Giveaway Winners and Christmas Angels

So, it's the last day of November (can't believe it's come round so quickly!) and as promised, here are the Snowflake Giveaway winners' names drawn out of the new hat (not yet worn!).


Thankyou to all who entered and to all those who are new followers - it was a lovely way to make new friends. The winners are a nice mix of old and new bloggy friends. If you could all drop me a line with your postal address, I'll get your snowflakes and other bits and bobs sent off as soon as possible. Email: cathy.daniel@virgin.net.
Hope you like!



So, now that excitement is over, what other Christmassy things have been happening round here? Well, I've been making lots of angels and lots and lots of little angelic slippers with hearts on them, as you can see here.


These angels seem to sell well each Christmas. They are all unique, handmade and individually glazed and look great all sitting in a row on the mantlepiece.



Personally I think they are a bit, well, quirky - but maybe that's their appeal.

They each have their own, slightly odd, facial expression - a mixture of surprise and total bewilderment - which is pretty much how I look in the run up to Christmas!

Bye for Now

x Cathy x

How to Mend a Broken Heart

These are the latest versions of my hanging heart decorations. They are purposely made in two pieces and then sewn back together again with thread. I like this idea as it is in keeping with the patchwork/textile influences at the root of the work.

If only it was that easy to mend a real broken heart!

I then veered away from the patchwork idea and made a few flowery hearts, using my own handmade stamps to impress the design into the clay. These little bits sell well and are quick and easy to make and fill all those little corners of the kiln so that no space is wasted.

Packing a kiln tightly is an art in itself. Its a bit like a giant game of Jenga or Pick-up-Sticks (do they still make that game?). Anyway, sometimes accidents do happen and the large Christmas angel below suffered a bit of a blow to the head ... which basically decapitated her. So, she didn't get fired and is just sitting there with her head tucked underneath her wing!

I can mend broken hearts but this is quite simply a write-off.

Hey Ho ... some you win, some you lose.

Talking of winning and losing, check out Driftwood's Blog to win a fabulous give-away. I hope I win as I need cheering up after my angel lost her head.

Local Flavour

So, imagine my delight on returning from our half-term jolly to find the above catalogue on the mat, featuring my little bits and pieces inside!
Jarrolds is an independent department store, local to Norfolk only. Earlier this year it was voted by readers of The Times as the UK's favourite department store, and personally, its always been a favourite of mine, even though I am not a Times reader!


Jarrolds now run The Forum Shop, which focuses on products made in the region or which capture the region's unique character. They sell a lot of my little hanging decorations and thought they might sell well over the Christmas period.

Speaking of which, the lovely legs below belong to a larger version of the little angels in my last post. This larger angel will be part of a Christmas Exhibition which I hope to take part in during December - of which more later.


I particularly like the message on the ribbon and hope she will eventually find a home with 'someone special'.


I also finished this Christmas piece destined for the same exhibition. I got a bit fed up with Christmas Trees, so I went for old-fashioned building blocks instead. Am quite pleased with the outcome.


Am not pleased with my new camera, though .... so apologies whilst I get used to it and find out quite what all the 'menus' are about. I think they are about 'progress', but am yet to be convinced!

Pieces finished, in progress and just ideas ..

..... IN PROGRESS

So, the above picture shows work in progress ... armies of Christmas angels waiting to go into the kiln this weekend, after which their true colours will shine out. They will then get their ribbon legs and little slippered feet attached and can fly off to their new homes. Will let you see the finished results next week.

.... JUST AN IDEA

Below is what I bought at the Norfolk Quilters' 30th Anniversary Exhibition held at the Assembly House in Norwich this week. It is officially a 'table runner' but as there is never a table clear enough for long enough to put it on in this house, I have just draped it over the back of our old oak settle for now. I loved the colours - very Christmassy - and had the idea that I might make a quilt bowl to match it. I should of course have asked what the quilt pattern is called - but I forgot. Just as I forgot to take my camera with me, as the quilts on show were quite staggeringly beautiful, and I would have liked to show some more.


Anyway, I also bought a book of raffle tickets to win a full size quilt, so maybe I'll show you that one when I win - ha ha!

.... AND PIECES FINISHED.

The piece below is the finished commission I blogged about earlier for a couple with five year old twins. The pattern is called "Crazy House" and whilst they absolutely love it, they are almost too frightened to put it out for fear of two sets of little hands getting hold of it.

Have a good weekend everyone.