit about agoraphobia! I have a meeting with an advisor at the bank about how I could better setup my accounts. Wish I had not been talked into it now!
Exhibitions. I have an exhibition coming up in a few weeks and I need to get organising it but I am failing miserably.
There may be part two in a minute but here you go for now.
Im just going to talk about your pottery at the mo. You're an amazing artist - otherwise you wouldn't have got a first in your degree! You're not crap at it, you've said before that work at the college sometimes cracked when they put it in the kiln so it's obviously something that goes with the job. I'm sure the next lot that goes in your kiln will be perfect. The blind group and the club - you spent a lot of your time at college helping and teaching others - this is no different. You can do this, I'm 100% sure. Hunni, have faith in yourself x
(I'll come back to you later - I've got an exam at 5pm so I'm spending this afternoon chilling/freaking out ;)
OK, I am going to make some suggestions I hope you take in the kind spirit in which they are offered.
Do NOT assist your husband with his house anymore. Its up to him to sort this out and I fear that you bearing the brunt is the reason he is putting off selling. Its not fair on you. He doesn't have to deal with the (swear)(swear)(swear)(swear). If he does, he might give in and do the right thing (I believe he should sell, his brother and your kids should get their inheritance)
The house: daughter and son should share responsibility of cleaning. You are not running a hotel. In fact give them a choice; help around the house or pay more rent.
You are a wonderfully kind person and you put yourself last. Your children and your husband are adults and need to take care of themselves and help take care of you.
Re the pots.... ok, can you cheat? Can you get a mould of some sort to make the base shape before adding the pretty bits (I've seen them on facebook, I still like that wiggly edged plate the best). Put a few of your least favourite things in the kiln and fire it up, if they explode its not a disaster (but they won't explode because you know what you're doing).
Does the art club need to be a club? Can't it be a lesson, and charging £10-£15 a week sounds reasonable, particularly if it includes materials and tuition. Do you know how much others charge for art lessons in the area?
I believe your social anxiety is stemming from all the stuff you have going on. You sound absolutely exhuasted. The problem with running your own business is knowing when to take a break. It will take some time to build up business and get into a routine. You are doing a brave thing here.
Oh Rose you make it sound like the kids dont pull their weight. Its not them but me who is not pulling their weight. We have a rota. As there are 4 of us it is split into two main jobs. Job 1 is the bins and recycling Job 2 is the house work. Me and my son (J) are one group my daughter (H) and her BF (A) are the other. This month H and A have the bins and recycling. J and me have the house. J looks after upstairs. He cleans the bathroom, landing and stairs. I do the hall and the kitchen. We all do our own spaces.
H and A look after the cat, do their own shopping, cook their own meals and do their own washing up. J cooks about twice a week and I do the rest of the meals and the shopping. I do the washing up for J and me before I go to bed (usually) and J drys up and puts away in the morning before he goes to work.
Ref the art club. I tried to setup lessons but no one would join. I started off with the fees at £8 but people complained that £8 was too much.... It is very difficult to find out the fees others charge as they don't advertise as they are over subscribed.
We all do our own laundry. H and A get the machine on a Saturday and J gets it on a Sunday I get it when I run out of underwear!
It sounds as if you have it all worked out. But I thought you said your son didn't do the bathroom? I suppose you'll have to give him a friendly reminder.
£8 seems like a bargain but remember I am in London so my numbers are skewed.
What do you think about asking your husband to deal with his house issues himself?
With the pots I do use a mould sometimes but even then you are not guaranteed to get an even rim one of the pots in my pictures was made in a mould. No I need to cheat in a different way and not have a straight rim to start with! The plate you like was made in a mould that I wade from a Indian Copper plate I picked up at a car boot sale.
Well he is to a certain degree. I have to write to the solicitor as the trustee on behalf of the kids. Aside from that I have washed my hands of him
Yes will need to give J a nudge about it.
I don't know why it wouldn't come out right if you use a mould, but then I know nothing about clay (concrete is more my style at the moment).
Can you make the clay into a flat square (to get even thickness), put greaseproof paper into the mould and then drop the clay into the mould, gently push down, slice with a knife across the top and the overlaps, let it dry enough to set into place and then drop it out of the mould? (Hopefully this sentence makes sense)
You dont need grease proof paper....
That is what I do (well sort of you have over simplified the process a little), however the mould I have is too big so I need to trim the sides down. I could make a smaller mould, but I can knock up a slab pot just as fast and making a mould is too time consuming at the moment.
You dont need grease proof paper....
That is what I do (well sort of you have over simplified the process a little),
Sorry (blush)
I love your work. What's your publicity like? What about sending off mailshots to some of the holiday parks in your area? Maybe get them into touist information places - something like come and see you working, buy your beautiful products and maybe a "have a go" type session?
I have 2000 flyers being shipped out to those tourist info things you get in stations, hotels and supermarkets. They should be out this week although I have not checked with the company that they are out. I may nip into the station when I am out later to have a look.
The flyers are advertising 2 hour sessions for people to come along and create a souvenir, they start on Monday but I don't know if anyone will come.
Just had a huge surprise. Got up to goto the loo. Thought I had better go and do the washing up which I had started earlier but not finished. Went downstairs to find the kitchen spotless. Cleaner than I had seen it in weeks. A then came through and said he had snapped and the state that it was in had finally got to him. I feel terribly guilty that he had got to that stage but maybe it will get him to clean up after himself and H a bit more promptly than he has recently.
Don't feel guilty. I think its brilliant that he did it.
:)
That's great that he did it!
Its great that he did it hun x
I wish he would more regularly though, he's a bit like H, rather than keep on top of it and clean up behind him he waits till it gets really bad then cleans like a demon. Also these youngsters dont see things... The bathroom bin is overflowing and there are about a dozen empty toilet rolls in there but they dont see them, its not that they are not willing to empty them it just does not cross their minds to do so, they seem to sort of go blind to them. I have to nag.
Lol! I know what you mean!
Been a bit naughty this afternoon. I had an appointment with the bank and afterwards I dropped in on dad his girlfriend was there and so I took them both out to the shops and then went to Costa with them. Only just got home so not done much work today!
Maybe that's what you needed?!
Getting a bit concerned now. A is on a cleaning fix. He has cleaned the toilet (possibly the rest of the bathroom as well but I have been banned from using the loo for a while so I have not looked) He has cleaned their sitting room. Vacuumed the hall and the kitchen and is now getting prepared to wash the kitchen floor.... I feel so guilty.
