A Taste Of China

Sake Sets And Rice Bowls

   I've been listing a few of the latest stoneware pieces from this week's ceramic firing, a I'm really happy with the results, the rice bowls are just the size I wanted and I'm really pleased with the Sake set I listed last night which includes four of the small button collar drinking cups, there is something I like about these little cups I like and I've had some great feedback about them.

   I also listed a few more of the button collar tumblers as the last couple sold and to be honest I enjoy making them which as good an excuse as any, I made a couple with zip collars just to try something different so it will be interesting to see what people think of them.

   One customer emailed me a picture of one she bought from my etsy shop, she uses it as a pen holder on her desk at work and I must say it does the job really well, maybe I should list them as pen holders in the future.
   For once this morning we have no rain yet the temperature as dropped a great deal and there was a good layer of frost over the fens this morning, now the sun as arrived so I'm hoping it may warm up a little in the barn today, hot water bottle and extra layers are called for today will I'm at my torch.
   I have a few pieces to retrieve from the ceramic kiln this lunch time then it's an afternoon throwing on my wheel, I need to make a batch of mugs plus a few Christmas presents for family and friends tho what, I'm not sure !
   Ok, back to my torch and lets hope the day warms up a little of my fingers may drop off later when throwing on my wheel.

Rock And Frit

  Back Playing With The Designs I Love

   You all know by now that I'm making more of the beads I love and this week so far as been no exception with more of the mythical beads being produced and listed in my etsy shop, I've been playing around to see which colour matches will work best alongside the rock base bead and boy am I having fun trying them all.

   I must say some results just don't work and go straight into the loose bead bowl but most are working out well and colours that I least expected to marry with the stone effects have proved to be the perfect pairing, I'm finding the brighter colours work best of all and even white seems to have something special going on, a colour I would never have dreamt of putting with rock before, just goes to show how long one can make beads without working your way through all the thousands of designs and colour couples there must be.

   Well, no rain here yet this morning but I have a feeling we'll be hearing that sound of beating rain drops on the barn roof before the days out, I can't recall such a wet November or indeed autumn as this one, every field I past seems to be holding it's out paddling pool in the odd corner and the drain levels here in the fens are higher than I've seen while being here this last ten years, touch wood we have no flooding in this part of the flat lands so lets hope we get a dry windy spell before the winter snows arrive.

    Today is a mixed day for me, no torch work today as there are jobs to do in the barn and things to sort, this will I'm hoping be followed by a few hours in the clay room this afternoon glazing some of the Christmas items ready to fire this evening.

   I need to throw some mugs too after wasting half a dozen in the last glaze firing, it was all my fault trying some silly idea I had about mixing glazes, needless to say it all went very wrong and these six very poor excuses for mugs came out of the kiln, but as with all trials you learn from your mistakes and this silly old sod won't be trying that bright idea again !

More Rain

Another Wet Day In The Fens


   Was another early stat for me this morning and yet again I was sitting at my torch when the morning light uncovered the dark soil of the fens, now I sit writing this blog with my morning cuppa while watching the rain falling from grey November skies.
   At least those gales have moved on and touch wood no damage was done here at the barn. The new roof felt is holding up satisfactorily and for the first time in a few years no drips are landing on or around the work area, so that's great news. I must admit the dyke's are high at the moment so lets hope we get a few weeks dry weather for that water to soak away or head off to the river, I know its a good sign to see the water being channelled away like that but I always hate to see the water rise to higher levels, I always think if they reach the top then flooding starts, at least the old fen tigers with their webbed feet will be happy.
   It's to be another busy week here with so much to do, last night was going to be a listing evening but it was so late when I finished packing the kiln for a bisque firing that I decided I wanted to spend what was left of Sunday relaxing with my feet up.
   Today it's bead making for another five hours before I make my way to the clay room so no Monday morning blues for this bead maker. This evening I start to sort through the etsy bead shop with some sets being taken out and placed on ebay and other new sets being listed, I want to start moving more stock around and all the new sets will from now on be listed in the etsy shop, yes there will still be sets at sale prices placed on ebay plus of course focals too, but as I said last week I want my etsy shop to be full of bead sets that I enjoy making not the mundane ordinary sets that to be honest are just not as exciting to produce. The aim of the etsy shop is that by the new year it will hold all new stock of sets, beads that include silver glass, mythicals etc etc plus a wide range of spacer sets, in the ebay shop will be more of the every day sets such as gravity beads, focals and frit etc plus all the sale beads as and when they arise, if I can get the two shops sorted like this by the new year I'll be happy and able to work on a new bead website to show off the more unusual beads that I produce.
   Well the rain is still dancing on the surface of the pond and I need to get back to my torch as there is a lot to do, I have a feeling I may get back on here this evening with a couple of pictures to show, if not it will be tomorrow morning, hope you enjoy your Monday and don't get to wet in this great British weather of ours.

