new from the kiln and new carving

 I carved this 6x6 inch stamp to use with clay.  I was thinking trivet or tile or whatever.  see more below.

 New little plates!!

 The tile below was impressed with the rubber stamp and then painted over with black underglaze.  Then I took a piece of steel wool and went over the high points to bring out the image.

 With this time I inked the stamp with black underglaze and impressed it into the clay.  The lines are much lighter and gives it a softer kinda gray look.  Both applications work but I do think I like the one above better.

Birthday metal sculpture!

 She is magnificent!!  Jerry and I drove up to Santa Margarita to see the wild flowers in early April.  On our way home we stopped to see a display of metal sculptures in the court yard of a brewery.  A Wisconsin artist had brought his work out to the brewery for a display and then it was going to a gallery in Morro Bay.  I fell in love with her the moment I saw her.  She has a force and personality that just screams.

 I guess I blabbered about her all the way home and little did I know that Jerry called the artist the next day and bought her for me.  We usually don't do birthday gifts for each other - a dinner together but not gifts.  But this was my 60th and she was wonderful.

 He had Kyle and Jessy take their truck up to Santa Margarita and picked her up and then hid her up in the back for 3 weeks. All were hoping that I didn't need anything from the back and see her.  They then installed her in the back yard while I was in the house chatting with Jessy and Scott.  Jerry then came in the house and pointed to a bird in the back yard which made me look out the kitchen window and there she was!!  I see her from the window in all her glory every single day.

 This is Kyle with Jessy and the artist Jesse Woodward.

Birthday trip!!

 Jerry and I usually just go to dinner for each other's birthdays.  But this was my 60th and he really stepped it up.  I was told to be ready at 6am on the 27th but wasn't told where we would be going.  I didnt even know which direction we were going in.  I am ready and we hit the road going south.  Stopped by Ellens  Pancake house for breakfast and then back on the road.  I fall asleep and wake up in LA traffic just in time to navigate Jerry from freeway to freeway and he finally tells me where we are going.....The Getty!!!  We get there just after it opened and started the trek walking through all the buildings.  Beautiful artwork, stunning gardens all in bloom, giant sculptures.....I am in awe.

 Some of these paintings are so large you really would need a castle to house them.  And the frames are all gold gilded and elaborate.

 The snails in the above picture were around the base of this giant vase.

 Jerry inspecting one of the paintings.

 I fell in love with this bed.  Of course we will have to add an entire wing onto the house just to house it.

 also loved this bed.  All the animals could fit in this!

 finally sat down to rest our very tired feet.  We left there to drive 16 miles to the Radisson for the  night.  Those 16 miles took us an hour and a half.  Traffic is ridiculous down there.  And you know the lane to the far right, the shoulder, the place where you can pull off in case you break down....well that is not at all what it is for, it is another lane for driving apparently.  So many people used that lane to pass everyone and then duck back into traffic.  Insane I tell ya.  So we get to the hotel and the very nice young man at the front desk asks us why we are there and jerry tells him that it is my birthday.  He waives the 25.00 parking fee for us!  I am feeling very special right about now.  We ask for recommendations for dinner and he said the in house restaurant was very good and he was very right.  I had the filet with mashed potatoes, mushrooms and fresh asparagus.  Perfectly cooked and very yummy.  Jerry had the braised short ribs with mashed potatoes, grilled tiny tomatoes and fresh asparagus.  We ate all we could and took the rest back to the room.  After settling in the for night there came a knock at the door, there is a man with a tray with a bottle of wine and a platter of cheese, crackers, fruit and nuts and a very nice note from the front desk wishing me a happy birthday.  Now I am over the moon with delight!!  But we had eaten so much for dinner there was no way we were going to enjoy this so into the fridge it went and we had it along with the left over meat from dinner for breakfast the next morning.  It was a wonderful breakfast!!  Jerry really out did himself for this birthday.  I will post pictures of the stunning metal sculpture he got for me next.....well I guess it will end up being in front of this post.......