More pottery for sale!

All pieces are handmade, unique, and have their own little quirks! Let me know if you'd like to purchase something. Prices are listed below. (Cost of shipping not included.) 

If there is something you'd like for me to make for you, send me an e-mail at tinyhandspottery@gmail.com.   I will eventually be opening an etsy store.  But for now, thanks for letting me post on my blog!

Thanks for helping support my pottery dream!

SOLD #1.  $10.00  $8.00 Garlic grater/Olive oil dipping dish.  The middle has bumps that will grate/smash garlic bulbs.  

SOLD  #2.  $8.00  Small pot. 

 SOLD #3.  $8.00  Small bowl. 

   SOLD #4. $8.00 $10.00  Garlic grater/Olive oil dipping dish.  The middle has bumps that will grate/smash garlic bulbs.

SOLD #5.  $6.00 $10.00  Small bowl with candle.  Wild Orange essential oil scent.  

SOLD #6.  $10.00  Dinner bowl. 

SOLD  #7.  $10.00  Small bowl with candle.  Wild Orange essential oil scent.

SOLD #8.  $10.00  Small mug. 

SOLD #9.  $10.00  Small pot with candle.  Wild Orange essential oil scent.   

SOLD #10. $6.00 $10.00  Small pot with candle.  Wild Orange essential oil scent.

#11.  $8.00 $10.00  Creamer 

SOLD #12.  $10.00 $12.00 Large mug with wheat imprints 

#13. $10.00  $15.00.  Citrus squeezer. 

SOLD #14.  $10.00. Tea Cup.  

#15. SOLD  $30.00.  Casserole dish with lid.  Holds up to 5 cups of liquid. 

SOLD #16.  $10.00.  Small bowl.  

  SOLD #17.  $6.00 $8.00.  Spoon rest.  

#18. $6.00 $8.00.  Spoon rest.  

SOLD #19.  $8.00.  Spoon rest. 

SOLD #20.  $25.00.  Large serving bowl. 

SOLD #21.  $12.00 $15.00.  Brie baker with lid.  

#22. $20.00 $25.00.  Large chips and dip platter.  (One piece.)

SOLD #23.  $10.00.  Cereal bowl.  

SOLD #24.  $20.00.  Bon Appetit platter.  (Roughly the size of a dinner plate.)

 SOLD #25.  $10.00.  Small bowl. 

 SOLD #26. $10.00.  Dinner plate. 

Adios, Sabbatical...

I've been waiting for almost a year to write this post.

Almost a year ago, I closed the door on many of the things that were familiar to me.  I sold my home.  I sold my belongings.  I quit my job.  All because I needed a break, and God told me that it was ok.  That I could trust Him.  That He would take care of me.  And you know, He's not a liar.

I've made it no secret, much of the time, I did not enjoy being on sabbatical.  But, these last few months, that all changed.  I finally sank into it, and started to see what God was trying to show me.

The past few months, even though I was enjoying this time, I was starting to get anxious about the future.  I applied for a few jobs, and God SLAMMED those doors shut.  He didn't gently close them, He made it abundantly clear that they were not for me.

Ok, God.  That was my prayer, that you would close doors if those weren't the very best of what you had for me.

But...this year off is coming to an end, and my financial resources are running on fumes. I've been offered jobs left and right over the past 12 months, and now it's been crickets.

In the midst of my growing concern, I simply prayed this prayer.  "God, you have always chosen to speak to me in the big moments of my life in a very specific manner.  If you are speaking to me differently this time, please let me hear you.  I don't want to miss what you have planned for me, and I trust you.  I don't know how you will create something out of nothing, but I do trust you."

And that was it.  God assured me that I hadn't missed anything, and to just wait.

And then, all of the sudden, out of NOWHERE, God told me everything I had been waiting for.  And, He said it to me in the same way He always has in these big moments...by telling me the craziest plan possible, and then giving me COMPLETE peace about it!

I know that many of you will think this is crazy, and I don't care!  I don't mean that in a nanny nanny boo boo way...I just know that God asks me to do things that He may not ask you to do, and vice versa.

