Category Archives: ceramic bowl
New Products for May
All new for spring and available on my website. Please contact me if you are looking for something in particular.
New for 2013…
It’s been a busy few weeks for the start of the new year. I’ve been busy making gifts for Valentines & Mothers Day, as well as a few custom orders – I’ll show you what I’ve been working on in my next post soon. My personalised heart plaques have been popular so I have lots of these drying out at the moment, ready to fire at the end of the month and send out in time for Valentines Day.
Valentines Day must have come early for me this week as I received these beautiful rainbow tulips that look stunning in one of my organic vessels on the kitchen windowsill, and also in one of my elegant dandelion vases. I wonder if I’ll still get flowers on Valentines Day too? 
The workshop has been pretty cold to say the least, with clay freezing and pieces not drying out it has been a bit of a nightmare. But it soon gets nice and toasty with the heater on, and I’ve brought some bits inside to dry and defrost!
It has been snowing all morning here today, and we are expecting 5 – 10 inches by this afternoon so I doubt I’ll be doing much in the workshop this weekend – I think sledging is on the agenda!
Although it’s still winter and there’s lots of talk of snow, here’s something completely contrasting… I’ve been making some new beach huts and seaside inspired pieces. Can’t wait for the sun to shine again.
From 2nd March – 14th April 2013, twelve of my mini ceramic landscapes on easels will be featured in an exhibition at The Beetroot Tree Gallery in Derbyshire, called ‘Miniature Magnified‘. Here are three of the twelve below. They all have individual names and will be for sale during the exhibition. I have more available on my website here.
Below: ‘Blue Skies’, ‘Frosty Puddle’ & ‘In The Countryside’.
NEW to my website this month are a variety of new bowls. They are all similar in shape and form but each one was made slightly differently, making them unique with their own little quirky features. Each bowl is also decorated with different textures and colours. They have a few different names including mushroom bowls and flower pod bowls. Feel free to browse my website to have a look at the new bowl range. Which is your favourite and what would you use it for?
I have one of these bowls at home that I like to put small pieces of jewellery in, but I also like to display them on their own to admire the colour in the bases. They also make great tea light holders.
Lastly, thought I would share this lovely photo from a customer of one of my vases settled in its new home.
Think thats all for now, I’m off to the post office to post this weeks orders before the snow gets worse. Have a great snowy weekend!
Fresh from the Kiln ~ Custom Orders
Some of the custom orders I completed before Christmas, and was very pleased with!
This set of six ceramic placemats and coasters above were a custom order from a customer at one of the craft fairs I was at a couple of months ago. Having never made large table mats before, I was pleased with the results of these.
A bathroom plaque in the shape of a shell. Can be customised with any shape and engraved wording.
Autumn leaf style bowl with wavy edges and a pool of frosted glass in the centre.
Hand built vase for a 50th birthday gift, with engraved dandelion design around the exterior.
Personalised Christmas tree decorations. These were a late trial idea so I will be taking orders for these next year now that I know they turned out ok.
One of my popular large heart plaques with engraved wording.
Overall, a successful batch of work Glad the customers were pleased too!
What’s New…
A taster of what’s new on my website this week…
If you see something you like head over to my online shop to find out more information on these items. While you’re there feel free to browse my other handmade ceramic pieces ~ everything is completely unique and handmade with love!
Ceramics Photo Shoot
A selection of pieces were treated to a special trip away last week where they were professionally photographed by Matt Debouge. Photography is Matt’s passion – since getting his first digital camera he hasn’t stopped taking photos. His work is well known for animal, nature, abstract, artistic and travel photography. Having photographed my work on previous occasions, Matt was used to shooting still life objects but this time he faced the challenge of photographing pieces of my work in a group as well as individually, and did a fantastic job.
I love seeing my work photographed properly, it really brings out the detail.
My favourite images are the close up details of surface decoration… The textures have been brought to life!
If you are interested in having your work photographed, or need a professional photographer for any occasion or theme, Matt would be happy to help – just contact him with your requirements. He also offers IT support and web development.
Bowls Fresh from the Kiln
Not long to go until the arrival of my new kiln, I’m so excited! In the meantime I’ve been busy using my old kiln to fire orders and other bits and pieces. I’ll still use the old kiln for smaller items but it will be great to be able to fire some more large sculptural pieces and larger batches of work again in a bigger kiln.
Here are some new leaf bowls ~ available in the shop on my website as Rustic Maple Leaf Bowl and Rustic Botanical Leaf Dish. I love the combination of deep colours and the shiny pools of melted glass.
If you haven’t got your Mothers Day gift sorted yet, take your pick from a selection of new love heart bowls, they make perfect soap dishes and are also ideal for holding jewellery, other trinkets or tea light candles.
I hadn’t made any of my usual wavy edged bowls for a while and they all seem to be selling out, so I’ve got plenty more lined up to be fired in the new kiln. Here are a couple of new ones below. I think the close up detail would make a nice framed print!
Hope you’ve enjoyed some of my new bowls, check back this week for some new sets of coasters and hanging decorations!
Giveaway – Win a Handmade Bowl!
*Now Closed!* Thank you to everyone who entered.
After the success of launching my new website, and to say a big thank you to all of my continuous supporting customers, fans and followers, I thought it was about time I had a giveaway!
'Blow Away' Dandelion Bowl
Up for grabs is a sweet little bowl from my new dandelion range. For a chance of winning this bowl, here’s what you need to do…
- Leave a comment on this post to let me know you have entered and done any or all of the following things…
- Follow me on Twitter, and tweet about my giveaway, e.g. “I just entered this giveaway by @CHCeramics ~ Win a handmade bowl! http://www.charlottehupfieldceramics.com/2011/07/28/giveaway-win-a-handmade-bowl/“
- ‘Like’ me on Facebook and leave a comment on my wall saying what you like about my work
- Join my mailing list
- Oh and while you’re here, would you mind voting for my cat Molly in this competition? She would love it if you could, she’s a bit of a poser!
A winner will be announced on 10th August so you have plenty of time to enter and let your family and friends know!
Good luck!
New Ceramic Bowl Design
New Bowls
Firing Results
These magnets are new to my range. I wanted to create some tactile and decorative items that are smaller and cheaper, to add to the range in prices on my stall at craft fairs and shows.
The magnets with words or writing on were really popular at my fair this weekend, I sold all of them! Will have to start making lots more, now I know which type sells more.
I couldn’t resist making lots of magnets in my usual style… “Organic and Rustic”, as some people refer to it as…
My coasters were all sold in sets of 4 with different coloured ribbon tied around them. Each coaster has a coloured sheet of foam neatly stuck onto the underside to prevent scratching on the table and to stop them sliding around.
Melting glass into my bowls, or rolling flecks of glass into the surface of the clay before constructing forms is like a trade mark to my work in terms of decoration, and people say it is what makes it so different.
Opening the kiln is such an exciting moment as you never really know what the outcome will be. Even the most experienced potters still have lots of happy accidents. I enjoyed peeking in through the gap in the door when the firing for all of these flat pieces were finished, the burst of colour made a change to my usual decoration.
