2011 November | Charlotte Hupfield Ceramics

Work in progress

The workshop is full of pieces of work in progress at all different stages at the moment. I love being able to choose what to work on, and swap to something else after a while. I’ve been going mad on bowls recently as they have been flying out of my website shop. What do you think of my new leaf shaped bowls?

I can see so many different shaped leaves while looking out of the workshop window, which influenced me to make a leaf shaped bowl last week, and then they just continued from there! I’m really pleased with them. They will be glazed today, ready for firing.

Stacks of Christmas pudding decorations are under way too, as the first batch completely sold out. This is only a few of them shown below!

I’ve had many requests for custom made pieces this month, and I’m currently working on orders for a bird bath, a large numbered house plaque, a clock with a mouse on the top, and a matching soap dish and toothbrush holder. You can see the toothbrush holder below, amongst vases, an unfinished plant pot and other bits and pieces.

Although the weather has been pretty chilly lately, I’ve been nice and toasty in the workshop with the heater on and I soon get warmed up once I start working and listening to music

This Sunday I will be exhibiting at the Contemporary Craft Shopping Experience at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre near Leamington, CV31 1XN. Now in it’s third year, this popular show is always one of my favourites and I can’t wait for all of the festive fun on the day, hopefully I’ll be able to finish my Christmas shopping too. There will be over 100 stalls jam packed full of handmade loveliness. Hope to see you there!

Don’t forget my last order date is 10th December for all custom made and personalised orders – don’t leave it too late! However if you do miss the deadline I will try my best to squeeze any extra orders in, but please contact me first.

More magazine publications!

How exciting! More images of my work have been published in different magazines this month. Above you will see my oak impressed dish and two mini sculptural vessels featured in Park & Holiday Homes magazine. Also below is my decorative ‘Cowslip Meadow’ display panel featured in Cumbria Life & Carlisle Living magazines.

Trip to Bournemouth

After returning home from a trip to the seaside in Bournemouth with some friends this weekend, I’m feeling very bright and refreshed! We enjoyed a day of shopping, eating yummy food, drinking cocktails and had a fun night out. It feels strange to think that earlier this morning we were on the beach, I’m missing the sea air already!

Thank you to everyone who has placed orders over the weekend, I will send the in-stock items out tomorrow and also make a start on custom orders. Hope you had a good weekend too!

Poppies Tea Shop

A couple of days ago I visited this adorable little shop for the first time in one of the next villages, Braunston. Initially only popping in for a cup of tea, I was in heaven when I realised it was full of unique gifts and lots of handmade items made by local crafters.

Poppies Tea Shop is an eclectic mix of giftware and crafts together with homemade cakes and cream teas.

I really enjoyed my cup of tea, served in a big floral tea cup and pretty tea pot, and the hot cross bun was delicious too!

I could have spent all morning looking at each individual item in the shop, they stock some really lovely things. Poppies is near to Braunston canal so they see a lot of tourists and boaters visit the shop. After talking to the 2 lovely ladies who run the shop, it turned out to be a successful visit as they will now be stocking some of my ceramics! I’m looking forward to visiting again tomorrow, and can’t wait to see some of my work displayed in the shop.

A date for your diary

On Sunday 4th December 2011 I will be exhibiting at the Contemporary Craft Shopping Experience, at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre near Leamington. Now in it’s third year, this popular show is always one of my favourites and I can’t wait for all of the festive fun on the day!

Hope to see you there

NEW Shop Launch

I was very pleased with the launch of my new online shop last week! If you haven’t seen it yet, pop over here and have a look around.

You will see new categories for some products, and also subcategories in sections such Accessories, Hanging Decorations and Ceramic Art.

Thank you to my web developer Matt Debouge for his much appreciated help and support.

Ceramic Plant Markers Galore

My plant markers are going to be found in peoples Christmas stockings all over Britain this Christmas! They have been ‘flying off the shelves’ and will hopefully be put to use in greenhouses, herb planters, window sill and outdoor pots, border flowers, seeds, and vegetable plots in the new year.

Not only have they been a hit on my website leading up to Christmas, my plant markers are also published in some fantastic magazines this month.

Can you spot them above? This is the Christmas Gift Guide in the December issue of House Beautiful magazine! My markers are featured amongst some other lovely gifts in the Gifts for Gardeners section.

And that isn’t all! Also published in the Dec/Jan issue of Fusion Flowers magazine, are my ceramic plant markers on the Garden Notes page (see below). I’m very happy!

To view my full range of handmade ceramic plant markers, please view them here.

Made from stoneware clay and fired to a high temperature, my plant markers are durable and frost proof, and the name of the plant/herb being written on in pencil allows them to be reused time and time again. These markers will last forever, unlike traditional wooden markers that will rot.

Inspiration

A few images that are inspiring me this week.

To view the image source and many more inspiring images that I have collected, visit my Pinterest board, there’s bound to be something there to catch your eye!