Hello from Bunts!

Apparently, (and I'm sure you all knew this, but I didn't!), the Communications Officer on a ship is still, to this day, sometimes referred to as 'Bunts'.  This is because, back in the day, he would have been the one to signal messages using the ship's flags, or bunting.  

Yes, it's ceramic bunting time again!  Arrange them in order, above, outside on the garden table, thus making the most of the sunshine.  Then just thread the gingham ribbon through.

Luckily, just enough for three rows of bunting, before it ran out!

Then festoon gaily above the aga to lend an even more summery look to the newly painted duck-egg blue kitchen woodwork.  (Since the 'proper job' ended, I have painted just about everything that doesn't move!).

I am the Communications Officer on the good ship PotterJotter, and I think I have communicated something with my little flags here ....  so it's Over-and-Out from Bunts for now! 

Have you got your bunting out yet?

x Cathy

Funny when you think about it ....

 .... and I did think about it as I was making this for my sister-in-law's birthday.  We get on really well and would be good friends independently of the fact that she happened to marry my brother, and yet .... we have hardly anything in common!

Carolyn is a farmer's daughter.  She is definitely a country girl.  Likes horses.  I don't.  She can deliver newborn lambs.  I couldn't and wouldn't!  I like creating things like these - she is not really and arty-crafty person!

She's quite sporty and goes to the gym a lot.  I'm not sporty and the gym bored me to tears when I tried it!

She and my brother used to go on coast-to-coast bike rides - it used to nearly kill me and the mister just pootling round our lanes for half an hour!

She lives in the Yorkshire Dales and I do love the Dales, so we have that in common, but really not much else!  And yet we talk for hours and email all the time.

Funny when you think about it.

Are your friends like you - or unlike you?

Talking of friends - I must catch up with you all now !

Cathy x

Bear Tracks

So, getting back to quilt-bowls, I have decided to do some of them with a more conventional round edge, rather than the random/raggedy edge, and also add the name of the block.  I think it works ok.  I will do both from now on.  I like this version of 'Bear Tracks' because the tracks point inwards AND outwards, rather than all going outwards.

About ten years ago we went on a family road trip from New York up through New England and eventually to Boston.  We passed near stretches of the Appalachian Trail and fully expected to see real Bears hopping out of the woods onto the road in front of us ..... but, alas, no.  There were road signs telling us to watch out for them, and also for Moose .... but they didn't show either!

So the nearest I think I shall get to a bear is this disintegrating well-loved little chap.  He is as old as his owner, 22 years, (and looks every minute of it!).  I can no longer sew him up as there's nothing left to sew on to, as you can see.  His ears have disappeared.  His arms are dropping off.  His stuffing is coming out and his nose is flat.

Is he a real bear?  Well, yes of course.  He is the 'Velveteen Rabbit' of the Bear world. 

In Margery Williams' words:  "Real isn't how you are made, ...  It's a thing that happens to you.  When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real".

Still - if we ever go back to Vermont ... I want Bears!!

Have a lovely weekend.

x Cathy

A Cottage Industry

These itty-bitty cottages above are the latest additions to my range of hanging decorations (although they haven't got their little hangers attached yet!).  It was nice to make something other than hearts and chickens, popular though those are.  I didn't know until recently that people 'collect' my hanging decorations.  That's really nice to hear!

These ones are little rows of three cottages which curve round.  But then I wondered .... curve round what?

Well, a candle, maybe, for the Winter months, (which we have definitely left behind us now - Oh Yes!!)

So, maybe some spring flowers would be more appropriate, in a little jam jar tucked inside the cottages. Forgive the amateur flower arranging!  I don't know what these are but they take over our little patch each spring.

These and more will be wending their way to the Forum Shop in Norwich in the next few weeks, but I'll be adding them to the website soon.

How are your Spring flowers doing - any signs of life?

x Cathy

Street Art, Sleet Art

A trip to London with the 18 year old to view Street Art as part of his Art 'A' Level project.

It was FREEZING cold and sleeting most of the day, and we had to stay on the 'street', obviously!  I know that this stuff is 'cool', but on this particular day, it was positively icy!

