a golden leaf day............................. .........

today I walked my dog Lola and marveled at the beautiful bronze beach trees. The world seems a golden place today with fabulous shades of yellow and orange. Its not sunny but a breezy grey blanket sky but as I walked I felt enveloped in a snow storm of golden leaves, the colours really glowed. I love our British climate I am a sort of English rose girl, I don't mind cold and frosty it just means you put on an extra woolly and big chunky scarf. The shades of autumn in the countryside are something to be delight the soul, I stand on a hill and imagine what colour paints I would mix. One day when I can no longer make I shall be a painter  curled up in tweeds and fair isle, sitting painting the ever changing colours,  in the meantime I shall show you a rabbit!

first rabbit

sitting in an armchair

The top half is ceramic , her arms are padded and stuffed attached with buttons,  her base is firm and upholstered.She wears her rosette with pride!
Whilst in the summer house I took a few more photos of the characters that amuse , inspire and keep me company......

glass bambi and felt rabbit

zebra lacking eyes and bambi rescued from...

cute old rabbity with glass bambi

a Horlicks sort of morning.....................................

I have just come in from walking Lola and since it is a cold autumn morning I think it deserves a Horlicks to warm the bones!I am about to start sewing altering a blouse for the Opening tomorrow at Unit twelve. I am going to take a collar off a shirt and create a new peter pan collar in a floral fabric if it works I shall photograph and show you all . Anyway whilst sipping my Horlicks I thought I would add a couple of characters to my blog.

little dog and ceramic tree

syd

home in time for tea

These characters were my first foray into the animal world. They became part of Through The Wardrobe exhibition at Form gallery ( sadly no longer operational). Home in time for Tea is a Hare and he tends to get side tracked so to appease his wife he has bought her a bunch of flowers! Little blue dog is just that a little blue dog and sits quite happily beside a tree. Syd is just a cutey and now sits on  a shelf at home surrounded by a wooden horse and a felt dog.
I have fingers crossed that everyone likes HMS Minifred and the sheep this week end. Next week I think my ceramics studio needs a clean before rolling more clay and starting  on my new characters but where they will go as yet I am unsure !

off out for a walk in a minute..........

today it is cool but not windy and its a reasonably clear sky so in a minute me and Lola are off for our afternoon walk. I need it ! I have been eating too many yummy puddings and my new daughter in law made me a lovely walnut and apple birthday cake. Just the right sort of flavour for this time of year.
Work has gone out to Jennifer Collier's Unit twelve and I shall be there at the preview next Saturday ( 3rd of November). I hope the sheep enjoy being on show and that Liza doesn't get scared and try and steer the boat to a quiet place! I shall have to get back into the studio and start the next venture but before I do I thought you might enjoy a couple of more images from my studio.

lovely budgie cross stitch found by a friend for me

A cute little old felt bunny obviously made from a pattern

my lovely little rag doll sitting in her arm chair looking out

ok its time I went out for a walk Lola is about to eat my slippers ! enjoy and I'll be back soon so keep looking

a lovely golden sunday..........

and I've been away on holiday for a week to the sunny climbs of Dorset. A much needed restful week after a hectic but fabulous wedding. I have had time to relax take in the lovely scenery admire the changing colours of trees and take in the bracing sea air whilst walking the cliffs.

white chalk cliffs of Dorset.

the lovely traditional beach huts of Studland beach

Work is now at The Goldfish Bowl Gallery Corsham to a very delighted gallery owner so next work is going to Shire Hall gallery Stafford and the sheep are off to Unit twelve with Jennifer Collier for her first Open Art exhibition sponsored by Handmadeonline.

lovely reds of France in ceramics and fabrics

more deliciousness

I have seen lots of inspirational things and have come back with a sketchbook not quite full but at least  a few new ideas. I visited a National Trust village called Lacock just south of Chippenham. They filmed the period drama Cranford there. It was truely quaint. There were a few little shops and one a real gem. It was tiny but full to the brim with fabulous treats from France. the king owner allowed me to take a couple of photos. Ok Its so nice and sunny and being Sunday I think I shall bake a cake and take myself to collect leaves in the garden. watch out for more from Dorset

ok its cold and wet.............

but still I have to go out and walk Lola so before I go I shall add some more wedding images. It was a fab wedding and I keep looking at the photos a lovely day with treasured memories.....

