Another Term Winds Down—My Novel Freshman Experience

Burlon Craig Face Jug

I signed up for a spring class last week. Another pottery class. If you're counting...my sixth. It's my third independent study (officially individualized studio) class. I'll confess, the flexibility works well with balancing the minions and the rest of the family. And I like spending a term going in my own direction. Professor H. makes a great advisor. He offers opinions and some direction, but let's me be in the driver's seat. I'm already feeling sad about spring being my last ceramic's class. Of course, by the time the class is over, I should have my own studio up and running! Yep. I've got studio glee!

But here's what being a class of one is missing...reports. Yeah, I know, some people might think that's a plus, but over the out-of-school decades I forgot how much I love doing a deep dive on a topic.  We have to do a report on a ceramic artist in a week. I did a presentation on Rob Bernard my first term. It was supposed to be five to ten minutes, but I had pages and pages of notes. Interesting facts I was sure everyone should know. (My daughter assured me that not only did the kids in class not want to know, but there was a chance my glee over reports annoyed them! If it did, they were kind enough to feign interest. LOL) I did manage to keep it to ten minutes, but would have loved to have gone longer. I left so much unsaid. This time, I'm doing a presentation on Burlon Craig. I'm trying to keep it short...but it's still hard! He's equally interesting and exciting. He is known

Holly Face Jugs

 for his face jugs in the Catawba Valley in NC (my southern roots are firmly planted just north of there).  I bought a great book, The Final Kiln Opening, about his last sale which was so cool. And I bought a book on that folk tradition, based more in Georgia called Brothers in Clay. Equally engrossing reading...alright engrossing in a totally geeky way. LOL I've got pages and pages of notes.

Ten minutes?  I have to fit all this in ten minutes? The trouble is real. LOL

To add to my condensing everything into a less than ten minute presentation, I found YouTube videos from a PBS show called Folkways. They showed Burlon in his studio and firing his kiln. You can find them at Burlon on Folkways. They were fantastic! The second video talked to other local ceramic artists who were related to, or knew, Craig. They watched him work. I wish I'd discovered him sooner and could have visited his studio as well!

I fell in love with face jugs my second term. I wrote a bit about them here.

Holly's Game of Thrones inspired Face Vase

Holly's Jug

 I've done a bunch since then. For me they're a connection to my southern roots and to be honest, I just think they're ugly cute! LOL And art inspires art. School inspires study. I've been trying my hand at some folk art painting and one of my favorites is Burlon's kiln firing. It's obviously rough, but I've done a few versions of it. I love the flames!

Holly's Burlon's kiln painting.

I've been wanting to buy a Burlon Craig face jug but they're a little rich for my blood. But I did find one of his swirl teapots. It should get here soon. I'm soooo excited! I'll post a picture when it arrives.

I don't know what I'm going to take up at school next fall. Maybe some more art classes. I'm working toward a degree...maybe. I plan to just continue taking classes that interest me, and if I get close to a degree, I'll take some of the must-take classes. At this rate, it'll be a decade from now. But hey, for me, it's not really the destination (a degree) that matters. It's the journey. And so far, I've enjoyed every step of My Novel Freshman Experience journey!

Holly

PS Just in time for Thanksgiving, another school story...this one from a PTA mom's point-of-view. Once Upon a Thanksgiving is on sale!

Thanksgiving...a holiday of glee!!

I've been talking about my new book, Between the Words, but this week, I'm talking about my PTA Mom Collection. I loved writing about three single moms finding love at holidays and I'm thrilled they're all in one collection (with a bonus story). I'll confess, In Once Upon a Thanksgiving, I loved that Samantha actively worked at being optimistic and happy.

With kids, a job and an unexpected PTA Committee job (the Thanksgiving pageant), she's got a lot on her plate. But she realizes she's a work in progress and just gets down to work on all of it...and in learning to be happy.

That message resonates with me. Glee is a state of mind...one we all can work on cultivating.

I will admit that I love Thanksgiving because it's a holiday that centers on family and on counting our blessings. We have a tradition here of going around the table and saying what we're thankful for. Some of the thankful-items are silly on purpose, but no matter how silly they are, it's a great reminder that we're lucky. Yes, I talk about glee a lot and I think that awareness of how lucky I am makes it easier to find glee tucked up in most of my life.

