Ikea fabric

Had an unexpected trip to Ikea today due to another errand in that neck of the woods, don't normally go daytime on a weekend with it being a place for family outings and a bit frantic at the best of times. It was a sale too so really busy, however I did manage a good rummage in the fabric section and came away with these nice striped remnants and also the slightly more groovy patterned fabric. As I often find at Ikea, the fabric on display that you really want has usually all gone and I couldn't find some lovely fabric with birds on which I wanted.

Also found this fab cake tin in a Dala horse shape. I love the Swedish Dala horse image, it comes in many colours and patterns and here is the traditional red colour. I'm sure I'll have great fun when I get round to making the cake and decorating it.

Gallery on the Wolds, Bainton

This evening was the preview of the Summer Open Exhibition at the Gallery on the Wolds, Bainton. I didn't know whether my 2 pieces had been accepted until I got there and I was delighted to see they were on display so I will post pictures here. One is an oil called Big Red Flower and the other is a fabric collage called My Secret Garden (named after one of my fave Depeche Mode tracks).

The quality of work on display was very good and I was pleased to see work by my old chum, that renowned designer and artist, David Smith.

www.robertsomsmithadvertising.co.uk

This is the last pot!

I made that one last trip to York College this afternoon to pick up my very final pot. It is a long canoe shaped fruit dish. I think it looks quite tribal.

New ERA brochure

I went to visit my friend Penny who is a potter the other day as she was having an exhibition on the red London bus at Burton Agnes Hall. The bus is great, she'd filled it with some amazing pots from her collection. I also got to see the new ERA brochure which I hadn't realised was out yet and it was really exciting to see I have a listing in there.

Summer Solstice

I haven't been anywhere significant today (yet) to embrace the Summer Solstice, one the weather has looked a bit unpredictable and two I have been finishing the artwork which I will be entering into the Wolds Village exhibition next week.

So, to acknowledge today is actually Mid summer's Day, I am posting one of my railway style posters of a favourite stone circle of mine at Castlerigg in Cumbria.

My last ceramics class in York

That was more or less the end of the line for me with ceramics at York College last night. I was sad to be leaving, I've met some lovely people over the years and been able to progress my work under the guidance of our 'mad as a a box of frogs' teacher Catherine. (see Catherines groovy pots on her website.)

http://www.boyne-whiteleggpottery.co.uk/

We had our leaving party then had a look at some of the students work in the gallery upstairs which is what the photos show, I really like the glass wall hanging.

I collected my last few pieces, the photo with a couple of figures in.

I also decided to glaze one final piece as we should be able to go back during the daytime next week to collect any last work before they close for summer.

I need to investigate whether there are any classes starting nearer to home next term.

White choc, peanut butter & dark choc

I managed to make the choccie thing!

Pottery party tonight

As documented before, it's the end of an era, I'm finishing my third year pottery class tonight and all there is to do is pick up a few pieces so we are having a little party and taking in nibbles.

I have pinched this fantastic little savoury canape idea from Elizabeth over at Ryedale. So simple and basically just cooked asparagus wrapped in white bread 'sausage' shapes, chilled and then chopped into smaller segments.

If time allows I might make my white choc, peanut butter & dark choc slab if I have time for it to set.

Poetry postcards

I was in the library the other day and I found these nicely designed postcards on the leaflet rack, and best of all they were free!

They are BBC cards and they have created them for the BBC Poetry Season. I'm not sure how many there are to collect but definitely worth hunting out if you are in a library. The full poem is on the back of each card.

www.bbc.co.uk/poetryseason

Fabric flower brooches & painting

Over the weekend I have been doing quite a few bits 'n' pieces with fabric. I have just finished these few flower and corsage brooches to list on Ebay.

I am also working on a piece of textile art to enter in the Wolds Gallery summer open exhibition which has to be finished by next weekend, if it turns out ok it may get a post on the blog. You can enter 2 pieces of art so I will submit the flower painting shown here which was one of my first attempts with oils I did a couple of years ago.