First and foremost, I would like to apologize for not being as present on my blog as of late. There have been things happening, but to be sure I will be following up with your comments and getting back to a regular routine this month.
Spring is nearly here and I have been trying to finish up a few little reno projects around the house. This includes a re-imagining of my mantle place, because every home needs a heart and for our ours it will be the hearth.
This is how things looked before:
And this is where we are at now:
I am hoping to complete this project very soon, which also includes new base boards and a crown moulding. What do you think of it so far? I am hoping it and the shelves I plan on installing along the sides will be a suitable showcase for my raku pottery vases.
I am also excited to announce that I will be making my own tiles for the space around the fireplace insert, and soon we will be adding tiles to our site available for sale.
I will also be experimenting with some naked fun this month – naked raku, now with ferric chloride. I am looking to create a special vase to honour my lovely furbaby family members. If all goes well and ‘The Alchemist’ has not lost his touch, I hope to be able to offer these vases and urns for people who would like to honour their pets. So if you are interested, start a collection of their fur when you brush them!
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I am still contemplating a colour choice for the centre protrusion. What do you think would be a good colour for it?
Home renos and upkeep can be fun, when you are in the right headspace. My wife was recently away for 3 days and I was able to undertake renewal of the feature “suede look” paint finish on our main floor. She is not a fan of paint smell and could not even smell it when she got home, so success. Happy renovating. Allan
Sounds like a lovely things to have done and to have come home to! Have a great week, Allan!
Wishing you all luck with the redo. I still would like to buy the elephant ornament suitable for wearing with a gold/silver chain. Keep me on the list! thanks! and again good luck with the new adventures! ral
Thank you! We will be doing a glaze firing in the next week or so.
Like the photos and cute cat
Thank you, I am glad you liked it! Hope you have an excellent week!
Beautiful pics + funny cat! 😀
On the time bit: I completely understand, life can get in the way of blogging, so frustrating lol
I know right! I am working on fitting it in more this week. Hope you are doing well!
Your kitty looks like ‘are you done yet?’!!! So cute. Your ‘real’ life always comes first, blogging second. 😎😻
its true, the cat makes it so haha. Hope you are doing well, John!
Your welcome. My back and kidney stones are making today difficult, but I will prevail!
Cannot wait to see the end result!
Thank you, Deborah! I am looking forward to it as well! Hope your week is off to an excellent start!
Bonne idée! When my last fur baby died I turned the ashes into a very sculptural painting- but an urn would have been a good idea to!
Sorry for your loss. Quite an interesting thing to create with their ashes!
Yeah- I’m kind of thinking of adding a clause to my will that I want my ashes turned into an art piece- it’s only fitting I think 🤔🙂
This looks and sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing.
thanks for reading! i hope you are having a great week so far!
I did in fact, hope you did too. Thank you!
“I would like to apologize for not being as present on my blog as of late.”
Heh. This *never* happens to me… . Looking forward to seeing what color you choose.
Rocky & Missy say “Hey!”
Hi Rocky and MIssy! Getting back into it now 🙂
Definitely a color that will accentuate your vases and make them “pop.” Light, earthy, warm.
Thank you for your suggestion, I hope you are having an awesome day!
Beautiful pictures. You are so talented and your work is really magic.
Thank you for your kind words! I hope you are doing well.
My pleasure. I am doing fine. I hope you are too!
When my 18 year old furbaby died in August I had her cremated with many other animals so do not have ashes from her. I have a clay piece with her paw prints in it and her name. I got that look from my cat too when I tried putting things on her.
I am sorry for your loss. <3
Cats make such wonderful faces.
The idea of renovating itself seems adventurous to me only when it is by your own hands. Wonderful work.
Hi Kritika, it is a learned skill, as anything. Not impossible but its taken time for sure. Thank you for your kindness! and I hope you are doing well
Thank you 🙂
I am good. Thank you 🙂 Have a great day.
Pink 🌸💕
Thanks for your suggestion!
Your hearth is looking beautiful…love the white and that is one VERY patient kitty!!! Cheers and Rock On! 🙂
Thank you! He is a funny kitty who is sometimes patient and sometimes very very impatient. LIke people I guess!
Yup! 🤣
Omg the cat!!!
Ha! Yes he is a treasure. We call him Chairman Meow.
I love it!
Your own tiles, that sounds exciting! Looking forward to seeing the “after” photos.
Looking forward to sharing them with you! Thanks for your comment!
I love your hearth project! How exciting! And your kitty must be very patient.
Thank you! he is sometimes very patient, and sometimes very much not. But I do love the photo!
love the hat! Have a great day.
thanks! he is not always a fan of it, but it makes for a cute photo!
The hearth looks great, so far! I’m excited to see how it turns out! And I love the cat pic; it’s adorable! 😊
Thank you! It is now well on its way, much like Chairman Meow was after I took that photo. 🙂
You’re very welcome! That’s awesome! I’m glad the project’s coming along well. And yeah, I can definitely see that lol I probably wouldn’t have been able to get a picture with my cats; they wouldn’t have even allowed that haha 😄
Ho cool is it to make your own tiles for the fireplace?! I can’t wait to see the finished project!
Thank you! I cannot wait either. It is going to take a few kiln loads for sure.Hope your day is going great!
I am quite interested in seeing your finished project! I love when we alter or change a part of our home. If course, I’ve been in this place forever and will be here forever, but if I had a choice I’d move every 6-8 years and create a new atmosphere every time!
Wonderful! It can be a big job, not my first rodeo over here either, Thanks for your comment!