Just Claying Around ~ Ladies Night Out

At Christmas time, Sage and Julia gave Papa and I hand painted coffee cups that they had created at Just Claying Around, a ceramic shop.  At the time, Lena mentioned that it would be fun to organize an "a ladies nite out" where we could just mess around.  I thought it was a great idea and so did two of our friends.  Lena found out that the Shoppe hosted a "Ladies Night" on the last Thursday of every month.  So, last night, our friends Jessica and Heather went off to Bridgewater with us.

On the way to Bridgewater, the girls kidded me when I said I had brought my camera.

"We're going to end up in one of Bob's articles on Gather" remarked Jess.

"We'll probably be on Gather tomorrow".

I just smiled.  Maybe not tomorrow...but Saturday more then likely an article would be published.  I could just think of all the possibilities this trip might inspire.  Would there not be all kinds of paint colors?  I might find an image for the Rainbow Competition Challenge this week.

The Shop is located on the main street of a college town.  It is a long rectangular space filled with tables and chairs.  In the back is a small room that has shelves holding a wide selection of ceramic pieces that one can choose from including plates, bowls, vases, platters, and animals.  Oh my, choices.  What would we choose?  What did we really want to paint? I have never done anything like this before so I was intimidated.

Heather decided that she wanted to paint a small frog.  When she was growing up, her Mom had one by the kitchen sink.  She also chose a large coffee cup.

Jessica decided on a cookie jar.  And Lena thought she was going to paint some tiles for the bathroom Paul was remodeling.

I looked and I looked but I couldn't decide.  All of a sudden I felt like one of my kindergarteners.  I just couldn't make a decision.  I think I wasn't comfortable with the whole process of ceramic painting so I was holding back.   Then the owner wanted to give us some instructions, explain the procedures and show us all the various paints, stencils, stamps, and books.  The girls then went off to our table, set up their pieces, chose their paints and set up their palettes.  Jess and Heather started painting and Lena started drawing on her tiles. 

I sat at the table and talked and listened and then I got out my camera.  I'm comfortable with my camera.  I know how it works.  I know what I can do with it.  After taking a few pictures of the girls, I got up and started wandering around the shop.  All kinds of intriguing images were to be found found.

I loved the painted tiles on the storekeeper’s counter.

Paint brushes on a table caught my eye.

The light fixture on the ceiling created a wonderful image.

Wandering back to the small room that housed the ceramic pieces, once again, I looked at all the possibilities.  Perhaps I should choose a switch plate.  It’s small… shouldn’t be too hard coming up with an idea.  I brought it back to the table.  By now, the girls were well into their projects.  I set the switch plate down and took out my camera once again.

“I don’t think she’s going to paint tonight”.

Are you going to paint that switch plate?”

“I don’t know, I think I’ll just try to draw an iris or something.”  I borrowed Lena’s pencil and started drawing.  Then I went and chose my paints. Ummm…this isn’t so bad, after all I thought to myself.  

As we worked on our various projects, conversation flowed naturally and once again I thought about how my kindergarteners work in school.  They certainly aren’t quiet.  They are always having conversations at their tables when they are working on projects.  It’s just natural.

The only downside to the whole evening was that we couldn’t take our pieces home.  We had to hand them over to the owner and she will fire them in her kiln.  We have to wait ten whole days to see the finished project.  I’m really an impatient person…. I like to see immediate results.

On the car ride home we  “chin-wagged” the whole way.  Girl’s Night Out was fun….we should do it more often.  Lena suggested we should sign up for a Brazilian Wax and Jess thought maybe we could go get tattoos.  As for me, I think going to a Massage Parlour would be a perfect way to spend time with the ladies.