Finished!

The completed hippo tang... I still have to paint the back black and add the hanging hardware, but yes, it's done. It's going to need fairly substantial hardware too; it's pretty heavy. This definitely requires some wall anchors. I'm very excited though, I'm happy with how it came out, particularly the forsal fin. That was the hardest part to work out, but I think it worked the best in terms of tones and shapes.

Well, today is bleak and cool, a perfect day to be flying to Florida! Yes, In a few short hours I will be in Orlando. My smalti glass mosaic workshop starts tomorrow, and I'm very excited. I am feeling a little guilty for leaving Marc all week with a toddler with a head cold, and for spending money I shouldn't be spending, but what's done is done and I'm going to enjoy it.

And, on a side note, I out up some garlic kosher pickles this weekend. My Mom brought me a pickling crock that she had around; MUCH better than the 5 gallon plastic bucket I'd been using. I also tossed in the last of the green tomatoes from the garden, it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Mosaic Workshop in Sunny Florida

I realized I forgot to mention the good news I'm all excited about. I signed myself up for a beginner's smalti glass mosaic workshop in Orlando for the first week in December. There's a studio in Mexico where they make the glass, and they teach classes there too. However, they are all advanced classes. I emailed the woman and she teaches introductory classes at her studio in Orlando, fo r$345 for four days, all materials included. You really can't beat that. So, I figured what the heck. Job is uncertain, economy sucks, why not take a week off and go have fun and learn something new. It's my Christmas present to myself, really. It's about the same as taking a class at Clayworks, so I'll just forego next session there and do this instead. I feel like I need a break anyway. I'm really excited. I am feeling a little guilty about leaving Marc and Olive home; I just wouldn't make sense to bring them, I'd be busy doing my own thing during the day, and we'd end up spending a lot more money on a not very good vacation. Yay! I'm very excited!!!

Ghosts

Seriously, I just saw a ghost. Really. Well, not literally. I was up on the scaffolding at a bid meeting at First and Franklin Church in Baltimore. There is all this crazy baroque ornamental plaster everywhere. On one of these giant corbels I found names inscribed:

J. Bardarop
H. Green
H. Cross
Gas Fitters
April 29, 1859

I LOVE stuff like that. That is so cool. No one's seen that for years and years. What were those guys doing that day? Were they on a lunch break? Who were they? It was just one little moment that became frozen in time. I'm sure they never imagined that someone 150 years in the future (let alone a woman) would be looking at it and wondering who they were. Think about how different the City was then. The Civil War hadn't happened yet. I love that construction workers are more or less the same now as they were 150 years ago. I know I'm a big dork, but stuff like that sends chills down my spine. So cool.

Lady bug Halloween

Well, here she is in her slightly too small ladybug suit... She wasn't terribly forthcoming with the picture taking this particular evening, so I don't have a lot of great shots. But here she is, looking adorable with her little basket.

Not a whole lot going on...

I know, I have to post some pictures of the finished product. I will, I promise! I almost don't know what to do now that the fish is done. It is strangely anti-climatic. I think in the interests of finanical security, I'm going to try to find mosaic subject matter that will make the best use of all the leftover tiles I have. I have lots, I'm sure I can think of something.

Work has been worrisome as of late; it depends on who you ask, but it seems pretty precarious to me. I had begun assembling my loosely knit safety net, just in case. In some ways, I think it might almost be a good thing, it would motivate me to get out there; but at the same time, this is a shitty time to be out there trying to make it on your own. Marc is working at Center Stage this week and I'm jealous. I miss theater painting. I don't miss the hours and the pay, but I miss the actual work; it's probably the most enjoyable work I've ever done in my life.

I dug up one of my impatiens from the garden and potted it up and brought it to work. It's so cheerful, it is blooming like crazy. This is the time of year when I find it hard to "let go" of all the annuals. It hasn't frosted here yet. I may dig up another one. My lettuce is doing well, almost harvestable. I also planted some garlic too. I still have beets and carrots in the garden too. I discovered that Giant has all it's canning supplies 50% off for the end of the season. I bought some pectin and some more pint jars for jam.

I am battling the effing fruit flies in my worm bin again. I swear they spontaneously generate from bananas. The one time I didn't freeze the peels first, and now it's all infested all over again. I'm just going to leave it out until they all die. I think the worm bin may have to go live permanently in the shed.