Hand Crafted

Well, the good news is I got my kiln!!! The not so best but not so bad news is that I spent a little more than what we planned on spending. But after calling Boom up and spilling the news, he just thought it was funny and forgave me, which I knew he would, anyway.

But it was exhilarating! I got on the computer this morning and nothing had changed. But about 10 minutes before the auction was over, I checked again and there were at least 10 more bids in! So I waited not so patiently next to my computer, refreshing my screen every 10 seconds until it was about 3 minutes left. I placed my bid and pressed ENTER. Then it asked me to sign in.

SIGN IN! I forgot to sign in! My hands shaking now, I quickly enter my login name and password, hoping I got it right since I couldn't stop the jerky movements of my hands, and waited. It went through! But when I refreshed the screen, I had been outbid again! So I bid again, and again, and back and forth we went, neck and neck, right up to the last 8 seconds and then I held my breath.

I looked at my screen. In small red words it said: This auction has ended. I was afraid to look down, but I had to...and there on the top of the list of bids...was ME!!!! I had got it!

And then I felt immediate remorse. I knew that 3 bids ago I had gone as high as I had planned worst case scenario....but I couldn't let them have it now! Not after dreaming about it for days! For weeks! For months! I was only seconds away from claiming it for my own! I had to bid higher! I couldn't walk away without a fight!

And then it was over. It was mine. I was free to pay and ask directions for pick up. The other people, whoever they may be, must have been sorely disappointed and I honestly felt bad for them. Maybe they wanted it as bad as me....But I hope not. Or I hope that they can find another. But for me this means no more pouring over ebay listings hoping to find one, no more time wasted trying to devise a plan to get a kiln....I now am the proud owner of a used, but still good, kiln.

And so I will call my Aunt-In-Law (such a thing?) and ask if her boyfriend can come look at our electric in the garage shed thing and see if we need to re-wire it. Then I need to purchase kiln furniture, cones, clay and glazes. And then I can pot! Oh, wait, that's not a verb, is it....Well, if one makes pottery, and they are a potter, then don't they pot? ;)

Seriously, though, I can sculpt. I hope I can figure out how to work the thing well enough that I don't screw it up. And my MIL knows someone who either owns a ceramic place here in nowhere, or else she just quit it lately. And maybe she can give me some lessons.

At any rate, yesterday I spent some time uploading scanned-in pics of some of my polymer clay and corn husk work. I made a sort of gallery on my other site. Check it out if you want, especially the chess set, bird's nest, and sweeping woman. It's not a professional gallery, I know, but it's something. And hopefully I can add to it soon.

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On a side note worth risking TMI, today also happens to be the day of my first cycle since Rugger was born just a very little under a year ago.