A "Feisty" Weekend

The past week has flown by. I can't believe it's Thursday! I've been convinced since I woke up this morning that it's Wednesday. Last Thursday I went to Vermont for a long (relaxing) weekend. A whole week ago?? Really? Spent some time on the shores of Lake Champlain, saw a dragonfly the size of a helicopter. Literally. Well, ok, more like when you see a heli-copter in the distance, not like standing right next to one. On Sunday I saw Feist perform on a grassy hill at Shelburne Museum. I think if I was a singer, I would have really liked that concert. I liked it as a spectator. The crowd was docile and happy, neo-hippies were dancing on the lawn with giant hula hoops and flowy skirts, it was a beautiful, warm night. I keep listening to the same Feist CD over and over at the store. Then on Monday I arrived an hour late and with Gonzo in the car to my silver-smithing class at the Kirkland Art Center with Lisa Oristian. Luckily no one minded, and Gonzo was able to come inside and eat his bone. He was very well behaved with only a little barking and whining to let me know he was thirsty.

I don't really remember Tuesday, but Tuesday evening Denise Sachs Mishalanie of Whirled Peas came to the store to take a "condensed" PMC class. I wish Denise lived closer than Utica, because she is just so pleasant to be with! We were so busy enjoying ourselves that all of a sudden it was 10 pm and we hadn't fired our pieces yet! I didn't get home until 11:30, and was at the store by 9 am Wednesday to set up for another PMC class! Cynthia Cameron (www.glassisagas.etsy.com) and Sandi Cannellos (who, by the way, were the two lovely ladies who were patient and understanding on that crazy Saturday that I was freaking out) spent the day learning PMC. And I mean spent the day! The class was scheduled from 10-4, but we didn't finish until 7! They were good guinea pigs for me to figure out my teaching method and realize that I need to do less talking and more doing. Also, need to really stick to one simple project for the first class. Both Sandi and Cynthia picked very tricky pieces. But they turned out so beautifully! Cynthia made a little bud vase that she intends to put fresh (or dried) flowers in and Sandi made a pendant that represents the design she came up with for a tee-shirt for the summer camp where she is a counselor for a week (I hope there are no English teachers reading this because that was one of the worst and longest run-on sentences ever written). Sandi reminds me sooo much of my friend and upstairs neighbor in VT (hi Emily! This is a "shout out" to you). Similar look, style, tattoos, jobs, etc. Kinda weird...That whole "doo de doo de" thing. I wanted to set them up as pen-pals, but was afraid that they would hate each other and be offended that I thought they were similar (actually, they are both such sweet and wonderful ladies I highly doubt they would dislike each other). I don't have great photos of either of the pendents Sandi and Cynthia made, but I'll post what I've got:

So, teaching the PMC has been a blast! My mom was wonderful and ran the store yesterday. Luckily it was rather slow. But I'm feeling now more than ever that I'm going to need an employee or two. I'd like to be able to sit in the little studio and teach PMC more often than once or twice a month. How about once or twice a week! YESSSSS