Maddie - whacko at 13 weeks!

Wacko Dog Alert!!

Maddie at 13 weeks, oh my gosh! Okay, now am I imagining it, or is this a happy puppy??

Below, she is waking up from a nap, and....whamo, she's awake!

I wish I could wake up this fast! Don't you?

Yes, I know I'm going on about my new baby, but geeezzzz, she is just so much fun!

I feel like the typical mom showing off baby pictures, boring!!!

Oh well, what the heck. She will only be this small today!!

I'm going to try to steal a few minutes in the workshop today to finish up some custom orders. I tried yesterday, with four feet under my feet, not too successful. We'll try again.

She is great company out there, and constant entertainment.

How could you not love having this cute thing under your feet all day??

PUPPIES MAKE

GREAT

CLOWNS!

And give good puppy kisses!

Hadar's Class

HADAR JACOBSON'S CLASS

A couple weekends ago, I took a great PMC class from Hadar at a wonderful location in Washington state. It is called The Ranch Center for the Arts and Crafts, in Snohomish, and I highly recommend the facility. Check out their schedule of classes, wonderful teachers are booked. This is director and owner, Randi Harper on the left, and Hadar on the right.

Here are some of Hadar's wonderful pieces illustrating mixed metals. What we learned in the class is how to mix copper and bronze clays, and fire. She is a pro at this, and has amazing examples of her success. The clays are really easy to mix (her's are a powder form). What was challenging was the firing of the mixed clays. You fire for the copper, when the clays are mixed, and often the kiln was overfiring, hurting the pieces. We had that challenge because Hadar was using kilns she was unfamiliar with. Once you do heat tests in your own kiln, you can regulate the temperature better. I didn't know that, and assumed my electronic gage on my kiln was accurate...not!

Anyway, once you get the temperature figured out in your kiln, you will have more success in mixing these metals. We didn't get a chance to mix her white bronze, and steel, but I can't wait to play with those as well. FYI, Hadar has all of the firing information for these clays on her blog, so you can look this all up for detailed information.

Here's our great class, a few left early and missed the group shot. Sorry guys!

Below are some student's pieces, everyone did such a great job.

My on line class with Stephanie Lee is going so well. She is an amazing teacher. If you are interested in metalsmithing, I strongly recommend taking this class. It's a four week on line course, well worth every penny.

I'm busy potty training, and packing for the trip south soon. I left my kiln in CA this time for the summer, so it will be fun to do some creating and firing when I get back. Probably time to have one on either end, might be time to buy a top loader! Fall is in the air here in WA, time for this little snow bird to pack all her chicks and head south!

Thanks for everyone's well wishes about our new little addition Maddie, she's doing great. New pictures coming soon. She's hit 13 weeks, and is becoming independant and extremely funny!!

AT LAST....

Maddie is 12 weeks old!

What a big girl! She just got her 12 weeks shots, (which was not pleasant for anyone, especially her), and is now wearing a collar as of today. Hey, every day is a big step when you are 3.3 lbs and 12 weeks old!

Maddie 8-18-2010 from Riki Schumacher on Vimeo.

So this is what I've been doing for three weeks... potty training, finishing up the last of the summer shows, making a few custom orders between doggie naps, and taking little cat naps myself!

I can't believe summer is almost over. We'll be packing up to go south soon for the winter. Fall is in the air already here in Washington state. Maddie will be 16 weeks when we leave, and old enough to be in dog parks and meet other dogs. If you have never seen a Havanese, you have to. They are so darn adorable, good natured, and true clowns. It's great to have a puppy to remind you there is no such thing as a bad day!!

I hope everyone is enjoying the rest of their summer. I miss all of you, I've been in hiding with this little girl. I'm enjoying every minute with her, watching her grow, and WH and I are amazing how she changes each day.

Stay tuned to more pictures. And I have to post some shots of the wonderful class I took from Hadar Jacobsen this past weekend. It was great, we learned how to mix copper and bronze clay to fire. Amazing process. If you can find a class near you she is teaching, TAKE IT!

Anacortes show 2010

WHAT CAN A RAINSTORM TEACH YOU?

When it rain it pours, right? Oh boy, my biggest show of the year. The one where I can make enough money to use for those fabulous trips to Europe every now and then, and buy some fun stuff than might not otherwise be in a retiree's budget. Ah yes, summer in Washington state. It has been GORGEOUS for weeks. Truly summer. Then, time for the big summer arts festival and it is January in August!!! It poured cats and dogs (even Maddie agreed) all day on Saturday, the normally biggest day for crowds and sales. I mean poured, from 10 am to 5pm. Then stopped and was beautiful on Sunday, after the big crowds!!

So what are you gonna do?

I say, remember what's important.

Remember that I got in to a wonderful, juried show, and that a ton of my loyal customers returned and bought some pieces to add to their collection. Remember that the people that stopped by in pouring rain had to be miserably cold and wet. "Why were they there" I kept wondering. Would I have been? Hmmmm???

So thank you to all those who weathered the storm, stopped by to say hi and see my new precious Maddie. She was a show stopper by far. It was so much fun to have her light hearted, playful self, and kisses filled with sweet doggie breath. She loved meeting everyone, and wasn't stingy with the kisses.

Maddie helps to remind me that there is always a rainbow after a storm.

And to enjoy the rain, I never get that moment again. Just smile warmly, love the friends that were there to support me in the miserable weather, and don't fight mother nature. You can't win. Great lessons from a 2 1/2 pound doggie. That's why I love her. She did great in the hotel. Man, I forgot what its like to have a baby that can't go out to go potty, since they haven't had all the vaccines. Yikes! We had the floor covered in pee pads, like a quilt, moving quickly with her little body to line the bombs up! Whew, then do a show on top of that. No wonder I forgot my credit card machine!!

Thank you to all for your support. I'm ready for my next adventure, doing Stephanie Lee's on line Homesteader's Metal class. Can't wait to play with Maddie, and make new things! New pictures coming soon of the "Mad" dog Maddie, she changes everyday so much.

Birthday Girl

Today is my birthday!

And this is the sweetie that greeted me this fine birthday morning....after a good nights sleep by all! Maddie slept well through the night, waiting patiently for morning to roll round so she could get out of her pen, and give me birthday kisses.

She's begun "chewing" on ears. OUCH! We have to learn how not to bite hard. She's been exploring Chester's toy basket, and having a ball. I know he would love that.

Finally, a nap...another rare moment for a photo op!

She has spent five nights at our house. She knows her name, knows me when I walk into the room, goes potty outside, if we take her, and wees on her pad.

Is this a genius dog or what?

So happy birthday fellow Leo friends, whom there are many!!! I can't wait for some of you to meet sweet Maddie at the Anacortes Festival this coming weekend. She's got lots of kisses for you. I hope she takes lots of naps this week so I can make more jewelry, I'm soooooo behind and it is soooooooooo worth it!!