Let's celebrate again and again and again.

Great Christmas celebrating at Kate and Jonathan's, wonderful food, wine and company.

Prawns to die for, cooked by Jonathan.

Now that's what I call a Trifle.

Toys to unwrap then home to bed.

Boxing Day 26th

Yet another celebration. This time Leo's 11th birthday. More presents and more cake.

Enough, enough.

Hope you all had a happy Christmas.

Seasons Greetings from Paradise!

Happy Christmas friends, here's some Australian Christmas Bush and Holly to celebrate the season.

We celebrate two Christmases, a Swedish one Christmas Eve and another today on Christmas Day.

Swedish Christmas.

Cosy Swedish cottage nestled in the snow.

All our family

Look Mama Santa brought me a swimming pool, hooray!

Swedish Christmas past

Clay Days

Ferry ride to Paradise.

Back in the shed. Too late for the markets this year but still plodding on. I am currently casting pigeons from a mould I made a few years ago. I have an invitational invitation at the end of January, so no time for new designs and the time it takes to develop them. So I brought out an old favourite which I will Naked Raku. I made a few of them several years ago and they sold so well that I have none left now. I love Raku so am looking forward to firing.

The mould is a four piece so took some time to make originally.

Partially dried pigeon with pieces of the mould removed.

Mould cleaned up and ready for burnishing with a polished stone.

Burnished. It has to be dried enough so that it isn't distorted when burnished, can be tricky.

Brown Lake Series.

Bowls

Cups.

Plate.

This is experimental, I will bisque fire and see if I need to add anymore colour before glaze firing.

This is the inspiration for the series. The shallow water of Brown Lake with the detritus of leaves and stick in the tannin coloured water.

Finished he day with a walk on Main Beach. Terns were taking off to go fishing.

Pulling up at home the new family of Bush Stone Curlews were nesting for the evening on the side of the road in the gravel and leaves, most uncomfortable it seems. Only one chick remains from the two that hatched.

Summer is..........

Summer is.......

Hot pink Bougainvillea

Summer is.......

Apricot Frangipani 

Summer is......

Cool Plumbago

Summer is.......

Mangoes hanging in the tree

Summer is.........

Clivea glowing in the shade

Summer is.....

Agapanthus standing up straight

Summer is........

White Frangipani

Summer is........

A burning red tree

Summer is.....

Sleeping without a shirt.

Summer is......

Wearing my birthday suit!

Madness and Migraines

Mad week with nothing accomplished in the ceramic department, but a holiday customer did chase me up from her holiday last year where she bought my work at the market. She couldn't find me this year so asked around and came to the shed where she bought more work as she liked it so much. Thank you dear customer for such encouragement.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK.

Heliconia blooming in the garden.

Last jacaranda blossom of 2013.

The Old Girl turns 100

The old Benevolent Institution's dining hall for men turned 100 this week with a celebration, preschool children sang an aboriginal song of welcome, a highlight.

Looking spic and span with a facelift for her 100th birthday.

End of an Era

Chris and Leo's last day at Ascot State School, my children went there first in 1980.

Music Teacher Without Compare.

Our family was so fortunate to have Margaret Howard for two generations as their music teacher, a rare and beautiful breed. The instruments that passed through our family were, flute, euphonium, baritone, trombone and clarinet. Second generation; euphonium, baritone and trombone. Junior band, intermediate band and senior band as well as music camp were attended, what a wonderful education. Thank you Margaret.

I have to post something ceramic. I saw this young Australian artist Juz Kidson's work recently and it has stayed hauntingly in my mind.

There is quite a bit of information about her out there if you want to follow up.

Speaking of madness, here is a photo that I love. Every time I look at it I laugh out loud. Thank goodness there are mad people in the world!!!!

Plates in a Hurry

Back in the shed briefly this morning after a busy week out of it. Rushing to get some work made before Christmas but don't like my chances.

I have slip cast six plates and six bowls that require a lot of handwork. Below are some of the stages with many more to go.

Left a whale plate painted, hard to see. A crab plate with drawing, painted outline and masking ready for painting with underglaze.

Turtle plate drawn and painted with underglaze and original crab drawing for previous plate.

Kate scanned my three drawings of the crab, whale and green turtle and reduced their size as I was thinking of having decals made. I not sure now that they would suit the plates but will think on it.

NELSON MANDELA 1918-2013

"As I walked out the door toward my freedom, I knew that if I did not leave all the anger, hatred and bitterness behind, that I would be still in prison"