Been a bit naughty this afternoon. I had an appointment with the bank and afterwards I dropped in on dad his girlfriend was there and so I took them both out to the shops and then went to Costa with them. Only just got home so not done much work today!
Yes this morning I could feel myself getting all knotted up whilst I was sculpting so needed to escape for a while.
Why? It's not like you've been standing around drinking tea and doing nothing for the last while... Enjoy it!
Absolutely agree with Suzi, you've been working your backside off for months, you deserve to have time off and for someone else to clean the house
Absolutely agree with Suzi, you've been working your backside off for months, you deserve to have time off and for someone else to clean the house
Hell yes!!!
Well I was drinking tea whilst he washed the floor (tea) (rofl)
This art club is proving to be a nightmare!! I have 17 people who want to come. Some of them think that the beginners should have their own group. Some think that a mixture of beginners and improvers is a better idea. Most of them want to come on a Wednesday evening, some want to come in the day (never can agree a day though). One guy is adamant that he only wants to do watercolour and acrylic painting (I hate him already, not because thats what he wants to do just the way he said it!).
I thought I had cracked it. I lined 6 people up for the beginners on Wednesday evening and 6 improvers for Thursday. Three people had not stated a day or their experience so I have yet to allocate them to a group.... THEN someone emails me and says can I bring my sister on Wednesday???
At 6 we will be comfortable, 8 yes I think I have the room. More than that and I will have to get creative....
As well as organising this I had an email this evening from a venue I am organising an exhibition at in a few weeks asking for a write up and pictures so I have had to start chasing up the 5 other people who said they would be interested in exhibiting with me. I just pray none of them drop out at this stage or I will be trying to find substitutes. Mind you the ridiculous thing is I don't have anything to exhibit myself at the moment!
I think you may have to say, this class is on that date and this is my maximum numbers. If they can't fit that, go on a waiting list. It's what any other teacher would do
Oh I will but of course at the moment I am not sure how many of those interested will actually nail their colours to the flag and commit.
I think what is really worrying me is that people want to learn to paint and I am a bit rusty on the painting front!! I have emailed a painted friend of mine who said back before we finished the course that she would be willing to help out to see if she can come along. Trouble is that she has been battling breast cancer this year although I think she is ok at the moment and at Easter a girl arrived on her doorstep from Japan with a grandson she knew nothing about and now she is spending as much time as she can getting to know him and the girl.
Pen you are a fantastic artist. You can do it. Take it step by step hunni..
Now dont know what to do... Just come back from coffee with my well tanned friends who have just returned from a 2 week cruise round the med.... GRRR I hate them.....Not really they have been a bedrock for me when all my other friends have left me.
However cant decide if I should..
1. Brave the heat and weed the front garden as the weeds are now almost as high as the roses.
2. Prepare the chemicals and treat the blanket weed in the water feature (BTW its leaking again!!)
3. Fix the leak in the water feature! (again)
4. Tidy the upstairs of the studio
5. Finish off the pots I started that need working on before they get too dry
6. Start painting the bedroom
7. Put away the mountain of clothes in the sitting room before I get to the stage of wearing the "emergency pants"
8. Wash the kitchen floor again (my daughter spilled energy drink after A washed it and although she wiped it up you stick to the floor every time you walk over the spot)
9. Deadhead my flowers and dig the grass out of the bricks
10. Push all the boxes in the upstairs studio to one side, put on the TV, find a film and work on the large mandala I am doing
11. Write the article for the artists newsletter about the exhibition in a few weeks
12. Put up paintings in the house and studio
13. Put all my pottery in the sun so I have a chance of it all being dry enough to fire by next week
14. Arrange the rocks and tree stump that hubby brought me for the garden
15. Work on my otter carving
16. Make the wind chime I have intending to do for ages
17. repair the windchime that has got battered so much in the WSM sea wind that the cotton has snapped
18. Process some more clay whilst the weather is good
19. Do my accounts
20. Go back to sleep (snooze) (snooze)
It's Saturday - do what will make you happy and relaxed :)
5, 11, 13... then 20
Found a 21. Which I have done first. Get one of Mum's Looms on ebay so that I can stop falling over them and get Dad some extra cash.
Only managed 5 and 13 but added a number 22 which was to make some slip. An extremely mucky business but I now have about a pint of the stuff that I can use to colour pieces if anyone turns up for my short sessions that start next week
What's the plan for tomorrow?
Just back from the car boot. Got a full sized studio easel f0r £30. Really pleased as it is an older one, the new ones in this style are not such good wood and have a centre hinge which is a nightmare as they close up whilst you are using them and so you end up having to fixe a plate across the hinge. It has no worm and all the joints work well, no cross threading on the bolts. Also got stuff that I can use as moulds and three more plastic jugs plus a great garden sieve. This one is an old one, it has a double mesh which brings the grade down to quite fine so it will be great for use with straining clay. Also got a big bag of cherries and a bag of potatoes for £2.
Poor hubby kept having to take my purchases back to the car. We are both shattered now.
I had planned to do the gardening this afternoon but I cant find the energy at the moment!
magie06
19-07-15, 05:07 PM
Plans can change sweetheart. Don't feel guilty for not doing anything for a change. You deserve the rest.
That sounds like a great day!
Well hubby and I did manage to find a bit of energy to devote to the front garden. There is something therapeutic about ridding a bed of weeds! Hubby cut back the dogwood that I have been gently trying to persuade him to cut since we moved in. The weight of the leaves had dragged one of the branches down across the drive so he finally admitted that it needed done.
He had to go and get some bread as we are so short of food. Tonight I was going to do pork steaks but they are not defrosted. I went though the freezer to find something else and found that there was NOTHING.... So J is having a little ready meal beef stew with some steamed veg. There is nothing left then for me apart from a Birds eye steamed rice thing. I think I may have to do some shopping tomorrow but I really dont want to. If it was not for J I probably would not bother.
Oh no for not having something in! I hope you manage to forage and find something!
Me and Ember shared the rice thing. There was not much of it but I could not eat it as it was too spicy. Done the shopping online tonight so at least we will have some food by Tuesday.
I suppose you don't have a shop near you that's open after 4pm?
If you have bread, then have toast. That's always my fallback plan.
I do but I could not get the energy to walk to it at that time of night and I could not face going shopping anyway.