I think that's why I love this holiday so much. I might have to do a lot of cooking (making the brine today then tomorrow cooking in earnest), but there's something to be said about a day that's spent counting our blessings and reminding ourselves why we're lucky! A day of glee!

So as you all start to bustle around the kitchen prepping for the big day, I hope you take a minute to find your glee!!

Holly

PS Here are the most recent Trippin' Videos...

PPS Check out this year's releases: Polished Off PTA Moms: the Collection Between the Words Briar Hill Road Find my books at: Amazon Kobo Radish Fiction iBooks B&N Google Play BAM In Erie, you can find my books on the shelf at Werner Books!

Cooks and Books, Homemade Taco Seasoning

There's a new Cooks and Books out!  

I know, it's been a while!  Join me in the kitchen as we make homemade taco seasoning. It's cheaper than store-bought packets and has no fillers, preservatives or food coloring in it! 

Someone asked me why the cornstarch, and I realized that I hadn't mentioned to add a bit of water, just like the bagged stuff. The cornstarch turns it saucy.

And check out my new series, PTA Moms.  

Holly

You Might be a PTA Mom....

In celebration of my new PTA Mom trilogy, let's play a Jeff Foxworthy-esque game:

You Might Be A PTA Mom if...

Here are a few to get you started.  Add your own as a reply and I'll add them to the list.  And to make things more interesting, I'm drawing names from the participants for  some lovely Weary Creek Gift Boxes!

10. ...when you appear in the teacher's workroom all the teachers rush over to see what you brought them to eat. ~Ellen Too

9. ...you know the location of every public washroom in town—field trips help that along. ~Kaelee

8. ...you've dressed up in a grass skirt, aloha shirt, and carried around a pink, plastic, blowup dolphin as volunteer reader for the annual Scholastic book fair . . . in a snowstorm. ~Shelley

7. ... your kids' friends call you "Mom." ~Patti

6. You might be a PTA mom if you can sing "Found a Peanut" in your sleep. ~Jody

5. ...you take every school fundraiser to work and then end up having to carry in 100 tubs of frozen cookie dough ~Tammy

4. ...you've popped so much popcorn to sell on Fridays that when you go to the grocery store later that day, you notice people around you sniffing the air and saying, "Do you smell popcorn?" ~JV

3. ...the students wave in the hall and say, "HI Laminating Lady!" rather than "Mrs. ____" ~Donna

2. ...you're so busy with PTA stuff that your husband has to dress out of the dryer in the mornings. ~JV

1. ... if you've ever forged another mom's name on a volunteer sheet. ~Ellen 

So add your own You Might Be a PTA Mom if, or share a story about your time as a PTA Mom!  I'll draw names from the entries in December for the awesome Weary Creek Gifts!

And Check Out the PTA Mom Trilogy...they're available for Kindle and as a paperback!

Holly

New Perspective...A Novel Freshman Experience, Part 18

I will confess, I love that I love that my ceramics class is making me look at the world with new eyes.  I've been looking at regular objects and noticing distinct shapes and textures.  I wonder if I could duplicate them.

Trees and leaves have been of particular interest.  My tree stump teapot gave me a chance to play with those textures.

But the big news of the day is...the Hobbit Hole/Hobbit Book came out of its bisque firing.  It all stayed together.  No explosions!!  Phew.

I had a dream two nights ago that I was leaning into a kiln (which in my dream was rather like my washing machine) and pulling out my hobbit hole in pieces.  I was so upset in my dream.  So today when Professor H. handed it to me...  

Well, I try to contain my glee in class and not annoy the kids.  I mean, someone being a Holly-level of glee at 8 am...even I might be annoyed with me!  LOL  But today, I will confess, I spewed glee all over the class.  And no one threw spitballs at me!  

Have I mentioned that the kids I go to class with are very sweet?  They are.

To the extent when I walk into school in the morning, more often than not, someone holds a door for me.  

My teapot lid came out nice, but Professor H. suggested it needed turned the other way so it read more like a handle.  A leaf handle.  So I did a fourth lid.  LOL  I'm pleased with it!  I forgot to take a pic of it, but I'll get one soon.

