View Full Version : My Positive Days Post
I'm really good. Slept well last night and buzzin this morning
Had a class with two people and made two more fish for my garden (going to make a shoal swimming through blue lobelia (rofl) )
Right off to the next class
magie06
28-01-17, 05:27 PM
How did your classes go?
Not as many people as I would like but overall the January figures are looking really good. Jan last year was a quiet month as people are short of money after Christmas and I felt it had been the same this year, however the finance figures show a different story and it looks like I will be close to if not overtaking my busiest month last year (August) which is a good start to 2017. It has been helped by a few private bookings and the school consultancy as well.
Next Thursday the Great Pottery Throwdown returns to BBC2 and this is good news for my business. Last time it was on I had a definite boost to bookings as people contacted me after watching it wanting to have a go. Some of whom are still coming over a year later.
Wow, you really are doing brilliantly!!!
So... How's the resting going?
I am being very good tonight. I have the fire burning and the washing drying in front of it. I am listening to an audiobook whilst doing some Zentangling
Sounds peaceful :). Btw you're amazing, you've built up a successful small business in next to no time - that isn't easy to do!
It is peaceful until I get to an exciting bit of the book!
As for the business I read somewhere that a successful entrepreneur usually has at least two business fail before they have a successful one. This is my forth business. One failed, one I abandoned with a 2K loss and one was very successful but I did not like having to travel the country all the time leaving my, at the time, very small children.
Had a rough night but I think I must have had enough sleep in the end as I had a really long, involved weird dream! However I have woken feeling decidedly rocky today. I can feel myself on the edge of a crash. I have a Adults Pottery Party to run this afternoon but aside from that I will try and rest up a bit.
Sorry you're not feeling great, but I'm glad you are going to rest...
Been on the go all day to get the party organised and then run. Just sat down....
I will once I have added notes to my lists for the work this week to cover all the emails and stuff that has come in today. Including a commission for 7 plates....
I told H about the commission and she looked at the egg I was cooking and asked "So you think you have time to eat????" (rofl)
You are so busy! It's amazing to think what a new business it is! Anyone would think you've been running for years!
Yes there was an email waiting wanting details about charges for a birthday party, another message about someone wanting to come to the art class and another about someone wanting to come to a pottery class...
I also have big hopes about the meeting tomorrow with the gallery manager. Maybe I will be able to find an outlet for my sea sculptures.
It seems mad that you've been only operating as a business for such a short space of time! I hope it does go well, but that you also get some rest in. Isn't Monday meant to be your day off?
Sunday is my key day off, Monday is also a non teaching day. I am going with Arty tomorrow and after the meeting we are going to have a coffee at a locally well known coffee shop. I have dealt with some of the correspondence tonight so there is not too much admin to do tomorrow.
Sounds like you need a PA ;). Please try to rest tomorrow .....
I wish I could afford one!! H is taking a little of the admin off me, she is now responsible for doing the ordering of materials (she loves spending my money!!). I am hoping when she gets a new phone that I can get her to load the app I use on it which allows me to assign some of the jobs that need doing to another person. I could do it just by telling her but somehow if its still on my list I feel I have to do it.
I do want to rest tomorrow but I really will have to spend a few hours recycling clay so I have enough for the classes as well as stuff that is good enough to throw. I am wondering now how I got by without the pug mill to mix clay!
Well today is going to be a big scary day.... Today is the first time I have ever taken my work to be considered for sale in a gallery.... :s
Thinking of you! Hope it goes well lovely!
(panda). Your work is stunning, I'm sure they'll love it
They will take it on a sale or return basis, with 30% commission. (clap) That is a standard deal for artwork generally so I am quite happy. Now have to get a catalogue together with prices and an agreement to them and then they will have them in the shop for 6 months over the summer.
I did a bit of foot research whilst I was there. There is another gallery about 100 yrds along the road. However it is packed from floor to ceiling with stuff. There is so much stuff in there that you would struggle to compete. Plus no one mans the shop so you have to ring a bell if you want to buy anything. I felt that buyers would be put off a lot of the time by the overwhelming of senses!! My sculptures would have a light airy space on glass shelves which would show them off well in the pier shop.
magie06
30-01-17, 01:58 PM
I hope you get on very well at the gallery Pen. Thinking of you. (panda)
Sounds wonderful, well done :)
Well I wont be doing the clay recycling! I went out to do so and thought "first I will just clean the stuck glaze off the shelf as that is sharp and may hurt someone. I chip some off and then STUPIDLY ran my fingers over the glaze remaining to see how sharp it was. The answer was VERY!! H has steri stripped up the cuts and plastered them but there is no way I can go near wet clay!! For a brief moment I did wonder if I would have to go down the hospital....
magie06
30-01-17, 05:35 PM
Ouch!! Very sore. Take care of your self for the rest of the evening. Have you an out of hours doctor's service if you think you need it?