There have been five times in my life that I have heard God so clearly that I have no doubt that it was His voice.

1.  He told me to go to Sioux Falls College in South Dakota.  I lived in Texas.  That's just weird, God, but ok.  It was the best decision I could have made.

2.  He told me to move to El Paso, Texas, and lead teams to build houses in Mexico.  Um God, I don't know how to build a house, and I don't speak Spanish.  That wasn't important, God equipped me with everything I needed, and I spent 10 years there.  I am a different person because of my time on the border.

3.  He told me to quit Casas por Cristo and move to Boone, North Carolina to work with OCC.  But God, I don't want to leave Casas, and I sure don't want to live in a podunk town in North Carolina.   Geez was I wrong about that!  I LOVE Boone, and kind of don't ever want to live anywhere else!  I also had one of the coolest jobs in the world, and I got to love on kids and serve Jesus!

4.  He told me that I could take a year off.  I wanted that, but it was scary.  I had to give up a lot to make it happen.  I didn't always love it, but I am so grateful for this time.

And, this brings me to the 5th.  I'm about to throw a whole bunch of information at you, just like God did with me!

5.  God told me to open a pottery business in the basement of my house.  Um, I don't have a house  (yet).  And for the first time, I am THRILLED by what God has CALLED (yes, I do believe that this is a calling)  me to do.

So, I will be attending two intensive pottery courses in Europe this fall.  The first will be in Spain, and the second will be in Italy!  This is kind of how it all started.  I already had a trip planned to London and Edinburgh with my friend PJ.  And I thought, wouldn't it be fun to stay later and do a pottery course somewhere?!

God took that one little thought, and within hours, told me the rest of the story.

I have put an offer on a house in BOONE, (this has been my prayer for sometime now, that I could stay in Boone!) and I will turn the basement into my pottery studio!

I will be teaching lessons to kids and beginners.  I will sell my wares on Etsy and other avenues, and I will hawk my pots anywhere I can!  And to help get things off the ground, I will continue to do odd jobs:  babysitting, cleaning, organizing, painting, dog sitting, etc.  I'll do whatever it takes to be successful.  I said at the beginning of this journey that I am a scrapper, and I think that's even more true today than it was then!

I have total peace.  The peace that passes all understanding kind of peace.  I would have never taken up pottery if I was working full time.  I wouldn't have spent 20 hours a week in the pottery studio, trying to get better, if I still had a job.  I have a passion for this like I've never felt before.  It feels like worship to me.  There is something about creating something with your hands.  And now, only now, do I understand all of the Bible verses about the Potter and the clay.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You our potter; and all we are the work of Your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8)

Now I understand how much more beautiful and strong a piece of clay is after it has been put through the fire.  Without that fire, it's not good for anything.  It's just a vessel that will crumble at the slightest disturbance.  It's basically useless until it's been fired.  

I think this is a perfect example of what this past year has looked like for me.  I feel like I have now been fired, and have come out stronger and more beautiful.  

The Logistics:

*I will be out of the country from September 26th-November 3rd.

*I will close on my house (if all goes according to plan...you never know with real estate!) on August 31st, if not sooner.  And what's even cooler, the due diligence period ends on August 14th, which is one day shy of the official end of my sabbatical!  You might remember that I sold all of my belongings.  Well friends, this house comes completely furnished!  WHAT?!  Come on, God.  You keep outdoing yourself here!  I don't love the furniture, but it will work just fine until I can gradually start replacing it.  IT'S FULLY FURNISHED, PEOPLE!!!!!  And, it's adorable, and it feels like home.

*My new business is called "Tiny Hands Pottery".  I have teeny tiny baby hands, and this seemed perfect!  

*Etsy store and website coming soon.  www.tinyhandspottery.com

*I have applied for my LLC and EIN with the IRS.  

*I will be at this school in Spain from October 10th-16th.  Seth is a world class potter, and I'm thrilled to get to study with him!  http://www.wenfordbridge.com/

*I will be studying in Tuscany (near Florence) from October 18th-31st.  My pottery teacher assures me that it is a total dream that I get to attend this school!  http://www.lameridiana.fi.it/index.htm

*And last, but not least, my friends sold me their pottery wheel and kiln for $200.  This is crazy.  I'll need a bigger kiln in the future, but for now, it'll get the job done!

