This is my Old Blog and is no longer current.

For updates on Catherine Daniel Ceramics, please visit my New Blog HERE

Many thanks.

Blog Re-shuffle !!

Sadly, (sob, sob), this is going to be my final posting from this blog ...  but happily, I am going to continue from a shiny new blog!  And the reason for all this change?

Well, some of you may recall my tale of woe from last year when I was thrown on the scrap-heap made redundant from my part-time 'proper job'?  Thing is, my little pottery, popular as it is, is not enough to keep the wolf from the door and my kids in everlasting education! 
So I put my thinking cap on and came up with a plan, of sorts.

You all know how I've been taking these wonderful quiltblock patterns from their natural habitat to put them onto my handmade pottery.  Well, why stop there, I thought.  Why not extend these designs onto a few other bits and bobs?

Maybe just a small collection of kitchen textiles, china mugs and coasters, across four different designs? So I gave it a shot, and I'm thrilled to bits with how brilliantly these new products have turned out.

Only, this blog isn't ideal for showing this new stuff, so I've done a new blog that will include BOTH my handmade ceramics AND these new items, and other things crafty, creative and quilty.

I have absolutely loved doing my PotterJotter blog and I don't want to lose contact with you brilliant, supportive, creative friends out there, so I really hope that you will come over to the new blog with me.  I refuse to say 'follow me' as I hate that.  I have never felt you are all following me, any more than I am following you.  It always feels to me more like we just drop in for a chat now and again like mates do.

Oh yes .... the important bit:  my new blog is called PATCHY DETAILS.  And you may just find an introductory Giveaway there!

See you soon, I hope!

Bye for now.  x Cathy

Rose of Sharon

I decided to stray away from the traditional geometric patterns I usually use and try making a bowl bearing an applique quilt block.

I picked a favourite from one of my really useful 'quilt block bibles' ...

The Rose of Sharon design was a popular motif in the mid-nineteenth century, making a comeback in the 1930s.  The pattern is said to represent romantic love and the sacrament of marriage.  (I should have posted this on Valentine's Day really!). It was therefore popular as an engagement or wedding quilt, being rarely used for anything else in the late 1800s.

The name comes from the Song of Solomon's book of the Old Testament and the word translated as 'Rose' is probably a flowering plant native to the area of Palestine known as Sharon.

Many Rose of Sharon quilts have survived because they were the best quilts, used only for company or tucked away as items of value rather than everyday quilts.

My 19yr old son remarked whilst I was making it that it 'didn't look very interesting', so I wasn't sure if it would work.  But I actually love it - and hope that it survives the test of time just like its quilted counterparts.

What can I say ..... nineteen year old lads obviously know everything, but they're not my target audience.
You lovely bloggers are, so it's your opinion that matters! 

x Cathy

Hexie Quilt Bowls

So, I left off last time with a picture of a different kind of Quilt Block design which I am interpreting into clay - Hexagons!

This pattern was really easy to map out - I just used the imprint from a hexagon shaped plastic container.  Yes - that probably is cheating, but soooo quick!

Then it just remained to give each patch its texture and pattern to give the finished piece some interest. I forced myself to be restrained with the colours on this one - all tones of blue.

I like to think it's the ceramic equivalent of a well-planned quilt for which you went out and chose specific matching fabrics.....

....  as opposed to this one, where all the leftover scraps were used!  I was somewhat less restrained here!

The central hexagon is decorated with my favourite clay stamping tool.

It's an old costume jewellery brooch which, when pushed into the clay, leaves a fantastic imprint ready for decoration.

At least, I hope it's just junk jewellery!  

You may also spot the glare of sunlight on some of these pictures - obviously I did that on purpose to warm you all up!

Am now off to stoke the fire .... brrrr!

x Cathy

Happy New Creations !

Over the New Year period I was thinking of the pottery I had made during last year and new pieces I would like to make during 2014.  And I began to wonder where all my work had actually gone .... who had walked into a gallery or shop and bought it; was their purchase for them or a gift for someone else.  Where was the piece sitting right this moment? 

Then, as if the universe had heard me, I got a lovely email  from Rose who had received one of my large patchwork bowls as a Christmas gift from her sister-in-law who had purchased it from The Little Gallery in Dereham.  It is so nice to be able to follow one of my pieces right through the sales chain to the happy owner like this!

