It’s time again for the wonderful challenge The Changing Seasons hosted by my dear friend Su from Zimmerbitch!
So what have I been up to in September?
Quite a lot actually, though for some stupid reason or other I forgot to take pictures most of the time, like when I went to work on my favorite Adidas Superstar sneakers and gave them a make-over because the rubber soles showed definite signs of aging after – drum roll, please! – about 10 years of wearing.
Which means that the once white rubber had turned into that very unattractive yellow that plastic likes to take on after a couple of years, no matter how thoroughly you scrub it, and that looks just ghastly compared to the still white leather.
So I simply painted the side of the soles and the cap in the front with white acrylic paint (about 2 or 3 layers) and then applied an acrylic finisher so the paint wouldn’t come of at the first instance a careless shopper decides to drive his or her trolley/cart into my heels.
But did I make a photo of it? NO! (Stupid! Stupid!)
It really would have made for such a nice before and after image. Ah well, next time, I guess.
Getting Ready for Halloween!
Apart from that little fiasco I spent a lot of time creating Halloween decorations with my pottery students this month.
(In case you’re wondering why so early: clay takes a bit of time to properly dry before it gets fired, and then you might want to glaze it which of course requires a second round in the kiln – oh, and then there are our Autumn holidays to consider as well which start in two days and will last for two weeks.)
For those of you who have already seen the following pics on my Instagram account (@art_photography_and_ceramics), please feel free to scroll down.
Here’s some of the amazing artwork by my students that I’m totally in love with!
The One Thing I Love About Autumn
Having grumbled about summer coming to an end recently, I feel somewhat compelled to acknowledge that some things are actually quite nice about Autumn, like the food. 🙂
And by food I mean of course pumpkins!!
Apart from the obvious soup, I love eating pumpkins in cakes, pies, bread or simply grilled in the oven, like in the following pics:
I haven’t tried pumpkin juice yet, but always wanted to. Can you guess why? 😉
Summer Left-overs
Since the food is the only thing I grant Autumn to be nice about, I notice this year that I rather cling to every flower that’s still blooming at home.
And the bumblebees are stilly busy – hurray!!
Although this one actually took a nap and kept still for about 15 minutes which gave me enough time to switch from phone to decent camera. 😉
Also taking a nap was this cute spectacled owl in the zoo:
And this was it!
If you’re interested in participating, here are the guidelines for The Changing Seasons Challenge:
The Changing Seasons Version One (photographic):
- Each month, post 5-20 photos in a gallery that you feel represent your month
- Don’t use photos from your archive. Only new shots.
- Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so that others can find them
The Changing Seasons Version Two (you choose the format):
- Each month, post a photo, recipe, painting, drawing, video, whatever that you feel says something about your month
- Don’t use archive stuff. Only new material!
- Tag your posts with #MonthlyPhotoChallenge and #TheChangingSeasons so others can find them.
If you do a ping-back to Su´s original monthly post, she can update it with links to yours.
I always look forward to seeing your monthly Changing seasons post Sarah. Too bad about your sneakers, but you did make an effort to extend their life cycle. I like pumpkin grilled in the oven too, but have not tried pumpkin juice yet either. I’m not that crazy about juice so it might take a while before I do. Wow! Your flower, bee and owl photos are MAGNIFIQUE, and like I already told you on IG your students are very talented —obviously, they learned a thing or two from their fantastic teacher! 😄
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Aww – thank you so much, my friend! 🙏 The main thing I try to teach my students is that they shouldn’t be afraid that their various art projects might not work out but simply have fun doing it. I’m lucky that the kids in this year’s course are taking this advice to heart and don’t worry too much about wanting to be perfect at something – perfection or its pursuit can be a killer when it comes to the arts I think.
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I totally agree with you – learning to trust our instinct and to have fun take time, but it is only then that the creativity blooms. Personally, most of what I learned in art and is direct result of mistakes I made. So glad that your students this year are motivated to learn. Teaching seems to bring you so much joy and positive energy.
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That’s so true about the importance to make and learn from our mistakes!
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Oh I’d have liked to see your trainers! I love your Halloween themed pottery! 😀 Pumpkin is so seasonal as well- and would love to try pumpkin juice as well 😉 Love your pictures of flowers 😀
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Hehe! I knew you’d love to try pumpkin juice as well. 😉 Thanks so much! 💕
Bad news on the trainers – the colour’s starting to peel off!! 😂 Which kind of makes them worse than before. 😁 LOL!
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What a lovely September Sarah. This pottery creations are awesome. Apparently white toothpaste works on trainer soles. I’ve never tried but a friend on mine swears by it xx
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I admire how you love on your belongings and do not throw them out when they are worn (not just your shoes, but also your washing machine!). In a use & throw society, we really need more attitudes like yours!