Bit down this morning. Getting stressed about work this week. I dont know if I will get anyone for my short sessions that start today and I need to chase up the leaflet company to find out if the flyers have been distributed. I have to work out what I am going to do with the blind group tomorrow and I have a beginners art group starting Wednesday evening. As for the improvers I have no idea if I have anyone coming! I have decided that I will do a group on Thursday afternoons and another one in the evening and see how it goes. However when I asked people to commit to a group they melted away like the snow on an august day...
Ordered another £100 of supplies last night which I will need to make up when they arrive tomorrow just in case I get people on the short courses. So far I have spent a lot of money but have nothing coming in. Thankfully this week will change that a bit.
I have to get stuff fired this week as well. I have been trying to find out a foolproof way of being sure that stuff is dry enough to fire but there does not seem to be one. Just experience. I did learn a new ceramics term though, candling. Apparently if you put your stuff in and run the kiln at a low temperature for a few hours before ramping it up you will be safer from stuff exploding. This low temp run is called candling.... You learn something new everyday as my Dad says.
You're doing great. A new business takes time to build up but you've got a lot of opportunities within weeks of starting up. That's a fantastic achievement and bodes very well for the future :)
I think you're doing brilliantly!
I think you're doing brilliantly!
Not quite so convinced!! Thankfully no one showed up this morning as the nursery at the back had the tree surgeons in to cut the trees back off my studio. The noise was very loud!
Now going to bite the bullet and try and programme my kiln to do a candling run this afternoon. I was shown how to programme it when it was installed but that was April..... He left instructions but not sure what I did with then now.(sweat).
You will probably be able to find instructions online hun if you google search instructions on using the kiln model and make you have x
I'm sure you can do it!
Of course I could. (rock) Managed to set it to candle for 3 hours. Slowly getting warmer for 2 hours then sitting at about 82 degrees for an hour, now just kicked off a main firing so hopefully the candling worked and I wont have any catastrophes. Spent the day mixing up glazes, slips and oxides. I could find the ratios for the slips and glazes but not for the oxides. Its at times like this that I realise the questions I SHOULD have asked at college!! So trial and error and notes in my little brown book for future reference. The day flew by, I was too busy carefully measuring and mixing, cleaning and labelling jars and making test strips to see where the time went and certainly not had time to worry about tomorrow.
EEEKKK Just realised probably not a good idea to look at the electric meter when the kiln is firing!!
I now have 5 people confirmed for my beginners art club on Wednesday night, I am hoping that I will get at least one more but 5 is a good number. I have one person who wants to come to my Thursday "improvers" group but unless I can get more people to commit that is not going to happen.
Sounds like a really good day hunni x
Oh I am so useless in the mornings... Cant get up off my bs and do anything..
Pen, I don't think you are ever useless!
Once I get going I an fine, its just that initial push...
Had my diabetes check up this morning. Feet good, weight down 2 kg (BMI 29.4 so not obese), waist in the orange zone, bp great, Of course I dont have the blood test results for a week or so but everything is looking good (party)(party)
Everything is ready for the blind group, table is laid, clay is cut up, just need to master my butterflies now. :s
great news on the diabetes check, and good luck for this afternoon :)
Phew. Seemed to go OK, there was plenty of chat and laughter and some coil pots got started which they will continue with next week. Now to brush up my painting skills ready for tomorrow!
Oh that's brilliant news! Am so proud of you!
It sounds as though you have had a really positive day hun x
I know I've said it before but you really are awesome! Well done, lovely :)
Not so awsome with a paint brush!!! I need to re learn some basic techniques before tomorrow night! I think I may be just able to keep one step ahead of my students! (giggle)
Pfft, my attempts at artwork are pitiful! I know you're going to be amazing.
I can't paint to save my life hun, I can use graphics programmes and am still learning them and probably will always keep learning as there is so much to learn using them, so I commend anyone who can paint x
Well been trying to paint all evening. trying to perfect the wet on wet technique. These are my pitiful attempts!
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/penny_price1/DSCN0779_zpsxxy47qat.jpg
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/penny_price1/DSCN0778_zps1ynkkup3.jpg
Those are really good, I wish I could paint like that!
Well I think they will be good enough to get me through the first evening. They are really easy to do, fancy popping over to Weston and I will show you how! (rofl)
Hey I'd be there in a minute - but it would take hours and I've got appointments all week!
I would if I could but its to far for me at the moment x
Ah come on... a nice week at the seaside... (Kiss)
They're beautiful, really dreamy :)
Hope all is going well hunni x
Not stopped all day. Firstly glazing some pieces then shopping for stuff for this evening then preparing the lesson. Just having a bit of a sit down now for an hour. It all starts at 7 tonight.
magie06
22-07-15, 05:50 PM
Best of luck. And don't forget to enjoy yourself.
Whoa... What a rollercoaster! Remember why I love teaching so much. We covered a lot of ground, probably too much for a first night I think I sent them away with their heads spinning but they certainly felt they learnt a lot. Hopefully they will practise some of what we have done tonight but I may just have to do the same as we have done tonight next week, only with a bit less help to see how they get on.
Just tried to eat my tea, but my mouth must have got very dry with all the talking and I could only manage two mouthfuls before it got too painful. I have double checked the ingredients and there is no chilli in it but the paprika, which I am normally ok with, is burning my mouth something terrible. Shame as apart from a small piece of quiche and a half sized snickers bar I have not had anything to eat all day.
Oh and quite pleased to see that my watercolour painting of the tree was the best.... So the teacher is still one step ahead of the students!
and streetlife.com has decided that my thread asking people if they wanted an art club was an advert and want me to pay £20 to keep it running. Thankfully I have the details of most of the people who expressed an interest before Streetlife took my thread down. I have appealed pointing out to them that its hardly a money making venture as I will only get £30 a week and I have already spent well over £100 on materials and will need more before I am done and I am waiting on their decision. I even posted just a short message asking those who had expressed an interest to send me their email addresses but they took that down almost straight away as well.
Sounds like it went really well hun x
I'm really pleased that it went so well! Well done Pen!
I think so and although its not going to make me rich I have made £55 this week which is a start. Still a long way off paying for all the materials I have bought but better than a kick in the teeth as my Dad would say.
Hun I think you have got off to a great start, it can take time to build a business up and your doing really well x
Now if I can sell a few ceramic pieces as well I will be really happy.
Had a really bad night last night, just could not get off to sleep for hours, my mind was so keyed up with ideas! I have a day today when I dont have any classes scheduled. I would like to go up to Art Therapy in Bristol but I have so much that I have to do here with finishing off pieces, creating some new ones, practicing my painting, doing the paperwork, updating my website, changing the bed, vacuuming the bedroom floor (I am sure that carpet should be beige not the shades of grey that it is at the moment!) and finding some time for Dad that I cant go. Although at the moment slobbing about in bed for a bit longer feels like a good idea!
