Ok...so tonight we are going to tag along for my Goddaughters first "Trick or Treat" trip!

I am so excited...this year she is going to be an adorable little mouse!

At our first stop Emily got a couple of suckers...she was totally blown away that candy was placed into her pumpkin! After that she was ready to hit up the next house...

OOOOhhhh...this house had chocolate! Yummy!!!!

We ended the night at our house...Emily was able to sit down and take all of the candy from our dish and place it into her pumpkin!

I am not a real big fan of Halloween...however it was so much fun to see all of the kids in the neighborhood get dressed up and stop by!

Happy Halloween!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Happy Halloween!!!!

Have a bootacular night!!

Artfully yours,

Ceramic Diva

Pumpkin Patch!

Saturday was such a busy day!!!

I wouldn't call it babysitting...more like hangin out with a pint size buddy!

My friend "Fab" brought over her little girl (umm doughnuts too!) and we enjoyed

a little breakfast...then Fab headed home...next Melana and I headed off to Cobb Ranch to pick out the perfect pumpkin! Oh my goodness...when we arrived they had not 1 but 2 Bounce Houses, a Jungle Gym complete with recycled tire swings made to look like horses, a Tri-Cycle Bike Race Track, Animal Farm, Tractor Train, and of course...the Hay Ride! You know we experienced ALL OF IT...plus got a beautiful pumpkin! It was SO much fun!!!

After our journey to Cobb Ranch we picked up lunch and headed back to my house! Once lunch was finished it was time to get baking!!! Normally I will make the cookie dough from scratch, however these are special pumpkin cookies...just use refrigerated sugar cookie dough, cut a small amount off, place the dough separately in a bowls...the small amount of dough gets green food coloring (to represent the pumpkin stem) and the rest of the dough gets orange food coloring (the pumpkin!)...Melana loved mixing it, rolling it into the "perfect" shape and then adding the green stem! After the cookies had baked and cooled slightly...we made pumpkin faces using mini chocolate chips!

We had a fantastic day together!!!

I can't wait for more special times to hang out with my buddy!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Awesome Techniques!

The Ginkgo Leaf Oval Platter is an extraordinary project!

I know that it looks rather cumbersome...but using the Majolica Technique you will be elated on how beautiful your final results will be! What...never heard of Majolica?! Ok, let me break it down for ya...

Step 1 - Select a nonmoving glaze so that the design or pattern does not become distorted in the glaze firing. Apply 3 coats to bisque plate, using a fan brush. Let dry.

Step 2 - Trace your design on your bisque piece, using, clay carbon and pencil.

Typical majolica designs are traditional fruits, flower and leaves, abstracts or patterns.

Step 3 - Apply 2 coats of glaze to design, using a round brush. Let dry.

Step 4 - After the glaze firing, the design is a permanent part of the glaze surface.

Still not convinced that you could do it...WATCH how easy it is...just click here to watch the video!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Next Season!

Ok...so the LA Dodgers didn't make it...but they did put up a good fight and should feel proud to have made it as far as they did!!! However even though they lost last night, I am still a 100% Dodger fan...I have been since I was a little girl!

Hmmm...I have a feeling in 2009 the LA Dodgers will come correct....

I even placed our treasured LA Dodger ball inside the fabulous LA mug I made!

Here's to next year!!!!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Game 5 to stay ALIVE!!!

Ok...so the picture isn't the best...but you get the drift!

I painted a Contempo Mug with 3 solid coats of Concepts® Underglazes, then applied a thin coat of Pure Brilliance™ Brush On Clear Glaze. Fired it and voila a fantastic mug for tonight!

Of course I had to add just a little bling to the mug to make it jazzy using

Tulip® Glam-It-Up!™ Iron-On Crystals™!!

Go LA Dodgers!!!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Ok...so last night wasn't the night for my LA Dodgers...

My husband and I have been so excited that they made it to the NLCS! Finally they have a chance...but last night was a tough loss. We were hoping that they could tie up the series...

They play again tomorrow...so lets hope the Dodgers take the win! I decided that I am going to make a "good luck" mug! (Now that it's cold at night...perfect for hot chocolate!!!)

Check back tomorrow for the finished LA Dodger Mug!!!

Go my blue!!!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Happy Anniversary!

Saturday was my 5th wedding anniversary!

I can't believe how quickly time goes by!

Normally my husband and I take a trip or go someplace exciting!

This year we opted for a "Staycation"...

After purchasing our first home a couple of months ago we wanted

to spend our time doing projects around the house...enjoying our new home!!

So...we just hung around the house, doing a little yard work, lots of cooking our favorite dishes,

moving furniture around, and watching movies! We even watched our wedding video the day

of our actual anniversary! It was a fabulous 3 day weekend and now back to work!

Happy Anniversary Sweetie...here's to many more years!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva

Zoo-tastic!!!

Today my husband and I took our niece to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo !

This was her first trip to the zoo and we were delighted to take her!!!

To start our journey at the zoo we started off by checking out the monkeys!

Next we stopped by to check out the Giraffes...

Ok, now how cool is this...you can feed the Giraffes!!!

The Sea Otters were so adorable!!

Look how cute!!!

All of that walking around and checking out the animals made us hungry! The 3 of us grabbed lunch and watch the other animals nearby playing on the trees & vines.
After we finished our delicious PB &J's we continued our adventure through the Zoo...next stop was the Anteaters...the mom walked around and her baby just slept on her back.

We checked out the Camels...he was very busy eating his lunch!
Saved the best for last...now we are off to the reptile house...
We couldn't take pictures of the reptiles inside (no flash!) so the pictures is of the outside statue.

PS - The statue was painted with Duncan Glazes!

After a fun and full afternoon at the zoo it was time to go home! How long has it been since you went wild at the zoo?!

Artfully Yours,

Ceramic Diva