UP WITH THE BIRDS (OR RATHER THE CATS)

Hi everyone

I am an early riser.  As much as I try to turn over and grab another 40 winks, I rarely do because of two reasons: cats! Sitting on, purring loudly in my ear, walking across my pillow, sitting on my head!  Not completely their fault this morning though as just after 5.00 am the sun was shining and it was lovely to watch it move up the garden (better than watching a rain cloud move up the garden!).  In the summer (well someone told me this was summer and hard though it may be I am trying to believe them) I don't mind getting up early because it really is the best part of the day.

Did you read my guest blog post this week?  Sources of Inspiration by Linda Kirkbridge is a great post and I really recommend you read it as I am sure it will give you ideas and make you remember things you have used to inspire your work and may have forgotten.  Thank you Linda, and thank you to those who have commented - always very much appreciated.

I am always on the look out for great bloggers to join in the Friday Guest Blog spot, so if you feel a blog post coming on, do get in touch: christmaspiecrafts@virginmedia.com.  If you are wondering about starting your own blog, how about giving it a whirl as a guest blogger first of all?

In my Wednesday post I mentioned about a sneaky envelope remover striking my card wall at Bourne Mill.  Surprise, surprise could it be the same person who removed one of my pottery makes?  My second pottery makes consisted of four serviette rings and a matching small vase.  Before half-term they were ready for biscuit firing and last week I went to collect them to find one serviette ring had gone missing.  Everyone helped in the hunt-a-serviette-ring task, but we couldn't find it.  Perhaps someone has picked it up by mistake, or perhaps it was so good a famous potter has decided to clone it!  Whatever the reason, I am not happy about it - a missing envelope I can deal with, but a piece of pottery?  However, the good news from my pottery class is that I was able to bring my first piece home following is high firing activity (here is a pic) and I have enrolled for both the morning and afternoon session in September:

I know we shouldn't blow our own trumpets and I am not really going to, but I am pleased(ish) with my first effort.  It looks like a first time pot, but hey, that's what it is and it works for me.  I meant to take a photograph last night with a candle in it, but (as always) forgot and took one against a dark background this morning and it just isn't the same.  I haven't been anywhere near clay for a very, very long time, so feel that this is so far, so good.  This time next year I could be making the tea set to go with the thrones my brother-in-law made for the Queen - so watch this space.

It is Open Studios time and I visited my pottery tutor's studio.  Her name is Jean Tolkovsky and you can see some of her work here.  As it says in the Open Studios brochure: many new pieces in ceramics and mixed media.  Quirky jugs, birds, figures and outdoor objects, in a lovely garden setting.  The photographs on the link do not do Jean's work justice - they are much better in 'real life'.  The Open Studios are 'open' until 24 June and then again on 20 - 22 July and if you live in or around Surrey or are visiting this area, I do recommend you visit as many of the artists as possible.  As a bonus, if you visit more than 4 studios, you will be entered into a prize draw to win £100 to spend at one of the studios.

I am a big fan of garden decoration - some plants are very sculptural but some areas need just that little extra something.  I couldn't resist buying the mother Guinea Fowl and chick from Jean and here they are residing next to my pond:

Some of the artists are running workshops and I have enrolled on the Discover Wirework course that is running on Saturday, 23 June.  This is a 2-hour session which will cover making the 'bits' needed to join the jools and beads together!  No, it doesn't say that in the book, but it sounds good.  About 2 years ago, I decided I would make jewellery - bought loads of beads, fixings, etc, etc and made one necklace and a bracelet and then..................nothing more.  I thought it would be a nice idea to re-introduce myself to this craft and it may be that next Handmade Monday, I will have a piece of jewellery to show.

The weather has been lovely today and I have spent a lot of time in the garden.  As we all know, weeds love rain and coupled with reasonable soil temperature they have been growing at a very speedy rate.  We have a major problem with Mare's Tail and if you are familiar with them you will know that eradicating them is hard work - if you pull one up, in a few days time you will have a crop of them.   We have some growing around the pond (not by choice of course) and because of this we cannot use weed-killer on them, so it is a constant pulling and digging up battle to keep them under control.  However, the nice things that come out of rain and warmth are the gorgeous roses that are currently bursting out into flower.  We have a beautiful rambler called Seagull - masses of flowers and the perfume is absolutely gorgeous.  Like all ramblers, it is very hardy and very easy to propagate - in fact many friends and neighbours have the off-spring of this plant growing in their gardens.  Wouldn't it be lovely to click on this pick of Seagull and be able to smell the perfume?

Another pic taken today is of one of my favourites, Heucheras; this one is a deep, dark red colour.  I just nipped out to check the name and discovered that the label has disappeared - seems to be my week for losing things!  I used to pride myself on remembering the names and variety of plants I had in my garden, but these days I keep the label and place it very close to the plant.  Perhaps I need to re-think this.

I spent Friday with my sister doing one of our favourite activities: shopping.  I am a shoe and bag nutter and as we went to an outlet centre, I managed to snap up some great bargains.  I also bought some large fabric flowers which are really meant to be worn in one's hair or as a brooch.  I am going to use them in my crafting for adding to my willow wreaths - still working on the first one, so don't forget to come back next week and check.

Last but certainly not least, I want to tell you about Blogpinner.  Blogpinner is the brain-child of Mammasaurus and you may remember that earlier this year I guest-posted on her blog.  Click on the previous link to read about Blogpinner, but just to whet your appetite Annie (Mammasaurus) says: wouldn't it be cool if there was a sort of Pinterest but just for sharing and organising blog posts.   I think it is a great idea and signed up first thing this morning (you can see the button to the right of this post and it would be lovely if you followed me on there as well as here).  I am in the process of adding my blog posts to my board, and at the same time I am adding the guest posts that my lovely Friday Bloggers have produced.  so, come along and be a blogpinner - there are some great bloggers on there already, including the lovely Badger Boo.

No new makes for Handmade Monday as still have lots of 'work in progress' but I did post some pics of the mini-cards I have made on my mid-week blog.  Don't forget to whizz over and look at the other Handmade Monday bloggers work - and read their posts.  I love 'em coz it is a great way of catching up with everyone and finding out what they have been up to this week.

Enjoy the rest of the week, I will be back on Wednesday with my mid-week ramblings, and don't forget to read last week's Guest Post and make a big note in your diary to come back on Friday and read this week's one - you will love it.

Jill