You can only do what you can do lovely..
Looks like I will be running more classes shortly! Put up a couple of adverts on Facebook. One for my Wednesday kids sessions at £10 a session (thought now we are into the second week of school hols Mums/grandmas will be looking for something to keep them occupied) and an advert for the "proper" ceramics group. I have one person so far on this and need to get a few more and I have had a couple who are keen so may actually get this off the ground. (This is £15 a head so a bit more lucrative!). My facebook account went nuts for about an hour now settled down as people think about it. So I guess I had better go and do some proper work!
Sounds as though your really starting to get somewhere hun x
Well got three children people booked up so far, one for next week and two for the week after. May bite the bullet for an advert on streetlife to get some grans to sign up grandkids :-)
One of the responses has given me a fab lead for the Autumn. She home schools her daughter and has said that there are a lot of home schoolers in the area who would be interested in "outsourcing" for art work. Especially ceramics which is almost impossible to do at home. She has told me where to put my advert.
I home school my daughter, things like ceramics and art are great activities x
Looks like I will have to spend tomorrow making up a load more coloured slip so we can paint little animals and monsters!
One session is now fully booked, two sessions have 4 on them, one has one (hoping we get more on that!!). Lots of people have expressed an interest but not yet put their names down. Been juggling facebook messages all evening so far, have to be careful that I put the right reply in the right box!! (whew)
Now looks like I will have 3 people for definite on the beginners ceramics so I can finally set a date to run it. One person is just off checking if her friend would like to come as well which will make 4.
It can get confusing replying to lots of messages. But sounds like your off to a really good start hunni x
Sounds so great hunni! I think you'd be awesome at home ed outsourcing!
Waiting to be accepted onto the facebook site for the home ed group but I think this would be great for the autumn. Also I have a brownie pack interested....
I made a cup of tea at 6:30, still only got half way down the cup... how many times can you microwave tea?
lol hun, I'm self employed and the amount of times my coffee goes cold have lost count of. I won't reheat it though
Thankfully I think people have mainly gone off to bed now! Took 24 bookings on the kids sessions and 3 bookings on the beginners ceramics in one evening (potential income of £490) .... phew. Given up on the tea now going for the hot chocolate in a mo.
Of course I am going to have to work my little tail off on a Wednesday, I will be teaching from 10 in the morning till 9 at night but I would rather be doing that that worrying that I have no work coming in.
Slept like a log last night apart from my poorly pup waking me when she wanted to climb under the covers with me at some point for some comfort.
Had an unexpected phone call from hubby last night. S's wife has died. This was a shock as we did not realise she was ill. It may now change the picture on hubbys house though. He will go up for the funeral and maybe they will bury the hatchet finally.
Slept like a log last night apart from my poorly pup waking me when she wanted to climb under the covers with me at some point for some comfort.
Had an unexpected phone call from hubby last night. S's wife has died. This was a shock as we did not realise she was ill. It may now change the picture on hubbys house though. He will go up for the funeral and maybe they will bury the hatchet finally.
That's awful, perhaps this us the reason he has been pushing so hard about the house recently.
The news about your bookings is amazing. Get as many kids through the door during the holidays as you can. Maybe do a half term offer for return business?
I am sorry about S's wife hun, and do hope that your husband and S do bury the hatchet.
Wow that is brilliant news on all the bookings x
Wow go you on your business! That's amazing! I'm so thrilled for you!
Sorry about the loss...
Yes it was a huge shock, none of us down south knew that she was ill, apparently she had cancer but had kept it very much to herself.
Another busy day for bookings now have 61 children coming over the summer and am now turning people away...
It is... but 61 excited children!!!!!!!!!! Thankfully not all at once!
I am now considering if I should add some more dates as I only have three spaces left and that is next Wednesday afternoon.
Oh I have also got a little commission on the back of this. Next Monday one of the mums is coming with her three little ones and we are going to make a letter rack. We will take outlines from the kids hands and make clay "hands" then colour them and the hands will then be fixed to a base to make dividers for the rack. It will be a anniversary present for their daddy.
Way to go hunni on the bookings
And thats a brilliant idea with the childrens hands
Well the three kids are 2 months, 20 months and 3 years and mum hands will go at the back so they should make a nice stepped rack. We will be able to stamp the names and ages onto the hands and put a little message on as well.
That's an amazing idea with the hands! How awesome!
I'm so pleased for you. Bet it's taken ages to sort all the relevant bits of paper - health and safety, dbs etc Your wall must be full of them all in frames with the biggest frame for your degree certificate! :)
Not got the degree cert yet the college has is graduation very late, its not till the 19th September.
Oh! I hope you've left a space for it to be proudly hung!
Just got my rateable valuation this morning. It was May when they came to inspect! Valued at about £3500 which is great as it will put me in the lower bracket for business rates. Now to await the dreaded demand from the council (sweat)
Hoorah for lower tax brackets!
Its still going to be around £1800 for the year. I have been trying to work out if I would get a reduction as a new small business and I think that I will need to talk to the council to find out. However with the business I have mapped out already there is a small chance that I may actually make a small profit in my first year of trading. Something that is almost unheard of in start-ups!
Just got some stuff out the kiln. Really happy with it.
http://www.carantoc-art.co.uk/2015/07/25/i-just-love-it-when-i-open-the-kiln/
Partly as I mixed some of the glazes and slips myself so was not sure if they would work. Will take a selection of these to the car boot tomorrow to see if our friend will be interested in what I make and have a go at selling them.
I think they are beautiful!
I love that plate even more now :)
Its taken 6 months but I am finally getting the shocking pink in my bedroom painted over with some help from hubby. Hurrah for a wet sunday (party)
Hoorah! What colour did you choose instead?
magie06
26-07-15, 02:48 PM
Pen, do you every relax? You are going to burn out unless you learn how to calm down and rest for a little time.
Pen, do you every relax? You are going to burn out unless you learn how to calm down and rest for a little time.
I know Magie. We are doing just one wall at a time so currently waiting for it to dry. I went for Spring Sage from Homebase I am praying that two good coats will cover it it did with the tester pot so fingers crossed it will with the real thing. I have now rearranged the room so I can sit in mums old rocking chair in the sun in the window and I hope that I can retreat her sometimes in the afternoons and read. Or just sit with a cup of tea and watch the world go by.
magie06
26-07-15, 04:04 PM
Good for you. I hope the colour is able to hide the pink for you. It sounds so relaxing, and hopefully we will get more sunny days that you can sit and read.
