Funny! PJ

Lol! At least you know he liked it!

This may be mine, too.
My better-half has taken up blacksmithing as an art form. Imagine the logistical problems of hiding (much less moving)size> a 300 pound anvil, bags of refractory cement, fire brick and a leg press/vice thingie!

I SWEAR I'm moving to your house Jac. You don't happen to have a kilm hiding somewhere too? PJ

Not YET!
Starting small and practicing with polyclay over wire & aluminum armatures for the moment.

Barb, that is funny. Well, I had to call DD and ask her the specific size of the item she wanted for Christmas. I also had to ask DS specifics about his. She wanted a case for her accordian, and he wanted a case for his alto sax. Luckily, I was able to sort of fool DD, because the case I ended up ordering for her was sold out, and I told her it looked like I wasn't going to be able to get her one. After telling her that, I spoke with the company I ordered it from, and they had another brand, that was better and more expensive, (of course), so I opted for that one instead. She ended up being surprised, even though I practically had her on the phone when I was originally ordering it, asking her questions about size, shape and such. Luckily, she was very pleased, and so was DS. DS even acted surprised, even though I had to ask him the same kind of specifics questions about size and such. Who knew there were so many different musical instrument cases?

Jac, your DH's new hobby sounds like it could be fun, but noisy.

One of my Christmas presents I got will be ceramics lessons. Did PJ mention a kiln?

Sally

I got to disguise a 2-ton shop crane this year.

That's what DH wanted, that's what he got. LOL

I just hid it in plain sight, and proved to him that he needs to clean that shop up at the same time. LOL, you can't find anything out there!

Yes, Jac, my DH is into blacksmithy work too. That's why he wanted the shop crane.

Barb, sometimes new holiday customs are comforting. I remember my Dad poking around in the presents to find out what he could find out. LOL, love those old memories.

Janie

Sally and I are going to end up at Jac's house! Poly clay gives me a headache. I can work with salt dough(kids),clay (ok not great),porcelain dolls,and paper mache'. Poly clay just goes all funky on me when I try to shape it. PJ

What a creative bunch we have here!

My mother has done ceramics for years as her "therapy". She makes such beautiful tableware!
Sally, I'm sure you will love it but don't be surprised if it leads you to other things. Pottery, sculpture, painting...

PJ, you need to try working with concrete!
Here is the linkhref> to my favorite concrete book. It will get you well on your way.
I have others if you need them, just don't skimp on the safety equipment!

A crane is the next thing on MY list! Danny wants to install one that runs on a track attached to the ceiling/roof(?) of the shop but I want one that is mobile. Kind of like an engine hoist, if that makes sense.

Janie, do y'all belong to HABA? They are the nicest bunch of guys!

Advance notice for all you creative types ~
HABAhref> has their calendar up and there is a great even in March that we could attend, contribute and enjoy.

"Call for Bowls and Artworks

Please Join Local Artists and Craftspeople for HoustonÂs Second Annual Empty Bowls Event March 3 & 4, 2006.

The Empty Bowls Initiative is a grassroots effort by artists and craftspeople across the country to feed the hungry in their communities. The Houston Empty Bowls Committee along with the Houston Food Bank and the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft are seeking contributions of handmade bowls and artworks from local artists and craftspeople.

HoustonÂs Second Annual Empty Bowls Event will be March 3rd & 4th, 2006. It starts on Friday in the Heritage Room of the J. P. Morgan Chase Bank downtown and continues Saturday at the Houston Center for Contemporary Craft. The bowls and artworks will be sold or auctioned at the Friday and Saturday soup luncheons with all proceeds going to the Houston Food Bank.

Hundreds of local artists and craftspeople donated bowls last year. Hundreds of Houstonians purchased the bowls. We raised more than $16,000 to help feed the hungry in Houston and neighboring counties and communities. We hope to do even better this year!

Bowls need not be functional! In terms of size, think of bowls for holding soup, rice, tea, individual dinner salad, cereal, ice cream -- or for nonfood bowls for holding paper clips, marbles, a collection of business cards, potpourri, soap, ..... "

This ceramics class I'll be taking is a beginner class, emphasis on BEGINNER! I don't really know what I'm getting into. It's a continuing ed class at our local community college, so I don't even know the differences between those materials you mentioned, PJ.

Jac, I never thought of blacksmithing as a hobby. I bet it's a fun hobby.

Sally

Sally,You'd like pretty much all of the materials I mentioned that I liked. They are mostly recycle and old-fashioned materials. Paper mache is recycled paper with glue,starch or flour added. It's been around forever. The salt dough is salt and flour mixed togther(homemade play doh kind of),and clay follows me where ever I attempt to garden! LOL! It's refined clay from the ground. Poly clay is a polymer. Ceramics is a really fine clay,I think.

Concrete is ok but I want to try hypertufa first! It's lighter.PJ

Here is a link that might be useful: hypertufa

PJ'S mention of flour and paper reminded me about planting seeds out in the garden, if your wanting to make a row of flowers all you have to do is take a strip of newspaper and a flour paste (flour and water) place the paste on the strip, then place your seeds in a row making sure the seeds are set into the paste, then place the strip with seeds in the garden where you want them to grow, I have not tried this but if I remember I will come spring time (bad memory) it comes and goes but mostly goes.

What a cool idea!

Sally