Post 100!!

Three big, yes, BIG things are happening today:

1)  Today is National Margarita Day.  For me it might be right up there with Christmas.  It's Friday - why not mix a batch up for you and your honey to celebrate a long week's work?  I'm usually a purist when it comes to my margarita, but seeing as citrus is in season right now, this Grapefruit Margarita is DEE-lish:

Grapefruit Margarita

This makes six small margaritas, or four properly-sized ones.  (C'mon.  Get your head in the game.)

• Salt
• Lime wedges
• 1 cup tequila
• 1 cup fresh grapefruit juice
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup Cointreau
• Ice

• On a small plate spread salt.
• With lime wedges moisten glass rim.
• Dip glasses into salt.
• Place glasses into freezer to chill.
• In a pitcher combine tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice and Cointreau.
• Remove glasses from freezer and serve margarita mixture over ice.
• Garnish with lime slices or grapefruit slices.

I will be using said margarita to toast the next two items:



2)  Last night I hit 150 pages of this novel of mine.  I gave myself three months to "change gears" from pottery to the written word. (Oh, I'm totally coming back to clay - just a hiatus for a few months...) Now I am writing in the Princeton Public Library, in the early morning, in the night, upstairs, downstairs, in my Honda, in my jammies, in my dirty apron, at Small World Coffee - whenever and wherever I can.  When I'm not writing it, I'm thinking about it.  It's way more difficult and way more fun than I anticipated.  I can't share everything, but I can tell you it is a modern romance that I hope is a little funny, a little sexy, and I hope a lot of fun to read.  I keep a weekly word count on my website, if you'd like to pop in and check my progress...

3)   It's my 100th post!!!!!!

I started this blog as a way to keep a record of my creative journey, process and inspiration, and to share that with other like-minded folks.  I am so grateful that you kind readers have stuck with me, connected with me, and have shared some of your journeys.  The creative process can be a lonely one, and it has been such a comfort and joy to connect with other artists here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all my readers.  You make my heart happy.


So in honor of this momentous occasion, I'm doing a giveaway of the design that started it all - my Rosie Candle.  If you would like to be put into the drawing, just leave a comment and I will put your name in.  In a week or so, I'll pull a name out of my bright orange winter hat, and Rosie will be yours!  (And yes, kind readers, I will ship internationally... :)

And have I said Thank You?  I have?  Just one more.

                       Thank You.

Changing Gears

Back in November, I wrote about changing gears - giving myself permission to try new things, to stretch, to push into the uncharted territory.  And so I've done it.  Though working with clay scratches a creative itch unlike any I've ever had, I've finally broken down and given myself until the end of March to pursue my writing.  I'm not going to lie - it's been a little weird, because I was in such a ceramics groove the latter part of 2012.  I found myself going from working with clay six/seven days a week, doing five shows between September and end of December -  to basically halting production.  Talk about weird!  Talk about scary!


It feels right to talk about this in my 99th post here. (99...Phew!) Two milestones this week: I have hit 99 blog postings counting this one...c'mon...#100!!  And I have officially written 25,000 consecutive words. (Flu, included.)

I've written this blog since 2009.  I am really grateful that I've kept at it.  It documents a lot of my creative journey, and it is really gratifying to have a record of where I've been, of what's inspired me.  The ritual, the habit of writing this, along with all the work, learning, and growing that I've done with Mudstar, has taught me:

1) Rome was not built in a day.

2) 90% of creating something good is just showing up and doing the work.

3) Making/writing/building/doing creative things makes me feel alive and whole.

4) If the task feels difficult, or even impossible, yet you still feel drawn to do it, and you feel this weird compulsion and propulsion, then it's probably the right thing to pursue.  Go for it.  Just start chipping away.  Just begin.

p.s. Stay tuned for my 100th blog posting!  A giveaway is on the horizon for a lucky reader...:)