Here are the colours. The pink of beforehand and the green that it will eventually be.
http://i1009.photobucket.com/albums/af219/penny_price1/WP_20150726_16_09_14_Pro_zpsudwrebi8.jpg
Even with just one coat on one wall the room feels much bigger and lighter.
magie06
26-07-15, 04:25 PM
The green is beautiful. It will be so worth it when it's finished.
Oh no. Just pun a second coat and it obviously was not ready and has blistered. I now have a green wall with pink blisters
Don't panic...It'll be fine with a coat over it when it's fully dry...
That pink is the same one my daughter had in her bedroom a year or so ago, the green looks lovely x
We found the rest of the tin in the garage when we moved in I think it was called Bubblegum Pink! I am hoping that by the end of the week I will be able to sand it down and give it a final coat.
Busy taking more bookings tonight... trying to make hay whilst the sun shines (smirk) I now have a plate making sessions for an adult with child and mud monster sessions using the local clay I have made. (The last ones are the best as they are all profit!)
That's awesome! I'm so thrilled for you!
It must sound like I am being very materialistic at the moment, and perhaps I am, but getting lots of bookings over the summer is helping to put me on a safer footing financially and easing the worries I have of being able to stand on my own feet again. I feel that after six years I have managed to rebuild my life into something better and knowing that I can maintain this is a relief.
I am tempted to contact my old tutors in the Autumn and ask if there are any students who would like to do work experience with me (its a requirement in the second year) or if any of the third years would like me to be their mentor. But I am worried that it may be a bit soon.
It depends - do you think you could do with an extra pair of hands? I think you'd make a great mentor or work experience person as I think that you have so much knowledge to give!
I think I could find something for extra hands to do. For example I have an exhibition coming up and I will want to do more exhibitions over the year, a work experience person could help with the organisation, or if its a ceramics person they can get experience of recycling clay, making slip, making up base pots for me. They would also have to get involved with the day to day stuff like the cleaning but in return they can also help with the money side and start to understand things like insurance and taxes which is good experience for the future.
I would like the company (and help) as well as feeling that I am giving something back to the college.
magie06
27-07-15, 01:20 PM
It sounds brilliant Pen. You have come so far and your business will thrive because you've got the drive to grow it.
You don't sound materialistic, you are building a business and that's meant to be about money. I think you're doing great.
I met up with a couple of my friends yesterday and they warned me that I was in danger of tiring myself out again with all this. I did take it easy yesterday afternoon and only have one class today before the big day tomorrow. The day will start with getting my diabetes results at 8:50 and then getting dinner into the slow cooker.
Hope the test results are good. Your friends are right, but you're also so full of excitement. It'll sort itself soon, once you have regulars etc....
Only had two from the blind group today which was a shame. Got 7 kids in the morning tomorrow and 2 in the afternoon. Then got my art club in the evening. Got my hand letter rack together and I am quite pleased with it, I have high hopes that it will be great when it is fired.
Hopefully Daddy will too :)
Saw the doc for my diabetes review, sugars are almost normal, everything seems to be functioning in the kidney department. She wa svery pleased but did say that if she was to be picky then I could get my choloestorol down a bit, lose a little more weight, and walk faster when I am out with the dog. She did say though that she was just being picky as she felt that she aught to have something to discuss as really everything was fine. My cholestorol has gone down from last year (it was only in the orange not the red bracket anyway) so she said if I keep up the new lifestyle, plenty of exercise, fewer lattes and cakes (my second breakfast when I was at college) and a bit more fish in my diet then she would review in 12 months and see how things are going.
Got home, put the slow cooker on (slow cooked lamb, carrots, potatoes and parsnip for tea) so that J will be able to have a meal when he gets in and then started my first kids course. REALLY miscalculated the time!!!! I had expected the kids to spend a good half hour drawing up what they were going to make... took 15 minutes. Then expected them to take about an hour to make their models (took 20 minutes for most of the kids). Then tought the last half hour would be spent painting the models....took about 15 minutes. SO after an hour (including a short break for squash and biscuits) they had finished their models, so we had to make more.... Got through more clay than I expected although the coloured slip in holding out well. I also bought a stacking cake cooling rack from Aldi the other day, good job I did as I would not have had enough space to put the pieces to dry. Even so took up a whole shelf, so I will need to go and get some more or I will not have enough room to dry all the works from this week.
Just having a cuppa, a bite to eat and a sit down before I start the next class. (whew)
I am getting lots of interest for more from the people who came this morning, a lot of the mums stayed and they are interested in adult classes and the kids are keen to come and do a saturday club. Plus I may have a couple who want to come on the mud monsters on a Thursday through the summer so I may get more income again. I wish my tutors had told me that there was no point in creating flyers just advertise lots of kids clubs on Facebook and you will get the grown ups on the back of them!! One of the mums said that she will talk to the head of the school her girls go to to see if the school would like to book me to do sessions with the kids there.
The kids this morning produced some great creatures (with some help from mums) but my favourite was the "slime" monster a four year old produced all by himself (his Mum had to leave me in his charge as she could not get anyone to look after his baby brother). He planned what he was going to do, made a drawing of it and then did it, I just had to give him a tiny bit of help to get the body started and then he was away, big goggly eyes, arm with fingers and a missile shooting port on its side, all painted in lime green slip (rofl). Once he had made his monster he made a little Iron Man for his dad this time without any help.
I think I will have to consider mixing the clear glaze up by the bucket load though as everyone wanted their pieces to be shiny when finished.
OK. 1 group down. 2 more to go today.
Pen! I'm off line for a few days and you're taking over the ceramics world!!!! It all sounds fab :)
Your really off to a great start hunni x
Oh and another great session. Two lovely families.... Now to walk the dog, eat, wash the tables and prepare for the art club.
I've such a massive smile on my face! I'm so thrilled it went well! Sounds like the kids had a brilliant time!
Phew what a day but I am surprisingly still upright! Had a great fun session with the grown ups and drawing and painting this evening. Next week though we are going to do colour theory so I will need to brush up my skills its been a while since I mixed paint. Tonight I was doing a demonstration and was suddenly faced with having to mix a cerise... Thankfully I hit lucky on my first attempt and got a colour that was an excellent match for the flower we were painting. I also nearly lost it in giggles at one point when I went to give one of my students a flower and at some point between the vase and her drawing board it dropped off and I presented her with one small petal.