Gales Batter The Fens

Violent Winds Still Raging.


   What a night we spent here in the flat lands, strong gales battered us over night and still this morning we find then racing over the dark soil of the fens, violent winds that I for one haven't seen for a good few years. I must say one thing, I find it amazing that we haven't experienced a power cut yet, this area being known for its electric failures, I can only imagine it's a matter of time before the kiln will need setting again after darkness falls over Upwell.
   One thing for sure is that those tiny gold finches are the most amazing little birds, they ride the feeders in these high winds like little rodeo riders to the entertainment of the row of collar doves that sit out the gales in thick conifer branches, boy those little fellows must be hungry.
   After spending the day at my torch yesterday it's a clay Sunday for me, I need to clean and photograph beads to list this evening but then it's all clay for me. I have so many pieces to finish off and rows of items to bisque fire, it looks very much like this coming week there will be a lot of glazing to do and items to list in the etsy shop and on the website.
   A lot of Christmas tree decorations are to be fired and listed including gift tags, it's funny how making such things sets my mind thinking of Christmas's past and tho I'm really not looking forward to the festive season this year it as made for happy thoughts.
   I sat working yesterday thinking of the first Christmas open day I held here at the barn and how many of those visitors are now making beads of their own, I named around 40 visitors who were there that day and to be honest with you apart from one lady who reads and comments on this blog, not one of them have I heard from for many years, it's a real shame how things change, I guess people move on to new hobbies or new bead makers who's work they like more, some as I said are now makers in their own right, a few of which I myself taught, how different my little bead world as become and indeed the whole bead scene in such a short period of time.
   This is all part of the reason I need to diversify into pottery as well as making my beads, firstly I need to regain a little self-respect and start earning enough to pay the bills without the worry every time the post falls on the carpet or the phone rings in case it's someone asking about a bill that's late being paid, but also I want to be able to afford to keep us warm this winter and to be able to food shop without heading straight for the reduced section, yes I know some of you will say this is just being selfish and that we are lucky as lots have far harder lives than us, but I'm just trying to explain why I'm putting so much time and effort into the ceramics and why I feel so excited when I learn how to make more new pieces,  ok I know I'm a big kid at heart too but it really does make me happy to know I'm heading in the right direction and there may be a better future around the corner and that the hard work may just pay off in the end.
   Well I better head off back to cleaning those beads while we still have power then I get to make a mess in the clay room with sport on the radio and thoughts of those past Christmas's in my head, now that all makes for one very happy bead maker ! Oh, by the way, those poems I mentions will be going on here soon I promise.
 
   

Rain Falls On The Fens

Another Wet Morning Here In The Flat Lands


   Yet again I woke to the sound of early morning rain this morning, one of those mornings when you wish you could sleep in for hours with the patter of rain in the back ground but warm under your quilt, no such luck for this bead maker, again I was up before light as my old friend sleep and I seem to have fallen out yet again.
   It's a late cuppa for me today and I sit here watching my tiny little gold finches feeding on niger seed while the rain still hammers down, I find there strength amazing as they hang in there in all weathers, I see no fighting as they wait for a place unlike this wonderful world we live in where everyone is in such a rush, where on earth did we go wrong !
   Over night I had a bisque firing in the clay room so fingers crossed there will be a few new items waiting for me to glaze when I open the kiln, I'm rather excited to see how the bells turn out, I just hope they are all in one piece and awaiting a design, I can see I'll be having a late finish this evening, but it will be interesting to see which glazes will work together and give a hint of the festive season.
   I guess it's just a matter of finding colours and designs that buyers will like, often I make beads or ceramics that I feel will go down well with customers only to find they prove just the opposite. I made some of the little salt shaker bottles the other week, cute little pieces that I really like but having only sold one it seems these are also one of those ideas that fail to impress, but as I've stated many time on here now, with the pottery I'll make only those items I enjoy producing and just maybe a few will become popular, I guess we have to make a wide selection before we find those pieces and ideas that work.

