When I grow up I'm going to be a pilot, Mum.

There's nothing like a baby chicken to put a smile on your face, is there? I never thought I'd be a mum, but within 24 hours I've become a fussing mum. Already there are numerous photos and bits of precious video footage that have been winging their way to various recipients around the world. One thing we are very curious about is who the respective fathers are given the colour of the children. Who did Souffle make sweet love with to produce a little tabby-looking chick? And Alice's fluoro-yellow firstborn . . . after some careful thought we've deduced that Socket must be the prime suspect. The big cockerel is too clumsy due to a canine injury to his tendons and Cruella (we were told she was a hen) seems to have been a little intimidated by Socket's prowess. Or perhaps we should have changed his name . . .'Hi, my name's Cruella.'

Love Handles

Not sure what came over me, but I've taken to pulling handles.

I've no doubt there'll be some ointment for that at the chemist and I'll be better in no time at all.

Having said that my handled cup has been used over and over again and the handle is still attached - this is probably due to me doing the dishes. I fear the lady with the curly hair can't be trusted - I've seen her tea cups. Anyway she's far too busy pruning roses to be trifling with domestic issues. 

Life on the farm is as interesting as ever.
With spring around the corner and five randy roosters in the coup we've had to take action and create another home for 'the children'. This one has been furnished with a glittery disco ball and podium - sure to give the partying locals a run for their money. The new home has made the big coup look rather empty, but I think this won't be for long as Mabel's getting broody and there's a fair bit of love action going on.
We're inundated with eggs - tiffany blues from the frosty araucanas and the cutest mini-eggs that are dispatched from the fluffy undercarriages of the silkies. Can't say I enjoy cracking these ones, it seems wrong to damage such a perfect object. That reminds me, I'd better do the washing-up. Goodbye!     

Long time . . .

How lovely that the nights are drawing in and bringing a chill with them. Sitting around a real fire with a warming glass of blackberry port recently purchased from the Salamanca Markets is a delicious way to while away the evening. Oh, and a bowl of homemade soup followed by pear and raspberry crumble. The lady with the curly hair has excelled herself again.
A rash of birthdays, social events and a flurry of jobs have kept me away from the business of blogging for a while. Essential computer work only - too much time looking at a computer screen makes me crazy and keeps me away from the wheel, the chickens and enjoying the last of the season's roses.
Having been in Hobart for the last weekend visiting MONA and tra-la-la-ing around has meant two weeks without any chicken exposure and I have to say I'd missed them, but they were talked about often.
On the subject of porcelain - lots of exciting things happening - I've been slip-casting and creating some gorgeous egg boxes in preparation for when the silkies are laying. Also I bought some decals. Slip-casting and decal application - two things I never thought I'd get involved in being a hard-core thrower. I don't know what's come over me. Anyway, pastures new. (At least George will have a laugh.)
Lots of throwing to do this week. I'll be chained to the wheel - I can think of worse things. Exciting new places to sell my work - National Gallery in Canberra and Southwood Trading in Melbourne. Work on the new website is progressing and should be ready about the end of May.
Looks like a lovely week ahead - lots of eager students to teach. I seem to remember telling them we'd be doing lidded vessels this week so
we'll be after some perfect cylinders!
Just thought you might like to see how gorgeous the house looks at the moment. It's covered in a veil of ivy, which will only last for another week or so. Fleeting and so beautiful . . . . bye for now.

Teeny, tiny things

It didn't take long really, just a few minutes and a great deal of care. I decided to put the bed on the roof so we could sleep under the stars. We invited a couple of friends around for a house-warming party - not a wild affair, just a few gins. We sat on the lovely new furniture we'd made and tried to come up with names for my two new chickens. Maybe I should have had more gin . . . no names as yet. I think I'm too excited by their funny-looking heads to think clearly. The lovely lady with the curly hair (not a chicken) went to buy me two silky hens in the week and came home with eight birds, two guinea fowl, two lavender-coloured hens, which lay pale blue eggs, and two Polish pullets and my two. She's a sucker for a strange breed and if they come with a kookie hairdo . . .
Anyway the new crew are currently in the B & B customs department awaiting police and character checks before they can be released among the roses. I couldn't wait to check in on them this morning and took them some carrot for breakfast. Imagine my excitement when I spotted a gorgeous pale blue egg in one of the boxes. Oh, the lady with the curly hair was going to love this - last night I was told not to be so impatient when I told her I wanted to see a blue egg. I think it's time to go and see the chickens and do a bit of bonding. And watch a movie, read the paper and eat chocolate. Yes, the salty chocolate caramel fairies have been again and the special drawer has been replenished. How exciting! Goodbye.

Knit one, purl one.

How lovely to see the rain this morning. The dogs look like they've been mud wrestling and probably have. Oh, to be a pup for a day. Knit one, purl one. And the nights are cooling down noticeably now, I've shivered a couple of times and am quicker to get dressed in the mornings.  Thankfully I've almost finished knitting a winter jumper and, dare I say it, it's been such a pleasure being creative without getting my hands dirty, that I'm going to the wool shop again tomorrow. Knit one, purl one.
A couple of 'clean' days away from the studio were just what I needed to focus on new business cards and last minute changes to website updates, not to mention playing with my new laptop and read and blog and wander around the roses and and feed the baby chicks. It's not all about roses, you know. This weekend I've been surrounded by vases of stunning magenta and glittery yellow orchids.
 The thing about getting engrossed in a blog while the rain is teaming down is that all the near-dry washing is soaked again. Oh, well, I think I'll put the kettle on and have a cup of tea and a rummage in the cupboard - Tam might have overlooked some chocolate - and reflect on Thursday night at the Enmore Theatre dancing ourselves stupid to Leftfield.  Knit one, drop one.

Short and sweet

Speaking of sweet I was very happy to stuff more lumps of salty caramel chocolate in my mouth at the weekend. Thank goodness for Glenorie farmers' market and the man at the chocolate stall for deciding to make chocolate and not scented candles. They were just what Doctor DJ ordered after a night carving up the dancefloor.

Lots of prep work to do on the website this week and I'm really looking forward to putting some new work on it and giving it a bit of a shake-up. The blog seems to have some resistance to my new PDFs, which isn't helping my frown lines, so I'll have to investigate. In the meantime here's another image . . . or two.

Bullseyes and bangles

It was always going to require a huge effort to get lots of arrows in the yellow bit in the middle in this heat.

And try as I might I only managed three times. Still, it beats twice. I was given a beautiful set of wooden arrows last week, which are proving a joy to shoot. Thanks Damon! On days like these I find myself wishing my life away longing for autumn. And last night I sat though '127 Hours' and almost passed out at the breaking point - the things we put ourselves through. Anyway it's back to the wheel tomorrow and week 3 of classes. All is going well and all concerned seem to be having fun whilst learning, which is the only way to go really. The bangles from the last bangle throwing session at the farm have turned out beautifully.

                                                                                         Lots of interesting pieces coming out of the kiln at the moment - very exciting. And I'm happy to have    have started exhibiting the bangles and pendants at Gaffa Gallery in the city this week.

On the media front I spotted a couple of my text cups in the February issue of Inside Out magazine

(kitchen/bathroom suppliment) and am looking forward to seeing more text cups in the March Country Style - two mags I'm hooked on. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy of that this week and pretend I live in one of the houses for a minute or two . . .

This humidity is so oppressive I have to go and fill a litte white dish with ice cream. Goodbye!


PS One of the many beautiful things about my weekend . . .