Not so much laughing tonight they were concentrating so hard most of the evening you could have heard a pin drop! They can be a bit difficult to keep together though. One of the guys gets easily and quickly bored so whilst the others are concentrating on their detail I have to find him something to challenge him. Tonight we did (un) musical chairs.... I setup a still life. They started drawing it for 3 minutes then swapped seats with the person next to them (everyone moved round one chair) they then did another 3 minutes then moved again and so on till they got back to their original seat... That seemed to keep him (and everyone else) on his toes!!!
Scored 85% on moodscope last night, my highest ever score (clap)
I'm absolutely buzzing at the moment.... Just waiting for the crash... So looking forward to being able to pay my first two weeks earnings into the bank. Not mega bucks overall but a great start.
I'm so thrilled for you! It proves that this is what you should be doing!
Dont feel it went so well this afternoon. I think the kids enjoyed it I know the two grown ups who stayed certainly did, but one of the kids was a little too young and not particularly artistically focussed so was not really interested in making anything except what his year older friend wanted to make and then as soon as he started to try and make it he got fed up. These two actually spent most of the time in the garden finding my resin animals from B&M and rearranging them and then making mud pies whilst Mum sat in the studio making models. The third child (two did not turn up!) was much older and very precocious, he was lovely but quite hard work! Anyway that is it for the week.... No more classes this week so can get on and do some of my own artwork.... if I can just stay awake long enough (snooze)
Sounds like it went ok though?
Go, get some of your own art stuff out and have some fun! You've worked hard!
Spent the last couple of hours reviewing colour therory... I have an exhibition booked for a weeks time and I have NO pieces to exhibit.... I think I will have to contact the others and say that they can have my space, but I will still pay my share.
You've been so busy I'm not surprised you've not managed exhibition stuff. But you've been awesome - what an amazing start to the rest of your life :)
One of the people I am exhibiting with has just messaged me to ask if I have got the advertising materials ready.... eeerrrrr that would be a no then!!
He has said he will help out though tonight.
Now got to figure out how to ship an old heddle loom of my mum's to someone who has bought it on ebay..... Been putting off all week and as they had not paid me I did not feel too guilty but the payment came through this morning so I guess I had better see if I can find a box....
However what I feel like at the moment is having a nap with Ember...... Did do a bit of work this morning and started making a castle vase.
NEVER AGAIN. Next time I sell something collection only I will mean it!!! People seem to think that if they arrange a courier that it solves all the problems! they don't seem to realise that the problem was not the actual posting the item it was the dismantling and custom building something to ship it in. If a courier could just pick it up in a black plastic bag that would have been great but of course they would not do so as the item would get damaged on the way!
magie06
31-07-15, 03:52 PM
So sorry to hear that you had so much trouble with the item you sold on ebay.
I hope that you get the posters done tonight! Good luck.
It can be a pain when that happens hun
Still Dad will get £60 which I think he will find useful at the moment.
Car boot this morning was the biggest I have ever seen, I would think there was getting on for 500 stalls there. Lost hubby within 5 minutes when he said he was going to go and see if the "chainsaw man" was there. Did not find him again until it was time to go. Came home with a banana plant, a hardy geranium, a book on drawing, a painting pallet (at 25p I could not pass it up, I may sell it at a profit to one of my students for 50p (rofl) ), a bag of potatoes, a cauliflower, two punnet of cherries and a bag of fudge (yes I know I'm diabetic but its lush, and a little bag does last two weeks!).
Trouble is I am now cream crackered!!! I want to get another coat of paint on the bedroom wall, but hubby has legged it so I will have to do it on my own and it does seem a big mountain at the moment. I also need to prepare the studio for tomorrows plate making class..... Wonder whats on TV???
Phew spent the afternoon putting another coat of paint on (which also blistered!) then unpacking hubbies books (given up asking him to do it) and sorting out my room. Finally changed the bed....it was a bit grusome... The white sheet was a cream colour :s
The kids have taken Ember out so at least I dont have to do that this afternoon. Now out to the studio to finish making my pots and prepare for tomorrow.
Your paint blistered? Damn! I didn't think it was hot enough to blister.
I think it was a chemical reaction rather than the heat. It is annoying though. The blisters went down but have left pimples behind. Still hopefully when I have the shelves up and pictures it won't show.
I have decided that anywhere that the decorating isn't perfect is where we are obviously meant to hang a picture! :)
Oh I agree. Made hubby put the shelves up so finally after 6 months I can stop falling over them or have to move them every time I want to open the wardrobe!
ROFL, I've spent my day trying to unpack and sort stuff....
It seems never ending!! I just think I have finally unpacked the last box when I find another one and we have been here 6 months now!
First of my plate making workshops today. 3 sets of kids and parents who are going to make a special plate. From my previous experiences of how quickly people finish I am going to make them experiment with different techniques for an hour before we start to make the proper plate...
We still have unpacked boxes in our loft 5 years on lol, that sounds like a good idea getting them to experiment first hun x
Sounds like a really good idea! Also brilliant for learning from past lessons! You are brilliant!
It went well, it was two kids who came last week and so much fun that they wanted to do more. Worked better with them trying things out first when they came to make the item they knew exactly what they could do and I think I will not have so many problems with these pieces as they dry.
Trying scare tactics now to get people signed up... Only 144 days till christmas....
Glad that it went so well hunni x
The pics are fab! Glad it went well!
magie06
03-08-15, 04:43 PM
I'm so glad that everything went well. Congratulations.
Shuffling bookings tonight... Got more people coming. I am really dropping the ball on the exhibition this Friday though. I was going to do some colouring of my latest mandala and try and get it framed before Friday but it is becoming increasingly unlikely at the moment. I may just have to enter my old drawings.
Can you get your mandala coloured inbetween bookings? Is that a possibility?
I dont believe this!!! I have just looked at my bank statement and discovered that my council tax has jumped up from £30 a month to £130 a month. On investigating I have found that my benefit claim has vanished.... No record that I ever had one. I have had no letters or emails saying that they were cancelling the benefit, it has just disappeared...
I am gutted.
It took months and piles of documents to get it in the first place and now I am back to square one again. This council has got to be the worst for dealing with administration in the country I recon.
OK there isn't anything you can do about it now, but make sure you call them calmly tomorrow and ask them what has happened...
I dont think there is much I can do about the council at the moment but pay them. They will want all our payslips again and I cant give them anything related to me and of course now J has a proper reasonably paid job they will decide that we can pay the bill so I think I am wasting my breath complaining just at the moment. J plans to move out in a month so there is no point in making an application now as i will just have to make it again in a months time.
