a good throwing session or three

Shaving bowl with lid, soap dish and shaving mugs.
I'm not sure if the bowl is big enough- I need to find the dimensions of the soap.
More spindle cups and the start of some yarn bowls too- trying out different sizes
Another soap dish with a lid- the disc on the right will have holes and will fit in the bowl
soap dishes-I want some of these to be squared or oval.
Getting bigger!
Cleaned and ready for the next time!
and bigger!!
The next bag of clay. I should have opened this a couple of days ago, it is SO soft.
Last night it was almost blowing a gale and this morning the recycling boxes were being blown along the road after the collection- they rumble quite impressively!
One tulip in the back yard had its stem snapped by the wind. This morning it was raining again, save for a brief respite at about 8am. I didn't expect to see Mountain Man, but he came down well wrapped up to tend the seedlings in his greenhouse. The rain gradually lifted and it was quite pleasant by 2pm After lunch I gave him a lift back up top, then came back and threw some bigger pots. They feel quite impressive- but wont be quite as good after the shrinkage in firing!!

The Oily One has gone climbing, and The Carpenter is building a wheel!!

teeth and life

I have my new crown! Also a couple of fillings....and instructions to cut down on my sugar consumption....I think he ought to know my diet before saying that. Cakes and biscuits are far and few between, sweets non-existent and chocolate rare.
I think it has more to do with fifteen months with at least three viral infections plus the food poisoning, AND how your body chemistry changes as you age.....

But I can't prove that.

I have been busy, but ending up feeling that I've achieved nothing. I've tidied and de-cluttered but it still looks a mess.
I've done the accounts as best I can and need to find galleries and/or shops to take my work. I know I'll get less as they take a percentage, but at least I wont be spending on fuel every week.
I've managed to start clearing the allotment shed ready for re-construction, but as the greenhouse has been waiting since last year, when will I get any progress on that?

At least I'm back to throwing today, shaving mugs and soap dishes as the rain ran down the workshop window.

Cardiff Walk 24.3.11

This was Delivery Day for the bowl to Cystadleuaeth Artist y Flwyddyn/Welsh Artist of the Year Competition.
I delivered The Oily One to his work at Pedal Power and walked down past the new cricket ground and then the Welsh Institute of Sport, then crossed over the river to the Arboretum by the castle.
The traffic was busy so I wandered through the arcades.
Buttons and Beads!!! in Castle Arcade

Which I suppose has inspired the designers of the newer arcades

The view from the steps shows the mix of old and new, St. John's church tower on the right, the Millenium Stadium poking up in the sky behind it. The yew tree in the churchyard is in front of the scaffolding hiding the front of the indoor market gable, then 1950s brick buildings and more 19th century stone with the 1970s tower block on the left.
1880s shops on the right and the new library in the distance, looking down the Hayes
Hayes Island Snack Bar-now closed and usurped by a burger bar

Upstairs in the Indoor Market
One of the old streets of Cardiff, still surviving- Womanby Street, the home of Clwb Ifor Bach
Westgate Street Mansions- memories of Edinburgh
My favourite on the Animal Wall of the castle

Northern stop on the Boat Bus route from Cardiff Bay
A clear sky apart from vapour trails old and new
Back to the old park gates
and drive home.

sorting

De-cluttering, tidying, cleaning, washing!!!!....and drying too, all except my overalls and workshop towels.

Cars moved, one to the workshop apron, the other to the new garage. Even the Oily One was sorting car bits...not sure how much went out however, but at least they are better organised!!

Both desks have been de-cluttered and are tidier- more to do there yet!

I think I am doing in the cat's head!! She is paranoid enough already, and has spent much of the day in the far recesses of the Oily One's lair!!

tidying

A garden!

Making the garden in Clyne look presentable whilst The Carpenter helped Daughter's husband (MD) in the house.

Five black bags of weeds to the council recycling depot where they make compost! The Carpenter raked the lawn which made a convenient mulch for the weeded flower and shrub bed.

Then painting the fence on the patio, as the warm bright sunny day disappeared and turned into a chilly hazy one.

Hopefully the house will pass inspection on Wednesday as being fit to rent. Then there will be a final clean and hope to get decent tenants this time.

an odd week

It has been a week where I've felt aimless, despite having loads to do.

I've managed a little gardening, eventually finished the salt pot knobs yesterday afternoon.

Housework takes up too much time and energy, but at least I am slowly de-cluttering.

The bowl for the Welsh Artistof the Year competition was delivered safely. Now wait a fortnight.....

I tried, and failed to put something on Etsy yesterday-beaten by all the questions and scared of getting it wrong.

There is also paperwork to finish off and more to start on.

I need a housekeeper and a secretary/organizer!!!

I've been awarded this!!
Thanks to Hawthorn.

Now to pass it on....
to Earthen witch
and Coffee slut
and
Hanna McAndrew

Allotments

Today we went to Oakdale to collect posts and fencing wire from the area association HQ.
These will mostly be mending fences on our site.
Before lunch I cut down some blackcurrant bushes on the Man's plot....the Dreaded Big Bud. Then I started digging up the roots, ready to burn the lot. Hopefully the other patches of red and black currants will be ok, but we are keeping an eagle eye on them from now on.....

Lunchtime, and being the Allotments chairman, my Man had to go to the school!! (the school they couldn't keep him in when he was five!!) The school is having an allotment plot, things must be discussed.

