After Christmas Sales

I used to love after Christmas sales. I couldn't wait to rush to the stores first thing the morning after Christmas. Stocking up on wrapping paper and cards for the next year at half price was always my first priority. Then I would head systematically to a few of my favorite clothing boutiques, hoping score a sweater I'd had my eye on for weeks. And hopefully at half the price, or less if I was lucky. 

Lately however, the after Christmas sales have not been as enticing and I've been perfectly happy ignoring the ads and window signs offering 50% or more off. That is, until Marimekko posted their after Christmas sale, with 40% off (Omg! Omg!)! For anyone who is familiar with Marimekko, 40% off still leaves quite a chunk of change left to pay. But at the same time, 40% OFF at MARIMEKKO is still rather AMAZING!!!! So off I went on this dreary, rainy day. I made a b-line for Marimekko. Just to "look around" and see if I spotted anything I couldn't live without. Secretly hoping a particular shirt I'd had on my Christmas wish list was still available, and on their sale rack. 

As luck would have it, the shirt was available. In my size AND discounted. I was in heaven. There were plenty of other things my eyes (and soul) coveted but I very rationally took my top to the counter, paid the nice girl, and left. Whew! 

Happiness meter growing steadily. 

Day 363: Christmas Morning All Over Again

Before Christmas you may recall that I had completed my ceramics class and that we were allowed to select two pieces to be ready before Christmas. Maybe I didn't share that part. But anyway, I selected my two pieces and then found out that I wouldn't actually get mine back until after Christmas because they were not going to be ready to pick up until the Sunday before Christmas and we would be in Gothenburg by then. So I would have to wait until today to get my two pieces back, with the rest of my pieces being finished later after the beginning of the year.

When you take ceramics classes you eventually get used to waiting a rather long time to get your final product back so I was pretty cool about it all. I asked my husband if he wanted to walk over with me to pick up my pieces and he said yes so after a late breakfast we headed over. I knew from speaking to my teach on the phone yesterday that I, in fact, had more that two pieces to pick up. She said that a few of my other pieces were also ready so I was pretty excited.

As we walked over my husband asked me if I was nervous about my pieces. "No, not really," I said. He asked if I was excited, to which I replied the same. I explained that I had become accustomed to the waiting and that I knew from the experience I've had with ceramics to not hold high expectations. You never know how something is going to turn out until the final glaze firing. Any number of things can go wrong, from puddling glaze, to cracks in the pot, to sliding glaze, which leaves a raw surface where the glaze should have adhered. You think you created the absolute perfect bowl, only to be shattered when it comes back with a big crack after the first firing. You make a set of mugs that all turn out exactly like you wanted them to and then after the glaze firing one of them basically melted onto the kiln and had to be destroyed to pry it loose. You just never know.

So imagine my surprise when we arrived to the studio and I found that nearly every one of my fourteen pieces were ready. And not just that but most of them turned out quite beautifully. It was like Christmas morning all over again. My teacher had even displayed one of my pieces for her current class to view as an example of a certain glazing technique. You could say that I was pretty satisfied as my husband and I packed up my wares to leave. And as we walked out of the studio I held my head a little bit higher.

My favorites... three tiny houses. 

A small shallow bowl and a tiny bowl/cup that is an awkward size but the glaze turned out nicely.

This is the one my teacher displayed. Hard to see it completely but I wiped the glaze off of the lip of the candlestick part, leaving raw clay visible. It gave the piece a nice effect.

Two red candlestick holders. I am particularly pleased with these although the finish of the glaze turned out differently on one of them, in addition to the glaze sliding on one side of the same one. 

P. S. One commenter on yesterday's post asked how I would be celebrating the completion of my one year Finding Happy project. There have been a few ideas circulating but one way that I for sure plan to celebrate is by holding a final Happy Package Giveaway. All comments made on my blog on my final day, Day 366 (December 31st), whether here on my actual blog or through my Facebook feed, will be entered into a random drawing for the final Happy Package Giveaway. Coming to my project completion is pretty exciting on many levels, and as always, I am looking forward to sending the winner a package of happy-inducing gifts and goodies. I have been collecting for and preparing for this prize for a while now and I can say with complete confidence that it will definitely be the best giveaway yet. So don't miss out!

Day 315: No Nonsense Kind of Day

Today was a no nonsense kind of day. First thing this morning, I very determinedly tackled my closet and drawers with the task of moving the rest of my summer clothes out and winter clothes in. Not a small feat I can say after I worked on it for a couple of hours. I tried to do some "cleaning out" at the same time but I have such a difficult time getting rid of things that it didn't go as well as I had hoped. I only managed to toss one pair of shoes and one short-sleeved shirt into the clothing swap/goodwill bag.
One of my other shirts that I couldn't quite bear to part with, but was looking a bit long in the tooth, was demoted to a cleaning and painting shirt. It is always a good idea to have specific clothing designated for  messy tasks.  And likewise, it is never a good idea to paint in your good clothing. Unless you want those clothing items to automatically be demoted to work clothes.

My husband used to love to wear his nice clothing when he painted, used bleach, worked on his bike and generally anything that nearly assured paint flecks, bleach spots or mud and grease stains. I think I have almost cured him of that habit but sometimes he manages to sneak off in a good pair of pants and shirt to do something and comes back with his tail between his legs as he says in a little voice, "I got greasy on my pants." But such is life, right? I just have him take them off and I treat the spot with some heavy duty remover and usually, nine times out of ten it works.

But anyway, back to exchanging my summer clothes for my winter clothes. Part of me is sad knowing that I will not be able to go out in just a t-shirt and shorts for a while now but part of me is excited to pull out all of my favorite sweaters, hats and scarves. Then this afternoon we rode our bikes over to ICA Maxi, which is sort of like a Super Target, and they were starting to put out all of the Christmas things. Sweden doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving so it isn't like they are putting Christmas out ahead of another holiday so I felt happy to see it. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside when I see all of the Christmas and winter holiday decorations being put out around the city. The lights make things so cheery and festive. And it certainly helps ward off the cold, dark Swedish winter blues.

Just as a side note, my husband made pancakes this morning for breakfast. With the last little bit of batter that was left he fashioned this cute kitty cat. It sort of looks like a bear with a really long tail but I love it anyway. I ate the tail first, after I drowned it in maple syrup. Sorry kitty, but you were going to get eaten anyway.