This is a large flat bowl, probably about 9 inches across and 2 inches deep, in shades of pink and brown. I painted this the night of CC‘s birthday party, and am still not sure if I want to keep it, give it away, or sell it. I like the size, so even though it didn’t turn out exactly like I hoped I might keep it.

Unfired pieces always look so colorless, don’t they? When this small plate is done, the rim will be pale green, the inside pale pink, and the flowers around the rim shades of dark pink and purple. I painted this the other night while I was finishing up a gift for a friend. (Oooh, mysterious!) Often when I’m painting by myself I like to work on two pieces at the same time. That way the paint can be drying on one thing while I’m working on the other. And I get to paint more.

This is actually an espresso mug. It’s about 3 inches tall and the saucer is about 4 inches across. I painted it thinking of little girls and tea parties.

I wish these little mugs had been in stock when Jen asked me to paint matching dishes for her who was having a baby. I could have painted a mama mug and a baby mug, and how cute would that have been!? Oh well. I had fun painting this one anyway. It’s in my etsy shop now.

I am so proud of how well Annalie did painting this orca. I am especially impressed that with very little guidance from me (because I was busy painting the little dotty mug above) she managed to paint the water blue and left the right parts of the orca white, mostly. That’s the first time she’s painted one of these figures semi-realistically! Uh, not counting the body art she scratched on there.

Dana left this morning to drive back to Vegas. She visited friends and is flying back home tomorrow. I bet her husband and boys will be glad to see her. And I know she’ll be glad to be back home, especially after her red-eye flight on the way home.

Troy has been on leave since right before New Year’s. Tomorrow is his last day of leave before he has to go back to work. It has been really nice having him home and not going anywhere, for once. We thought about taking a road trip during his leave, but decided we’d been busy enough with visitors and the holidays. We’re a little sad he has to go back to work, but I guess that’s just life getting back to normal. And anyway, later this week we’re making a quick trip up to Brenda’s to help her out with some party prep, and I have to bake a tall green birthday cake, and then next weekend we have a certain birthday party to attend…

Yep, life moves on. I’d better get in gear if I want to keep up with it.