Yes, what is worst that it was my own total stupidity!!!
What with the early start, lots of nervous adrenaline this morning and the shock of almost chopping the top off my finger, I have been zonked on the bed for three hours listening to my book.
I did have to laugh when I came in yelling for H after I did it. She came down, saw the blood, sat me down with a kitchen towel and asked "where's the chocolate" Thats my girl!! (rofl)
Oh my goodness! I really, really hope it's OK
Yes its fine. Throbs a bit but not painful. Looked worst than it was I think. A doctor once told me that cuts at the tip of the finger are the worst for bleeding. Its more frustrating that it will limit what I can do at work till they heal.
Ah chocolate. The answer to all the worlds ills imho ;)
So everything is going well, business is booming so can anyone explain why at 12:30 at night I am feeling panicky??
I don't want to work tonight. Do you think the 5 students will miss me if I stay in the den?
Of course they'll miss you, you're awesome :). I hope you rest once the class is over
Hope that the panicky feeling doesn't linger. Definitely get some rest in tonight lovely.
I had to teach throwing tonight which was difficult with two fingers bandaged!
Oh no! Did you manage OK? Are you resting now?
Plastic gloves....
Still in the office catching up on admin, but I am on the office sofa with the dogs head on my lap, does that count?
Hope you did get some rest lovely..
Yes, shut everything down about 10 and went to bed. Listened to an audio book and settled down about 11. Got off to sleep around midnight and slept till about 8.
Feeling a bit rocky this morning at the mo, but that maybe just that I am not a morning person and it takes a while to get going!!
Oh and just sold two cows on Etsy!!! (party) That's put a smile on my face....
8 hours sleep is brilliant :)
Glad you slept well lovely.
Yes now I have got myself going I am doing fine. I think the lorazapam last night helped but I get concerned about taking them too often as I don't want to become addicted.
Glad you're doing OK lovely..
Thanks
Just trying to write an agreement for the gallery now. I am getting far too bogged down in admin at the moment. It seems like ages since I did any artwork!
Can you build in some time where you get to do some?
Hopefully today I might be able to get some done. I do need to spend a few hours recycling clay though now that my fingers are getting better
Its one oclock in the morning and I am wide awake and lonely. I was discussing this morning how me and my friend are so different. At 10:30 this morning she was saying how she had been down to the town, had a coffee in a coffee shop, delivered a parcel, been for a swim and bought tickets for her daughters school play. My reply was that I had got dressed!!
I feel that she is like a sports car, she can get going from 0-60 in 30 seconds but by mid afternoon she has burned all her fuel and crashes completely out of spoons. I am like a mini. I get to 60 eventually but don't rush me, once I am there I keep running till late at night.
When I settled down to sleep tonight I just knew that I would not be able to get off. I don't know why, its not as if I am worrying or overthinking stuff, or even particularly excited about anything. It has been a pretty standard week actually so I don't know why I am awake. I have taken a lorzapam about 20 minutes ago so hopefully that will help.
Did it help? Hope you're ok this morning
Yes it did but of course I only got 6 hours and woke feeling still not quite with it. However managed to get up to speed and pug some clay, throw 5 little dishes and create a tiny desert island scene (with hut, two palm trees a hammock, a treasure chest, a raft and a stream all in a dish about 5 inches across. Just grabbing some lunch now
Feeling cold tonight and cant seem to get warm which is a bad sign that I am about to crash. Spent the last hour and a half in bed dozing as I am so tired. Will try and have a rest day tomorrow. Hubby has called by so I have sent him up MacDonalds to get my dinner. :P
Well done, you're seeing the signs and doing what you need to to try to prevent a crash.
Hope you've managed to rest today lovely.....
Yes stayed in bed till midday. Took Ember out and got my tablets. Have lit the fire and am trying to get warm, but my feet are so cold and I feel cold in my soul! I tried to watch some TV but it all irritates me so have turned it off now. May do a bit of drawing in a bit.
We're all feeling cold today too! (bear) Hope you warm up soon x
So do I! I am just so tired today. Cant seem to concentrate on anything today.
Suzi I think I sent you a message did it come through?
You did my lovely, and I have replied ;)
Ah back to work today. 500Kg of clay to store and a load of tail ends of bags to recycle. A day on the pug mill I think!