   On the bead front I'm just waiting for some glass to arrive then I have a few lessons to fit in working more with silver glass, I've always enjoyed working this kind of glass with the addition of silver, rock effects and webbing but there are a couple of things I want to try out this week. In my mind I feel that while sales are so slow it maybe the best time to spend a few hours each day working on these silver glass designs and just maybe I will learn something new to play with.
   Ok I'm off to spend another day searching for that one great bead or piece of pottery that just may help turn our life around again, like some mad inventor in his little barn hoping the next invention will make his fortune tho to be honest no fortune wanted here just a nice relaxing Christmas would be fine and would make this old bead maker a happy one.

A Mixed Day For This Bead Maker

Beads And Ceramics, That's How To Spend A Weekend.


   The weeks just seem to fly by at the moment, every seven days bringing winter closer and any hope of sunshine over the fens a very slight one. Tho this morning is a lot warmer here in the flat lands of east anglia it is wet and grey skies cover us, I've noticed in this last week that more of those fen winds are moving in, a sure sign of winter and the only weather I feel uncomfortable with, the rain and snow I adore but those wild winds and the threat of damage they bring with them, lets say I'd rather not have to worry about.
   Now I need to take a few lines to thank everyone for the birthdays cards and messages I received on Thursday, thank you all so much, it was very kind of you and for someone who doesn't really do birthdays I really appreciated every one, thank you. Now 49 so I guess I'm not quite a grumpy old bead maker yet tho some would strongly disagree about the grumpy bit I'm sure.

   Today is a mixed day here at the barn with beads to make this morning and sets and focals to photograph ready for listing again this evening, I was pleased with the beads I listed in the etsy shop last night and fingers crossed some may find new homes.
   This afternoon will be spend in the clay room trimming pots and throwing more pieces on my wheel, I also have some Christmas tree decorations to make ready to list this coming week, some of these will be small ceramic bells that you can hang from the tree, each I hope having inside a small ceramic bead as a clapper, just another mad little idea of mine but I hope they will look ok. I'm going to try a few with my beads incorporated which will be fun and I hope add a little interest, I have a funny feeling tomorrow will be spent in the clay room with me working like one of Santa's little helpers.
   I've been writing a few more poems this last few weeks, most about my life in Ashwell and the countryside around us, if I pluck up the courage to add a couple on here it will be tomorrow but we'll see, I sometimes feel it must be a bit of a bore for people to read these poems when they don't really know the village in which I lived most of my life but I'm sure someone would have told me by now.
   Oh, by the way I was asked if I would be doing a blog back on my website about the ceramics I'm learning and trying out but I'm not sure yet how I feel about that. I try to show what I'm up to here in this blog and I hope with the addition of more photographs this will help show the path I'm leading on that interesting journey, if any of you have any ideas your comments are very welcome.
   Ok, back to my torch and the warmth of the kiln for me, lots of bead ideas buzzing around in this middle aged head of mine, middle aged, who am I kidding !!
 
   
 
 

A Busy Week So Far

Lots Of Time At My Torch


   It's been a very productive week so far with the last two days being mainly spent at my torch, I seem to have got that old love back in the mornings, I'm guessing a lot of it is because I'm now producing more beads that I enjoy making, beads like the encased mythical's such as snake and dragon skin, I'm playing more with rock effects too which always makes this old bead maker smile.

   It really is enjoyable not having to spend hours making lots of beads that I really have no feelings for, beads that I know will please others but don't excite me the maker and that's one thing I've learnt over the past year or so, I really need to make those beads that please me, those beads that excite me when I open the kiln every morning, if it is to be a fight to make a living then I need to enjoy the extra hours I'm putting in.
   I guess like the ceramics, there is something personal between those using the beads and pottery and the maker and how can that happen if the maker isn't putting his or her heart into it, if it's more like a chore then there is nothing special going into the item they make. This last couple of weeks I feel like every bead I list in the etsy shop is one I like, back playing with the effects I love means I hope that once again I will get that connection with the customer, a connection I have missed for far too long, I'll know when they open that little parcel they will be happy and will have ideas on how to use the beads inside rushing to your head and that is the result I'm longing for when I sit at my flame.

   On the ceramic side of things it's been busy also, I'm enjoying every afternoon working on ideas in the clay room, throwing bowls, pots and cups of different shapes and sizes from tiny bells to hang on the Christmas tree to large salad or fruit bowls and some of the pieces I'm trying are to say the least very unique haha !
   I must admit that I'm having fun with the little drinking cups that I'm producing with the collar and button designs as in the picture above, they are fun and just a bit different, which is always a good thing.
   You all know me well enough to imagine what some items must look like, I remember a while back I made a lot of very strange looking focal beads, nobody really had the bottle to try them, maybe they didn't like them or maybe they just didn't know how to use them, well I'm guessing a few of the ceramic pieces may turn out like that but as I keep saying the ceramics are for me, I make what I want and if a few pieces sell then that's a huge bonus, if they don't, well I'll have a barn full of pottery that in years to come somebody will discover and maybe enjoy as much as I did.
   I hope none of you will mind if I start adding more pictures to the blog only I really feel I want to share a lot more with you and what better way than with photographs.

