Hi there
Thanks for popping in. It’s been a busy day back in the Clarity saddle. The SHAC at 10 is always a great way to focus the mind. And those girls are certainly Hippy Chicks! Here’s a pic of the Hippy Bus we drew together previously…
As I was saying this morning in the SHAC, I spent pretty much the whole week and weekend making, making, making. Making prints, making pots, making nice meals, making cards. Dave too. He made some beautiful candle holders out of wood. And a couple of super cool tool trugs. Lookie lookie!
The trug was made out of an old oak desk from his Grandad, and the candle holder is part of an old oak beam from a farm building. Certainly over 200 years old. Re-purposing rocks!
So it occurred to me: How about a Made in May movement? Something wholesome, awesome, creative, kind, for all of us to hang our arty hats on?
I’ve made a plan for us! It involves lots of loveliness: giveaways, competitions, quizzes, galleries, bloggy deals – and all sorts! I’ll show you mine and you show me yours! We can use our Clarity Facebook groups to post and share, and all you have to do is start the post with #madeinmay. You know what they say: you’ve gottabeinittowinit. Quite aside from any prizes and gifts, it will also do you the power of good, to MAKE something. Just MAKE something!
I’ll start the ball rolling with some pottery that I #madeinmay. I had been back and forth about whether to take any pottery to the Open Days in June this year. Mainly because I just haven’t had time to make much since last year! But several people have asked, and nudged me to do so. So I’ve decided to bite the bullet, and bring what I manage to make. It may not be the table-full I had last year, (which spanned over 5 years of making!) but it’ll be what I have #madeinmay! 
I shall roll my sleeves up and get busy making in the evenings. I love it! I just needed a reason to focus!
Here’s the first kiln haul…
There’s a whole batch of tall cylinder vases drying nicely on the shelf, which I hand-built yesterday, too. And a few pencil pots. And a whacky original (Bottom shelf, left), inspired by Craig Underhill. I LOVE his work. There are two ceramic artists I follow avidly: Craig Underhill and Paul Wearing. Both English guys. Both super creative.
And there’s another very cool shaped piece drying out nicely too, which Dave helped me make. I have been wanting to make this shape for a while, but a trapezium/trapezoid shape is a lot harder than you’d think! How to get all 4 sides the same wasn’t the issue, but how to get a perfectly equal slant on all 4 sides was! Dave to the rescue! He made me a wooden form, which really changed the game…
And now I can make more than one, if I choose to! What I love about this particular make is that Dave had to make something just as special, so that I could make something I had in my mind! The question we all have is: How did Dave manage to make it into a perfect trapezium?! Clever old sod.
If I have time I’ll make a couple to bring to the Open Days. Tell you what though! It’s just as well I don’t have to make a living with my pottery! Hahahaha!! Everything takes so long! We’d certainly be living in Skintville!!
I was thinking I might have a go on the wheel tomorrow. It’s been a wheely long time since I threw a few…quicker than hand-build though!
So there’s our starter for 10. Dave and I are in full throttle here, with our #madeinmay! How about you? Let’s see. How about some bloggy candy, just to get you going. All you have to do to beinittowinit, is write below, WHAT you love to make most. Make music? Make a cake? Make a card? Knit a jumper? Throw a bowl? Paint a portrait? Pull prints? Write what you LOVE TO MAKE , then add #madeinmay to your comment. Then you will go into a prizedraw. If your name is pulled out of the hat this Friday, you will receive a piece of pottery, made by myself – a nice piece that I #madeinmay!!
Love always,
Barb x x x