Stiff as a board tonight! spent 4 hours working the pug mill and wedging clay. Bits of me are complaining that they are not as young as they used to be.
Ouch ..... perhaps a bath might help a little?
I had a hot shower and that helped with the knotting in my back. Who needs a gym when you are a potter??? (rofl)
Lol! Just make sure you get some rest too x
After I had my shower I tried to avoid doing any work. However had to deal with two bookings and a request for information about running a hen party.
But you tried to rest. That's huge! Well done lovely!
(rofl) Bounced out of bed at 7:30 this morning, now ready to go back to it !!!
Will need to get myself going though as I have a lot to do. From looking at the register I could have a lot of people coming. I seem to have overbooked the Tuesday evening group for the end of the month, however not everyone comes each week so I am hoping it will be OK.
I have about 30Kg of clay drying in the studio at the moment and I will need to get it wedged and packed away before the classes to make space. I also have a load of urgent admin to do as well as getting my own pottery done! There wont be much time for rest today!!
Even if it's 5 minutes at a time, it'll help ...
magie06
07-02-17, 11:26 AM
Try to rest.
Just having 5 minutes with a cup of tea and a packet of Maryland Cookies (Crispies with chocolate and coconut!)
Fell asleep on the sofa... (rofl)
Well it has certainly been a profitable day, 16 students across 2 classes! Trouble with having a nap in the afternoon is that I am now wide awake!
I was a rough night, just could not get to sleep until I had unburdened what was in my head onto an email to the Samaritans at 1 this morning. So tired again. I have got Dad coming over at 10 this morning as there is something he wants me to do. Thankfully it art classes today I don't have to do much with them so I can try and catch up on admin and some making of my own.
Try to get some rest today, love
Hope you get some rest lovely x
I am going to have to wedge the clay I pugged and throw 7 plates as well today
Well I wedged up the clay and weighed out 9 blocks of clay ready to throw the plates. The art club are downstairs today so just having a bit of lunch with Ember on the sofa before starting some admin.
Still sounds like you're doing a lot!
Oh yes. I threw 9 17cm plates this afternoon, then a wooden spoon holder for the kitchen. I trimmed 4 dishes and turned one of them into a fancy tea-light holder. I then washed down the wheel and the tables. Then I fetched all the art materials from upstairs for the class. I then sat down to check my calls and emails to find a message from the lady who runs the evening class to say that she had a problem as her Mum had taken a turn for the worst and there was no-one home to look after her so I would have to start the class and possibly (If her consultant husband was delayed in theatre and did not get home soon) I would have to take the whole evening. I had not prepared and so I have bolted my dinner down whilst preparing a lesson. Thankfully she turned up at 7:30 so I only had to teach them for half an hour.
Now working through the admin...
Try not to work too long, lovely
Blimey lovely, you really do need to not work tonight for too long though x
Came in at 9:40 to the lovely sight of a kitchen piled high with dirty dishes so just had to clear that lot up as well... Still I am in bed now and going to listen to my book and do my puzzle.
Hope you sleep well (bear)
Oh love! That always feels more like a kick in the teeth! Hope you are properly resting...
Well I tried but had quite a restless night. Did not actually get properly off to sleep till about 2:30 then woke at 7:30. Now to get the house tidy ready for the cleaner to come. It will be another busy day as we will be unloading the kiln and then there is a dishscape sculpture to glaze. Hopefully H will feel well enough to come back to work today as I need her to make up a batch of a new glaze that I am hoping will be good enough to use on the commission of 7 plates so we need to get a test tile of it into the other kiln today. Aside from that we have about 30 other test tiles to glaze as I am replacing all of them with different shaped ones that indicate the type of glaze that they are.
Sounds like a busy day! Hope you're building in some rest time?
Hope the resting is going well...
magie06
09-02-17, 02:32 PM
How are you now?
Hope the resting is going well...
Ha Ha Ha (rofl)
Just clear glazed 35 pieces of pottery and now about to wedge about 30Kg of clay. Rest??? Whats that??
magie06
09-02-17, 03:26 PM
Take it easy if you can!!
Make sure you do stop tonight lovely....
Make sure you do stop tonight lovely....
I have a class tonight and two of the people are so keen they tend to arrive at about 6:30 even though the class does not kick off till 7! One of the people coming is a newbie on her second week so I have to be in attendance...
When I finally get rid of them at all at about 9:30 I might get a rest! Although there is another group in tomorrow at 10:15 so I will have to make sure the studio is clean and tidy ready for them!
