5/365 boxes

Today's ten minute free-write is on Boxes.  To see Evie's free-write, go to the space between colors.


Boxes come wrapped in bows and ribbons.
Boxes hold our bodies at the very end.
My mother's jewelry box played La Vie Rose, and
I opened that box a million times, just to listen to it.
I used to cover Altoid boxes with polymer clay, transforming
them into little treasure boxes for charms and fortunes and movie ticket stubs.
Children hop through hopscotch boxes on the sidewalk, in the 1960's--
these colored chalk playthings are not seen so much these days.
Origam boxes don't hold anything.  How very Zen of them.
Cigar boxes-- always one of my favorites, they can hold all sorts of things.
When I was a child I would collect little stones and acorns, and twigs,
from the park across the street.  I'd place them in a cigar box lined with
cotton (from a box), and covered with red velvet.  I thought they were cold,
and needed a warm home.
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some of my clay covered boxes

full moon crone

Just fooling around with some clay.  It did not darken in the oven as it usually does, but when I finished curing it, the legs fell off, as did one of her hands, and she cracked midwaist.  Poor old crone!

steampunk hearts

Me and my friend evie made these Steampunk hearts tonight.

the not-to-be troll

I've been working on a new troll for a while now. Well yesterday I starting curing the head and feet, and Lo! I won't be working on this any longer. I had the oven set at the right temperture (checked with a thermometer, as always), and the piece should not have burnt like this. Other clay I had in the oven, at the same temp and length of time, did not burn... just my translucent flesh colored Super Sculpey, which I really enjoy using for my sculptures. Maybe I have to start covering/tenting the pieces with aluminum foil... but even so, I don't think any amount of foil would've helped this sorry case.
Here are the remnants of a not-to-be troll, who was supposed to be a pale beige.



His poor tootsies are downright crispy!

snow like butterflies

Yesterday, there was a wildly wonderful snow shower in the morning. The flakes were huge, and looked like white butterflies swirling against the window. Was this winter's last hurrah, happening at the precise moment of the Vernal Equinox? It was so beautiful!

Today, the sun is out, in the low 40's. Spring is here, despite slightly below average temps.

Seems like a big spring cleaning is due at my place! I could use a few helpers!

For the equinox yesterday, me and ev decorated some Easter eggs... she painted hers, and I did 2 egg-shaped gourds covered with polymer clay. I'll post pics soon.

brothers and sisters

I was in a grocery store with my sister one day. Two fairly young kids, probably brothers, were minding the counter... maybe 10 and 14. Me and sis are talking and laughing, and being our exchangable selves, when we hear the question we hear, without fail, every time we are out together... Sisters?
And without missing a beat, we both say "No, we're brothers." (which we've never said before). The young one looked troubled, so we assured him Yes, sisters! He studied our faces.... "who's bigger?" he asked. How cute I thought... not older, but bigger, just like a kid thinks. :-) He looked shocked to hear that my sister was the bigger one, and six years older. He stared at my hair, as if he didn't understand. I said "Grey hair doesn't always mean you're older." And it seemed as if the kid took it all in, and learned something that day. He also got a little briefing on the art of hair dying, as my sister noted her gray roots and said "See... we're the same."

It was a darling encounter. "Who's bigger?"


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Today I finished covering (with clay) the rest of the switch plates... so I have a dozen done. They came out pretty nice. Will try to get some pics of them before putting them in the boutique.