This month’s journal is not as practical as usual, mainly because we’ve been out of the studio for much of the time - we’ve been in beautiful Devon for the Bovey Tracey Craft Festival and also attended the Ceramics Fair at The Hepworth Wakefield.

You may recall from last month’s journal that we were busy preparing for a gas firing in the big kiln alongside our potter friend Carla Murdoch. Well, we did it! The results were so exciting and well worth the effort and risk (first time firing in this kiln). A great many pots came out of that firing and, whilst normally I’d be photographing everything ready to get online, this time we decided to hold back and spend some time with these pieces for a few weeks.

Some of this work came with us to the fairs and found new homes too. In the coming weeks I will be photographing everything and we’ll release this work for sale in a three or four different updates (sign up to our mailing list if that is of interest to you). I am so proud of these pieces and just want to make sure everything is documented perfectly.

shop

One of the highlights of the month was Bovey Tracey. It was such a pleasure to exhibit as this fair and we met many wonderful existing and new customers. Also befriended many super talented makers (and began my Christmas shopping!!). It was also a bit of a confidence boost, showing new work to a new audience and getting such positive feedback. Craft fairs (with a two year old in tow) are rarely relaxing, but we did come back from Devon feeling refreshed and really positive about the studio. I suppose we treated it a bit like a holiday too, tag teaming looking after Benji and looking after the stand. One morning whilst Matt took care of our stand Benji and I headed to Ayrmer Cove - such a beautiful spot. It was our first time in Devon and I know we’ll be back before long.

I was so pleased to learn that Sarah James, the festival director, has been awarded an MBE for services to craft, a really well deserved accolade.

Making in the studio has been full on despite the disruption to our usual working patterns. Orders for our stockists David Mellor and Piglet in Bed in full flow, plus finalising pieces for a couple of large tableware orders. We’ve been making jugs and teapots, bowls, plates, and a batch of faceted flower frogs which will be ready very soon - next week.

This is the briefest of monthly journals but July is shaping up to be busy! We’ll be starting to plan our Batch 3, beginning to make plans for Christmas making (I know it is only July but pottery is slow and Christmas is big!), adding stock to our shop, and also closing the studio for a week or so whilst we holiday (us to Suffolk, Luna to the US). But one of my biggest tasks for July is to photograph and add to the inventory our special one off reduction fired pieces. Thanks for reading!