I love pumpkin too! in all forms …
The sculptures your students made are adorable & fabulous! Thank you for sharing them!
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You might have missed the photo of the sneakers – but you sure grabbed the beauty of the blooms! So nice
And hope your students projects come out awesome – looking good so far!
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Thanks so much, Yvette! All my students’ works are now in the kiln over the Autumn holidays and I hope they’ll come out nice. 😄
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😊☀️🙏
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Loved the students work when I saw them on IG.
Your flower and bee photos are superb Sarah!
Given my current total lack of inspiration for blogging maybe I should start doing this challenge.
Big hug!
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Thank you so much, Darren! 💕 Oh yes, it would be so lovely if you’d join the challenge!! And since it’s only once a month it’s actually very manageable. 😊
Big hug back to you!
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Wow Sarah, such a varied and interesting post! I can see you are busy busy from those lovely photos and students work… Your pomegranate tree looks so healthy and colourful, simply gorgeous! Enjoy the season and happy Autumn! 😀
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Thank you very much, Iris!! 😄 A busy month indeed but also lots of fun what with my students enjoying themselves creative-wise. 😄 Wishing you a wonderful Spring!! 😄💕🐨🌸
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Thanks Sarah. 🌷🎶 ☀️❤ Have a great and lovely week! 😀 🦉
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Hahahaha! Great minds think alike. I took a picture of the pumpkin I bought yesterday in anticipation of next month’s challenge. Beautiful photos of your garden, too! And you’re a ceramics teacher! Cute stuff from the Ss. It was hard to choose a favorite so I will refrain. 😛
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Thanks so much, Lani! 🙏
Looking forward to your pumpkin pics. 😉 What are you going to cook/bake with it?
Not being able to choose a favourite is the biggest compliment you could make. 😄
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Oh, I just boil the slices, fast, easy, and delicious.
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Love. Love. Love. Your flower and owl photos are so wonderful, and of course I think the kids’ work is fantastic. And obviously I’m not the only one who thinks they have a great teacher. 🙂 xxxxx
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Thank you very much, Su! 🙏💕 xxxxxxxx
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It’s good to hear from you, Sarah! I love the art your students created (I’m sure you’re a terrific teacher) and I share you love of Autumn food. I just had a tooth pulled and so am on soft foods for a while, which naturally meant I baked a pumpkin pie! And face it, you can’t go wrong with any food made from pumpkins. I think the food helps make up for the fact that Winter is around the corner…..
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Thanks so much, Ann! And I’m so sorry to hear about that pulled tooth! You’re right – you can’t go wrong with any food made from pumpkins. 😄 Happy pumpkin pie baking and I hope you’ll feel better soon!
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Beautiful pictures. That squash–it makes me wonder why I only think of squash in the fall.
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Thank you, Jacqui! Around here you normally can’t buy squash and pumpkins in spring or summer so for me it’s definitely associated with Autumn and winter. 😄
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What a wonderful month! I love the artwork from the students absolutely fantastic. Your flowers are quite beautiful 💗💗💗
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Thanks so much, Lisa!! 😄💗💗💗
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I am quite taken with Alma’s work. I like her big-headed style.
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Me too, Liz!! Watching her creating her artwork is a real joy. 😄
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😀
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Very inspirational, Sarah. The last of the flowers are so precious. You have captured the memory of them so beautifully.
Perhaps you could crochet a bumblebee or do a painting of one. I have such good ideas for other people, but am so lazy myself. 🙂 🙂 🙂
PS. Brian has great pumpkin recipes. He gave me one that involved olive oil, salt and pepper, feta, rosemary. I forget the rest. I made it and it was delicious.
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I agree with your comments about Sarah’s flowers.
If you ever come across that pumpkin recipe, I would love to see it. Pumpkin prepared that way sounds delicious.
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Okay, Liz. 😊
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Thanks so much, Tracy! Painting and crocheting a bumblebee sounds like a very good idea indeed- I could use my own pics as a model! 😄
I’ve already promised to try out Brian’s pumpkin recipe as it sounds delicious, and feta and rosemary are always good so I might just add them to this dish. 😄
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We look forward to more pumpkin pics in your October post. 🙂 And maybe bumblebees over your winter.
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I will give my best, Tracy! ☺
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I’ll bring the pumpkin bread if we can sit in your lovely garden and watch that adorable owl!
