At long last... Pottery!

It has been about 4 years since I started looking at adult education classes and one that I always wanted to do was pottery. But it was after dark, 2 buses away in a part of the city I don't know etc, etc Basically I was scared.

So why have I chosen to do it now? because it is still January and I haven't given up on all of my 2012 aims just yet! Yes, I did get lost and arrived late and a little shaken but next week I'm getting a lift with a lady from uni so thanks once again to the kindness of strangers in this caring city I have fallen on my feet.

I don't have any pictures to show you yet - give me a chance. I started a coil bowl, which is how they do it in Africa. There's a cool bit of bashing the air out of the clay at the beginning by throwing it on the table, which as fun but made me quite self conscious. There were 2 other newbies one of whom is a silversmith who has a studio in the Butcher Works in town - so cool!

Anyway, needed to commend myself on this endeavour, *pats self on back*. Hopefully pottery will result in less injuries than glass.

Pyromania

I have always loved playing with matches - the sudden rush of concentrated heat, the movement of the light and the smell of chemicals when you strike it or blow it out. At church as a child I always used to go and dip my fingers in the wax of the pillar candles after services. Generally it was necessary to warm myself up.

A few years ago I bought myself a wood burning pen, or pyrography machine, to do pyrography, which is legitimate burning of stuff. I've only really burnt things onto wood so far. It takes a lot of concentration and I've burnt myself several times. It's a nice craft to huddle over in winter though and I'm glad I bought the gadget as it was about £12 and has provided hours of fun. (I don't think my housemate was keen as I had set the alarm for our building off not long before by playing 'calorimeter' with a lighter and the contents of my biscuit tin. I think I'm making up for not having a chemistry set as a child.)

So here's some of the Christmas presents I made when I got it:
A set of coasters for my Mum....

I also did a set of Matroska dolls for Nan that had a different size and colour combo on each. I backed them with thin cork and varnished them with cheap pound shop varnish that stank to high heaven.
And a house number for my Smiley Sister who had just moved house....

I've not done much lately. I hate a great big 1 1/2 foot diameter wooden platter but am thinking what to decorate it with and who it could be for.

Carpe Diem

I am seizing opportunities (but don't know the Latin for that)! IdeasTap had a columnist competition running so I wrote 500 words on pantomime, which for some reason I can't seem to copy and paste onto here. Pants.

Oh well, it's probably in the protfolio I had to upload www.ideastap/people/34e0a7d9-e5c6-8e77-9f3d00d706a/standard-portfolio/

* I'm using Internet Explorer because Chrome can't seem to get the Blogger page to work, missing Chrome already.

Aims for 2012

So I reckon calling them 'resolutions' will probably make them even more likely to fail so let's call them aims instead. A wish list makes it not my responsibility to chase them and 'to do' list will make them things to check off rather than work towards. Anyway, whatever they may be here they are:

1. To continue this blog.
It's helped me to see what I'm managing and has fulfilled the purpose of stopping my brain deleting focusing on the things I haven't achieved to some extent so I figure I should carry on. Maybe this year I'll get more followers and even some comments!

2. Enter competitions.
Ok, this one may seem rather odd but I think that in the current economic climate getting a job is like winning the lottery and I apply for jobs, so why not apply for other things. At least it will make me write more, craft more, and generally get motivated to do things.

3. Learn new skills.
I know that sounds a bit vague but I've got things in mind. I want to learn pottery, it should complement glass fusing nicely (both kiln based art) and I found a glass years ago. I just need to get the confidence up to go on my own. I also plan on making some clothes. I've tried a few times but never invested in patterns and the right fabrics because it ends up more expensive than buying clothes that way. I've decided I need to start off with the proper stuff to learn the basic skills before trying to pattern draft on my own or work with other fabrics. I've been thinking about doing a counselling course at college but new government cuts mean I'd have to pay full fees so I'm thinking it through quite carefully. Learning the flute is also on this list, after I managed to buy a flute in a manic episode 2 years ago and have yet to work out how to play it - Youtube here I come!

4. Do some exercise
A realistic amount like a swim or a class a week. I've been looking at salsa fit videos but think it may be dangerous to attempt in my tiny house. I may have to make myself a sticker chart with ice cream rewards - no wait, then I'd need to do more exercise - ugh.

5. Find some form of Employment
Getting dangerously close to 'wish list' now. I'm being more brave in how far away I am looking and looking at more menial types of work to at least get me out of the house. I've also got some more routine volunteering hours in the pipeline - watch this space.

So I think that is a fair summation of the goals: learn, work, tone, write and throw my hat into the ring. As with last year I am continuing to challenge myself to seize opportunities, even if they terrify me. I hope this blog will be busy with achievement. Fingers crossed. x