Troglodytes troglodytes

Things seem to be warming up here, that means the activity on the canal is increasing too, the narrow boaters are out and the swans are back on my stretch of water, I’m waiting to see the first cygnets.

As far as work goes I’m struggling to fire everything, who would have thought 3 kilns are just not enough.

Once I have time to restock my shop I will be adding some smaller handpainted items like these little wrens that flew out of the kiln a few days ago. I love their Latin name, it suits them so well as I watch them going in and out of the stone wall in my garden.

Feedback from customers

I’m posting early this week as I’m having Saturday off seeing I’ve been working so much this week, and Sunday I’m working in the gallery.  So this is just a quick post about some feedback I’ve received.

One of my favourite things about my job is when I get lovely feedback, it makes the day special, that inward smile will stay all day.

Yesterday I heard that someone who bought one of my handpainted lustre bowls last year had come back to the fair just to say how much they had enjoyed owning the bowl. Is there anything more rewarding to an artist than knowing people around the world are taking pleasure from something they made.

I thought I’d share some of the comments I’ve had from sales recently.

“We got the bottles last night and they’re brilliant! The champagne bottle looks amazing and we’re so happy to be able to keep them in this way. And thank you for being so accommodating re the frame, it looks great next to the ones we already have. We’ll be recommending you!”

“I’ve been searching for years for the perfect sheep pendant & now I’ve found him”

“This is a stunning, delicate and flawless piece, I love it!”

“Perfect, arty and elegant, thanks.”

Here are a few of the pieces that have sold recently on Etsy, now I better get making as I need to keep up with gallery sales .

An interesting weekend

I’ve had a very busy weekend, and I’ll probably be having a very busy 5 weeks as the sales at the fair were so good on Friday I cut my trip to the Lakes short to come back and get making, or my stock won’t last.

I have had a bit of entertainment as well, with the Georgian fair in Cumbria on Saturday and the waterways festival here in Skipton today. There has just been a flotilla ( is that the correct term to use?) of narrowboats going by.

Here are some photo’s, the quality isn’t very good but I had to share

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Making moulds for clay jewellery

I thought I’d post early as I’m trying to utilise my time more efficiently this weekend, if anyone knows how to squeeze extra hours out of the day I’d like to know. Today I have got up an hour early to get some things done.
The month long fair starts today so I won’t be around much, it’s times like this when I wish I had a bigger kiln.
My intention is to have a day off this weekend, well more like a busman’s holiday really as I intend playing with some clay.

Last weekend I found time to start off by making these textured moulds using bits from the garden, seashells and fossils. Some are made from clay and the blue ones are silicone putty. I’m going to use them for making ceramic and metal clay jewellery components.

I think I may have gone wrong with the clay ones as I should have made the slabs bigger. Having spent last Sunday afternoon making these I got a link during the week from Ceramic Arts Daily using the same technique for slab building, you can see it here.

My moulds will be in need of a clean up and firing before I can make something with them, I really want to start experimenting with glazes and underglazes. I have the whole of June and July off to recharge my creativity battery so it will be time for some play, watch this space.

Anodised aluminium cuffs

I’ve been working at full steam this week preparing for a month in a pop up gallery, mainly finishing jewellery, the weather has been very cold so just as well I had plenty to occupy me this week. I have finished a few fibulae pins. beaded necklaces, dichroic pendants and earrings as well as some anodised cuff bangles, remember I showed them to you last weekend boiling up in an old frying pan.

Here are the finished cuffs, I still have some more anodised cuffs to finish for my shop when I get a moment.
Anodised aluminium cuff bangles

There’s loads to do before setting up on Thursday but I hope to find time to show you a few more pictures of new pieces from Kiln Fired Art.

Beautiful fabric bags from Good Girl Designs

Let me indroduce you to Nicola of Good Girl Designs who makes the most beautiful fabric bags. I’m the proud owner of one of Nicola’s amazing fabric bags, they are unique, and incredibly well made. Nicola makes her  bags from cotton fabric encasing cotton washing line which is stitched into a shape to form the bag.

There are several styles of bag, and they come in different fabrics making each bag unique. I have the small one as I’m not one to carry a large bag around on my shoulder, but it’s just the right size to carry everything  I need and the cross body adjustable strap means no aching shoulder.

The bag shown is available to buy from Good Girl Designs on Etsy.

 

This one is a larger bag with flap.

Another great thing about Good Girl Designs bags is they are fully washable at 40 degrees.

 

 

 

 

Here’s another larger bag, this one is a different style, it has a zip fastening, it is fully lined with pink cotton fabric, it has a zip pocket and a mobile phone pocket inside, as well as a key clip.Nicola also makes a range of items for the home such as cushions, rugs and lavender bags, as well as items like glasses and phone cases. These can be bought direct from Good Girl Designs website or her Etsy shop. Follow Nicola on Twitter or Facebook to see what’s new and be first to hear about special offers.

 

Spring has arrived

I noticed yesterday that the trees are predominantly green now and there are other signs of spring on the canal, including a lot more boating activity, more waving at passing narrow boats, and these little darlings, the first ducklings on the canal.

Having said that it’s still cold and there’s still snow on the Pennines. I can feel a chill today so I’ll have to wrap up before doing the raku firing.

So today I’m trying to do the raku firing, and paint some aluminium for cuff bangles. These are made from anodised aluminium sheet which I cut, colour, boil to seal the pores, then finish and form into beautiful bright cuffs and other bright jewellery.

 

 

I also need to make some glass beads this weekend so it could be quite a long shift today and tomorrow morning, then tomorrow afternoon I’m going to see my friend Nicola at a craft fair, she makes the most amazing bags, I’ll have to tell you about those later.

 

 

Edited to say my apologies for publishing before I’d finished writing, I must have it the wrong button.

The raku firing is done, the colours are subtle but there are some beautiful pieces. Raku is definitely my ‘thing’. I’ll have to show you another day as they are back in the kiln to keep the colours. Now I need to clear up and think about tea before I light the torch and get beading.