Boxing Day Swim

Rockcliffe beach, boxing day. It was FREEZING.....note the 'wimps' in wetsuits! Actually it was still freezing, I can vouch, hence the lack of a photograph of the event, but I can assure you it did happen.

The stool is growing

I seem to have taken ages getting this far this week - partly because of reduced elbow function still, but I've also been struggling with the 'engineering'side. The hexagons are from a north star Big Blue ready made die, and are making up the central column of the stool with the middle one acting as a locator for the second tier. After this shot I did perforate them (like a holey cheese) to cut down the weight. Slabs are wrapped round the central structures with 'fins' pinning the slabs together. I've put a back on the bowed seat and it should locate in the top hexagon.....with luck, and a lot of tweaking. Phew, all a bit tricky. Tommorrow I should be able to get the top seat on, and I hope it will look ok. Judging proportions, upside down, standing on my head is a bit fraught!

The start of a stool

The beginnings of another stool. This is going to have a slab on top to form a thick sandwich. The base is in two sections and I'll put a few photos up as I go along. I got stopped short this weekend as I STUPIDLY went out on my bike and hit a huge frozen puddle. A trip to casualty confirmed no cracks, but my elbow is only just beginning to function like an elbow should after two days rest.

Still, it meant I enjoyed two fairly leisurely days. Saturday was the opening of 'Galloway Past and Present' at the McGill Duncan Gallery. I only had a few pieces there, but it was a lovely mixed show and I'm pretty thrilled to have sold my big dish 'Speedy', as well as a wiggly shoals dish AND my Christmas Cracker penguins. It is always so exciting to find people actually want to have the things you make!

Today I was a visitor at the Corsock Craft Fair, (great to be on the other side). As well as Hannah's scrummy honey pots and Amanda's beautiful glass, there were HATS. Lots of them. For a hat-a-holic like me it was too much. Delightful Afghan hats ( sold for the Afghan Schools project), Jem Cox's handmade bonnets and Joanna Gisbeys incredible creations. She makes them out of old jumpers, deliberately washed up and felted. I bought one last year which has POCKETS. My favourite this time was one made from a V neck jumper where the V became the head hole and the side bits drooped down, medieval style, ending in four cornered knots - brilliant! Ron you would have been in your element.

Heavy comb and tassles

Some of the larger dishes from the comb shaped die came out of the kiln last week. While I am happy with the shape and decoration, they are far too heavy, the comb die just pushes through too much clay. My idea was to give the structure strength, but in fact it was overkill. I like the feel of the 'tassle' like ends though. Next time I am going to make a ridged sandwich to give the thick fat feel I like .