We are planning our first virtual Clayathon and planning and helping with it has pretty much taken over my life this past week, I’m learning a lot. We even have a new web page thanks to Lisa Clarke. Even though it won’t be the same as the in-person conference, I am still looking forward to Clayathon 2021.
And now for a trip down memory lane.
I’m back in the pottery studio this week decorating and glazing all the bowls I threw last year. The studio has limited access, we observe social distancing, and we all wear masks which is generally a good idea in a pottery studio. I’m glad to have a little brightness and color to add to these dark winter days. Spring is just ahead! Here are some pictures.
My mother made bread every week when I was growing up, so bread making it was never a big mystery to me. It’s a great pastime on a cold winter day and makes everything smell so good.
It’s also great to have toast made from home made bread to go with your yogurt after you’ve had two teeth pulled which I did today. Don’t go apoplectic on me. There was no pain and the teeth needed to come out. I feel much better with them gone.
To try the recipe I used, which makes four loaves, click here.
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I’ve been doing a lot of reading during the Pandemic.  I’m currently working my way through Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel, a book I heartily recommend. It takes place during the reign of Henry VIII and focuses on the life and career of Thomas Cromwell, one of his closest advisors.  I’ve written before how I find distasteful (!) many of the aspects of the Elizabethan world. (Although I am also working on family genealogy and learning a little about what life was like for some of my ancestors who lived through it.)  Let’s just say that religious fanaticism is nothing new and leave it at that.
I’ve gotten to the part in the book where Anne Boleyn becomes queen.  The book concentrates more on the history and personalities and does not contain detailed descriptions  of clothing and jewelry.  Still, there are some and it got me to thinking and I pulled out some of my unfinished bead design projects.  I was trying to design a necklace as a surprise afor a person (who I considered a part of my funky extended family) who loved Renaissance Fairs and was also into beading.  But she died unexpectedly and I put the project on mothballs.
Maybe I’ll take it up again. Â Many of the pieces use cubic right angle weave, a stitch that was very hot at the time. Â I also love cross-weave beading (right angle weave is but one form of this) Â and was experimenting with that stitch as well. Â Here are some pictures. Rest easy Wendy and thanks for inspiring me.
Ornamento 