Happy New Year...back to work...

[susieq]

Is it just me or have others on the forum been away from their shops for a couple of weeks or more....? I have had company since the Tues before Christmas until this morning. I took a break from the studio the Friday before Christmas to get ready for company.......and have been dying to get back to work for days now. I finally got the Grizzly 17 inch bandsaw set up in the studio and got the Mini Max 45 moved out...love that de tensioner lever. Put a new blade on it too.

Hubby also has had a lovely little Swiss made carver's bench sitting out in his shop for several years. It was for sale but he had offered it to me if I wanted it. I couldn't see how to make it work in my shop but recently I had begun to visualize how it might and today we moved it into the studio. I had to re arrange some things to make it work but it's there now. It has two real nice wood vises on it and lord knows I can use those..... I'm glad he didn't sell it when he had it for sale all that time. Everything is set up and the old table I was using is ready to go out the door. I am ready to start carving in 2009 with a vengence. There are 8 weeks left until our local show so I REALLY NEED TO GET GOING.

Happy New Year everyone...and happy carving.

[Sharon of the Dell]

H appy New Year! your shop sounds nice. Isn't it nice to have company, but it's nicer when they finally leave!!! have fun getting back to work!

[big dave]

glad you can get back at it, sounds like you had a good holiday, don't forget to post some pics for us

[Al_Hillis]

Happy New year to you to . Happy your can get back at it and I to would like to see some pics, especially your studio

[Joy]

You shop sounds wonderful. I'm still carving in the bedroom . And right now I'm not carving at all......I'm retexturing and painting a hall and guest bath. Yuck!

[susieq]

Oh Joy....that doesn't sound like fun at all...but you gotta do what you gotta do. Get it over with so you can get back to carving.

I will try to post some pics of my studio in the next day or so. It isn't large but it's my "hole in the wall" and I can be as messy as I like. Mike had fixed it up for me from a 10x20 shed he had hauled in and tied down. (hurricane requirements) he insulated it, put electric outlets everywhere...including 220 for my big tools. I have a window unit airconditioner, cable tv and lots of shelving for wood and bonsai pots.

I am currently working on a 1/8 sized ships figurehead of a mermaid. A friend of mine on the forum here, suggested I name her "Maggie May" after a legendary lady of ill reput who used to frequent the docks and had many a baudy song written about her....LOL. So, Maggie May it is. She is coming along nicely and I will post pics of her in the WIP threads later on. I have been taking pics of her as she progresses.

We haven't figured out how to get my art glass racks in there yet but I have many racks of sheet glass in a rainbow of colors, that we couldn't figure out how to fit in there at first. I still do stained glass and have been "harping" on the fact that there was no room for the glass. Worse yet, he has so much stuff piled in front of my glass in my old work area that I can't get to it. He wants it gone from there as much as I want them out in my new work area...more room for him to store tools!! LOL! I probably won't be lucky enough to get my glass kiln in there too. But maybe.

No rush on those things though. Only 8 weeks to go til our local show. I need to carve.

[Kenny_S]

Susieq, Sounds like all you need is a refig and a smal stove and a bed and you are all set. Sounds like you are getting it set up the way you want it. You will love the Grizzly.

[Eddy-Smiles]

Ladies and gentlemen... I've had the privilege of meeting this fine lady and I want to tell you that you wouldn't believe it if you saw her that it's the same gal that talks about having her sleeves rolled up, knee-deep in saw dust with her band saws and drill presses! She's amazing! And one heck of an artist!
Now SusieQ, don't let this go to your head! You get crackin' girl! You've got a show to get ready for! Ha! Ha!

[Nancy-G]

Eddy, I've known Susie for YEARS on the Internet, even own a couple of her delightful carvings, but never met her in person -- I aim to do that this year

AND -- tah dah -- I plan to get back to work this year -- just as soon as I get my tools in order. Anyone want to come and help me arrange my basement?

[susieq]

LOL!! you forgot one very important thing Kenny... a potty! But you are correct about me having everything I need and a few luxuries I don't need but really love having. Cable tv, and until recently, a large stereo/tape player/CD player and radio....with big speakers. But space is an issue and Santa brought me a wonderful little i pod dock this year. So New Year's Day I moved out that big stereo unit and you wouldn't believe the extra space that made on my work table! Wow. I love my i pod....probably 20 hours or more of my favorite music with no commercials. AND...it looks like there will be room for the glass racks and the kiln after some re arranging was done.

Eddy, it was a real treat meeting you too. I hope you can make up to our little show again the end of Feb/1st day of March. I love meeting folks that I have gotten to know on the forum. The four of us still have to meet for breakfast sometime....I haven't forgotten.

Nancy is right when she says we have known each other for many years on line. It's a long story but someone at our local show (at least 10 years ago) send Nancy pictures of my work. Nancy is the one who pushed me to get in touch with the gallery in Chicago and it was the best thing that ever happened to me with my carving. Nancy has been my guardian angel ever since..... We keep trying to make plans to meet in Chicago in Nov some year but we haven't managed to co ordinate that yet. I was all set to go up this past Nov. Even had hubby sort of talked into it until I found out that Nancy couldn't go. It will happen one of these days....maybe this year.