Half Job

It will seem to most of you that I have disappeared recently.
Whilst I have not posted, I have still been keeping up with y'all, behind the scenes.
I think perhaps I have been suffering a little from blogtoberfest burn out, or if not burn out, clean out,
of anything useful I had to say!

I have been busy, all the time, but nothing is complete.
I have mostly been working on a new bag design which is complicated, structured and unlike anything else I have ever attempted before.
I cannot share this with you until February, for reasons I cannot reveal until February, but in February you will know all.

In the meantime, have a look at my sewing machines and my inspiration wall ( I don't know why, just to prove I am thinking & working)

I also started on a new dress, which as ever means I have to re-size and alter the pattern to fit my, shall we say curvaceous frame.

Couple of tips for you:

1. after you have cut out your pattern pieces Iron them, on a low heat, without the steam on.
2. hang them up on a trouser hanger with a note telling you about your pattern pieces.

I would tell you more, but I don't think that my way of altering patterns is the actual way of altering patterns, so I will show you my fabric choices instead:

Grey wool mix (only £3.50pm) and some lovely Crepe de chine for the lining

I have also been battling on with pottery, attempting to finish one job before moving onto another. There is nothing worse than having to spend a whole night glazing or slipping (cos its boring) so this term I am keeping on top of it.
This means not much to look at though, I did make another Margo Vase and another egg cup & plate.
The grey stuff is slipped (in white) and the wet brown stuff is the new efforts:

So that's it really, a whole bunch of half Jobs.
Oh one last thing, I have added a photo of me over on my about me page so you can put a face to the words. I guess it makes it more real!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Bonnie
:)
PS - apologies for the crap photos, I have been using my phone camera :(

Ordering breakfast

A few weeks ago my mum's partner asked me to make them a set of egg cups and plates for breakfast.
He wanted them to be one piece.
I wasn't sure if I could throw them on the wheel in one piece as in my head I saw the egg cup to the side of the plate.
This shape wasn't possible to throw in one piece, so the cup ended up in the middle.

Anyway, the wonder that is Jenny Ford, my tutor popped onto the wheel and knocked out a perfect egg cup in about 3 minutes!
It looked easy enough, so I went with it.

This is my first attempt:

Its a bit minimalist/boring 

second attempt and I am happier, looks like the real deal

This is Jenny's one, so I don't think I've done too bad!

I will announce the winner of the giveaway tomorrow so stay tuned!

Vast Vases

I made another three vases on Thursday night.
I am quite please with them as they are bulbous and wafty.
That is a total of six now!
Here is a little video of my chunky arms doing some delicate clay wobbling, the video is from my phone, so its not great, but you'll get the idea:

and here are the end results:

I am fairly happy :)

Wibbily wobbily love

I have been going to pottery once a week for a couple of years now.
I always loved pottery when I was at school, although I don't have anything to show for it.

I never found a pottery I could go to for lessons until I moved to Wem.
I was so excited to meet Jenny Foord my tutor and get stuck in.

My first finished item was a coiled casserole dish which I made in one session. Can you tell!

I put so much  thought into it, look at all my detailing!

Then I moved onto mugs, thinking they would be easy, bah!
Bloody handles, nightmare!

These are my first and last mugs.
They are filled with coppers on my windowsill

I quickly moved onto bigger things, like jugs!
(or a gravy boat disasters - unusable)

This jug is actually ok if you turn it slightly to the right when you pour :)

Then I moved onto bowls, that's farmboy's bowl up there,
and this one is usually full of garlic or ginger

and this little one is usually full of fruit or eggs

And now, my first vase, which I actually love

This is when the seventies started to really form in my head
and so the dribble set was born!

and we use them everyday!

My pottery ego was sufficiently pumped by minor success by then

so I got a bit fancy and made some new shapes

and even made a bigger bowl for my dads 30th wedding anniversary!

