the world’s most expensive bowl

If my college had offered ceramics as a major, I would easily have taken enough hours to earn that degree. I, in no way, claim to be all that good with clay. But, I do claim to really, really enjoy it. As a poor college student, every family member and friend got something I made on the potter’s wheel for Christmas. I haven’t sat down to a wheel in ten years. Pottery is not like painting, you can’t just squeeze a wheel and kiln into the corner of your kitchen. I’ve missed it.

Back in the day, I made my dad a bowl. It became his favorite cereal/ice cream bowl.

2 years ago it got broken.

Unbeknownst to me, he has spent the last two years searching for a wheel and kiln so I could replace that bowl.

Well, guess what I opened from my dad this past Christmas?!

I became the proud owner of my very own potter’s wheel and kiln. One small issue…where in the world would be ever put it. The boy’s all share a room. The girls will share a room. Looked like we needed to make some room in the garage. Or so I thought.

To make a very long, carefully thought out story short…Chris wanted to add a space to our house that would allow the kids and I to have some extra room. A space for all my creative stuff. A space for my potter’s wheel and kiln. Just some extra space for us to do the things we already love doing together as family.

FireCracker calls it “The Castle”

My friend named it “The Sunshine House”

I’m calling it “My studio” because I’ve always dreamed of saying that.

Now, I know some of you are wondering, “What? Why did she never mention this? Why the secret?”

To be honest, as overwhelmingly grateful and excited I am about this new space…material things just aren’t that big of deal when your heart is aching for your family to be together. I’ve been honest on this blog about how hard that LOA wait was for me. We started construction about the same time we began our LOA wait. I would look out at all the wood laying on the ground and it would make me think of the wood slats she sleeps on all day, every day.  I just wasn’t ready to talk about it here.

But I am now!

We have been working hard, playing hard and growing excited about all fun times ahead in this new space.

My grandma and grandpa have been WORKING HARD for months. They were out on ladders and cutting boards bright and early so many mornings this spring. I absolutely cherish that my family will get to create memories inside walls built by my grandparents (and our wonderful neighbor who did the framing). I loved that my kids have gotten extra time with their great grandparents too. Such a gift.

We had a general idea and then kind of made things up as we went. Which worked out really well in some ways and in other ways it would have been better to have some blueprints. Just fyi…creative construction things you see on Pinterest often won’t pass city building codes…learned that one the hard way.

I love them so much. They are still quite smitten with each other too!

Getting the roof going. The boys would grab a bowl of cereal in the morning and sit outside to watch when the big trucks were around. Great entertainment (though not so cheap!)

The floors are going to stay concrete. It is a studio, after all. I might regret one day that I showed the kids they could draw on the floor with chalk.

I meant to get a few more inside shots before this post, but here is one I shared on Instagram over the weekend.

So..surprise! We are in the middle of building something. Now that there is somewhat of an end in sight regarding when we head over to get our girl…well, I am getting a little more antsy about getting this big project at least done in the sense of no more construction. And, I have a cereal bowl to replace for my dad!

And on a side note, if someone tells you that got a potter’s wheel please don’t quickly respond, “Oh, like in the movie Ghost?”

Drives me crazy 🙂