Garden cane Toppers, A mini production line.

Mini production lines in my workshop.
These cane Toppers fit onto bamboo canes through the base and can be used in the garden to decorate tomato and sweet pea canes aswell as preventing you from stabbing your eyes on the tops when pricking out side shoots.

These are the cane toppers ready for drying straight after being made.

These are at green stage and have been made using a cast of a hand built egg I made using Indian print blocks to decorate the surface.

And at fired and packaged stage.

These are the cane toppers after firing.

I also make little bird toppers like these.

I make the little cotton drawstring bags and print onto cotton to package these items. Then they are ready to send now.

Wells. Inspiration

My little trip to "Wells next to sea" this week. I love Wells and always find nice things there and have lots of good memories from there as a child, now my children come with me and love it just as much. Here are some of the things I brought back this time (bought and found)

A selection of bought and found objects, sea urchins,star fish, driftwood and stones ect..

I am going to find a climbling plant to grow through this aged rusted crown

These giant barnacles are stunning I found them in a lovely shop there I was so inspired by them Im going to make some from porcelain.

See my 2013 photos from Wells next to sea.

School Project. Clay Letter Tiles

Last term I worked with another parent from school and we organised and after school Wildlife & Gardening club which involved 15 children from reception year to year 6.
We made wildlife feeders, planted seeds, made twig sculptures, all sorts of activities were organised each week for the children to do. I had been thinking about getting them to make something from clay, perhaps some cane toppers or something like that. However, the other parent suggested making some kind of tile to have permanently in our school garden.
Well after considering what we could do. I decided that each child should make one letter to form a set of 16 tiles that will eventually appear in the school garden.

Each child had a 4" x 4" square tile and they set about finding leaves and twigs to roll onto the clay surface. (the leaves leave a faint outline of the leaf veins onto the clay, really beautiful) Then they formed a large letter on top of the tile and continued to add interest to the tile and make it their own.

Here are the tiles laid out on my workshop table (all but the U which came later and didnt make the first firing in time)
I have been back to school and a few of the older children from the club have since glazed the surfaces of the tiles, and all are awaiting the second firing.
  See the results of the second firing here

New Items in my shops

The latest things to appear in Little Brick House Ceramics on Noths are...

Stoneware Bird feeders in two sizes

These plant markers are NEW.
They are made from terracotta clay so they match great with existing terracotta  garden pots and containers and they are included with a white pencil which shows up so much better on this colour than lead.

I have just made more of these as they have been really popular on Noths these ones however have different colours in them even though the same glaze was used. So I had to re-photograph them. Grrr.

Also a new item using a potted Topiary stamp, in line with my garden themes and  can also be written on  the reverse side.
Sold in packs on five threaded with paper sting.

I love this not sure I want to part with it. This planter has been through the kiln loads! Originally the glaze was just a light honey and I wanted to deepen the coulour, so I added the turquoise onto it and fired again. The turquoise was too matt so I put it through again with more oxide washes and a Lucie Rea Green glaze which was made from one of her recipes.
I like it too much now.

Just a quick reminder that I will be attending Clutter City at the arts centre on st. Benedict's street. Norwich. this Saturday (23rd June) and will be exhibiting some of my work.
So if you like all things quirky, unusual, vintage and handmade why not take a look.
It has a lovely atmosphere, good food, and live music. Well worth a visit for those things alone.
Hope to see some of you there. Please come and say hello.
Xx

Clutter City at Norwich Arts Centre

I will be attending Clutter City in Norwich on Sat 23rd July from 11am-4pm
Clutter City is a collaboration of designers and makers from Norwich and surrounding areas which runs 4 times per year. 
Its a lovely place to sell artwork and buy because it has such a good atmosphere, they always have good background music and as it is a music venue the lighting is very warm and they have live bands at times during the day. Throughout the day you can attend Workshops where you can make and bring the kids if you want. The bars open later on, serving good food and you can get a well earned beer.

Its name is very apt as the layout of the stalls is as you would imagine, very relaxed and boutique style appearance, like no other vintage/makers event you have attended. I am really happy to be included in this event and has restored my faith in selling and stall venues. As yes, I was loosing the will to live with expensive and shabbily presented "craft Fairs"


If you are in the area please call in its well worth a look!
www.cluttercity.co.uk