Our new blue and white bowls.

Good morning. I have worked long and hard on a ceramic sculpture for three aftrenoons and evenings. Finally I thought it was done last night. But, when I woke up this morning, I thought some parts should be changed. So I will re-work on it this morning after a dog walk.

Here are some photos of our new pots. They are semi-porcelain, and Mike threw them on the wheel a month ago, but he couldn't decide how to decorate, so I took over them. I love them, and they look just as I wanted. Happy!

I love this. Darker cobalt.

This is paler.

The crescent and a rabbit.

The full moon and a rabbit.

Inside-darker one

Inside-paler one

Panic and Cafe du Soleil

Yesterday morning, I had a small panic. Out of blue, scaffolding people came and started building, well, a scaffold around the house. ???? ! We had arranged someone coming to check the solar panels on Friday, but we weren't told anything about scaffold.

What would you do first? I quickly skyped MIke, and his reply was 'Get the car out of the garage!'. The last time we had scaffolding, they blocked both front and rear doors of the garage. The garage was inaccessible for days. Despite rain and wind, I went out with so many keys to open the garage. I couldn't open it. No keys would turn the lock. Then I went inside and tried to open from the inside. The heavy garage door didn't move. TEARS. I asked a young man to help me, but it still didn't move.

Last September

I was wet bu then, and Topaz was barking mad. I didn't know what to do. I ran up the stairs and frantically skyped Mike again at office. He replied that garage key was with the front door key!!! Aghhh, I didn't know. You see, I seldom go to the garage, or I seldom drive the car, I had no idea. The garage and car are Mike's domain. Financial affairs are my domain. We don't know anything about the other domain.

This time

I managed to unlock the garage, and got the car out to the street, and forgot to lock the car, and only noticed after I came inside. So in the rain, I went out again to lock the door of the car. The, I had to shift all clay (heavy!) stored in the downstairs bathroom just in case they need to use it. The young man definitely thought I was being funny. This man talks to his senior guy in Bee Gees Voice, incredibly high pitched voice in a tune, like 'What next do you want?' When I had to take dogs out for a short walk, he was on the top of the roof, and said to me in the Bee Gees voice, 'Hello!' I waived him, and wondering if he drank something bad too much last night. But when I asked if they would like to have cups of tea, he answered politely in ordinary voice, 'Yes, please.' and 'Thank you' afterwards.  

This panicky feeling remains until mid-afternoon, even though they finished scaffolding about the noon. I had never relaxed. I intended to take an afternoon off to  make a piece from clay, but couldn't do much.

So when Mike came home, I suggested we eat out this evening. We went to Cafe du Soleil, where Mike was taken by the suppliers for Christmas lunch. We had early dinner menu. Service was very good, and two young ladies who serves us were really friendly. Good service is a must for me to relax. Mike had duck terrine and a porchetta calzona. I had aubergine gratin and a seafood pizza. Pizzas are huge. I couldn't eat a half of the crust. We also ordered a black chocolate almond cake with vanilla ice cream to share, with two espresso. Taste is good, but not like haute cuisine. It is over the river, and atmosphere was fantastic. Most of building in Canterbury are usually old, some from medieval time. This building was also definitely old, but nicely converted, and candle lit tables looked very inviting. If you come to Canterbury, why don't you try Cafe du Soleil         

Back to home, I was too full to do any ceramic work which I wanted to do, or to update blog. We went to bed about half past nine, and fell into sleep by half past ten. I had a good night sleep until about seven this morning. The good rest did good to me as I had a busy day at office this morning!Amd I made the piece I wanted to make thi evening. I will write about it tomorrow. Good night!

Confused Topaz, creativity overwelmed by promotion, and official spring announcement.

Always confused Topaz

Here is confused Topaz. She is always a bit confused. Yesterday we drove to a post office to send ebay parcels at lunch time. It was cold, windy and rainy. There were too many to carry on foot anyway. Today I decided to walk to the post office to send a couple of more parcels with Topaz. When I skyped Mike to let him know we wouldn't be at home at lunch time, he said he would meet up on the way.

Holding parcels and gloves, when I was closing the gate, Topaz ran off. She wore a green coat, and pink lead attached to her collar. When I saw her running away, I thought she would stick out with green and pink in this greyish day. 