With that lid being finished, all my clay-work is done.  I'll need to start glazing soon.  Yes, you'll all probably hear a lot about it.  But now that it's all the clay-work is done, I'm thinking of next semester...I'm taking Ceramics II.  I said at the beginning of this blog I've been seeing the world through different eyes...looking at form and texture.  I really want to experiment more with both.  I have an idea for a quilt...a clay quilt.  I experimented today with that block.  Professor H. said they needed to be thicker, but I think I can get them to read as material.    

I have until January to come up with more ideas.  Uh, January seems like a long way off.  I'm going to miss being in the studio in December.

I'm teaching a workshop in November about Finding Your Sequel...trying something new and learning to see the world in a new way.  That's exactly what this class has been.  It's teaching me a new way to see the world, and I think anytime we can learn to look at things from a new perspective, we've grown!

Holly

PS Speaking of new perspectives and new beginnings, my second PTA Mom story, Once Upon a Christmas is out November 1st.  I hope you'll pick the series up!

PPS If you missed any My Novel Freshman Experiences, you can find them at: Part Seventeen, Part Sixteen,  Part Fifteen, Part Fourteen, Part Thirteen, Part Twelve, Part Eleven, Part Ten, Part Nine, Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One

It's all about the story...My Novel Freshman Experience, Part 15

My Hobbit Hole is coming along.  I'm hoping all the pieces hold together when it's fired, but even if it explodes, I've learned so much doing this one.  I've played with a bunch of textures.  Stone, thatch, grass, bushes, trees, bricks, stucco...  I'm particularly pleased with the fallen tree in the back.  

I didn't plan on the tree, but I had that rocky outcrop at the back.  I was thinking about Bilbo and crew going through the mountains.  The paths were treacherous, there were obstacles at every turn.  That's the story I was telling with the fallen tree.  And for me, it's all about the story.

Maybe that's why I'm loving this class so much...because every piece I make is a story.  You might not see my story when you look at a piece, and that's okay.  You can bring your own story to it.  Because for me, it's all about the story...whether it's yours or mine.

I keep blogging about how art (even if what I'm doing might not quite qualify as art yet! LOL) and writing are connected.  This "dwelling" project really emphasizes that for me.  The last project is a narrative piece.  Stay tuned for more about that.  

By the way, thank you so much to all my new followers!  And thanks to everyone who's picked up one of my books, taken the time to write a review, or dropped me a note!

Holly

PS If you missed any of my Novel Freshman Experience videos, here they are...Part Fourteen, Part Thirteen, Part Twelve, Part Eleven, Part Ten, Part Nine, Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One

PSS. Here's the new Once Upon a Time Video!!

Back to School with the PTA Moms

Once Upon a Thanksgiving

I've been talking a lot about going back to school.  Thanks to everyone's who's been following my Freshman Novel Experience Blogs! 

My going back to school is timely, since my new series is out!  My PTA Mom trilogy introduces three single...uh, PTA moms.  Samantha, Michelle and Carly missed the first meeting of the year end up on the worst PTA committee and discover sometimes something really good can surprise you!

Single mom Samantha in Once Upon a Thanksgiving has kids...a lot of kids.  She has a demanding job.  She's working hard to regain her sense of optimism.  She's determined to find a new way to be happy.  She doesn't have time to plan the  PTA Thanksgiving Pageant...and she certainly doesn't have time for Harry, the kids new principal.  Of course, he's just an interim principal.  He'll be leaving soon.  Maybe he is just the kind of man she needs to date...a man with an expiration date.  But Samantha and Harry find out that love doesn't have a timetable. 

Reviews:

"If you're looking for a comfort book as the season gets busier and busier, you can't go wrong with Once Upon a Thanksgiving.... And, for those of us who are fans of Jacobs, it's wonderful to discover this is the first in her new holiday series." ~Lesa Holstine in USA Today

"Beyond delivering a compelling read, or the first in an inventive series about parenting, Holly Jacobs earns her kudos by seriously dealing with the difficulties of divorce on children and parents." ~ RT Bookclub

I hope you enjoy Samantha's story and that you watch for Michelle's story, Once Upon a Christmas in November and Carly's story, Once Upon a Valentine's in January!