Oh Pen! You need some magic fairies to help you!
Yes if you find some please send them over, if they could come with dustpan and brushes I need some to get into the nooks and crannies of the studio and clean out the dust...
I'm still looking for the house cleaning ones too....
You need a small, long haired cat to wander around and collect the dust for you ;)
Hi folks
Its been a while since I have been here so I thought I would pop on here and let you know what is happening in the mad, mad world of a Somerset potter.
First the BIG news. H and A have finally set a date for their wedding and booked the venue. It will be the 14th October this year and I am regarding the oncoming date with a huge mixture of excitement and fear!
Life has been hectic in the studio in the last 9 days. The airing of the BBC's Great Pottery Throwdown has brought a lot of requests for private one hour lessons and I have been busy dealing with enquiries and of course running the lessons and dealing with the pottery created. Also of course last week (here anyway) was half term so I had kiddies groups to deal with. On Thursday I had 15 children spread across two groups and then in the evening had an adults class as well.
This week is my "catch up" week. There are no classes whilst H and I deal with the aftermath of last week. The kilns will be firing back to back all week to try and get the backlog cleared. On top of that I have big plans of what I want to get done in this "free" week.
Fire the test kiln with some special glazes
Try a raku firing
Make 6 big garden pots/sculptures
Take Dad and my daughter to the garden centre
Take my daughter and myself shopping
Buy a new pair of shoes
Get down the town and pay in the takings
Meet up with some friends
Spend time with my dog on long walks to make up for being so busy this week.
Sort out adverts for the special classes I am running this year
Contact parents about booking kids in for the Easter holidays
Change the bed
Do my washing
Wash all the studio aprons, overalls and towels
Recycle 3 big tubs of clay that are sitting in the garden
Check and order clay for a special task I have set the classes on their return
Empty out the flower tubs in the garden from last summer. ( My garden is all bricked over so I just have a lot of tubs and plants, probably about 50 or 60)
Plant up the baby strawberry plants that have rooted themselves in other flower tubs around the garden.
Plant up the huchera that I bought last autumn that is still waiting for a pot.
Replant a number of plants that need splitting or just repotting
Generally tidy up the garden
Make appointments with the doctor and podiatrist
Do some painting
Sort out my husbands house insurance
Tidy up a particularly messy corner of the studio
Update my online listings of pottery for sale
I have also just won a contract to supply a tourist attraction in the next town with my miniature sculptures so I also want to
Go to the town and get photos and sketches of some of the key features to make more sculptures
Meet a friend for coffee there
Finish off the latest three sculptures
Make a list of the sculptures for sale and prices
Label the sculptures
Deliver the first batch to the centre
Make some more sculptures
So could be busy!!
Wow! I was wondering how you were doing!
Blimey, I think you've written a list there for years, not a week!
How is your mood doing?
Congratulations to H and A!
That's a long list, are you putting resting in there somewhere? That's wonderful news for H & A! Is it going to be a big do? Will they continue to live with you after the wedding?
OldMike
19-02-17, 10:58 AM
Wow you sure are a busy lady, congrats to H & A. (party)
That's a long list, are you putting resting in there somewhere? That's wonderful news for H & A! Is it going to be a big do? Will they continue to live with you after the wedding?
REST!! Don't have time to rest!!!
It wont be a huge do. About 40 to the ceremony and 60 in the evening. The theme is "formal gothic" so H plans on a black wedding dress! I have no idea what I will wear. Arty says she will give me a hand to find something.
Yes they will carry on living with me. They cant afford to do anything else. The only real reason they are marrying is that they want to start a family and H feels they should be an official partnership before they bring a little one into the world.
magie06
19-02-17, 05:01 PM
Congratulations to H and A. A black wedding dress?? Wow!!
That sounds AWESOME! I love gothic!
Sounds amazing I'm another that loves Gothic
Wedding plans have hit a snag. A cant get that date off work.... so back to planning.
Its been a hectic week so far. I have been working my way through the list quite well. Today I have spent the whole day painting my sculptures and a load of test tiles so we can get the kiln on again tonight. I started at 11:30 and apart from a 20 minute stop in the middle of the day I did not stop till 9:45 tonight. I even ate my dinner whilst working out what to glaze next. H has been out there most of the day as well getting a lot of her stuff glazed whilst we have the chance to put our own stuff through. I took another booking for next week so there is no guarantee that we will have much of a chance to fire our stuff again anytime soon. I am hoping to get the sculptures out the kiln on Friday morning so I can take them to the heritage centre for sale.