Oh how I love that at 41 years old, God gave me a passion for something that I had never even thought about before.  I still have SO much to learn.  But I know this is what I am supposed to be doing, and I will put in the work, and trusting that God will provide me with His grace.  

I hope that you will rejoice with me.  I hope that you will help me spread the word about my new little business.  And more than anything, I hope that you know that God IS faithful, and His ways are always better than our ways!

God has blown my socks off.  I didn't expect anything less.

I've been quoting my good friend, Dwight K. Schrute for the past year, and it seems even truer today..."There's nothing on my horizon, except everything.  Everything is on my horizon."  Amen.   

Pottery for sale!

Pottery Sale!  My stuff is not yet at the professional level, but I still think these pieces are pretty darn cute!  All pieces are handmade, unique, and have their own little quirks!  Let me know if you'd like to purchase something.  Prices are listed below.  (Plus the cost of shipping.)  

If there is something you'd like for me to make for you, let me know!  

Thanks for helping support my pottery dream!  

#1.  $15.00.  Dinner sized plate.   SOLD

#2.  $8.00.  Small pot.  SOLD

#3.  $8.00.  Small bowl.  SOLD

#4.  $10.00.  Small crock.  SOLD

#5.  $10.00.  Small dish.  SOLD

#6.  $8.00.  Small pot.  SOLD

#7.  $8.00.  Small bowl.  SOLD

#8.  $10.00.  Small, heavy duty bowl.  SOLD

#9.  $8.00. Small pot.  SOLD

#10.  $10.00.  Small, heavy duty bowl.  SOLD

#11.  $8.00. Small vase/bowl.  SOLD

#12.  $8.00 Small, heavy duty bowl.  SOLD

#13.  $8.00.  Small bowl.  SOLD

Ugh. Bleh. Blech. Goo...

Today is one of those times that I wish I didn't have a blog.  Every so often, God tells me it's time to write something.  And it's those times where I REALLY don't want to share what He has told me to share.

And on this rainy, spring Boone day, God has told me to share.  Ugh.  Bleh.  Blech.  Goo.

So, I'll share.  But I don't really want to.  But I will, because I have found that obedience to the Lord is always best.  Always.

I HATE being on sabbatical.  I don't hate all of it, but I'd say that I hate 91% of it.

And I think what I hate even more than being on sabbatical is knowing that no one can really understand why I hate it so much.  If I had a nickle for every time someone said how lucky I am, or how envious they are of this time, I could actually afford to be on sabbatical forever.  (Oh God, please no!)

I've had a lot of time to think about why I hate it.  And I think I can boil it down to this...I just don't feel very purposeful, and I REALLY miss my work community.  I got to work with people that I like A WHOLE LOT!  Although we are still friends, and I still see them, I miss seeing them everyday.  These people made me laugh so much.  I realize I don't laugh as much anymore.  That's sad to me.

I've found myself in a bit of a depression these past few months.  (Gulp...)  That's hard to share.  I don't think I've said those words out loud to anyone.  I'm not ashamed of that.  But, I don't like it. It's not me.  It's not what I want for my life, and it's certainly not what I wanted for this time.

Newton's First Law of Motion states..."An object at rest will stay at rest, forever, as long as nothing pushes or pulls on it."

Although I was longing for rest, I didn't need every part of me to come to a standstill.  And that's how I've been feeling.  I've had no pushing or pulling, and it feels as if life has just stopped.

And when life seems to just stop, that is a very powerful force.  I've felt like I've been on one of those rides at Six Flags where the centrifugal force sticks you to the wall, as it spins faster and faster. The world has still been spinning madly on, and I feel like I have been stuck, and unable to force myself to do much of anything.