As for the mandala I will try and get it finished but I don't think I will be able to get a custom frame made in time, I have a framing friend but unless I could get it to him tomorrow I don't think he could do it in time and even then he may struggle as he works full time. I had wanted it in a square frame which of course if difficult to get ready made from The Range.
Picked up a few more bookings last night which is good it will help to cover the shortfall of people who book and then don't turn up and of course will help to pay the council tax and business rates.
I chased up the company who are supposed to be distributing my 2000 flyers yesterday. I have checked the station and supermarkets and I can find no trace of them but they say they have gone out. They are going to send me details of where and when as I don't believe them! I have not had a single enquiry from the flyers.
Can you call the council and find out what's going on?
Hope you can sort the frame and the flyers!
What a pain about the council tax! I hope you get it sorted as I remember you having trouble before with it.
Well I will wait till next month to tackle the council, I just dont have the energy at the moment! I had a call from the therapist at the art therapy group in Bristol this morning as I have not been since June. I have told them that I will end my sessions there with one last visit to bring cake and collect my folder in September. It will be the end of an era as I have been going there since 2010 and I will miss it but at the same time I think I have moved on and now I am working a lot I can't justify taking a whole day travelling up to Bristol.
Just had my blind group. They are a laugh and really nice. Last week only two came (one got lost, one had the grandkids, one was on holiday) and their organiser took me to one side and apologised and said that in future they will pay me even if they dont make a session which was nice and not something I was expecting. Most of the group have a little sight which is helpful. One is totally blind but keen and all have a great sense of humour. I am having to learn a new set of techniques of how to explain to people what to do and how to find ways to do it, not only me but of course them, so I will say use your fingertip to find where the join is weak rather than look for the split and they are having to learn to recognise what they are seeking.
That's so awesome! I used to teach some kids who were visually impaired and it is a completely different way to look at things.
I think you're right about the art therapy - I think you are doing so amazingly. You are building up a business based on something that you love. Your passion must show through!
Just got my first booking to do a kids party this evening (15 kids!!!!) and now have filled my "proper" ceramics course that starts next Tuesday so although I am not making much with these kids workshops it is acting as marketing for other leads. (Marketing that is paying me at the same time... My tutors did not introduce us to this concept in my course!!).
Did my first biscuit firing of the kids work and was terrified to open the kiln this evening but eventually braced myself after praying to every deity that I could think of and a few that probably don't exist (Is there a god of pottery teachers??) and opened it. Everything on the top shelf is fine. Dont know about the bottom as I did not want to unload tonight as I will be struggling for space for pieces by tomorrow evening, however the pieces I was most worried about were on the top, including the commission piece so I can sleep tonight!
That's all so positive! You really are doing it!
I know, I keep thinking I will wake up soon! Had eight kids this morning... (now got a headache) Think they had a fab time though. Six more this afternoon then the art class with colour mixing. Quite looking forward to a quiet evening with the grown ups but the kids are great fun!
I'm SO thrilled for you Pen! You've been through hell and back and now you get the good stuff!
I know. I am loving this, even the really quiet ones who dont know what they want to do (or even quite why they are there), once they get stuck in, start to have a good time.
Studio is a mess at the moment though. Think I might need a fire hose to get it looking straight for the art group at 7! Will need to rearrange my shelves so I can get everything to dry. (bit worried about the giraffe with a 12 inch neck...)
Giraffe with 12 inch neck? Wow!
Tomorrow morning I have to do a mass clear glazing of everything that is in the kiln at the moment, visit the place we are doing the exhibition and get ready for another kids workshop. When the workshop is finished I will need to finish off the glazing and get the kiln on again ASAP so that it is not too hot when the Friday adult group comes....
However right now I am cream crackered....
You have been a busy bee, but it sounds as though your enjoying it aswell which is great hun x
Yes about to goto bed with a hot chocolate and my book I think. I did think this morning that I would try and get some of the glazing done tonight but I am too tired and would mess it up.
I am finding by the time I get to the end on a Wednesday that my mouth is really sore. I have to make sure I eat in the break before the art club as I cannot eat anything later, but even so I only managed a tiny bit of chicken and a few chips, Ember finished it up for me when I came in just now.
Just done the accounts and I am about 500 in the red but that includes all the setup costs of the last few weeks, aprons, brushes, pallets etc so I am quite pleased. If I just go by the consumables I have bought things are ticking over nicely. Got a couple more possible leads today, one person who knows someone who goes to a club for the disabled that may be interested and another person who is going to advertise me on a facebook page that advertises activities for kids in the next town.
Eeeeee can I just go to back to bed and bury my head under the pillow and sleep till Christmas???
It all seems to be going so well! Are you drinking enough?
What of? vodka, gin, snappes, rum? If so, no not nearly enough!! (rofl)
I try to get a drink whenever I can. I have a cup of tea in hand at the moment. I also have a drinking jar with a straw and a lid that I keep in the studio with squash in it so I can grab a mouthful as much as possible but when you are running around after 8 kids sometimes I probably dont get enough.
My mouth is so sore today. The roof feels raw and my tongue has white sores down the sides.
Do you think you should see your Dr?
No. When had my diabetic review last week I talked to the doc about it as I wondered if it was connected to that. She was just baffled. She has prescribed some gel that I can try to see if it makes it easier but I have not got round to getting it made up. She has no idea what could be the cause.
I am seriously bone numbingly tired tonight. Still got one bowl to glaze and get into the kiln then I can turn it on and walk away from the studio for the night and then take the dog out.
I did manage to persuade J to cook dinner ("Look I have been working all day as well so either you cook dinner or you walk the dog" He hates walking the dog even more than cooking!!) He did a great job but Ember still got half of it to finish up, eating anything that takes more than a few minutes to eat just gets tiresome. All I have had all day is one wheatabix, one chicken slice and half a plate of stir fry (Oh and two sneaky biscuits from the kids session). I am starting to think I may have to get some smaller jeans as even on the smallest hole of my belt they only just stay up! (dont worry there is plenty of me to waste away, my current leans are size 20)
Pen you are going to have to find a way to eat and to drink more. If you don't then you're only going to make yourself poorly..
I know but I dont want to put myself in the hands of doctors again, I dont trust them.
Maybe you might have to try?
OK, now I think I might have a cry....
