Getting settled

So, here we are in Tionesta,PA. This was our backyard this afternoon. It's really exciting to finally be here. It's beautiful, but currently quite cold!

The toughest part of moving is that we have to continue to make pottery, move all our stuff and set all the stuff up in a new space and there's only two of us to do most of it.

The studio is here and I've started making work and sorting out exactly how to set up the studio..not the big stuff.. like kilns, but the little stuff like my throwing station. I had it all set up so work flowed, tools were at hand. I need to find that flow again. Part of the difficulty is we still have things stored in the garage-turned-studio that shouldn't be there..like our clothes dryer, which will go to the basement as soon as there is an outlet to plug it into :) and the gas grill, which will go somewhere...I don't know where...maybe up the stairs to the back porch. The plumbing still isn't hooked up and the heating situation isn't working out as planned. Its been so crazy cold! We're going to have to fire kilns continuously through the winter or put in a thermostat controlled heater of some sort. Brrrrr.

But speaking of kilns, we're firing our first one in the new studio tonight! It's loaded with all this stuff. Most of which is destined for Old Forge Brewing Co in Danville PA. They serve everything off of pottery there. It's really a fun place to eat!

We also got our www.hughespottery. etsy.com shop all moved up and running. Stock is shelved in the new office, boxes are ready and the USPS will pick up on our porch. Local folks can use the coupon code LOCALPICKUP1 to remove shipping fees and pick the pieces up on our porch. 
We're really excited to be getting started in this community and hope to become acquainted with everyone as we get settled in! 

Winding down

Things are changing for us this year. We are getting ready to move to a new house and to a new studio. These are really big changes and it's hard to get used to.  One of the more difficult things that I'm dealing with is the idea that I have to wind down the studio that I'm in. It is very hard to intentionally stop. It's a little strange because right now it's a time of new beginnings. We are into the new year and everybody is starting new things. I'm still finishing up last year's things and looking forward to starting new things. I'm slightly out of sync with everything.

Last week was our minion's last day in the studio helping us. She is moving to Detroit or just outside Detroit -close enough as far as I'm concerned. The important thing is that it's too far away for her to continue to be our Minion. This means that I had to do my own studio chores, including, and most importantly the reclaim. Slopping it out, and pounding it out and slicing it and dicing it and wedging it and making sure it is actually useable.

In a way it's actually very relaxing to know that I have to stop and I have to do all the little things that I used to have her do. It's kind of cathartic, a system reset. Along with all the processing of reclaim that I did today, I cleaned up I swept up trimmings I sorted  some stuff and started to get ready for the big pack down for the big move.

We are starting to use up all of our materials. I didn't order more clay. I thought it would be best to have it delivered to the new studio. That is part of the reason why it is so important to keep up with the reclaim. We need it, it's pretty much all we have,  there are a few boxes of new clay, but it's getting down to the point where normally I would be nervous that I was going to run out.

I'm trying to finish up some big orders. And also getting ready for a big show at the end of the month. But I know it's all coming to a stop. After the big show I suspect we will be moving.  I'm excited and a little bit scared. My last few posts outlined the house and the studio it's really nice. It's a step up for us for sure., a really nice new place to be. For the first time my adult career I won't be working out of the basement. Just writing about it makes me start to get excited again.

Tomorrow I'll be pounding out more reclaim. And a bigger space on the floor will open up. It's starting to look empty. Guess that's a good thing!

NOW!!! I want it now!!!!

I'm so excited.

I feel like a little kid waiting to open a present.

The last post was the grand announcement we had found a new house where we could have a studio in the garage. This post is about the anticipation of being ready to move into that new home..and that new studio.

I'll illustrate this with pictures.

This is what we are starting with.

Here is the interior, pre-purchase This is the back center of the garage

This was the basic plan, we ditched the right garage door and added more windows.It's only been a few weeks, but amazing things have happened already!

Here are the new windows where the door used to be.

 

 

Here is the pocket door in the back right leading into the kiln room

Here are the new windows again, this time with drywall being installed over insulation, it's almost ready for us!

I'm all excited to move into this space. Seeing this transformation of the interior has been incredibly thrilling. I am so excited to see the sunlight streaming through windows as I work...to look out into our backyard and the landscape, maybe a garden..maybe a bird feeder. This is such an amazing change for us. Rowan and I are so grateful to my sister and cousin for making this happen. It's a life changer. I anticipate next year will be an amazing year of focused growth for us. The town seems ready to welcome us and we're ready to be there!