I imagined I would accomplish the following things during this time:

*Lose 20 pounds||I've gained 6-7.
*Read a million books||I've only read one.  Andy's Cohen's book.  (But, I did read it twice.)
*Fall deeper in love with Jesus||I've felt further from Him than I have in years.
*Read the Bible voraciously||Some days I can't even seem to read a one minute daily devotional.
*Exercise 5-6 times a week||I think I've done it 5-6 times this year.

I haven't been able to shake Newton's First Law for the last few weeks.  It has resounded with me.  I finally decided last Sunday that if I want things to change, then I was going to have to change them. That I was going to have to decide to create that push or pull to change my inertia and begin motion. I knew that it was as simple as doing one thing, and from there, an object in motion stays in motion.

So, I got up and went for a walk, even though it was raining.  And then I went to the grocery store. And then I went to the pottery studio.  And then I started volunteering my time with a really cool local organization.  Then I went on another walk.  And spent time with friends.  And met with a friend about tutoring her son.  And went on a hike.  And went to church.  And did more and more pottery.  And now, a week later, I have again become an object in motion.

It's not that I've missed the action of being busy, I've missed the act of being engaged.  I've been disengaged.  Depressed.  Sulking a bit.  I hit a rough patch, and finally decided to fight back.  And, it feels good to be back.

This has just been a very strange time in my life.  And although I haven't loved it, I have learned SO MUCH.  I am ready to work.  I'd take the right job tomorrow!  But, God has still told me no.  He hasn't opened the doors yet, and has in fact closed many doors.

I have $4666.98.  (This doesn't include the earnings from my home...I have deemed those funds off limits.)  That won't last me much longer.  I thankfully don't have any debt, but I do pay rent, tithe, cell phone, car insurance, and a health co-op every month.  I also support a family in Mexico.  Every time I send funds to them, my heart starts to beat fast as I watch this amount drain down.

And yet, I know that it's all going to be OK.  God has reassured me a million times that He's got me. And, I believe that!  In fact, I don't question that at all.  And through odd jobs, I've made $650 this year!  :)  And, I have several things coming up in the next few weeks that will help supplement as well.  God has been so funny and creative with me.

I like that.  I don't like everything that has been happening during this time, but I do like that.

God, thanks for trusting me with this time, even though I've been a bit of a disaster.  Thanks for getting me back in motion.

Trajectory...

Fourteen years ago, I was the Intern Manager for Casas por Cristo.  We had a pretty hard and fast rule that if an applicant hadn't been on a trip, we wouldn't accept them as an intern.

I received an application from a girl who heard about Casas at an Urbana conference.  She seemed great, but she had never been on a trip.

I printed out a thank you but no thank you letter, and stuck it in the mailbag.

The next morning, while I was in the shower, I heard God say..."TAKE THAT LETTER OUT OF THE MAILBAG."  What?!  Why?!  That didn't make any sense to me.  She didn't meet one of the requirements, and we had plenty of applicants, so it's not like we needed her.  And, I figured that the mail had already been taken to the post office.  I couldn't shake this thought.  It wasn't a suggestion from God, it was a command.  Weird.

I got to work, and the letter was still in the bag.  So, I took it out.  And, subsequently ended up hiring her as a summer intern.

14 years later, I'm sitting on the couch, next to this former summer intern who should have never been hired.  It's Katy.  I can't imagine if I had never met her.  I can't imagine not knowing and loving her husband Tony, and their children, Mia and Jaxson.  I am so grateful that God knew that we would be forever friends.  Katy isn't just a friend, she is the closest I've ever felt to having a sister.

I started thinking about this, because yesterday, she showed me her intern application folder.  I think Casas was getting rid of some stuff, and she ended up with it.  You can see on the front that I said no to her, and that I sent her a no letter. You can then see that I marked out the no and changed it to yes.  Oh God, THANK YOU for knowing that my decision needed to be overridden. Thank you for not allowing me to screw up the plan that you already had in mind. Thank you for talking loud enough so that I could hear you.

One little act of obedience can change the whole trajectory of life.  I love you, Katy, and life is way better with you in it, and unimaginable without you.

back to sabbatical...

So...I interviewed for a job last week.  God told me to walk through the doors, and I did.  