I was really impressed with these productions in and around the Brick Lane area.  You can google London Street Art and find out where to go to see it.

There was a vast amount of this to be seen - these pics are just a tiny taster for you.  

We came across Spitalfields Market, where we took shelter from the weather for a while.  Someone there echoed my thoughts exactly!

I love this building - the old tube trains on the roof are now hired out as temporary office space. The writing on the wall says:  'Let's adore and endure each other'.

Number two son might have written the slogan below himself as he lives in sneakers!

We then went over to the Saatchi Gallery to view the Russian Exhibition, which I really enjoyed ..... because it was WARM in there!

Here's a lad going up his ladder with his spray can to finish his piece.  

So, if the sun comes out this weekend, I shall maybe get the ladder out of the garage and get started on the outside walls of Potterjotter Mansions!

And they do say that it IS going to warm up this weekend .... so get your spray can out!

x Cathy

Clock This !

This is my new wall clock which I have put in my kitchen because I absolutely love it and that's where I spend most of my time.  At the end of February I was made redundant from my part-time 'proper job' (I cannot live by pottery alone!) and was asked what I would like for a leaving present.  I said I would like a clock but of course, being me, I wanted something different, something you couldn't buy from a department store in every town in the land.

So I searched around and found www.decorativeartefacts.co.uk where a talented chap called Julian hand-makes all kinds of decorative and contemporary clocks and mirrors and more, completely from scratch!

His website goes into fascinating detail about the techniques he uses and the influences behind his work, but I was already hooked, once I read his belief that "Good is not good where better is expected" - talking of the 'exacting standards that distinguish a true craftsperson from the rest'. 
 

So I ordered my clock and Julian set to work making it just for me.  Most pieces go through six separate stages all done by hand - wood, gesso, boll, gilding, etching and finally antiquing. This kind of complex finishing is something that can only be achieved by hand-crafting.  He will also customise a piece for you or even make a completely bespoke item from your own designs/ideas, if you wish.

My pictures are not as good as the ones on his site, so do have a look there.  If you wanted a really special present for someone, or for yourself, I can highly recommend it. I don't often review things on this blog, so you can be assured that if I do, they are very special. I know that many of you are crafts people yourselves and have your own exacting standards, so you will appreciate where I am coming from on this.

My clock reminds me of a golden sun in a silvery blue sky - and in the absence of real sunshine and blue skies, it is an absolute pleasure to look at!

Wishing you a warm weekend!

x Cathy

Are you Awesome?

I'm getting a lot of commissions for these personalised plates - they seem to meet a demand for a 'special present' which is also 'something a bit different'.  This one I just made is for a 70th birthday and it pretty much speaks for itself.

I have never met the 'Robin' in question, but when my 18year old saw me making this, he remarked,   "Wow ... Robin sounds awesome!"  Obviously, in the eyes of an 18 year old, Robin at 70 should have one foot in the grave, rather than both feet on skis, the golf course or the tennis court!

Making the tennis racket was easier than you might imagine.  Over the years I have collected all sorts of bits and bobs for my clay tool box.  Below you can see the oval shape of an old yoghurt pot which cut out the racket head, an old tube for the tennis ball and a strip of some sort of matting/baking sheet thing from the pound shop, which made the strings.  See - easy!

For the golf clubs, I just drew them onto clay and cut round with a knife.  Then simply position the motif onto the plate, and smooth the edges with a wet paint brush.

Apply a few details and always have in mind how you might glaze it when it re-appears from the kiln. A sewing thread spool was impressed into the wheel to make the detail there.

But not being quite as awesome as Robin, I know nothing of skiing (or golf or tennis either!) and so I unfortunately gave the poor chap only one skiing-stick-thingy-whatever they're called.  Does that mean he will ski in circles forever, like when you lose an oar in a rowing boat?

In order to be this awesome at 70, I think I shall have to start being more active NOW!  And I really will .... once Spring comes back again.  I knew I spoke too soon in my last post!!

Are you really sporty and active for your age?  I bet you're all seriously awesome!

x Cathy