Rose's blog is well worth a visit : Handstitchery.blogspot.co.uk. I had to pinch her photo of my/her bowl, as I forgot to take one of my own when I made it last year! 

So that's looking back ...... and now, looking forward  -  I have actually got round to trying a particular kind of quilting pattern which I have been meaning to make for ages. 

Here's a little picture clue of the beginnings of this new piece - watch this space to see how this all turns out!

In Rose's blog, she leaves us with the quote from Zora Neale Hurston:  "There are years that ask questions, and years that answer". 
What kind of year are you hoping for?

x Cathy

Winners of Ceramic Buttons are ...

I am pleased to announce that the online random number generator threw up the following names as winners of my two Ceramic Buttons giveaways :


FIRST:    Kateuk  at  Here's one I made Earlier blog

SECOND:  Lin at St Victor Quilts blog.

If the two winners would like to contact me to claim their goodies, I will get them in the post as soon as possible.

Thank you to everyone who entered - the response was overwhelming.  Thank you for all your lovely comments too!

Best wishes

Cathy x

Handmade Ceramic Buttons Giveaway!

Here is my little House of Buttons!  I found it the other day and thought it would be perfect for sorting and storing the various ceramic buttons waiting to be put onto cards to be sold from my site, or my galleries.  Ain't it sweet?

But the two sets of buttons below 

won't be going out to my shops !

 

They're going to TWO readers who win them in my

 Big Button Bonanza Giveaway!

If you're interested, please leave me a comment and if possible give me a quick mention on your own blog. If you want to follow my blog in the future, that would be great too!

I've had a go at doing a Blog Button (a button button!!) which is in the side-bar at the top for you to grab if you wish.  Hope it works!!
Ceramic buttons are way easier to do ....  and far less frustrating!!

Includes international entrants. Deadline for entries : 13th December, 5pm
Winners announced here: 15th December.

Update:
GIVEAWAY OVER NOW - WINNERS ANNOUNCED SOON!

x Cathy

Friendship

So I had an email a few weeks ago from Betty who lives in Salem, New Hampshire, USA.  (We went there once and ate Clam Chowder ... but I digress.)  Betty was after something special for a friend who loves quilting and chose, appropriately, a bowl depicting the 'Right Hand of Friendship' quilt block.

She chose a pale green and crimson colour combination - above is the bisque-fired piece with the glazing just started and below, glazing complete and ready to be fired again.

This is a traditional quilt block pattern published in the early 20th century and the perfect choice for a special friend.

I included all the special little touches, like the thread detail ....

and the sewn-on little button in a matching colour .....

and then wrapped it up for dear life in yards of bubble wrap, wished it Bon Voyage, and sent it off to the USA.  It arrived a few weeks later in one piece, and Betty emailed to say she was thrilled and couldn't wait to give it to her friend on her birthday.

I love interpreting these traditional designs onto clay, just for my own enjoyment, but a happy customer at the end of the process is always the icing on the cake.

Now, we are off on a quick visit to various off-spring at their universities up North.  We shall be based in Bronte country and Cathy will be accompanied by her very own Heathcliff !  
Giveaway post on my return - promise! 

x Cathy

Button It !

As I think I've said before, I make buttons and beads from time to time with the scraps left over from the big stuff, but I haven't ever sold them through shops or galleries until now.  But The Little Gallery at Dereham has asked for some, so I had to consider what to do.

Would folks want to buy them individually? Or should I tie them/bag them together in jumbled up lots, or in sets? I decided in the end that presentation was important, so had me some fun with black card, home-made labels, hole punch, wire and guillotine.

And a few hours later they looked like this.

and this

and beads like this:

so that I ended up with lots of little cards of sets of buttons, ready to send to the gallery.

... and when you need to sew a button on, you need a needle, (seamless link there!) and how lovely to be able to keep my needles in this gorgeous needlecase,  handmade by Su at Living on the Edge which I was lucky enough to win last week.

It is made from beautiful fabric designed by Celia at Purple Podded Peas using her own prints and the design-your-own-fabric service offered by Spoonflower.  You can read the fascinating background to all that on their blogs.
Thank you so much Su and Celia!!