Holly

Once Upon a Valentine's

Once Upon a Christmas

Come Back to School with me!

It's fall break so the campus is empty!  I went up to school last night and started cutting out pieces for my next project...a house.  But while I was all alone in the studio, I made you all a video.  Come back to school with me!!

When you're done, go back to school with my three PTA Moms,
Samantha in Once Upon a Thanksgiving,

Michelle in Once Upon a Christmas, 

and Carly in Once Upon a Valentine's!

Holly

Come FALL in love with Holly Jacobs Books...

e It's FALL!!  This is my favorite time of year. It's the time of year that Erie, PA truly shines! If you drive through North East, you can smell grapes ripening on the vine.  Enjoy the fall foliage—deep reds, vibrant oranges and cheery yellows—as you drive a little west along the lake into Erie proper.  Yes, the kids are back to school...oh, and there's a bit of news...so am I!!  I'm a college freshman.  My first class?  Ceramics.  Oh, I'm having more fun at school than anyone should.  Don't tell my class, but I just finished my presentation...uh, it's not due until November.  Yeah, I know, it's a sickness.  But seriously, I'm enjoying every part of this class.  I'm blogging about my "Novel" Freshman Experience on this blog. It's amazing how much pottery relates to my writing! And I'm going to segue from school to...uh, school.  It didn't take much talent, did it? LOL  I'm talking about my PTA Mom trilogy.  The first book, Once Upon a Thanksgiving, is out today as an ebook, and the paperback will be out in a couple days!   The PTA Mom series is filled with heart, holidays and three PTA Moms who find their own happily-ever-afters!   The first in the series, Once Upon A Thanksgiving is about when Harry Met…Samantha. Single mom, Samantha Williams is too busy for love. She’s already juggling work, four kids, a one-eyed cat and now the PTA’s Social Planning Committee. But when Samantha meets Harry Remington, she finds herself drawn to the kids’ principal. But not only is Harry recovering from a bad break-up, he’ll only be around until December. Maybe they can date knowing there’s an expiration date on their time together. But sometimes the heart has its own mind. By Thanksgiving, neither are ready to let go of what they've discovered together, but both are afraid to hold on. Will their love be enough to overcome their pasts as they look beyond their present to a future…together?   Reviews: "If you're looking for a comfort book as the season gets busier and busier, you can't go wrong with Once Upon a Thanksgiving.... And, for those of us who are fans of Jacobs, it's wonderful to discover this is the first in her new holiday series." ~Lesa Holstine in USA Today "Beyond delivering a compelling read, or the first in an inventive series about parenting, Holly Jacobs earns her kudos by seriously dealing with the difficulties of divorce on children and parents." ~ RT Bookclub The second book, Once Upon a Christmas is out in November, and the third book, Once Upon a Valentine's will be out in January!

I'm so glad all the winners loved their Weary Creek Bathworks boxes of soap earlier this year!  It was so much fun, I've decided to do it again for the PTA Moms trilogy.  The boxes will go out in December, so you have time to enter.  And here's how we're going to do this one... Take a picture of yourself reading any of my books, post it on social media and tag me...and you're in. OR write an honest review of one of my books for your favorite online site (Amazon, Goodreads, etc...) and tag me, or email it to me and you're entered. OR take a picture of a Holly Jacobs' book on your bookshelf, in a pile of leaves, and post it on social media.... Well, here's the thing...do something to tell friends about my books, tell me or tag me, and you're entered.  I'll draw names in December, so you've got two months to enter. Why?  Word of mouth is always the best promotion a writer can get.  I have Weary Creek working on PTA Mom boxes!  You can just link me on social media, or send them to me at HollyJacobs1@gmail.com. That's it this time!  I'm working like crazy on the new Quincy book (yes, she's back again for a 5th book and oh, there's a bunch of news!!) that will be out next year!  Thanks everyone for asking for more Quincy!! Wishing you all an amazing fall!  I'll be back in a couple months to tell you about Michelle's book, and then again to tell you about Carly, our accidental arsonist! (Don't you want to know how that happened??) As always, thank you, thank you, thank you for all your support!! Holly Once Upon a Thanksgiving Once Upon a Christmas Once Upon a Valentine's