That takes me up to last year, when I made the pumpkin and the castle, which took two whole terms, or twenty weeks!
Now I am back on the wheel making Vases and I am concentrating on glaze effects.

Have a look at my artist spotlight posts to see some real talent!

Or maybe you fancy getting bloggy with some of the many blogfesters taking part in blogtoberfest!

Or how about a blog hop like I found (and signed up for) over a noodlebubbles niceblog

Bonnie

:)

Artist Spotlight Bulldog Pottery

Bulldog Pottery is Samantha Henneke and Bruce Gholson
I love their work so much.
I wish it was easier to send because there are so many of their pieces I would like.
Samantha and Bruce's unique work is continuously sought after and as such they have a large CV of exibitions and craft Fairs.
You would think that turning out work of this standard would make them a bit (justifiably) unreachable, but they are lovely and so laid back about their talents.
They say:
"We are full time studio potters living in Montgomery County. We live among 70 other studio potteries. Most all of these potteries are open to the public during the week."
See what I mean? no trumpet blowing at all, but then with works like this, there is no need to say more:

This term I am mostly making vases

The new pottery term started last week. Its always a relief to get back to throwing some clay.
We break over the summer and I really missed it.
Last term ended with our pottery groups first exhibition, Gone to Pot. The exhibition went down really well within the community and my Castle and Pumpkin were very well received.

As I have mentioned before I am a bit in love with the seventies and in particular the ceramics of the era.

My plan this term is to make vases.
I want bulbous, funky, drizzly sort of vases, the sort of thing you used to see honesty seeds and pampas in.

Mmm seventies :) 
Anyway, it takes a far bit of work to get a cylinder right on a potters wheel, especically a high cylinder like I am wanting to make.

It is also a bit of a skill to make a straight cylinder go wafty in a controlled manner, which is part of my plan.
To the untrained eye, these pots may look like mistakes, but they are not - mostly! lol
The following photos are my progress in the last two weeks.

Week one...

So, you know, ok, the one on the right, that's my first in 8 weeks.
Its a little off at the top, but the one on the left, that's planned.

 

 The one on the right in this photo is my third go.
You can see its taller and the waft is more controlled

Week Two...

You can see things are getting better.
The height is there, and the waft is becoming bulbous
and is also controlled.

And now, for the best!
OMG she is proper lush! I love her.
I can't stop looking at her!I can't believe I made her.
She is so seventies!
I will call her Margo :)

Next week: Slipping

Artist Spotlight Kelly Lynn Daniels

Kelly Lynn Daniels is the owner of Dancing Clay Pottery in California and is currently completing a bachelor of Fine Arts in ceramics at the California state university.
She has been part of several group exhibitions within California and held her first solo exhibition earlier this year.

She explains her creative process below.

"I use clay to throw spherical parts on the wheel which I later assemble into biomorphic shapes. Some forms employ surface treatments such as slip trailing, sprigging and resist carving techniques to create unique patterned surfaces. Other forms become canvasses for an exploration of carved imagery and a juxtaposition of organic shapes contrasted with sharp geometric designs. These shapes and designs travel rhythmically over and around the voluminous forms inviting touch and an investigation of the surface. Many of these pieces are created while listening to or referencing musical works that I am interested in."

You can follow Kelly through her blog, or website.

You can also purchase Kelly's works from her Etsy Store.

Artist spotlight - Shropshire Studio

I am completely in awe and in love with the sculpture work of these two talented sisters.
It's the sort of thing Tim Burton probably has at his house.
Shropshire Studio

Gone to Pot!

I have been going to Pottery Classes at Mill St Pottery for around two years now and our lovely tutor Jenny arranged for us to exhibit our work in the local town hall. I made two nightlights for my daughters which are in the exhibition. There are so many talented artists displaying their work, its well worth as visit if you are local, but if not check out Jenny Foord for more pictures of the event and work.

Kaya's Pumpkin

Choomia's Castle