Suzie, my lavender gift shop mascot, is looking for a new home. Suzie has graced my shop for almost four years. How did Suzie get her name? About a year after I opened my shop, a visitor to my gardens came in the shop and said, "That used to be my dress!" The visitor's name was Susan. I got the manikin in one second hand store and lavender dress in another. Susan said she sold the dress because it didn't fit her any longer, but she was so happy to see her former dress put to such good use.
This weekend I'm turning my gift shop into my clay studio. I'm planning on keeping as many bookshelves in the room as possible. I'll devote a shelf or two for my most popular lavender products, and the rest will be set aside for drying shelves and for finished ceramic pieces. The rest of the room will house my work table, my new slab roller and all my work tools and equipment. When I originally built the gift shop, my husband said I wouldn't be able to fit very much in a 10 by 12 foot room without it looking and feeling crowded and I surprised him. This time I am hoping to surprise myself by making efficient use of the space for working with clay.
Right now I have space in one of our bedrooms, but now that there's carpet in the room, it's not practical. That space is so messy right now, I can't even post what it looks like for fear you all would think I'm a slob. I put a canvas drop cloth under the work space, but I am afraid the carpet will be ruined. And then there are the buckets of water. My cat has decided she likes drinking the irrigation water from the buckets better than from her own water bowl, and I'm always afraid she's going to knock the bucket of water over. I have the slab roller in the screen room along with the kiln and pieces of clay drying in cabinets and closets and everywhere else I can find space.
Gee, looking at Suzie's photo above, maybe Suzie won't be moving after all. I really like her so I might just find another spot for her around here. And besides, I looked for a long time to find just the right lavender dress for the manikin. Anyway, if all goes according to plan, I hope to be in my new space some time next week.
Suzie is too good to abandon!
ReplyDeleteHeh, I'm keeping her - unless someone can give her a new position with the honor and respect she deserves.
ReplyDeleteI want to get up real early on Tuesday morning - can't wait to see what the contest is. I'll make a comment over there, oh maybe not; I'm selfish and want to win. Don't want to tip anyone else off - as if there aren't tons of people waiting in the wings for this one. What fun.