My Novel Freshman Experience, Part Eleven—The Boot

The Boot

Just in case you're wondering, there is absolutely no one awake on a university campus at 7:30 am on a Saturday. (At least not my university...but I suspect I can make that a broad statement.)  I know, you're shocked.  LOL 

I love being in the studio when no one else is around!  I blared Hamilton (well, as blary as an iPhone can be) and worked on my boot.  That last project was done with coils.  This time, we're using soft slabs.  Now, making a boot wasn't a high priority for me, but these projects are valuable lessons.  They're giving me an opportunity to learn what the clay can do. And I'll confess, I'm enjoying the project more than I anticipated.  

I'm doing a workshop for a local senior group in November on Second Acts...talking about that idea of learning something new—finding something you enjoy.  I'll confess, I'm no clay prodigy, but I'm enjoying every moment of this class.  I'm hoping that I can impart some of that sense of wonder and enthusiasm to the workshop participants.  Maybe they'll be inspired to write a biography, something to introduce themselves to future generations.  Or maybe they'll take a pottery class.  Or maybe...  Maybe they'll realize the world is their oyster and pick something unexpected!

I think that's part of why I'm making My Novel Freshman Experience part of my writing blog...I hope it inspires you all to look around for something new to try.  Maybe you'll find yourself out and...wait for it...wait for it...ABOOT.  Out and aboot.  Aboot...Canadian for about.  (I felt I needed to explain, which probably means it's not as funny as I thought it was!  LOL  My kids say that's common!)

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's started following my blog, or just checked it out!

Holly

PS.

Once Upon a Thanksgiving

If you've missed any Novel Experience posts, you can find them here... Part Ten, Part Nine, Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One

PPS The first book in my PTA Mom Trilogy is out on September 26th. You can preorder it now!!

Once Upon a Christmas

Once Upon a Valentine's

My Novel Freshman Experience: Part Ten...Raku

 RAKU

It was a lovely walk to school today.  Yes, I'm still FitBitting at least 10,000 steps every day, so that mile or so walk is helpful!  It's a bit warmer than I like, but not summer-hot, so it was a nice walk up. And look at that sunrise!

Now, on to school...I had so much fun today!!  We talked about the next project (we're making a boot), got our artist for our reports approved (I'm doing Rob Barnard...love his pots and the fact he writes a lot about pottery)...and we made a Raku cup. I took pictures so you could come to class with me...

So that's the kiln in the back, and those two buckets?  They're filled with sawdust. 






The top of the kiln's been removed and the hot pots are put into the sawdust.  You can see how red-hot the pieces in the kiln are.





The pots actually flame when you put them in the sawdust.  The buckets go back on top and the pieces smoke for a bit.

 The second one down from the top of the picture is mine.  It's after they pots are removed from the sawdust and filled with water to rapidly cool them down.






And here's the finished piece.  This wouldn't be a great cup for drinking, since the flame doesn't get hot enough to really seal it, but it is lovely.  I purposefully left holes with no glaze that turned a lovely black, matte, smoky color.

I'm heading back later today to put some underglaze on my big sculpture (see the previous post).  And I'm starting on my boot later this week...we don't have class Thursday, but I'm thinking I might as well go up and work.  And even though the artist report isn't due for a while, by now you've probably figured out I'll be starting it this week.  LOL  I seriously can't help myself.  The family keeps giving me those, isn't-she-cute looks as I gleefully work on stuff here. But I've wanted to take a pottery class forever...and I'm enjoying it as much as I thought I would.

Hope you all have a good day and find something new to learn that gives you as much glee as this is giving me!

Holly

PS.

Once Upon a Thanksgiving

If you've missed any Novel Experience posts, you can find them here... Part Nine, Part Eight, Part Seven, Part Six, Part Five, Part Four, Part Three, Part Two, Part One

PPS The first book in my PTA Mom Trilogy is out on September 26th. You can preorder it now!!

Once Upon a Christmas

Once Upon a Valentine's