New lisitings to Etsy shop is failed by Royal mail!

Yesterday evening, I prepared a couple of listings for my Etsy shop. I am slowly getting used to how it really works.

I took some photographs of them, wrote descriptions of them, measured them up, and then went to Royal mail website to find out postage. Doh! The site was broken (and it is still broken after 24 hours.) They insist they can't find postage for my specific weight!!!

What I wanted to list were these cuties.

Chameleon-paper weight

This is about 13cm from mouth to tail. I used him as a paper weight at my Open House. His cheeky smile attracted several visitors. He is also Mike's favourite.

This is how he looked before bisque firing. The little one facing to him on the left is a brooch for sale on Etsy.

Chameleons in making

Short legged, long legged and horned chameleons

I made four little ones. None is same. The difficult part was attachment of legs. Funnily enough I make the tail part first. Secondly, face, third, body, and finally legs. Then I assembled them.

This is a little horned chap. As you can see his tail and body were supported until the clay became harder. And don't miss his adorable face!

My tail is heavy

Am I adorable?

I wanted to make a larger one, and made this one (below). As everything I make, inside is hollow. Unlike some clay artists, I make everything hollow from the start.

Well, as soon as Royal mail website comes up, I will figure out postage, and list him as well as other chaps on my Etsy shop. 

Chameleon medium size with drippy tail!

He is about 15cm long, and has a cute quizzical face. Any doubt? have look at this photo!

Quizzical? Moi?

Foggy Monday and Cuttlefishlove's Kanzashi

Hello foggy Monday. How do you get your day started when fog is so thick that you really can't see three meters away?

Well, I hug my puppy... well, she is not really a puppy any longer. She is older than three year old, but we got used to call Pearl puppy because she is the youngest of the family. I try to suck all her essence of life. She tries to sniff my ears, neck and mouth. Ticklish! Then I feel a bit better. About eleven, finally fog was melted. But there is no blue sky visible, just cloud. I have taken our dogs for quick walks. I feel even better now.

Pearl, our 'puppy'

I received a message from a lady called Emily in Brighton. She said that she likes my little ceramic creatures. That is very nice! She makes beautiful flowers from silk kimono fabric and other fabric.

Kimono fabric is woven very strong, and traditionally they were re-used until they became small patchwork pieces. Kimono, unlike European clothes, are cut straight, so it is actually very easy to be remade to something new, like futon, cushions, children kimono or something else. Her site is here.   (http://www.etsy.com/shop/cuttlefishlove)

When I used to keep lots of finches, I would buy lots of cuttlefish bones for them to nibble. So her username puzzled me. lol I asked her what is the reason behind it. I haven't heard her reply yet.

Mike went to ceramic course this evening. Even he seemed a bit down. I could tell because he didn't have usual appetite. lol  He said walking in the fog makes him feel down. Ummm, we had better do some creative things to beat autumn depression.

29th October.

BLue sky, cheese washed by brandy 11 times and throwing

Maple leaves

Hello, this weekend was sunny and uplifting!

Beautiful tree in the University

I usually struggle from SAD in both October and November. I felt something dark and heavy was coming over my head last Friday. Suddenly I can't wake up at usual time in the morning. I started losing focus on my work as well. Sunshine blasted off the heavy feeling.

Starlings on sliver birches

Saturday, we went to bank, Boots, Asian food shop and super, where we found 'Bert Eppoisses Bourgogne'cheese. It is typical French cheese with rind washed, but this was washed by brandy 11 times! We bought the last piece, and it was so soft, and a sharp knife was needed to be lifted from the board. We bought a petite Parisian to go with it. Lovely smell and nice taste. although dish washer became smelly too after we put the plates we ate cheese on in.

Bert Eppoisses Bourgogne

In the evening I threw a tea cup, a jug and a saucer that our friend Cynthia wants. She bought one of my coffee cups in the Open House. This saucer is for the cup.

Matching coffee cup and creamer

 

My uplifting Jet pic!

My love for champagne truffles

From Brussels

Mike went to Brussels on a business trip yesterday. He was picked up at six in the morning, and came home about half past seven in the evening. He opened the door and said 'Bon jour!', I questioned, 'Isn't it "bon soir"? hahaha, He told me before that his French teacher was so pretty and sexy at school, he couldn't focus on his learning. lol  What an excuse!

Champagne Truffles

He got me a box of champagne truffles. I am very fond of truffles, especially with some alcoholic ones. After eating my tongue feels typical tinge with champagne taste! Ahhhhh, heaven. I can eat lots at one go, but Mike kindly? suggested that I should eat moderately.

My sentimental rabbit carol singer

Carol singer

I made this rabbit for myself. Having said that I made everything for myself. Last year I made small carol singers, a rabbit and a piglet, size of thumb, for our Christmas. The image came from the Wind in the Willows. I always liked the illustration, especially that of young animals singing carol. 

It's so cold at night. You knock the small door, and there Ratty and Mole appeared, offering you a hot chocolate! You stared regaining the feel in your icy hands. The ice on your whiskers started melting. I could almost smell the chocolate.

Last November, we collected the little pair of carol singers in the evening before the Christmas sale at KAE. On the day heavy snow fell, so we hurried up to the site. Before going, I quickly picked them up and wrapped them up and took them to the sale. A very kind looking lady smiled at them, and she bought them and one of my snow plate. I was so glad they went to a nice home. I liked her face so much that I wanted to be her friend instantly. 

 I didn't have time to see them in detail in daylight or to take photographs of the little pair. 

The first thing I made after Christmas was this rabbit singer and piglet in much a larger scale the original ones. He is about 18cm high. Sadly, the piglet didn't make it to kiln.

I exhibited him at Open House, and several people commented fondly on him. He was for sale there, but nobody bought him. We will go to Christmas sale this year again on the 29th November. I haven't decided if I would take him. Probably I will. But I am happy in either way. If he stays with us, the first thing I would do after Christmas is to make his companion piglet. This time I will be very careful in drying process. And on a snowy night, I might offer them tiny cups of hot coco, just like in the book.