Hooray4Clay

Christmas Tree Decorations

2009-11-17T13:03:00.002Z

Tree decorations displayed on a counter spinner
at a recent craft fair. All individually cut, embelished and glazed. The vintage buttons mum sent came in handy for impressing into the clay. Finished with waxed cord or organza ribbon.

2009-11-12T18:54:00.002Z

At last something Christmassy from me! I have scores of Christmas decs as I have been making flatout for upcoming Craft Fairs - next one tomorrow for 3 days - Bandstand, Aberystwyth Promenade. Meanwhile have a look at these cute little girls....

Hooray4Clay at the Bandstand

2009-10-24T18:06:00.002+01:00

H4C at Bandstand
Originally uploaded by Hooray4Clay

My first craft fair stand.

Hooray4Clay vases and hearts

2009-10-24T18:05:00.002+01:00

Hooray4Clay vases and hearts
Originally uploaded by Hooray4Clay

Part of my stand at the Craft Fair today.

CRAFT FAIR BANDSTAND TODAY!!

2009-10-24T07:45:00.001+01:00

If you want to see what came out of the kiln, please come and visit me at the Bandstand on Aberystwyth Promenade today until Tuesday. Ceredigion Craft Makers are giving it their best shot! Four days of varied high quality art and crafts on sale. See you there!

Top Layer of Kiln

2009-10-10T19:51:00.004+01:00

Ok, it's finally full, it takes so loooong to fill with all the small Christmassy items I have been making. There are 3 shelves of tree decorations and alphabet letters under this shelf. Quite a variety of work in here from a teapot to vases to snowflakes! I just hope I have enough stock for the 4 day craft fair I have coming up. I may get one more firing in before then.

Loading the Kiln

2009-09-29T13:25:00.003+01:00

Bottom shelf of my kiln filled with new work.

Mainly small dishes impressed and coloured with oxide stains and a few blanks for some nice ceramic transfers that I have.

Copper Wire Pots

2009-09-28T15:57:00.003+01:00

The pink line on this pot is where the copper wire was wrapped around it.

Here the wire and fire have left black lines.

Smoked and bees waxed.
And in case you are wondering, the fantastic view is in Mid Wales, beautiful!

Things that go Bump in the Night....

2009-09-27T09:46:00.004+01:00

Is it a train? Is it a plane? No, it's SuperHog! Why 'super' you ask? Well this big ole hedgehogs appearance in my garden may not seem unusual to you all, but see the thing is my garden, or more accurately, my yard, is surrounded by 6ft high block walls on 3 sides and gated and meshed to the ground on the other. I know, it sounds like a max security jail but it really isn't like that, just that it's a town garden. So how did this fella get in? He gave the dogs quite a start. Please note, dog looking startled!

He is a biggy!

I see a nose!

Just so you don't get an entirely negative idea about my yard, this cute pond is also in it!

More Smoked Pot Pics

2009-09-24T19:56:00.003+01:00

This is one of my friend Sheila's pots which has been smoked in sawdust with various oxides and salt added. This pot has now been smoked twice as the effects were much more subtle than we expected. This pot has also been treated with beeswax and polished to finish.

Results from the Smoke Firing

2009-09-17T18:05:00.003+01:00

This is a knitted doll, made by my partner Nic, which I soaked in white earthenware slip.

Here she is drying in the sunshine, and below, after smoking in Sheila's oil drum kiln.
the pink areas are the result of the oxides and salts which were added to the fire.

This was the most successful piece for me and I'm now firing her with a transparent glaze.

Sheila got some lovely subtle effects on her pots by wrapping thin copper wire around them.

More pics when I have them.

Barrel Smoking Kiln

2009-09-14T14:30:00.007+01:00

Yesterday was the much anticipated barrel smoking day, venue; my friend Sheila's garden. The DIY kilns are from a cut down oil drum. We fired both halves, one with a sawdust base and the other with a straw base. Other than that they were identical except one held biscuit fired work and the other had greenware. We carefully packed sticks and logs around the forms and sprinkled liberally with oxides and salt. The barrels burned for about 3 hours or so, down to embers. The weather was beautiful and it was a very enjoyable day. We are still assessing the results and I will post more tomorrow.

Tempus fugit

2009-09-04T18:07:00.002+01:00

Busy uploading more images of my work on Folksy.
It's a great way to pass the hours....and hours....and hours

The Pumpkins are coming!!

2009-09-03T17:32:00.003+01:00

These scary guys are already for sale on FOLKSY.
Please go take a look.
More to come tomorrow.....

COMING SOON!!

2009-08-26T18:19:00.002+01:00

I have been busy creating new items for Halloween.
Some of these will be listed on FOLKSY as supplies, (beads, buttons, badges), and some as handcrafted complete items, (scary mini pumpkin creatures), although all are handcrafted by me. Maybe there should be a 'Handcrafted Supplies' category too?!

I am just beginning to realise that things need to be done far in advance for crafting dates, fairs etc. I have now entered another Christmas fair but I seem to be floundering a little over what to make. So much clay, so many ideas, so little discipline!