Today is a rainy thursday...

well the man is outside fitting my new garden gates a rather shocking fities green ! I think they will look great but its a bit of a surprise after old crumbly oak ones! I had  some exciting news last night I entered two pieces of work for the Open Art competition at Unit Twelve. It was judged by the organisers of Madebyhandonline and both pieces have been selected..yipppeee. One is called Fly away home

The other piece is HMS Minifred and they will both be on show at Unit tweleve from Thursday 1st November with preview day on the Saturday afternoon 3rd November.
I have also just sent a batch of work down to a new gallery called The Goldfish Bowl in Corsham Wiltshire so that should be on display next week. Next I have to get work ready for Christmas at Shire hall Stafford...yes I know Christmas already but retail places have to think early and being a poor artist i need the pennies to keep the studio going !

oh my goodness where has the time gone......

I have been extremely busy since I last posted anything. My eldest son got married and I made wedding cakes , cup cakes, vintage lampshades in fact alsorts! It was a wonderful vintage style wedding in a local village hall, everyone wondered at the decorations and loved the ceramic napkin rings I made for every guest. So I thought you would appreciate a flavor of the wedding

its really time for sleep.......

however I am waiting for a lovely earl grey tea bread to finish cooking in the oven so thought i would add some more images of my studio where I make ceramics.

 

I have a bit of a thing about old clock faces, this is a lovely piece it has come from a clock that was like a little house. i still have the casing and this eventually will probably house a small animal or bird...

This came from a small paper bag cant remember now which shop but I love the image so it hangs on my wall , I can see her waving at me whenever I look up from my work and she makes me smile

Any space tends to be full of things here are the clock cases and one still in tact in front of the clocks are some old moulds from an old ceramics factory I love the simplicity of white objects they make pleasing shapes....maybe is because its time for sleep that I showed you the clocks , hurry up cake it smells yummy I'm off to check its ok .thanks for looking at my objects of interest..I'll let you know if the cake turns out ok!

waiting for a friend......

I am waiting for my friend to come so that we can take Lola for a walk. Whilst I have a quick cuppa I thought you might like to see some inspirational things from my studio. I have got lots on at the moment my eldest son is getting married in a weeks time and I have been allowed free reign in my creativity photos will appear after the said date !!!

in the meantime I hope you enjoy and find inspiring the photos I have taken............

must dash friend has come and dog is impatient post more later

late tuesday afternoon before a cup of tea............

its been a very blustery day today with lovely bright sunshine than black/blue clouds full of rain.Lola is waiting for her walk but as its spitting with water from the sky i decided to add some more images for you to peruse..

this is Elsie and her home sweet home stage, she is joined by her pet dog and an escaped chicken......

this is the set up for the 'through the wardrobe ' exhibition I know you have sen it in the window on the previous blog but I love the way the fairy lights sparkle almost giving it a fairground appeal. and lets face it Yee ha is always up for a performance if he can steal the limelight!!

Here is Lotta she is mostly ceramic but to enable her to express herself she has fabric arms stuffed and wired she looks rather pensive I think and could quite easily be the middle sister..

Oh I must dash the storm clouds are leaving and a rainbow has appeared. Lola and I will run up the hill to find a pot of gold!!!

its turned out wet...

its turned out wet .............................

well the kiln is loaded with a lustre firing ( gold on bits and pieces) , the builders are in the laundry fixing sinks and worktops so i am holed up with the computer. I thought I would find some interesting photos for you ...

this is the window of the Form gallery in Wales. The lovely Claire Wood came to see my work and asked me to fill her gallery ! Six months after i produced the exhibition 'Through the wardrobe'  a celebration of stories, childhood and handmade objects. Betty , Birdie and Lotta were the three sisters inspired by the finding of the old wooden sewing boxes. the ironing board is the plinth a reminesence of domestic life , the curtain references childhood and the making of stages , dens and hidey holes. Yee ha the donkey pulls the truck along the 'stage' floor telling yet another tale...

this is an earlier piece of work. the exhibition was in the process of being set up hence the broom on the left of the photo! the tea trolley is set ready for tea with tea pot jug and cup and saucer.I use old pieces of furniture in my work where they become something else. An old table someone was throwing away required a new life it was given casters a coat of pent a lovely fabric cover and handles.

