Firings and more firings - success and disaster

This week has been madness. I have done so many firings that I lost count! I have also been mainly glazing for 9-10 hours a day. It is quite tiring. Today was back to back firings. I unloaded the the kiln, first in the morning, and loaded for glaze-firing.

Monday morning- Glaze-firing. Are you ready? Start!

Tuesday - back to back firing. This is top shelf. 

These two didn't have space in the kiln. 

There were several whippets on the lower shelf. Ah-oh! This new batch of bronze glaze is disaster! It needs adjustment... and it needed more tests!

Yesterday - Because of potential loss of whippets, I had to quickly make more! So I also made three bunnies! :D

Anteater, masks and accessories! 

The first this morning, I unloaded the kiln. All are safe! 

Empress seems happy,too! 

Back to back! The kiln was loaded for glaze-firing. 

After this, I spent a half day to pack and send the orders today. One of them was a complicated one! I hope they travel safely

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Look at this brochure. My Hope is in it! I will be at Windsor Contemporary Art Fair, 8-9 Nov. PV is on the 7th. Invitations and more details are here. 

Orange is perky!

Hello! I have made a good progress on glazing today. I must do, as deadlines are coming. The first one is 8-9th November at Windsor Contemporary Art Fair. Bisque firing went well, and that was relief! I don't want any nasty surprise at this stage.

Tuesday, after I came back from London, I made several hounds in various poses.

I had to wake up at dawn to load the kiln yesterday morning! Beautiful! 

Lower shelf

Top shelf

I have posted a beautiful crackle glazed whippet to a lovely lady yesterday, but then, I felt so tired that I was not able to concentrate on glazing. Going to London four times in a week was a bit too much! Lots of coffee and the best quality truffles were required! 

I treated myself with Godiva truffles.

Then, look! I received a beautiful thank you card from Rebecca at Etsy! How nice! 

Being perked up, I made an anteater! Two hounds are fresh from the kiln!

 Tomorrow will be another glazing day! More coffee! :D

OPEN Etsy Art exhibition

Today was my third visit to London in a week. It is the Etsy Art exhibition weekend. Tomorrow will be the last day. Do pop in if you can! Mike and I went to PV on Thursday. I wanted to see Spitalfields market , so we got off tube at Liverpool Street. It was gloomy but warm. 

Liverpool Street station

At the Spitalfields market, this little goat welcomes us!

After looking around, we had an early dinner. Mine was salmon, mango beans and rice salad! Yummy! Mike and fish and chips.

Oh here you are!

My cat girls.

Rebecca the Etsy lady is talking to Mike. 

Today several artists went to Meet the artists. Tim came from Scotland. His paintings are two in the middle.

Ness is from Manchester. Her embroidery are amazing! They are the two in the middle. The right one was sold while we were there. How nice!

 Alice is from London, and she makes pretty ceramics. She had a couple of orange dots!

I had stayed for a couple of hours, and enjoed chatting with artists and visitors. Suddenly I felt tired, so I came home. I missed the direct high speed train, so it was a longer journey than I intended. When I got home, I was completely exhausted. I did a bit of work after five, then realised that I skipped lunch! :D I had forgotten because I had this instead!

Organic almond croissant!

What a busy week!

Hello! I have made lots as if there were no tomorrow this week! That's how I felt.

I meant to fit the heads and bodies today, but After packing and posting work, and then making more for the firing, when I noticed, it was already eight in the evening. Then I loaded the kiln. So I called it a day. I will be in London for Etsy Art Exhibition  for a few days , so I may not be able to finish them until next week.

I made a couple of cherubs for Windsor Contemporary Art Fair in early November. Hello Windsor! I have never been there. So I'm excited to peek the castle from afar! :D They are in the kiln now.

The kiln is not fully packed, but I'm satisfied. I always feel bad when I fire it empty. I like efficiency! 

Bottom shelf

Top shelf

Here are a few pieces fired last week!