Which reminds me .... I must do a giveaway in time for Christmas - would the cards of buttons be a good idea for a giveaway maybe?  I shall do it - soon!

 x Cathy

Family Tree

So, after all this time, I finally got around to making something for my parents!  It was long overdue, but I didn't have to think very hard about what it should be.  Like most of us, family is everything to them, so I attempted to represent their/our/my family onto a large plate.

It started life as a round slab onto which I impressed all the names.  I soon realised that I would really need something the size of a dustbin lid to fit even my immediate family - my parents, my siblings and their children.

The plan was for two main inter-twined branches (mum and dad), with four off-shoots (me and my brothers and sister), and then their kids. 

In the end, the whole thing grew and grew til it just resembled a large over-grown bush!

I wasn't able to be there on their anniversary when it was opened, but I have it on good authority that it made my mum cry ..... in a good way.

And maybe I have created something that will be handed down through the generations - a future family heirloom?  Who knows!

 x Cathy

Autumn Colours

Today I went for a long drizzly cold walk which was cheered up by the sight of all these Autumn colours. It reminded me of a few months ago - in the middle of a very hot summer - when a gentleman contacted me to request a birthday bowl for his wife, who loved "Autumn colours".

He explained that his wife was an avid quilter who loved working with purples and browns and that one of her favourite patterns was the 'Bear Tracks' block.  So I got to work mapping out the pattern onto the wet clay,

and eventually used purple and amber as the main colours.  These are not two colours I regularly put together and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked them.

As the recipient was a needlewoman, I added all the little touches, such as the thread detail, in toning colours,

and attached a handmade button whose surface pattern was made by impressing this metal bobbin into the clay (blurry photo, but you can see what I mean, I hope).

I then dispatched the finished piece which arrived on the lady's birthday and she was apparently absolutely delighted with her surprise present.

Funny how some colour combinations just speak of specific seasons of the year.  We'll all be in the midst of red/green/silver/gold before you can even say the word 'Christmas'!!  Oooops, I said it!

x Cathy

The Little Things

It's the little things in life which make all the difference - we all know that.  So when the National Trust's Anglesey Abbey order 70 little things from me, it really does make a difference!

As well as the usual hearts, hens, fish and birdhouses, I have extended the hanging decoration range to incorporate these:

and these:

(I love my hand-made ceramic beads!  They just come out so wonderfully glossy.)

And these:

though if you forced a full-size version of the camper-van on me ....  I wouldn't say no!

Speaking of Little Things, I took several pieces featured in recent blogs over to The Little Gallery in Dereham yesterday.  It is a super little place, full of the most gorgeous art and crafts .... I had to steel myself not to come out with more than I took in!  And I have to say, it is the friendliest gallery I have ever encountered.  Whilst I was there, folks just walked in off the street for a chat with Judy, the lovely owner.  They do craft workshops and all sorts of things, so if you're local or on holiday, do pop in!

Just a Little post from Little me for now.

X Cathy

Little Houses Quilt Block Bowl

I've called this one 'Little Houses' but it is adapted from this pattern which I saw a few weeks ago on Rachaeldaisy's Blue Mountain Daisy blogspot.  She lives in the Blue Mountains about an hour outside Sydney, Australia - so you see how far this little bit of inspiration has come!

All the way to Norfolk, England - which has no mountains whatsoever  -  of any colour! 

Obviously this is a pattern meant for quilts, but ... you know me!  I loved the little houses round the edges, and got to work measuring out my own version onto a slab of wet clay.

Once the design is marked out, I flip the whole thing over (tricky!) to put my potter's mark and stamp and date on the underside of the piece.  My potter's mark is a 'C' and a 'D' overlapping and was one of the first homemade stamps I ever made.

Then I pushed the piece into a lined mould and worked on the edges.

Then, once the clay is bone dry, it goes into a bisque firing kiln - you can just see it underneath all the other bits sitting on top of it.

 Twenty four hours later - out it comes, ready to glaze.

Once glazed, below, it is ready to go back for a second firing.  The raw glaze colours do not reflect the finished colours - thankfully!

And then another 24 hours, until it's completely cooked, and out comes the final piece.

I am really pleased with it. I decided to make the pointy bits look like a sunburst, as I think it's a lovely, sunny, cheery design.

Thanks to Rachaledaisy and to the inspiration to be found in all corners of Blogland!

x Cathy