A moment to reflect….

A moment to reflect….

Hi there.

Thanks for popping in. Bleak and drizzly day today in Kent, brightened this afternoon by….

POTTERY !

Who cares whether it’s raining or not when you’re throwing pots?!

To be able to step away for 3 hours, from VAT bills and rental contracts and TV proposals and show prep and shipments and every other business thing which is piled high. To immerse myself in clay and rolling pins and slip and glazes – and something altogether different. That is the key to a calmer head for me.

When the head is in spin cycle, I can either crawl under the covers and switch it off by sleeping, or get busy with my hands. Personally, I prefer the latter, although a little cat nap works wonders too.

So this afternoon, I tidied up a pair of egg cups and saucers which I started last week and added a couple of little spoons to the set. They are going in the kiln tomorrow! Then I tried my hand at moulded bowls – we’ll see how they work out. And then I embarked on a little series of tiles. But rather than rush, I want to do a little research, and make a plan. I was chatting to a co-potter at the table, who said she would really love to be able to sell some of her work. She said that would be a real boost for her, a kind of recognition of her work. And I agreed with her, and suggested she check out Etsy, and Facebook, and all those other selling platforms. “What about you?” she asked. “NO WAY. This is purely for pleasure for fun,” was my response.

Once upon a time, when I worked in a corporate setting, drawing with pen and ink was my go-to solution for fun and light relief. Nowadays, pen and ink = work. Not that I am ungrateful! Not at all! But the thing which was my passion has now become my job. So I have to look elsewhere to make & do. And pottery is perfect for me.

Most of you good people reading this will be avid stampers, parchment crafters, mixed media artists. Those things to you are what pottery has become to me – a hobby, a pastime, a healthy addiction. Same as Dave. I listen to him playing his guitar, composing music every evening. Every single evening. Religiously. It’s his passion, his escape.

What’s yours?

Aren’t we lucky to be creative !

Love & Hugs,

Barb

xxx

26 thoughts on “A moment to reflect….

  1. Hello Barbara

    I know what you mean (not that I have done it) when your hobby becomes your work, you need another hobby. Glad you have your pottery to take your mind off the business for a few hours.

    Love,
    Roz xxx

  2. We all deserve a little “me” time and that includes you. It is lovely that you have found something you enjoy purely for the sake of enjoyment. Fortunately my escapes include all things Clarity as well as cross stitch, knitting, crochet and colouring. My only problem is there are not enough hours in the days to fit it all in. Lol. Xxx

  3. Parchment craft is my therapy. When you said yesterday on your You Tube video that Groovi was so therapeutic, you hit the nail on the head for me.

  4. Well…the York Art Gallery is THE Centre for Ceramic Art (CoCA) and there is heaps of tile art on display (and bowls etc.) check it out online. There might even be a Picasso – learn from the best I say!!
    Love
    Maggie (Yorkite)

  5. Glad you have your pottery. I’ve been Groovi’ng so that’s mine but tomorrow it’s lunch club so I’ll be peeling potatoes and chatting that’s good for relaxing except we’re doing roast tomorrow and we’re out of practice so might have to concentrate a bit ! LOL ! I did a few tonight but it will 200 or so tomorrow ! Look forward to seeing your egg cups etc when they’re finished ! X

  6. Hi Barbara and everyone, we all know what you mean, but in your case it is more .As running a successful business brings lots of things people do not realise.
    Good on you for having some me time we all need that to get away and loose ourselves in other things.
    Looking forward to seeing the next instalment.
    Glad you had a great time.
    Lynn xx

  7. Your passion for pen & ink has given thousands of us our me time so its only right that you take time out for your afternoon of pottery. I too like to do all sorts of crafts but I just find the days don’t seem to be as long as they used to be !! I sit down for half an hour crafting & before I know it the afternoon has gone by.