My first wren. He is tiny! 

The trio now lives with a lovely lady in Birmingham. 

Delivery to Etsy office in London

Hello! I hope you had a good day! Yesterday I delivered my work for the Etsy Art exhibition to the Etsy London Office. It was quite close to St Pancras, where my train arrived.  I took a bus; it was just 7 minutes ride. I was not familiar with the area, but thanks to Google maps, I soon found my way.


Here it is! The familiar orange logo!

 
The staff were in the meeting. I told a lovely lady on reception how to handle the sculptures. Just before leaving, I noticed that there were lots of clouds hanging from the ceiling! She said they were to prevent echoing. The building looks like some kind of old industrial building, and the ceiling is very high.

So I asked permission to take photos, and took a couple of photos, Then Rebecca appeared from the meeting. I might have been too loud! She has looked after all of the artists in the exhibition, She was so friendly and lovely! It was so nice to meet her and the friendly lady. I assure you that Etsy staff are as friendly as I imagined!

Here are lots of clouds!

I was not able to enjoy London because there was lots of work waiting for me in the studio. But I walked back to St Pancras to see what the area is like (... and a daily exercise!). I got the train and came home without being caught in the rain! A happy ending!

Please come to see the OPEN exhibition to see our work and meet the Etsy team and artists! : )

Here are the details.

Photos from the studio and cakes!

Hectic! I'm making, glazing, firing, packing and posting without much rest recently!

Here are some photos from the studio to share with you!

Bisque-firing went well!

All critters are fired to bisque

Ready for glaze firing!

  A pair of owls with pink cheeks! : )

They are in my shop!

Before glazing, I wax the bottoms, so that the glaze won't get on them.

Whippets

Mike brought the delicious cakes from Julien Plumart, our favourite cake shop, from Brighton! 

3 for me, and 2 for him. ; )

Now the kiln is ready for another glaze-firing! It will start tomorrow morning.

Fireworks and Kent Eye

Hello! Yesterday was the 50th anniversary for the University of Kent. They had a big event with music, food and, of course, the Kent Eye. We decided to go there to see final event, fireworks starting at 8:15. It takes about 10 minutes on foot. Mike wanted to go 30 minutes earlier. I asked, 'What are you going to do in the dark among trees?' He was quiet for a second, and said 'Ok, we will go at ten to 8'. I said 'It takes only 10 minutes, so we will leave here at 8.' Now I know how all mothers of little children feel! :D 

It was the first live fireworks we saw since we got Topaz, 11 years ago. We stopped going because she is scared of fireworks. 

We walked without a torch in the pitch dark field where Mike treads four times every day. There were only a few people walking and, of course, they had torches! The moonlight was our only guide. I was in front. When we turned we could see street lights, and suddenly heard him saying 'Where are you going?' I was on the path, Mike was walking into the woods! 'Where are YOU going? Come back to the path!' He realised he was off track. He murmured 'I was attracted to the light like a moth.' Now I know how all mothers of little children feel even more!    

As soon as we got there, it started. What a spectacular! It was so beautiful, and I was moved! (Remember I haven't seen fireworks for 11 years!)  We were standing where big ones are coming down. I got worried that my hair might catch fire, so I hid under a big tree. 

When four tall ones starting falling like rain, they lit up the people below. We had no idea there were people there. It was like a scene from a film. It was another wordly experience for me. 

Kent Eye was beautiful against black sky. It had a long queue.  Those on it saw fireworks from there! How wonderful! 

The Cathedral was lit up.  

On the way back, I was tempted to walk in the dark field again. I like dark places! :D But when I thought about the risk of twisting ankles, I suggested that we should go home on the pavement.

Here is the one. I thought something would appear from the dark. Mr Tumnus, hopefully, at least a fox. But none.

I had good inspiration, and I will not forget the evening for a long time!  

... And I like to walk in the pitch dark field again! It was fun!