From the studio

A few more custom portrait orders

Tropical Storm Sandy

Stirring up a little bit of water

at the beach

AS SEEN FROM THE SAFETY OF MY CAR

ON ATLANTIC AVENUE

ON THE BOARDWALK

IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

STREETS UNDER WATER:

AND - CARS UNDER WATER

WHOOPS!

SAFELY BACK HOME

HUNKERED DOWN FOR THE REST OF THE STORM

Hoping all stay safe and away from high water on the roads.

An Artful Halloween Party

Every year this clever couple goes all out in decorating and preparing for their annual Halloween party much to the delight of their invited guests.  From the eerie ornamentation outside the front door, to the spine-chilling stairway, on up to the awe inspiring trimmings that cover almost every inch of their home.  As someone who appreciates this attention to detail I invite you to -

Enjoy the fruits of their labor...

The current event couple who should have won 1st prize in the costume contest due to originality and attention to detail - but we won't hold that against the judiciary for their controversial oversight.

A huge thank you to our host and hostess for a frightfully fun evening.

Storms a brewing...

So, on Wednesday evening I text my daughter, who is obviously very insulated in her college environment, to see if her crew team has postponed their race on Sunday due to the storm brewing off our coast.  A few minutes later she responds with "What storm?"  As a parent should I:   (A)  be very happy that she is so involved with studying and school activities that she has no time to worry about weather related issues.  Or (B)  be troubled by her lack of concern in our meteorological conditions.  Having almost total faith in my daughter, I'm opting for (A) while keeping her informed just incase there's a little bit of (B) happening on campus.

Meanwhile

I'm scrambling to get orders sketched, painted and into the kiln just incase we're without electricity for any length of time.  Seriously, how inconvenient would that be?!  Even if we did have a generator I'm sure my husband would insist that our refrigerator and other household appliances should take precedence over custom Christmas orders.   Whatever the case, hopefully we'll all be as prepared as possible and ready to ride this storm out without any major problems or repercussions.   

As a side note:  My daughter informed me that her crew race has been cancelled for this Sunday.

In my studio

After setting aside work for a fun weekend trip down south, I was left with an assortment of custom ornament orders to paint.  Time to buckle down, get back into the studio and wrap my head around the task at hand.   So, yesterday was spent sketching, painting, personalizing, glazing and firing a bunch of ceramic house and wedding portrait ornaments.

Sketched and Painted

 Kiln Fired and Ready to Ship

I have to say that there is nothing more refreshing than fun time spent with friends and family - especially if takes place in a cool city like Charleston!  I am now energized and happy to be back to work.

Catching up

After a weekend of fun and frivolity in Charleston, S.C.

Luckily for my husband, daughter, myself and our extended family; our son chose to begin his after college career life in one of our favorite cities.  Thus giving us another reason to vacation there, even if for a quick weekend get-away.  Unfortunately, due to an already scheduled college activity, our daughter wasn't able to join us on this trip - but there will be many more - so not to fret.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND CHARLESTON

Football 

 

Friday night football made even more exciting when both teams are undefeated.  With a half time band performance that includes the son of one of our best-loved families.

Water Activities

 Coastal Expeditions on Shem Creek

 Rentals for water excursions on Shem Creek

A two hour self guided Paddleboard tour is a wonderful way to spend time together on a beautiful fall afternoon.

Walking and Biking

 Walking or bike riding on the Cooper River Bridge

The bridge structure is 2.4 miles one way making for a nice walk any time of the day. 

 

 We chose to walk from the Mt. Pleasant side of the bridge as the sun was setting over the city.

Our family prefers to bike to the beach so had to check out the bike rentals at Sweetgrass Cycles in Mt. Pleasant where we ended up purchasing a bike for our son.  Happy 23rd birthday and a "carrot" to get you out of the office and down to the beach!

Carriage Tour

Our favorite family owns Old South Carriage Tours.  The company features some of the finest tour guides, draft horses and carriages in historic Charleston.

Old South uses Percheron and Belgium draft horses.  Located on 14 Anson Street.  You can pre-buy your tickets here

Happy Hour and Dinner

My husband and I wanted to try a "new for us" rooftop bar for a moon lit cocktail.  On past visits to the city we've had cocktails at Vendue and Grill 225.   Knowing this, our son took us to Henry's on the corner of Anson and Market St.  It was a gorgeous evening suitable for sipping under the stars.

We topped off our day with an incredible dinner at Fig located on 232 Meeting St. 

We do like to pack in a full day.

Back to reality...

There's nothing like a weekend away for work to pile up, especially during my busy season.  So, refreshed by sun, fresh air, great food and memories, it's time to get back to work sketching, painting, and firing.  Until our next journey south!

Monday in the studio

Artists at work

Another busy Monday morning in my studio as the artists continue to work on their paintings, catch up on weekly happenings and enlighten each other with tidbits of useful information.