Honestly not a whole lot is going on this week, productive work-wise, since the holiday rush is winding down. Mostly I’m trying to reclaim my workspace, since it’s pretty much been “move this so I can do this” and not “clean this up so I can do this” non-stop since May. I’d really love to start the new year off with a clean studio! Cleaner, anyway. Clean-ish?
In ceramics, I’m working on berry baskets, and in between that I’m also working on cleaning and organizing. I put together a shelving unit to try to corral some of my textures… I had been organizing by type of tool - all of the rolling pins together, all of the sprig molds together, that sort of thing. But it was getting confusing because where did I put that one oak leaf and acorn thing? Is it with the plaster molds? Or the rubber molds? Did I even put it away last time I was using it? So I decided instead to try sorting by texture style; all of the oak leaf and acorn things together. All of the mushroom things together. All of the knit textures together. We’ll see how it goes…..? I’m not 100% sure I like the unit I put together. The shelves are taller than I need, but not as deep as I’d like. So I might look for something different, but… we’ll see. I want to live with this a while, first.
In soap, I’m sorry, but I still have those ones to wrap. I just haven’t been able to get to it yet!
In yarn, I’m putting the finishing touches on next year’s club idea. More on that soon!
In laser cutting/engraving, I got my new engraver in a couple of weeks ago, but just had time to start unpacking it this week. Y’all. IT’S HUGE! It’s much bigger in person… I’m not exactly sure where I’m going to put it! I might wind up having to put it in the garage! Plus, it’s heavy AF, so I need to get a different table than what I had lined up to put it on. Home Depot pretty much knows me by name these days… Oh! And I took about two days and took apart and cleaned out the one I have. There are parts of it that I’ve cleaned as I go - the things that are easy to get to. But I needed to watch a few videos to see what I needed to take apart (and what I shouldn’t take apart!) in order to give it a deep cleaning. And hoooooooooo, what a mess!
Behind the scenes, I am taking a few minutes every day to read reviews on raised garden beds that I can buy kits for, vs reading how-to’s on building my own. Same with small greenhouses; I’d love one that was made out of old windows and doors, but I also want one within a month or two so I can start some seedlings… and everything I’m reading about making one out of old windows and doors tells me I need at least six months to find all the ones I need, and then framing/building etc. So I’m contemplating buying a cheap one, and as I find enough windows (or doors), replacing a side at a time. Is this a dumb idea that will eventually cost me more money and time than doing it the way I want, outright? Time will tell!
In HaldePets, everyone is settling down and realizing I might stay home for a while (not that Honey Butter doesn’t lose her mind if I leave the room without her). The dogs are still plastered to me at all possible moments, but Newt and Honey Butter seem to have come to a Chase Truce… Newt’s even been sleeping in the bed with us most nights. Even Tulip has been venturing out into the living room if she hears Honey Butter go outside through the dog door… Mama’s Fat Raccoon wants some pets, and she’s tired of not getting them! Oh! And I got and installed a third birdfeeder camera. I’m not addicted, I can stop any time!
That’s about it for me for right now… What about you? How’s your December? How’s your holiday stress level? What are you working on, or not getting to but wish you were? Reading, watching, listening to anything good? Tell me how you’re doing!