Six of us are exhibiting. We have to hang the paintings tomorrow night. Three people have now said they cannot come and setup and are dropping off their pictures to be put up for them. The other two (who are twins) who will be coming to help hang both are partially disabled. They have trouble walking (although they can walk it is quite slow and crablike) and cannot stand for long. Whilst both will be keen to help I know that the bulk of moving stuff around and hanging will be down to me. Some of the paintings are very large. One of the artists dropped of a picture this morning that is 8ft x 6ft...
I am just so tired. I have another group this afternoon and a picture to finish off and frame myself.
So say no, they have to come and put their pictures up, its just not on. Or pull out and see how they cope.
To be honest your daily intake didn't sound so bad to me, perhaps a few more vegetables if you're not that hungry.
I'm with Rose - I think I'd say no, that they have to come and hang their own artwork. We all know that they will all want it hung in a particular way, so it's best they do it themselves!
They all have valid reasons why they cant. One is away and her daughter was going to do it for her but now shes working. One has to go up to Manchester to her sick mother, the other has just found out she has to collect another piece of work from a place about 2 hours away and wont be able to get back on time. They are not the sort of people who would willingly leave me holding the baby but there is no way round. The only other alternative is leave the walls bare over the weekend and hang Tuesday evening.
OK told them we will put off setting up till Tuesday when hopefully they can all come. It will mean that we will be paying for space that is empty for two days but that will have to be the case.
That seems a shame! But I think it's the best decision...
Seems a sensible decision to me hun x
AAAAhhhh a weekend without courses!!!
Only just got up, dressed and fed.
SO a nice quiet weekend. Just going to:-
Walk the dog
Wash up the three days of stuff in the kitchen
Get a beef stew in the slow cooker
Clear up yesterdays class
Empty the kiln and contact everyone about collecting their stuff
Make up a new slip to see if I can correct the way that the red has burnt out at high temperatures
Finish my picture and frame it
Call the place I am exhibiting and tell them we wont be coming till Tuesday.
Check over all the pieces that are drying to make sure they can go in the kiln for Monday afternoon firing.
Finish the two bowls I have started
Dead head and weed the garden.
Move the potted plants that have finished flowered and replace with the pots I have in reserve with flowers in
Water the garden
Plant up the two plants that need to go in the front garden
Pot up the two shrubs that are waiting to go into pots (Oh and drill the holes in said pots)
Vacuum the sitting room
Wash out the mould from the manky recycling box
Pull up the grass in the patio
Spray the weeds
Paint a bit of the studio floor
Paint the bedroom wall
wash the studio floor
Tidy up the office.
Ah its so nice to have time off to relax.. (rofl)
Hunni, you're so busy right now, for great reasons, that maybe a few of those jobs for today can be postponed/delegated?
Wow! Please don't exhaust yourself by doing it all!
I just want to say a massive well done for postponing hanging the pictures until everyone could help out. I know you love to help people but in this case it was too much to expect you to do all that and I am really proud you stood up for yourself.
Your weekend sounds busy... but if you enjoy what you're doing then why not.
Disaster struck this morning! Picked up the commission piece to take out of the kiln and a whole section fell off and smashed on the floor...
The customer collected it anyway but I gave her a discount off it. I am gutted.
Oh no! Was it fixable? Could you remake it for her again?
Not enough time. Anniversary is on 12th. However she took it without the missing bits and I gave her a discount.
Oh no! Was she ok about it?
She was more okay about it than I was! When that section hit the floor I was just numb I could not believe it. I think I could have pretty well glued it back together but she arrived before I had time.
Overall today has been a bit of a disaster. The red we used on the kids work has burnt out at that temperature and become brown. I hope the kids won't be too disappointed.
It's a bit trial and error atm.. I'm sure that it will be fine hunni..
J has found himself a flat so he will be moving out in a few weeks...
(panda) Oh hunni.. are you Ok?
I think I am ok about it. He did leave home before to go to uni for a year so its not like this is the first time I have been without him. I will miss having him to help with my share of the chores such as the recycling and I think I will probably be less inclined to cook when it is just me.
However H has decided to quit her job so she will be around more and hopefully will be able to help more until she finds something else.
Sounds like they are taking it in turns to be with you lol
H is now so much happier that she has quit. It is like a weight has been lifted off her. I hope she manages to find something else soon, however in the meantime she is looking forward to helping me in the studio. She does not want to help with the classes but if she is able to help with the cleaning up, washing the floor, glazing pots and mixing up slips and glazes it will give me a bit of breathing room.
That does sound like a good idea while she is looking for another job hun x
That sounds like a great idea!
Only trouble is I have offered someone else the job first! Someone I know from college who also suffers from depression and BPD has come a few times to my sessions both with her little boy and by herself. I know she is struggling with the course and considering dropping out so I said that if she did she could come and work for me for no pay and in return I would teach her what I know for free. She is considering if she wants to do this.
Oh! But how long has she had to think about it?
H does the clearing up etc and your friend at college does the ceramics stuff maybe?
Oh! But how long has she had to think about it?
Only since Friday.
H does the clearing up etc and your friend at college does the ceramics stuff maybe?
Yes I maybe able to find enough for them both to do, especially if H gets on with her candle making.
Been an odd day. I had two people separately booked onto the session this morning. Both failed to turn up... (or contact me to say they were not coming).
Then this afternoon two more people cancel off the beginners ceramics class that starts tomorrow so I am down to just two people which sucks.
Then two more people cancelled the kids afternoon session on Wednesday leaving me with just one person on that!
But I have managed to round up some more for Wednesday and now have 4 (2 of which have been before and wanted another go).
I spent the day making little animals to help the kids when making theirs so now have little dogs, cats, rabbits, penguins, turtles, frogs, ducks and my favourite is a ladybird.
Sorry some cancelled, but it sounds as if you are all sorted!
That's a shame, though you're getting repeat business which is positive. Starting a new business is tough, but you're doing brilliantly already
Managed to get a third for tonight so a bit happier.
Ember is unwell though. She woke me in the night, so I went to the loo and then went to let her out. Unfortunatly I did not realise how urgent the matter was and there was a pool at the top of the stairs and a pile of diarrhoea in the bedroom doorway. She was outside for about an hour then she woke me again at 5.30. She dashed into the bathroom and had diarrhoea on the bath mat (bless her she at least did it on something I could take outside and that would go through the washing machine!) She was outside again for ages. This morning H said there was another "pile" of it on the kitchen floor and she cant stop shivering and shaking and has just dashed out again. Her nose is cold though so she is not running a fever so hopefully this will pass soon.
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