Tomorrow will be clearing and stock taking although I do hope to be able to get a break and weather permitting do some gardening.
Oh wow! You've done so much! I really hope you get some rest lovely x
How on earth can he not get time off for his own wedding?! That is just not fair at all!
Oh wow! You've done so much! I really hope you get some rest lovely x
Well I have decided that I will take my sculptures on Monday not tomorrow as I had planned so I can give myself some breathing space.
How on earth can he not get time off for his own wedding?! That is just not fair at all!
No its not. Apparently the rule at his place is that in April people agree who is going to be off for main holidays for the coming year. However his boss decided to book a holiday for October without warning any of the other staff. So when A said the date for the wedding she said he could not as she had booked to go away and as he is second in command he has to be there. It was the first any of them knew that she was going away that week.
Will they be able to change the date without losing their deposit?
They had not got as far as the deposit so yes. Trouble is finding another date. The week before would be ideal but someone had booked the venue and the registrar and then cancelled the venue but not the registrar so until the registrar gets written confirmation from the original people she cant be booked for that date. There is a slot the week after but it would mean the ceremony would have to be at 10:30 in the morning. Which would not give H enough time to get ready really and then we would have a long day till the evening event.
Hi, I'm not sure I have posted in the right section.
I really appreciate your works.
A colleague of mine (beginner translator) really enjoys drawing and pottery, he would want someone to appreciate his work. Maybe you could have an eye, if you have some free time of course.
Sure Selena. Do you want to private message me details of where I can see his work?
Yes, immediately as he sends me some good photos.
Thank you.
Hey feeling good enough to post on here today!!!
Have had a couple of good nights sleep and starting to feel a lot better. Looking forward to today. H, A and I are going to take Ember for a walk in a minute then H and I are off to the Mall (well actually Hobbycraft is really our objective!!) for a girls afternoon together. Then tonight H has booked a table for us at a sushi restaurant in town. It is one I have not been to before (and I am a little anxious) but H and A have and they say its fabulous. Hopefully my son J will remember that its mothers day and he is supposed to be joining us at the restaurant but so far he has not responded to H's texts about it!!
It's so lovely to see you in this thread (happy)
Just back from Hobbycraft. Good job I made a lot of money yesterday as I spent it all and then some!!
Just had a fabulous evening with my kids and their partners at a Japanese restaurant. Don't feel I can eat again for a week!
So glad to hear you are sounding much more positive lovely...
Added some more stuff to the emergency self soothe box. a small cross stitch kit a special bath foam, some lavender au de cologne, some fur fabric and special hand cream. I bought a load of nice scrap book paper and so have finally finished covering my box
Can I borrow your box?? It sounds lovely ;)
My problem will be just keeping it for emergencies!!
Pen, if you have some free time, can you please have a look at these drawings of my friend and give your opinion?
http://s844.photobucket.com/user/emeraldlady/media/17105482_1255174484520387_1048492192_n_zpsjeu59xra .jpg.html?sort=3&o=1
Hi Selena
OK what does your friend want from my opinion?
I am happy to give constructive criticism but if that is not what he is after I don't want to disappoint him!
Hi Selena
OK what does your friend want from my opinion?
Yes, he likes drawing and other kind of art, so for him it does matter.
OK
Firstly he has talent but it has a certain naivety that makes me think that he is about 17 years old. He needs to develop a more mature style (I am not talking content here btw just the way he draws)
I would suggest the following:-
Firstly invest in a good quality drawing pad or sketch book and a set of pencils that will give him 6B, 4B, 2B, B and HB. It looks like some of the drawings are on printer paper and one on lined paper out of a notepad. When it comes to drawing its best to get equipped it makes a huge difference to the final outcome,
The picture I like best is the knight. (The 7th picture) That shows more maturity in the style mainly as he has been bolder with his shading. That is lacking in the other drawings. They were obviously done with just a HB pencil. one of the B pencils (6B being the darkest) will allow him to increase the definition between light and dark in the other drawings. (Get bolder...it will make more of an impact!)
The first picture is very flat. This is partly due to the shading but also due to lack of perspective. I would suggest he has a look at some of the online tutorials on perspective to make the drawings feel more natural.
I hope that helps.
Pen, thank you so much for the comment.
He is in his early twenties, he has never studied professional art of drawing, but he likes it and probably hesitates about career in another professional field. He graduated with bachelor degee in Foreign Languages, but thinks it is not his true vocation.
By the way, he is fond of Fantasy genre.
My favourite was the knight too... ;)
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