 

Up On The Roof

A dry Winter Ahead


   Today I found the time to at last get the second half of the barn roof felted ready for the coming winter months, it was not the warmest job to do this morning but it was nice to get it sorted and now we can at least look forward to a dry winter. Last year I lost count of the times we sat working with drips bouncing on our heads or shoulders, not the best thing to suffer while working but now fingers crossed those days are over for a while.
   We had a problem with my oxycon this week so it meant two days making no beads for me, thank god the replacement one arrived this morning and tomorrow I'll be on that torch until my bum catches light !
   This evening I'm listing focals in the ebay shop then I hope to list a few pieces in the ceramic etsy shop after which I'm going to grab a coffee and relax in front of the tv, see, even bead makers get to enjoy the odd evening away from work.
   Ok off to the pc and those listings for old bead maker, one day when they invent some robot who does all your admin I'll be the first in the queue, hope you all enjoy your evening.
 

Silent Skies Again

The Big Bang !


   Well with last nights fireworks now silent the world gets back to normal and faces the day with the sight of a good frost covering the fens, another of those early winter bright clear mornings that chill to the bone.
   For me last night was spent in the conservatory watching the fireworks rise up over the village, my head full of memories of smoke filled bonfire nights in my grandads garden. Old "R.Whites" lemonade bottles set into the ground with those thick stemmed wooden rockets placed inside ready to fire off over the river.
   The timber post onto which those worm curled Catherine wheels were nailed and bonfires built from pallet wood and gleaned fallen branches from the local woods. The jacket spuds and onions wrapped in silver foil cook until soft, ready for melted butter that drips down your fingers and the smell of those onions as hot dogs are fried and placed in "Days" rolls.
   I remember mum making toffee apples which were never red like those bought from the fair, these were real thick brown toffee and the sticks were sliced from kindling. There was not soup and slices of bread and the grown ups would have the odd glass of alcohol to keep them warm, good I remember those evenings like they were yesterday even tho they were 40 or more years ago now.
   With my grandads cottage being large and thatched there was always a big thing made of the direction the fireworks and rockets were set off in and to be honest I can not remember ever seeing any go near the house, I guess having such a big garden helped. These days people don't seem to take a lot of notice where the rockets head, we always find the burnt out bodies laying around the barn, some as long as four foot and it amazes me how we never look out to see the barn up in flames on November the 5th.
   At least that's another year over and pets all over Britain can now rest free for another 12 months until the next lot terrify them, the poor little sods have no idea whats going on, I can only imagine what they must go through.
   Well it's back to the torch for me, I have beads to make and this afternoon I have pots to throw, I hope to fit in glazing a few pieces to fire this evening also, fingers crossed they will turn out ok. Yesterday was a mixed bag of results from the kiln, some I was very pleased with, others not so, I did list a couple of the little collared tumblers in the etsy shop and already a couple of people have given me feedback on them, you know me, I just enjoy doing something a little different.

First Cold For A Long Long While

Not In The Best Shape I've Ever Been


    Yes it got me, the famous cold that seems to be covering the country at last reaches the fens and this bead maker is not feeling that great with a head full of cold, a nice cold sore and the trusty loo roll stuffed in my pocket, not a great look and one I'm hoping to keep hidden.
   Would be nice to spend the day under a quilt asleep but it's work for me, no man flu here just a warm hot water bottle and a seat next to the kiln while I make my beads. A real wet dull morning here in East Anglia but at least those nasty winds of yesterday have settled.
   I can't believe how quick this year as gone, it seems only yesterday we were all excited that summer had arrived with it's early morning sun and green hedgerows, now we see chimney smoke and grey skies, the blackbirds glean rose hips and every branch on the conifer drips with yesterdays showers, a very different world this time of year.
   Well cuppa time over and I'm heading off back to my torch, today I have beads to make, clean and photograph plus post to pack and post, then I hope an evening doing nothing but keeping warm followed by an early night, maybe if I'm lucky I might even get a good nights sleep, tho maybe that's pushing it a little.