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Deal!! Although we would have to hop over to the zoo to watch the owl I’m afraid. 😉
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For a gal who forgot to take pics, you sure got a lot of good ones. I think the project with your students came out great. Cheers
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Thank you, Chris! 😄 I think it shows that I’m still not used to document every little thing I do – need to change that! 😂
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Those clay figures are so cute. I think you had great summer time from seeing beautiful pictures of the flowers you took. They are great!
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Thanks so much! The students were busy painting them today and had lots of fun! 😄 Happy Autumn to you!
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I love this post, Sarah, and I share your enthusiasm for autumn. That was my first Spectacled Owl – so thank you! My gardener did the autumn clean up, trimming all the trees and bushes, new cypress mulch and I decorated with yellow chrysanthemums and striped pumpkins. I know why you want to try Pumpkin Juice, Ms Potter fan, but would it taste nice???
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Thanks so much, Kerry! And I’m happy to have introduced you to the bespectacled owl. 😄
Striped pumpkins sound lovely!! I’ve seen some very funny looking ones in the supermarket but couldn’t carry them all.😂 And I’m sure pumpkin juice would taste nice – just add enough sugar. 😉
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We have an array of pumpkins – white, striped, knobbly.
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Great photos, Sarah! Love your students’ work… Have an awesome autumn!
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Thanks a lot, Bette! Happy Autumn to you too! ❤
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So much to enjoy Sarah 🙂 The shoes….no photo……..watching paint dry lol So love the bumblebee in the Snapdragon and the Spectacled Owl, so special. I am a pumpkin lover as well.
One of my favourite ways – dice pumpkin, cook in olive oil, add chopped garlic, add Moroccan seasoning, lid on stirring occasionally until pumpkin is soft EAT
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Thanks so much for your lovely comment and recipe, Brian!! 😄 I’ll definitely cook the next pumpkin like you suggested, it sounds mouthwatering. 😊
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You’re welcome Sarah 🙂 Let me know how it goes
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Will do! 😄
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Wow. I love your photos. ❤
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Thank you very much! ❤
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My pleasure and thank you for sharing!
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A fun post 🙂 I hated pumpkin as a kid, but loved the sweet pumpkin pone.
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Thank you, Rosaliene! I actually can’t remember having eaten pumpkin when I was a kid so I was saved from a potential bad memory of it. 😉
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I can’t believe you caught a napping bee – so rare! He might have been punch drunk on the nectar and sleeping it off. I’m pleased that you’re taking pleasure in the art your students are creating – I loved walking around the studio after the kids left so I could take my time admiring their work. Hopefully the kids will continue their enthusiasm and this will be a better year for you. As for the baked pumpkin – I’ve never done this. Is it as easy as it looks? Looks scrumptious, BTW. And that handsome owl – love him. Happy autumn to you, Sarah.
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Hehe! I think you might be right about the bee being punch drunk on the nectar, Shari – there was the tiniest of snores to be heard. 😉
I think the kids this year enjoy themselves so much more – they never want to leave at the end of the class and I have to shoo them out! 😄 Best compliment ever to be honest. 😊
Oh yes, you must try the baked pumpkin! It’s really as easy as that and so delicious. Happy Autumn to you too, dear friend!
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Lovely pictures, Sarah. You have a pomegranate tree? Does it actually grow pomegranates? That would be cool. And the Halloween pottery of your students is wonderful – how sweet of you to share their work with us. 🙂 Down here in Oregon, October started at the end of August with rain and cool weather. So odd since, usually, I can depend on sunny days for the month. But I love autumn too. Enjoy your pumpkin… everything!
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Thanks so much, Diana! And yes, my tree does grow pomegranates but they are somewhat sour and not as yummy as the ones you can buy. I guess it’s not enough sunlight around here like in Spain – there everything just grows perfectly ! 😄 But I just love looking at the flowers and fruits. 😊
I’d actually love to share pics of my students at work too but too many parents are against it. These days I actually quite understand that. I hope your Autumn will have some sunny days and colourful leafs in store for you! ❤
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It’s okay, you’ve given us the fun of imagining what your sneakers look like! And my favorite pie in the world (and I prefer pie over cake) is pumpkin! Finally, you have a pomegranate tree? Wow! I also love pomegranates. I love your photos–do you use a professional camera?
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Haha! Thank you! 😄 Pumpkin pie is just sooo good, right? Though I have to say that I also love lemon meringue pie. 😊 Unfortunately the pomegranates on my tree never turn sweet I guess there’s simply not enough sunlight like in Spain. But the flowers and fruits are so lovely to look at. 😊
As to the camera – I’d say it’s semi-professional, a lovely DSLR from Nikon. 😊 So glad you like my pics. 🙏 Have a wonderful and creative day! 💕
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