Meanwhile I went to prepare lunch, and whilst waiting I set out pots and background ready to photograph........no joy......flat battery in the camera....it is on charge now, but takes an age.


Still no Man for lunch....then I discover that the man with the rotavator is turning the school's plot! Take lunch to Man!!!!

Back for a cuppa, as he is getting tired- not enough food and definitely not enough drinking, let alone breaks in between jobs!

The weather has been so beautiful today, the warmest this year. I gave him a lift back up the "hill", ready to start the evening feeding and checking round.

I did not want to come back down here to the noise and dust.

I've just felt lost since I came back down. I wish we could find, literally, a half-way house.

spring walk

I arrive at The Court Cupboard a little early yesterday, so went for a walk up the lane as the weather was definitely Springlike. My first coat-free walk!







and found a large (shy!) spider in the loo!!
Pots delivered and looking good! (So busy I forgot to photograph them in situ!)

Home again and I helped my Man sow some very fine flower seeds-hopefully his garden will be even more colourful than usual this year!!

I finished the mug handles after lunch-I'm not happy with this clay, but I think the main problem is its lack of maturity...I hope!!

The evening was taken up by the local area Allotment Society Meeting....two hours of gripes (some justified) recriminations, arguments and vague reports....we now have to deal with a councillor who seems reluctant to have all meetings with him minuted. They used to be, including the informal ones, for accurate feedback. Would you be suspicious?

Then the luxury of Chips eaten from the bag, fresh and hot!! Before taking the Man up his Mountain.

On the way back down the car headlights picked out the tree trunks beautifully...
But phone cameras don't convey or act as the lens of ones eye.
If you click on the image it does show a little better.

mugs and cups and salt pots

These were mostly thrown on Sunday, and all but the medium mugs and large mug were dry enough to handle today.
The salt pots had gone a little too far for what I wanted, but they were do-able.
They have been individually wrapped, ready to do the knobs tonight.

After a damp start the clouds lifted-and the mist returned-and lifted...and returned!!

I managed to do a little gardening, sowed some brassicas in the greenhouse and early peas out in the earth.
After lunch it was still fine and after taking Mountain Man back up top I dared to put the washing out AND the pots I'd handled!!

The Oily One is climbing again tonight (on an indoor climbing wall) and The Carpenter is still away with The Wizzard and his Lady, carpenting on their "new" home.

So its supper for one...with no inspiration!!

a bitty day

I did a bit of housework this morning.

Then we had the allotments committee meeting -which left no time before lunch for gardening except a bit of seed sowing in the greenhouse.

After lunch and taking Mountain Man home, I managed a bit of throwing!!
Then I kneaded a bit more clay, ready for tomorrow.

Now I'm off to do a bit of knitting...which tends to send me to sleep!

Bit of this, bit of that.

Meanwhile it has been a beautiful day, even if the breeze was chilly, and the Moon is huge!!

vandals!

My wing mirror got wrenched off. Again.


I can't see the point.


Between meetings and errands I STILL haven't done a proper throwing session

good news in threes

The car has passed its test!
I need to get a new tyre on my wheel and get my wheels back on- The Oily One put a set of his on to get it through! (But they ended up being advised upon!)

I have finished planting the seed potatoes!
Frost is forecast for one night, but they should be deep enough not to worry-and besides, think how many potatoes grow when you miss them at harvest time!

I have a commission for a Celtic sgraffito plate!
I haven't made them for ages and had been thinking about it...now I have the incentive!

potter in Japan

Australian Potter in Mashiko, north of Tokyo in Japan

subdued day

This afternoon I had to go to the dentist, so my mind was a little distracted this morning.

I couldn't settle to anything, so I went and dug the last potato patch.

I had the work for a new crown started, and also a filling-I've known for a while that *something* was wrong there...so I have a massive filling, and in three months possibly root canal and crown.(if they can). I haven't needed any work for ages- last year's food poisoning seems to have got me down, I've been fraying at the edges since then.

Now the Oily One and the Carpenter are hopefully finishing off the work needed on the car (apart from a new tyre) so that it can pass its test. I'm just feeling a bit bruised and tired.

new pots..and new colours!

Nicely packed, then fired on Saturday....at one point it seemed to really slow, and the pyro only said 1180 (it has been saying 1230) when the cone 9 went down....
Ermmmm........This WAS supposed to be a kiln mostly full of green pots.....
Could be a bit redder IF I was going for red...
MAUVE??!!!
Little pig fridge magnets!
That was the Big Green Bowl that was!
My solid black glaze!
and the buttery green one! The effect has gone down well though, plenty of good comments and messages on facebook!

Now I have to work out how I did it! I think I do....but I was checking constantly to make sure that the kiln WAS drawing well!!
The dark blue has come out marvellously well! This is a Spindle cup, used with a Drop Spindle when hand spinning. The bottom end of the spindle rests in it as it spins (and gets heavier!) so the inside has to be really smooth.

There may be some collaboration with a woodturner soon....watch this space.

Now to see if I can get enough spindlecups made to be taken to Wonderwool....might be difficult, if not I'll be ready for next year and can sell elsewhere too.

back up and...walking

Referring back, today- Soub, I missed taking the top of the Bollard- It would make sense having a lamp post there- I will have to check again and see if I can find others too. It is just before the lower end of a footpath railway bridge.
Naturally I was drawn to the profile and details! (thinking of pots!!)
ID Needed!! I thought these were Haws from a distance....then Crab apples as they are thornless. The tree itself looks like both.....

Any ideas?