Interview two is now live...

Check it out here at Sassy Glass Designs' lovely blog.
You can also check out her jewellery at her etsy shop - lovely stuff!
A big big thank you for featuring me Sass!

My bird obsession continues...

I thought it was about time I made some thing other than ceramics, so last week I finally made new scatter cushion covers for my lounge. Do I have time to do this? Not really but I was obsessed with this fabric so I had no choice... Besides it only took a few hours to make four so it was worth it! It is apparently an urban outfitters fabric, and I ordered it online. When it arrived it was a lighter weight linen than I had expected, so it had to have another similar colour fabric behind it which made them slightly more laborious. I backed them in a plain black for contrast, and recessed black zips into the bottom edge so that they can be easily removed for cleaning but are tidy in shape. My sofa is a charcoal grey L-shape, and it REALLY needed cheering up! The entire room was just too well coordinated and a little masculine; it needed a few bits of colour clash in there to cheer it up. These are just the job :) I love the fifties feel of the print, and all the happy looking birds.

Two interviews in a week?! What's going on?!!

Over the last week I have been approached by two different bloggers and sent interview questions regarding my work. I am hugely flattered and thankful of course for the publicity! The first one to go live is here on Kara Annis's blog. She's a talented jewellery maker as well as a great blogger, and you can see her etsy shop here.

After quickly overcoming my initial nervousness about it, I realised that to be interviewed is a nice thing, to be able to show the person behind the work, sort of like I do here, but with some outside input in the questions. Of course there is the benefit of reaching a different audience, but there were unexpected benefits that arose; for example, describing my creative process made me stop and actually think about and analyse my creative process, rather than just doing it. So a big thank you to Kara for the opportunity, for making me think, for the thoughtful questions she asked, and for being so lovely to deal with!

1245 degrees C!!!

Saved from a career in baked bean retail by my kiln maintenance... Yes, kiln element change number 2 worked, and new products are out of the kiln at last! See them here in my etsy shop :)
In fact, here's a preview of one of them...

Happy new year!

It seems I am one of the few back to work around here as where I am we have had heavy snow. There has been pretty much no gritting going on from what I can tell, and the snow just keeps on falling... Luckily I can do some work from home, but a couple of orders will be sent out later than usual.
Having had a wonderful Christmas and new year, I finally packed away the Christmas decorations today, and thought I would share a couple of images of these lovely seasonal flowers that Santa brought this year...
A photo could never do them justice, but what can I say... Amarylis, red roses and hot pink gerberas... I must have been a very good girl last year.
So having cleared the decks it is time to make a plan and get my head back into some serious work. I've been busy glazing the remaining bisque that was done before the Christmas rush took over my life completely, and am looking forward to starting building with a clear head once that lot is out of the kiln. My etsy shop is looking somewhat depleated, so I can't wait to get the new pots out and get them on there. One or two are already spoken for, and it's not a huge batch, so I had better get some new pieces made pronto! I'm also running a January sale now to clear a few items out and start the year afresh. If you'd like to see the discounted items, you can view my sale section here. There are no seconds I promise, every item is absolutely perfect, I just want to start the new year with a clear mind and some new ranges.
So 2010.... what will you have in store? I can't wait to get my teeth into this year and find out!

I can't believe how busy it has been!

The Christmas rush is slowing a little now, as most of my customers are in the US. I had a little help today from a Japanese work experience student Kozue, and finally feel like I am getting up to date... She was great, really lovely, extremely helpful, and an extra pair of hands was appreciated! She helped out with some gift wrapping and sorted out some of my stationary so that I now feel free to actually make something- I haven't touched any clay in weeks!! It has been non stop admin and parcel wrapping round here, and it has been great, but there is some creative frustration bubbling away under the surface... watch out for some new pieces early in the new year...
I have a happy story today! - someone showed me a photo at theknot.com which is of two of my bird bowls which were used as ring bowls at a wedding - here it is...

It is such a huge compliment when someone uses my work for such an important function, and is a rare treat to see them in use. Thanks also to the lovely Ai Ling Liaw of Ling Photography, St. Paul, MN who was their wedding photographer. I was really touched. I have had a bit of a run of this lately - here is an image of a ring bowl I made for a very lovely lady's wedding recently. So recently in fact, that it is on a plane on its way to Australia as I write...


I used a silhouette that they provided of themselves, and recessed it into the clay. A slight toasting can sometimes occur in the kiln around the glaze, and on this one I think it gives a fitting, warm glow around the bride and groom. I felt that it added to the piece, and I hope they will agree. Ring bowls are definitely something I am considering doing more of in the new year! It was lovely to work with them and create a piece that they had some input into.

So with things calming down here a little, I am hoping that I might just get a little Christmas shopping done by the end of the week :)

Wow! What an amazing day!

I cannot begin to say how excited I was today when I found out that my Christmas decorations had been featured in no less than THE GUARDIAN newspaper!!!
For those of you stateside, The Guardian is one of the biggest national newspapers. It is extremely well respected, and I could not believe my eyes when I followed this link to the online version of the article.


My little hearts have a page, as do a selection of other Christmas ornaments that I am staggered and honoured to be placed amongst, including pieces by Cath Kidston, Heals, Habitat, Liberty, Urban Outfitters and John Lewis.
Wow again! I can't think of a greater confidence boost than this, and also at a time when I am having my busiest time ever in my etsy shop. I really am completely stunned. There amongst such great big names in design - lil ole me?! A picture that I took, a little over a year ago, of my little Christmas hearts WAS IN THE GUARDIAN!?!
Fantastic, wonderful, amazing. Pinching myself.

Today was also the day of the Art Ball art auction at Sale Waterside Art Centre, which included two sets of my ceramic flying ducks. It was hosted by no less than Eric Knowles from the antiques roadshow!!! Hilarious!


I was too excited about the Guardian article to be nervous, despite having a few reservations about having to actually be there when my work was sold, rather than being on the other side of a computer screen. (And often the other side of the world!) A few friends turned out at the event to ensure that we had a good time this evening, even if the ducks didn't sell, but I am happy to say that both sets sold!! And also, they sold for more than I sell them for online :)
So I really am pretty stunned, shocked, happy, and exhausted as I write this... Time for a well earned, long sleep :) Goodnight!