Not much blogging, busy slogging

2009-08-16T19:30:00.002+01:00

I've had a very productive couple of weeks, case of having too as I've applied for a very large local Winter Craft Fair, started a website and opened a shop on FOLKSY (uk answer to usa Etsy). I will probably open up on Etsy too when I get enough stock. I dunno, I seem to spend every day and long into the night in my workshop and I still don't have any stock! I guess it is because my kiln is rather BIG and my work is quite small.......

Website Now Live!!

2009-08-09T01:07:00.005+01:00

Hooray4clay Ceramics Website is now up and running, complete with an Online Shop! Very exciting, please do go and have a look, just click on the link to the right.

Also more excitement for this week was getting my application for the local Winter Craft and Gifts Fair submitted. Because I'm a new seller I had to give samples of everything I intend to stock, prices, labels etc. so it's been a very heavy week. New applicants are subject to selection and I won't hear until September whether I've been successful or not, but I will have to work on the premiss that I may be and make like mad for the Fair and the Website Shop. Good to have goals.

Im also expecting to hear from the owner of the Welsh Quilt Museum and Gallery by the end of next week to discuss exclusive designs for pieces for her gift shop. It's all go!

New Website Under Construction!

2009-08-07T19:14:00.003+01:00

Watch this space - as soon as I have finished developing, I'll publish my website address here.

One Wedding and a Launch

2009-08-01T13:10:00.002+01:00

A lovely July day at Aberystwyth seafront....

After Kim and Adams wedding with four bridesmaids battling against a stiff breeze.
And later the launch of Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre in Lampeter. Very well attended, beautiful quilts and fantastic food provided by daughter and son-in-law who will be opening their cafe in September.

The mysterious symbolism on a Welsh quilt whose origin has proved elusive.

Good news, bad news

2009-07-28T10:37:00.003+01:00

The bad news? Oops, where did that extra row of black ewes come from?
Answer - a mis-labelled pot of commercial glaze.
The good news? I made 3 spare ewes in a different colourway which will now be going with the order instead. Phew!!

The results of 10 solid hours of glazing

2009-07-26T22:26:00.005+01:00

These are going to look very different when they are fired.

The colours are mainly Mayco Crystalites over a base of tin glaze.

Firing the kiln first thing in the morning and unloading Tuesday. I can hardly wait. Fingers crossed that I don't get any fractures. 10 of these are due for delivery Thursday, I made 4 spares in case of.......well, just in case!

Here Come The Girls........

2009-07-24T19:36:00.003+01:00

I have been working flat out in the studio today to get these commissioned sheep made.
I'm completely shattered but happy with the results.
They are all resting under plastic until tomorrow afternoon when they will be raw glazed.

The remaining seagull commission was delivered to the museum this morning, and Gwenllian liked the little quilt and blanket maquettes that I took in.

Rabbits, gulls, quilts and blankets.

2009-07-23T18:38:00.004+01:00

One of my Pastoral Fantasies, it's a bit Alice in Wonderland and thats what appeals to me.

Aberystwyth seagulls. Don't cross these fella's, they're serious!

Fired the kiln overnight and here are the blanket stacks.

I'm quite pleased with them.

....and the fired mini quilts and some more raw ones in brighter colourways.

Im plodding on with the sheep and hopeful of making the deadline.

Too hot in the studio to work from mid afternoon but it cools down again in the evening.

2009-07-22T13:31:00.002+01:00

'To Market' - raw glazed and now in the kiln.

Welsh blanket stacks also raw glazed and in kiln.

Just had an order for TEN of my sheep from a new line I am developing which I haven't even photographed yet, and Gwenllian has the only one. The deadline is next Friday, in time for the new gallery opening!
I'm trying very hard not to panic!

2009-07-22T09:24:00.007+01:00

It was a great meeting with Gwenllian on Monday.

Ceredigion Museum took 6 Seagulls, 4 singles and 2 doubles, I was only short of one double so not too much work to get them delivered by Friday. They are also buying them WHOLESALE which is a fantasic boost as it means I don't have to wait for sales to get paid. This has worked out very well as I just bought in lots of clay last week and the cost has been covered.

Even better news, the curator is very interested in my flatback pieces, which she thinks will complement a friends new Welsh Quilt Gallery which is opening on August 1st. This is tremendously exciting as it could generate enough work for me to be fully occupied in designing and developing pieces specifically for this gallery. With that in mind I did a little quilt research, some sketches and a few maquettes to take with me on Friday.

Welsh blanket stacks, some fringed. Thinking these would make nice desk paperweights.

Small impressed and textured Welsh quilt maquettes

Slip decorated then raw glazed quilts.

Press moulded and hand modelled prototype of a quilting lady taking her wares to market. Had great success making the plaster mould. This piece is about 5 inches high.

I rummaged around in a junk store yesterday for pieces of net and lace to use for this project and for a few pence was well rewarded.