I knew there were two possibilities:
1) Leave her loose and go to meet Mike. He would come home, and let her in (she always comes home alone after a while);
or
2) Wait for her to come back here.

Decision, decision... I came out to the road (very sleepy quiet road we live on)
 where she disappeared when a painter who has worked in a house opposite approached me. He told me with a strong accent that my dog ran very fast to that direction, as he pointed to the end of the road. I looked up into the direction. I can't see anything. He started telling me about his dog. He has a male whippet cross whom he obviously loves, and the dog, Max, was rescued from a street. While I was thinking what to do, out of blue, Topaz reappeared. She was running toward me at the fastest speed. I thought she would slip away, but alas, she stopped in front of me.

We set off to meet Mike finally. When we got the meeting place he was just walking toward it. We walked to the post office, and walked back together. Much nicer to walk with him. Topaz was also very happy to take a long walk. I was hoping that this walk will wear her toe nails. hahaha

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I have been busy working on ceramics today. I took a day off from work. I made two small maquettes for a garden sculpture, and threw two bowls on the wheel, one semi-porcelain, and one white stoneware. I am regaining my creativity. It comes and goes, but it definitely goes when I spent too much time selling and promoting our works. I can't switch. My creativity remains high when I work my daytime work, which is 100% non-creative and very much business. Strange.

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Pumpkin, the chicken who is also the senior member of the family, started laying late last month. It means.... SPRING! It's official. Whether it snows or frosts, she will continue laying until next November.

Pumpkin dust bathing in our vegetable plot.

She reins our family. She behaves like a queen, and treats us like servents, or worse, slaves!! 

Throwing, carrot cake, rugby, new rabbit mug, throwing again and ebay in this order!

Plinths

Hello everyone! How are you? This morning, soon after breakfast, I threw a couple of pots. They might look like cat bowls, but they aren't. They are plinths for my figure that I made two weeks ago. I want to enter the work in a competition, and thought it would look nice on a plinth. Since the figure was sent to be bisque fired, I threw two pieces, just in case.


In the meantime, Mike was baking a carrot cake. This time with carrots in it. Haha-ha

He put some cooking oil

A bag of carrots

let's go, whisker!

I usually pinch walnuts while he bakes. So he prepared more than necessary.

Ready to go into the oven

Last night four items were sold on ebay. One of them was my little rabbit mug. So, I made a new one. Well, Mike had already made a mug with stoneware grey clay. So I carved a small rabbit and attached her onto the handle. Cute! Isn't she? This one is an ordinary size mug cup. We will glaze with our new white glaze.  I will update when it is finished.

Adult size! mug

New rabbit mug

Oh, yes! Yummy!

Disappearing fast !

We had the lovely carrot cake and tea after that. Then rugby time! We both are avid rugger fans! Our ebay this evenig went well, and we sold two more. We will sleep in happiness. Night night,

My new Faces - No, I didn't go to plastic surgery

Hello everyone! Did you have a good week? I have had a busy week again. My day work has been a bit busy recently. I have also looked after our beloved two dogs and three parrots during daytime, as usual. At coffee breaks, I needed to work on pricing on shipping costs on my Etsy shop because I changed my currency from USD to UKP to decrease exchange risks. Each day just passed without much thoughts!

Spooky? But they are actually cute in natural light.

Today, I spent decorating these girls. Concentration is required to decorate them, but very satisfying. I enjoy making faces so much. I am going to hang them in picture frames, once they are fired. if they are really good, I might put them for sale.

It became sunny this afternoon. Pearl is preoccupied to find a cat.

Last weekends, we listed our ceramic works as well as Mike's memory chips on ebay. Incredibly listing took me about 10 hours. Yes, 10 hours. I had worked solid preparing listings at my PC a whole Sunday. Taking photos, editing them, listing each item, and calculating shipping costs, converting measurements to UK units (I am 'gram-metre-litre' person) and reviewing them was a long job, indeed. Some auctions will end tonight, and others tomorrow night. So far, three items have bids, and I hope they go well. Fingers and toes crossed! See you tomorrow!

Where is a cat?

The moon and silver birches

We went to the University to borrow books. This is one of sculptures on campus. Nicknamed 'E.T.'.