Mermaid

I haven't done a lot of clay this summer, but I have enjoyed messing around with some paper clay I made.  I added a bunch of mushed up and wrung out toilet paper to some recycled white earth. I beat the whole thing with an immersion blender until it was a smooth consistency, and let it dry to a workable body.

She is actually an awkward size, too big to comfortably hold, too small to work on easily on my stand.  Live and learn!

She is pinched and hollow.  One very nice thing about paper clay is that I can go back to it when it's too dry, moisten it, and continue to work.

The top photo is her more or less finished state.  In the bottom photo I have begun to add various coats of slip.  There's still a lot more to do.

We drained the pool and have been madly scrubbing.  Toes crossed we get water next week so we can enjoy a bit of swimming.  It's been time consuming as I am still building up my stamina but totally worth it.

It doesn't seem possible that we are in the last week of July.  Summer is passing way too quickly.

I do hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

As always, thanks for stopping by.............*s*

Hello? July?

But where did June go?

Finally the daylillies are starting to bloom.  They are a few weeks late this year which is not surprising considering how cold our spring was.  It didn't start to get warm until the middle of June.
Now everything is going like gangbusters to make up for lost time.

I think I bought the double yellow below when my pond guy was going out of business.  Our caterpillar infestation of a few years ago almost did it in.  I am delighted at how well it has come back.

The dark red is one I bought for Proge, again from the pond guy. This one is on the edge of the pond.

And last, one of our many frogs.  Because what is a pond without frogs?  We have at least seven; the croak all night.  It's one of the comforting sounds of summer.

I have been getting back into my studio now and them.  I am trying out paper clay.

We'll see, grasshopper........we'll see....





As always, thanks for stopping by...........*s*