 a close up detail of little table from 'No Peas for Jane'

a little cupboard........full of things

late friday with clear blue skies.......................

its a lovely sunny warm evening and I have been loading and unloading kiln today so i think I need a five minute sit down.  I've been looking through my photos wondering what to show you today and a chair seemed appropriate since I am sitting down ! I shall introduce you to 'My lovely'

This chair was made for an exhibition at Unit twelve Jennifer Collier's gallery. The exhibition was all about aprons and called 'Ties that bind'. This chair is a child's chair and was found in a junk shop in Wales. It seemed to want to be purchased and when I was approached to do a piece for the exhibition the chair popped into my head. Because it is a child's chair it became  a reflection of childhood and the relationship between mother and child. The fabrics used are vintage children's fabrics, an old woolen baby gown becomes the main part of the apron, the 'frock' on the chair is full of references to children's clothes.The apron is hooked and tied onto the chair referencing the phrase 'tied to a mothers apron' the actual apron is stuffed and padded almost as if its a child sitting. The piece was called 'My Lovely' a reference to Wales and the man I bought the chair off but also I think its a lovely poetic phrase that you would like to call a child.

well today its sunny..........

 

it is a lovely sunny September morning , the kiln is on , the dog has been walked so I thought I'd try and catch up with some news.

This is a mouse that lives in my house ! he has his smart tie on and for some reason is holding a lovely flower. the dog is a junk market find and was rescued to join the menagerie of found objects living in corners of the house....

I briefly went to the junk market yesterday and have promised to show you purchases. I can not as yet tell you where these items fit into my work , sometimes they just appeal and I cant explain why but I know they might come in handy!

lots of clock faces and these beautiful old photograph frames and an old athletics badge! I hated sport at school it was never really my thing , reading was much more enjoyable !
I love the country scene on the linen mat underneath all my bits and pieces. I dream of a studio surrounded by countryside , chickens, my lovely dog, cats but hey I did say dream ! I enjoyed reading about the stylist Emma Freemantle in Selvedge magazine she lives on a narrow boat that is also her studio and then the same month there was an article on houseboats in Country Living Magazine oh dear I am still dreaming !! Its just so nice to be inspired by lovely things that dont cost much but have a history and the stains and distress add to their beauty. I hope you enjoy them too. I am now off to do some sewing and hope you all see something lovely today.....

a quick bit of news whilst baking cakes

a quick bit of news whilst baking cakes..............

 recent acquisitions from junk market . I love the three little metal soldiers huts and the little plastic christmas tree cake decoration. I am not sure where they are going to live but it might become a small boxed assemblage to inspire. In fact I have already taken the idea of the metal hut into ceramics. The idea of huts has appealed for a while Mr Obediah living in his little beach hut with wheels so I suppose its no surprise that I was attracted to these..

who is this funny little character...he is obviously very old he has wooden legs like a peg doll and little metal arms. He came along with the soldiers huts and the Christmas cake decorations . The chap on the market said 'he's  yours for £2.00 who could resist and he didn't really want to be left behind. I think he quite dapper and although may cause mischief he can find a home in my menagerie. let me check on the cakes...

 I purchased this little shelf in Rose and Browns a lovely vintage shop in Saltaire so was experimenting in the garden taken photos with new bits and pieces. The doll has a lovely dress reminding me of life on the prairie she is all made from fabric and has the most wonderful shaped feet. bambi has a whole family and are really sweet they may become part of some bigger project its a wait and see item... cakes need to all come out of the oven the house smells wonderfully of banana cakes.. yummy...

sorry but I've been busy

sorry but I've been so busy .....................

gosh where does time go ? I have had lots of work to do for a wedding and the builders have been in wrecking the garden !!!
I have unloaded the kiln and so it has been busy at the studio.

 talking of time going so fast I thought you might enjoy my little dutch cuckoo clock. It doesn't work and has obviously lost its outer casing but I loved the illustration and its faded worn out look. It is sitting on top of a display cabinet but i really need to get it hanging on a wall. It may have a little cupboard made for it

I made a papier mache shelf for my studio and now its full of all sorts of bits and pieces