i can't quite believe it is spring time
(although our friends up north are starting fall/autumn)
we are all wondering where has this year gone . . .

but a change of season is sometimes what
we all need . . .

to celebrate spring,
and the addition of our new christmas ornaments
all now listed in our online store
we are having a little sale . . .

to receive 20 % off storewide (excluding shipping)
simply quote the word SPRING
in the discount code section of the checkout and press update total
(sale finishes midnight next thursday sep 8)

everything is available for this discount
including the ever popular personalised stars . . .

i hope this season brings you some lovely days

to look through our store
click HERE

monday . . .

terrain . . .

we've been busy little bees in the studio in the last few weeks
filling a big and beautiful order
for the fabulous US store terrain . . .

terrain is one of those stores i wish we had around the corner
but still nice to admire from afar . . .
and when they approached me about stocking my little 5 packs
i was thrilled that a store like theirs understood the spirit of them

so within a few days a big big box of this specially packaged
ceramic will be on its way to philadelphia . . .

recently terrain had a special day for
a group of bloggers and media
and it was lovely to have a closer look at this amazing store . . .
below are a few links to a few of my favourite posts
here and here

advances . . .

yesterday i received a special little parcel from my printer. . .
a few copies of my 2012 calendar
i am so happy with it, the colours are amazing
and the paper just beautiful . . .
here are a few sneak peeks

these will be for sale in my online store
by september 20 i hope . . .
and they will cost only $19.95

i hope you like these quick little sneak peeks taken on a rainy tuesday morn. . .

these days . . .

these days
studio life has been busy and beautiful,

quiet yet sometimes overwhelming,

inspiring and routine all in the same breath . . .

i just wanted to stop by and share a few corners
of this place :
my office
my home

time to share . . .

so, it's early i know . . .
but we've been working so hard to get these images
out to all our stockists so there's enough time to make them,
and get stock to them . . .
as well as stock up our own online store

so, we are finally ready to share some of this years
christmas ornament designs . . .

above is this years bird . . .
the little message of all is calm, all is bright
has been ringing in our ears in the studio,
reminding us to stay calm amongst the crazy . . .

below is the re-release of the big stars !
and new star of wonder . . .
(wonder being one of my favourite words . . .
so this has special significance for me)

and then a delicate little window star of david . . .
(with the vintage button patterns)
many of these get broken
in the making, and cleaning, and 'getting to the kiln' process
as they are so precious green, but once they are fired
they are strong and beautiful

life can be a little like that can't it . . . ?
some parts are hard and tricky and you have to take it gently

things break . . .

i've been saying this a lot in the studio to the girls,
while limping around with my slowly-but-surely-healing fractured ankle,
and while the swear jar gets fuller with ornaments breaking when
colouring or sponging is taking place

bones break . . . clay breaks . . . hearts break . . .

but in the end something beautiful can be found . . .
even if it is in the pieces . . . the spaces . . .

photo shoots . . .

the past week has been a little bit of a blur
for many a reason

there's been cake in the studio for my birthday,
a day or two break from working
(oh, that's what the outside world looks like?) . . .
but then working like sleep isn't part of what we need to do !

there's also been a spot of baking . . .

my fabulous web-shop gal teresa
who just happens to make the best rum balls
(they taste just like my grandmother used to make)
was a trouper this week and made some for my photo-shoot
of christmas 2011 products ( thanks T )

and i made the apricot balls ( with slightly less flair )
. . . but they did the job . . .

it is a little odd making christmas goodies in july
but today we had a mighty nice morning tea
thanks to the need for such things . . .

there's lots to share including the new ornaments for the year
but for now, i thought i would share a quote
that kept ringing in my ears
as christmas baking was made
so far out from the season

from one of my favourite storytellers around, brian andreas:

" She asked me when the season of joy
was supposed to end & I said I didn't really think
there was an exact date, so we left the tree up till
June that year "

pencil case . . .

this little thing has been my constant companion
for the past few weeks
as i finalise work on my 2012 calendar !!!

i didn't get a chance last year to complete one,
after having them made for many years previous to that
i disappointed so many of my dear customers

so this year, i got in early
with the help of my darling sister
and graphic-designer-gal megan

i am printing on the most lovely weighted
FSC card . . . and
they will be available in september
through many of my stockists,
online through my store and biome

as well as at any markets i do
including my annual christmas show . . .

i'll keep you posted when they are available
and share how it looks too

. . . back to the subject of pencil cases . . .
the trusty pencil case has featured in
one of my favourite 80's songs ( i have it on 7" )
it opens with

" i love you from the bottom of my pencil case "

how could you not love a song that says that !!!
the lyrics do ramble into a tale of many women
the songwriter has thanked for inspiration . . . but it is charming,
very UK pop, and dare i say it, a bit retro . . .
and as a girl who loves words, i do quite love the song's title

song for whoever
by
the beautiful south

i hope you enjoy . . .

sneak peek

we've been working pretty hard in the studio
these past few months
and thought i'd share a little sneak peek
at this years christmas bird design
we have finished prototypes out of the kiln
and are mighty happy with how they look

so soon when they are photographed well
and my stockists get first look
i'll share them here !

in the mean time
i hope you like this little tease of how they look
rough and just made
clay wet
finger prints still marking them
raw, earthy, and in, i have to say, one of my favourite phases . . .

i know i haven't been here
as much as i sometimes have been . . .

it has been a strange
up and down
few weeks
few months

i keep working hard
keep trying to keep my chin up
trying to find beauty in what is around me
trying to make beautiful things in my working life

but some-days it is harder than others

i have been writing again
( not that i ever stopped )
just writing a few more bits and pieces
passages that seem to be forming
new things,
poems maybe

but writing isn't always easy

for it talks and sings to me of things i sometimes
want to hide from

the truth, as is its way,
pushes through (as it should)
and this is where the words meet

last weekend i lent this beautiful letter box to my friends
lou and kristina for their market stall

it is a treasured thing
an object of love

objects are funny things
sometimes the most banal and battered,
purposed and domestic items,
hold secrets and stories

i loved sharing this letterbox for
lou and kristina's beautiful new project
as both the project and this letterbox
is full of such meaning

it is a token
a relic
a love letter in itself

it is home with me again now
this little box

this little house
that had the most treasured
of love letters delivered to me in it over the years

i continue to write letters of such kind in response
and always will

( and these letters will one day be read i hope,
as they are the in-between ones, the ones without end )