Category Archives: work in progress
Production Line…

Not bad for a days work at the weekend, and on a Sunday too!
The rain had finally cleared up for a couple of days at the weekend here, so it was nice to have the workshop door open with honey bee’s buzzing in and out. I’m pleased with the progress of some new pieces, in particular the new shaped vases, so will look forward to firing those.
I’ve been having fun ordering some new glazes today, the names of some of the colours sound good enough to eat! Vanilla Bean Speckle, Pistachio Spice, Fudge Marble, Mocha Cream… Look out for new colours introduced to my work very soon!
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
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.
This week…
Following the popularity of my mini ceramic art, I have been experimenting with some pieces on a larger scale this week. The Ceramic Landscape Art pictured above includes chunks of different coloured dried pieces of clay that were pressed into the surface of the panel when the clay was soft. This piece also features areas of my signature volcanic crater glaze, and coloured slips that have been applied to create a textural feel to the surface. The back of the ceramic panel has a similar decorative design so that it could be changed around. This panel comes complete with an acrylic display stand (pictured below) and can be displayed in a landscape or portrait position.
The panel above was fun to make and has quite an abstract look to it. I’m now working on some more ‘scenic’ panels that will be a little more simple and elegant.


Here’s some snippets of a couple of pieces in progress, yet to be glazed and fired. I’m not sure how they will be glazed as yet, but I will probably keep them looking natural and organic. I think they would make stunning features displayed in the home ~ Might keep one of these initial ones for myself!


I’ve also been working on some new pieces that I’m making for The Light Decoration as one of their official merchandise creators (read more about that here). Below are some of the brooches and magnets in progress that include a ‘Beside The Sea‘ theme. I’m also working on some beach huts, plaques, pendants and mini art for The Light Decoration novel series. I’ve been waiting to get these fired for a couple of weeks now, but waiting on a new element for my kiln to be delivered is taking longer than expected. Hopefully it should arrive on Monday!

On top of all of that (as well as trying to make the most of the sunshine), I sent a batch of items to a new shop in Derby called Pretty Things this week. The shop only opened on Monday, but they have a huge array of ‘pretty’ items on display – if you are in the area why not pay them a visit?
Pretty Things
35 Market Hall
Derby
DE1 2DB
Work in progress
After my break away at the seaside last week, it’s time to crack on with orders and stock for exhibitions and upcoming fairs. I’ve been working on some new ideas, as well as developing others. It has been nice to be ‘locked away’ inside the workshop churning out new pieces. I have also been having a big sort out and tidy up in the workshop, ready for a few different customers that will be popping by to visit soon. Another visitor to my workshop, which I am very excited about, is a student who has just finished exams at school and will be coming to learn and make a few things in a couple of weeks. I’ll be sharing more on that soon!
Work in progress
What I’m working on… continued
What I’m working on
In the workshop…
Plant Markers in progress
Production Line
It’s been another busy week in the workshop. I’ve got row upon row of work in progress at the moment – different production lines of work that either need to be smoothed, trimmed or glazed. I like having lots of different things on the go, so that I can change to a different job if I’ve had enough of another.
My main working area is fantastic because I’ve got light coming in from the door to the right, as well as light beaming in through the window in front of me. I’m using the wall to stick design ideas, notes and orders up, but ideally I would like a pin board for this.


One of my regular customers who found me at a local craft fair earlier this year came to pick up a few pieces she had ordered last week. I enjoyed showing a customer around my workshop, it felt encouraging – much better than seeing everything cramped inside a small shed. What I’m working on…
Somehow (I’m not quite sure how!), I’ve managed to find some time to make some bits & pieces in my new workshop this week. I love it in there, I’ve got so much more space… although I suppose more space means more mess.
















