Monthly Archives: March 2012
#SBS Winners Event with Theo Paphitis
Yesterday’s #SBS (Small Business Sunday) Winners Event held at Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham was a fantastic day! I am still shattered from all of the excitement and can’t stop grinning from ear to ear!
It was lovely to meet so many other winners of Theo’s SBS competition, and to put faces to names of so many Twitter friends.
On arrival at the event, Theo’s extremely bling car was parked right outside. We all had a good chance to mingle and the food and drink was flowing well! We were wearing badges which made it so much easier to ‘recognise’ people. Suddenly I spotted Theo walk into the room and was off like a shot when I noticed he was shaking a few peoples’ hands – I didn’t want to miss my opportunity of that!
Theo gave a very inspiring speech and talked more about the future for SBS, and also about the new SBS website which is a great opportunity for even more promotion for all winners with our own individual profiles and website links.
When I didn’t think the day could get much better, Theo then announced that there would later be an opportunity for individual professional photographs with him and we would all receive a certificate too! I thought the certificates were going to be the same for everyone but they even had our individual names and business names printed onto each one, AND Theo signed them all personally!
There were around 250-300 businesses at the event, so Theo had a lot of standing around to do during the photographs – I assumed we would be rushed in, snapped, and then rushed out to get everyone done in time, but Theo took the time to ask our names and asked me if I’d had a good day etc, and told me to make sure I ‘do’ something with my #SBS win 
Such a lovely man!!
We also got a goody bag from Ryman’s – the leading stationary company who sponsored the whole event and who cannot be thanked enough for making it such a brilliant day!
If you want to find out more behind #SBS including how it started and how it is developing, visit the new official #SBS Website. If you have a small business and are looking for more exposure why not join in on Twitter and tweet Theo ( @TheoPaphitis ) a link to your website and a bit about your business every Sunday between 5:30 – 7pm. You never know, it could be your business he retweets as a winner next!
Homemade Chocolate Chip Scones
One of my favourite simplest recipes… Hadn’t made these for a while but they still seem to go down well! I like to use galaxy chocolate chunks for the chips, yum!
Ingredients:
- 225g/8oz self raising flour sieved
- 60g/2oz butter
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 50g/1 1/4oz chocolate chips
- 150ml/ 1/4 pint milk
1. Lightly grease a baking tray. Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the scone mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in the caster sugar and chocolate chips.
3. Mix in enough milk to form a soft dough.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to form a rectangle, about 1inch thick. Cut the dough into squares. (I also made some round ones)
5. Place the scones on the prepared baking tray and brush with a little milk. Bake in a preheated oven 220′C/gas mark 7, for 10-12 minutes until the scones are risen and golden.
6. Dust with icing sugar and leave to cool.
They are scrummy when still warm! A good way to warm them up again is to heat them in the microwave for a few seconds. I’m off to enjoy one with a cuppa now before they all disappear……
Preparing Work for my New Kiln
Since the arrival of my new kiln a couple of weeks ago I have been so anxious and excited waiting to fill it up with new work. It is great to now be able to fire so many more pieces at a time, as my old kiln was so small. When loading the kiln yesterday I realised I had been a little too keen and made too much so not everything will fit, but the few left over pieces can go in the next firing.
The kiln was ‘broken in’ during it’s dry-out firing last week, and now that it is loaded with work it is ready to turn on this evening. So exciting!
The workshop is looking bare and a bit sorry for itself now that there is not a single piece of work in progress to be seen. But that will give me a chance to have a spring clean and tidy up before I start making more work and more mess!
In-between making new work while listening to music and drinking lots of tea, I managed to find some time to sit down and do a few sketches last week. I’ve wanted to make some wall planters for a while now, and these are the first few I’ve made below. I’m very happy with them so far, they will look great in the garden for summer. Can’t wait to see what they turn out like.
By popular demand, more mini ceramic landscape art coming soon. Many of these will be sent to one of my new stockists – Ashdown Gallery in Sussex, but there will also be some new ones available on my website next week too.
Sorting glass ready for melting… one of my favourite jobs!
And finally a snapshot of some pieces in progress last week… Come back soon to see what they turned out like!
Hope you all enjoy a lovely weekend full of sunshine! I’m away camping for the weekend so fingers crossed this sunny weather continues
Kitchen Garden Exhibition
Spring is fast approaching and it’s the perfect time to start thinking about home improvements, getting out in the garden and summer socialising.
The ‘Kitchen Garden’ exhibition at Bilston Craft Gallery in Wolverhampton brings you a delightful range of handmade items that capture the British love of homemaking, cooking and gardening.
Alongside an array of beautifully handmade items by designer makers across the UK, you will find a selection of my vases and some sets of my ceramic plant markers at Kitchen Garden. My plant markers are also available to purchase in the gallery shop.
The exhibition offers pieces that are sleek and functional, to rustic and decorative, with lots of fun and clever craft solutions for everyday spaces.
Kitchen Garden is open from 18th February to 28th April 2012. Well worth a visit if you are in the area!
For more information and an exhibition booklet detailing the full list of exhibitors, please click here.
Studio 61 Gallery ~ New Stockist
Introducing my new Derbyshire stockist ~ Studio 61 Gallery, a place where owner Karina Goodman paints, creates and exhibits her work, complimented by the work of over 100 other British designers.
Karina is now exclusively stocking my ceramic beach hut hangings and other seaside inspired items at the gallery. You can read my ‘Meet the Maker’ interview with the gallery on Facebook to find out more, just click on each individual picture using the link above.
Studio 61 Gallery is full of gorgeous pieces of work, many with a distinct seaside feel which makes me want to be at the beach!
There are guest exhibitions that change on a monthly basis to give a varied and refreshing feel to the gallery.
Nestled in the village of Holloway near Matlock with a stunning backdrop of picturesque Peak District scenery, the studio is spread nicely throughout numerous rooms and offers a beautiful and innovative range of gorgeous gifts, designer jewellery, pieces for the home, prints and cards with something for everyones tastes and budgets.
If you are in the area pop in and have a look, Karina always has the coffee machine on!
