February 2012

Monday 27th

First sales of the year yesterday, I think I had better get the place organised.

I need to get signage sorted and flyers printed. At least I have made a start.

 The new sign I made for the towpath.

When it's got about 50kgs of scrap clay, some concrete in the base and is sunk a few inches into the ground it might be almost theft proof.
In a few weeks time with some soil in there planted with nasturtiums etc it will look a bit more in keeping.

I spent some of the day clearing debris from the garden. It's amazing what you can see when the vegetation hasn't started to grow and cover things. Planted 5 new fruit trees - three apples, a pear and a cherry.

I thought I would put some pots outside the front of the studio.

These are some sculptural pieces I made for one of the 'Potfest' competitions.

With a bit of luck I will have the place looking like a pottery studio again, and open properly for this weekend.

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Sunday 19th

The showroom renovation finished. Shelves will be filled with a decent display in a few days. I think maybe its time for a sale of some description.

I have just finished using up all the laminate flooring that was left over from the house. There was enough to floor a decent amount of the studio area .

 

 I don't think my studio has ever been so tidy.

In the pre-xmas rush I omitted to empty the boxes from the last show. While I was sorting stock I found this delightful bowl of tomatoes.
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Monday 13th

All the flooring is laid in the showroom now. Shelving repaired, walls and cieling painted. In the next few days its polishing, window cleaning and spotting the fixing jobs missed first time around. Then at long last the stock and display can be sorted.

 No I am not fitting skirting!

Let the boxes hide the edges, seems sensible enough to me.

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Thursday 9th

Order is beginning to appear out of the choas. At the end of the day it was quite rewarding to look back at a tidy area for a change.

It's amazing how different the place feels now. All the legs extended and the shelves are now level again. I hope to be have all back to what passes for normal in the studio and showroom by March. Then it will be time to make some pots.

All that lot and more to be moved then some painting. With a bit of luck I might get the floor cleared off by the end of tomorrow. Its just started to rain fingers crossed it won't turn to snow.

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Wednesday 8th

At last the concrete has dried and I can get the flooring started, I have been giving the place a lick of paint too, have to keep that bit quiet or I'll get roped into some decorating in the house.

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 Tuesday 7th

Spoke too soon, big freeze this morning and the frozen snow in the middle of the track is making driving noisy and treacherous. I hope the exhaust pipe holds up, MOT due today.

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Sunday 5th

The arrival of 5 inches of snow, very picturesque but a pain to get anything done in the studio, Brrrrr!!!

Outside its just so wet under foot with the thaw already started.

Beyond the studio in the opposite direction.

The way out, one vehicle made it. 

Part of the garden.

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First days of February

Spent a few days acquiring more fire-wood from various sources. Now that's all cut, split and stacked for next years burning. Plenty more timber identified for felling but it can wait, unless trees fall across the track.

Sunday 29th

 Front of the studio now looks presentable. I got around to chopping the wood that came for free last week plus other pieces that were left out front from the copicing.

The end of January already, time for a break and a change of scenery. A trip to Manchester for daughters birthday so I baked her a cake.

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Saturday 28th

The front of the studio looks appaling, not at all a place to encourage visitors to. The weekend weather looks encouraging so it may be tidied up to a state I feel like showing by the middle of next week.

Must get this damn camera sorted, its not focussing properly, I don't always have my glasses on so don't notice the blurry image till it's too late. That's the last concrete laid, what a relief and yes a right mess to sort out in the next weeks.

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Friday 27th

Well the day has ended with all the floor and a new step completed. The fire

 was so hot this morning that I added more flooring slabs. It was still burning at 7pm today in the rain.

I had mails this evening from the camp-site in France where I have a mobile home. They have had to take some trees down before they flattened more homes like this one....

Glad that's not mine.

 Shame but this huge tree in the bottom right of the picture is coming down, mine is the white van roof. I am assured no damage was done to the van, but I will miss the birds and the red squirrel who used the tree.

 The decking next door didn't escape unscathed, luckily it is owned by the site, and that is only a branch. 

Thursday 26th

Some clearing up of the old flooring and a bonfire, what a waste of flame (potters will understand that one).

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Wednesday 25th

First hiccup a trip for more cement, then, after the part-time job at the school I was offered free firewood ... if I collected immediately! So two trips for that and a skipped lunch ...

At last at half 2 I can get to work.

The last section large and daunting. 

Set out to get all the concreting, apart from a step, completed today. Lifted the last of

the original flooring so all was ready for mixing.

Blurred, sorry but I was tired out after that lot.

Well that is it! Apart from a small area in the corner out of shot. There is some edging to be concreted with a smooth mix. Oh and a step in front of the door to the right in this picture.

Half 6 and cleaning up outside was interesting in the dark.

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Tuesday 24th

Some more hard graft.

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Monday 23rd



Monday morning and a wander around the garden, snowdrops out and a nice suprise to see a plant that I thought had been lost flowering, not spring but it did lift the spirit on a cold morning.

And so it was back to work.

The view from the entrance on Monday morning.

This marked passing the halfway point, hooray.

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Sunday 22nd

First problem was discovering some 'scrote' has been in the studio because I forgot to lock the back door. Missing are a chainsaw, petrol brushcutter and pole saw and my cordless drills curses etc etc, but hope the insurance company plays the game.

 
I was getting really close them my dog Marti decided to join in.

Anyway I got started with concreting and chatting to walkers as they passed, and the distraction of the heron coming to watch was good.

Almost half way now on the concreting of the showroom floor.

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Friday 20th

Had spent Thursday moving more stock so as to be able to concrete another area.

 A vile day wet and windy had 2 changes of clothes got loads done so tired but pleased with the progress so far.

Leaving the shelving fixed to the walls makes life interesting and all the legs will have to be extended when the floor is finished.

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Wednesday 18th

Things get moving. The delivery lorry managed to actually drop the second bag of ballast as the crane lift hydraulics burst, its never simple here, luckily it landed upright without spilling and wasn't far from where it was supposed to be.

The first section gets dropped.
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Tuesday 17th - morning.

Well its only minus 5 this morning and the concreting of the showroom floor is stopped by non-delivery of ballast and cement because the only lorry that can get over the bridge to here is broken down.

From the front of the studio.

 

Canal frozen once again.

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Friday 13th  

Sorry the pics are a bit blurred, camera problems.



The bullet has been bitten. 

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First days in the studio this year.

Well the studio is in a tip after the Xmas push but at least the glazes haven't frozen like last year. Spending most of this month on repairs and thinking about what to do during the year.

With the mild winter the ash copicing is getting done for firewood, even spending time clearing up the garden, basically doing anything but actually making pots.
I should bite the bullet and lay a concrete floor in the showroom I suppose, the wooden floor has given out in too many places now. The life of a potter eh, wouldn't it be nice to win the lottery?

At least I can see the wheel today