Dragonsglass

Been a while since I have posted anything and I have finally recovered from 6 days of fun and laughter at Sandy Camp 2007. This year I went down a day early with a couple other so I wouldn’t have to jump right in after a 5 hour car drive. boy was that a good idea since the drive turned into an 8 hour one for us. Munchie went with me and she was such a good girl on the drive. She curled up on her pillow and slept most of the way.

Once there we unloaded in our room and crashed for a bit….like all night. Wednesday morning the insanity began at 10am with camp check in. Folks we arriving ready to clay the days away, talk and laugh with old friends and new friends, and of course to nosh at the share table. No demos were scheduled for Wednesday.

Oh Thursday I only managed to make it to one demo, but boy howdy was it a good one. Julie Picarello shared with us her impression mokume gane technique. She has got a box full of the neatest impression tools. I think that was “almost” the best part, seeing all the fun things she had found to make impressions. Of course now I am really looking at things differently now. Matter of fact…I realized my ring making mandrels will be perfect for making impressions with the end that has a notch. Julie was kind enough to offer her tools to any one who would like to borrow them. I took her up on that. I only have one focal made, baked, sanded, and buffed. Of course I have no clue what I am going to do with it now, but it sure is purdy!

The next couple days was spent playing with MG stacks, talking, eating and…yep you guessed it, laughing. Somehow I never do get a lot of things made at Sandy Camp, and this year was no different. I did make a cervical cancer awareness ribbon for folks to use making things for a SC regular who had to miss this year because his daughter was just diagnosed with cervical cancer. On the third full day, Donna Kato did her new pod technique demo. I was front and center for that one. I love the whole pod concept. I did manage to get the pod I made almost finished before having to go home, and finished it up at home the day after.

Yes, a purple pod. I actually made something in purple again. Well that pod started a pod addiction that I am having way too much fun with. My next pod has…*gasp* eyes. I love it. It is now sitting on my monitor in the office keeping his eye on everything for me when I am not there.

With Donna’s blessing I have taken her pod idea and veered off in my “Kathi” direction (a little weird and warped) and have been making mini podmen like there is no tomorrow.

Dang I am having too much fun. After cranking out a bunch of them I decided to take a bit of a break and make my yearly channakiah. This year….a giant Podman. yep…I have it bad I think. I will keep posting all my Podmen….large and small in my Flickr account. I am sure there will be many new additions as the days go on.

The last couple days has been a whirl of insanity with trying to get all my canes ready for the SC store and to get my “Eye clay well with others” buttons cut and pressed with my handy dandy “badge a minute” hand machine. I am so ready to head south to spend 5 days with 79 other crazy clayers. Munchie will be going with me. This is her first official retreat as a service dog. I think she will have fun….more when she can be “off duty” and playing in the grass, but I know she will be a darn good clayer when she is on duty.

I am taking a few things to work on at Sandy camp, but I think the main thing that I will work on will be another “giant cane” (one step below a monster cane). But…before I can cane anything I will need to hit the camp store and get a few pounds of Kato trans.

This week with clayers from all over the world is a wonderful renewal time for me. After this last month of insanity in my personal life, I need a change of pace and some quiet, meditative time.

Jean, Sunni and Karen should be arriving within a couple hours. They come down from the bay area and crash here then we all will head south tomorrow, arriving at Warner Springs a day early since we all have volunteered to help with check in of the other clayers. Knowing us we will stay up too late yakking and catching up from last year. Since all my clay stuff is packed, we can’t really do any claying but we can sit outside around the firepit and pool and talk til we are hoarse *g*

I might be able to check in from SC (they have wireless there at the lodge) but I sure won’t be around as mucha s I am when I am home. So, until next Monday…you all play nicely, have fun claying, and most of all, keep the sharp side down!!!!