It's a job that I would have really enjoyed doing.  But, it would have meant ending my sabbatical time.  Which honestly, I welcomed.  

This time, is not my favorite.  Oh, there are some things about it that I love.  I've been sleeping like a champ.  I've been able to get in the kitchen and experiment.  I was able to take off and see my friends on a whim.  I feel rested.  Which, given my history, seems miraculous to me.  

Although my body is rested, I feel restless.  Very restless.  

I've mentioned this before, but I am continually feeling stripped.  I was talking with a friend last night, and he suggested that I start creating and selling things.  That he likes the things that I've made in the past.  I told him I had thought about that, but that I no longer own anything that would allow me to do these projects.  And, I no longer have the space to complete them either. 

I feel as if God has taken all of the distractions out of my life.  If I still had a home, I would find projects to constantly keep my busy.  Unfortunately for my roommate, she now has to suffer through me riffling through and straightening her kitchen cabinets.  Sorry, Ashley, I have a problem!

The thought of taking the job was VERY attractive to me.  I went into the interview as a fact finding mission.  I had come to the conclusion that if they offered it, I was going to take it.  

I was on my way to a followup meeting, and I prayed out loud that God would show me his VERY BEST for me.  This has been such a trust journey, and I didn't want fear of the unknown to get the best of me now.  

By that night, God clearly impressed on my heart that this would have been a good opportunity, but not the very best of what He has in store for me.  I'd like to add, that I called in a prayer army to pray clarity over me.  I am so grateful that I have these people in my life.  

I'll never know if they were going to offer me the job, as I withdrew my application.  

That was hard.  I had already started to mentally prepare for the next phase.  The thought of jumping into a new project, and the challenge of figuring out new tasks was exciting to me.  

Stripped.  Again.

Ok, God.  I'm listening.  You've got my undivided attention.  There's nothing left to distract me.

I'm ready to know what your very best is for me.  But, I'm trying not to miss the lessons in the meantime.  

sabbatical...?

I said something the other day about sinking into my sabbatical.

The following conversation with my smartypants friend, Eric, ensued:

          Eric:  "Real sabbatical or fake sabbatical?"

          Me:  "Probably fake."

          Eric:  "I knew it."

Haha.  He is absolutely correct!  Starting tomorrow, I will be painting rooms (a lot of rooms) in my friend's new house.  I don't know how long this will take, and it doesn't really matter.  I just plan on throwing on my paint splattered pants, putting Gavin DeGraw on constant loop, and watching the paint transform this house into a home for my dear friends.

(I asked Chris to take a picture so I could add it to this post.  This is what I ended up with.  Seems about right.)

I know that I am driving some of you crazy (because you have told me!) that I keep taking jobs.  But hear me when I say, it feels right.  I am constantly listening to what the Lord is trying to tell me.  I am paying attention.  I am letting Him lead every big and small decision in my life.

And if I am really trying to boil down what I'm learning in all of this, it's not that I'm taking a sabbatical (break) from hard work, or "the man", or from a paycheck.  But I guess I'm taking a sabbatical from me and my normal ways.  Taking a break from being in charge, and letting God fully lead me.  And let me tell you, I am a stubborn and driven son-of-a-gun.  This is contrary to everything I know.  But, He is teaching me how good He is, and how very much He loves me.  

I love painting. (I'm sure I won't be repeating this sentence after a few days.)  Not really the physical act of it, but for the immediate results.  Within seconds, there is a visible transformation. Every time I pop the lid on a can of paint, my heart starts racing.  I can't wait to see the first smear on the wall. And before I know it, everything around me looks different.  

I feel like God is painting me right now.  He's not as fast of a painter as I am though!  :)  He's taking His time.  He's taped off the edges, and has started cutting in.  I can see a difference, but not as much progress as I'd like.  I'm ready for  Him to get the roller out, and really get things going.  But, He's taking His time, doing things right.  I don't like that.  I'm not a good wait(er).  But, He knows best.  I believe that.  

Here's to the next adventure.  I'm now a painter. #WhoCaresSoWhat