Because 2 days is never enough.

When I first started taking pottery classes last January, I was spurred on by fantasies of all the large, beautiful, unique salad bowls I would create for the weddings I had lined up for the summer. Unfortunately, pottery took me longer than expected to master and by summer, I had managed a lumpy mug for a birthday gift to Alyce and a small bowl for Mindy and Erik’s wedding gift. I ended up buying most of the other wedding gifts (or, uh, not buying as the case may be…oops)

But, with a year of practice under my belt, I was able to pull together some nice ceramic gifts for my family and a couple of my friends. The few weeks before I left for California, I was making frequent, angsty trips to the studio, trying to crank everything through the lengthy process from wet clay to the final firing. Luckily, I was able to bring home my wares for the holiday. My dad and step mom gave my creamer a special display spot, my mother flapped her hands and welled up at the small pitcher I made her, and Karl’s mom said the bowl I gave her was too pretty to use. I’ll admit, they’re an easy crowd, but I was just happy to share my newest skill with my nearest and dearest. When I brought over a bowl and a jar of homemade granola to the Williams family, Denise asked me, “Jess, do you pick up a new hobby every SINGLE year??”

I’m already shopping around for my next trick. Why, why is glassblowing so expensive??