  8. What a lovely blog! Thanks, Barb. So glad you have some “me time” we all need it. My other escape apart from lovely Clarity, is sewing and I’m loving it too! Hope your bowls turn out just fine another Gray masterpiece! Xxx

  9. You surely need some “me time”. I have been to Flensburg for 3 days and there were no time for blog reading or groovi making. It was some great days anyway. So tomorrow I will make a card for my patents. X Pia

  10. Barbara your egg cup set sounds wonderful. I hope you show us a picture when they’re finished. I tend to knit as well as stamping . You definitely need a hobby to relax and refresh the mind. I wish you many happy hours pottery making and Dave playing his music every night. Bless you both 😁😁😁

  11. Hi Barb,
    I’m so pleased that you are getting so much out of your pottery classes. It is important to be able to step away from the everyday and stressful things and take part in something you enjoy. For Dave it is his music and now you have your pottery. I love my crafting especially Groovi and Fresh Cuts but I also really enjoy knitting especially complicated patterns . However, the thing I’m loving at the moment is my swimming. This started as a necessity when I had to lose weight for my knee op and swimming was one of the few things I could do without damaging my knee further. Now, I get in the pool and swim for an hour and all I have to concentrate on is how many strokes I’m taking in a length and keeping an eye on my Fitbit to tell me how many lengths I’ve done. I’m now aiming for 100 lengths in the hour and am up to 92 so almost there. I get out of the pool tired but very relaxed and proud of myself. Even the lifeguards and other swimmers keep telling me how well I’m doing which is lovely. Looking forward to seeing your new makes and to copy Strictly – Keeeep Potting! Love and hugs,Alison xxxx

    1. Hi bloggy friends,
      Hope everyone is ok. It’s been terrible weather up here today heavy rain and now gales. Hope it’s better where you are. Love and hugs,Alison xx

  12. Crafty things for me are stamping, inky things, mixed media, die cutting and doing paper cuts. I love sitting in the craft room putting on the music and singing along. It relaxes me and definitely helps to reduce stress levels, well, apart from when I have a crafty block! Xx

  13. Glad you are having some “me time” you’ve certainly earned it. You are obvoiusly enjoying your pottery.
    Since I retired there seems to be less time to follow my hobbies, but maybe I have too many!!! The days go by so fast, as do the weeks and months. Having said that, once I start crafting the hours whizz by but when I look at the pile of things I’ve created it all seems worthwhile.
    If there are serious things to do I just have to make sure I don’t pick up a good book because then I’m lost for hours. Still, I have had a magic time with Groovi and Fresh Cut dies making all my Christmas cards. Christmas is organised so the plan is to have a crafty, arty, stitchy relaxing December before the New Year mayhem starts.
    It has been warmer but wetter here today, no sun at all,
    looks like the weekend may be better though.
    xxx

  14. Evening bloggy friends, wet and windy here today. Better when I got home though to find a Clarity parcel waiting for me. Xx

  15. I reckon Groovi & stamping and all things creative should be available on the NHS. My hubby relaxes with his little synthesise music box thingys while I look at my stash and choose a clean & tidy bit of desk to use Groovi……. or a paint stained bit to use my lush oxide inks. Love it all.
    Looking forward to seeing your spoons. They sound like fun to make. I’m filling my “Gray Sale” coasters with parchment squares at the mo. Great fun. And it might make me a fave daughter/ in law in the process…… 🤗

  16. Good for you, making sure you carve out some brain space and keeping it ‘personal’, not professional. I’ve adopted your ‘washing machine head’ terminology, and mine seems to be building its spin cycle at the moment, which means I’m not sleeping properly.
    Sadly this means I don’t have the energy to craft (which is part of what’s niggling as I want to work on Christmas presents and cards), and end up crashing on the sofa – which in all honesty is probably what my body needs.
    Thank you for helping us ‘keep it real and honest’, and reminding us to do what’s right for us, not just living up to others expectations.
    Love, Claire x

  17. So glad for you that you are relaxing and enjoying your pottery class. You need to get away from your work as does Dave, its lovely that you have found something you both enjoy. My get away is my Groovi, although I love the dies and stamping, I relax more with groovi, actually I have made mostly groovi xmas cards this year. Pete’s get away is his Flight Sim. xxx

  18. I’m glad the pottery is giving you some ‘me’ time Barbara, and that you are enjoying it so much. The egg cups, saucers and spoons sound great, and hopefully we will be able to see them when they are finished. My other hobby besides cardmaking is singing which I have done since my school days. I have a concert on Saturday and am hoping it goes well as we have a new MD and it is her first outing with us. x

  19. Hello Barb, we all need something to escape to, from the daily trials, work and issues. I am so glad you started on your pottery and can escape for a few hours. I am sure it is very enjoyable listening to Dave make music as well. My escape, when I can is my stamping, card making, just being creative, rather than sitting in front of a PC all day, sorting out someone else’s problems, working for a boss. Take care all, and enjoy whatever you do to get away from it all. Bx

  20. Dear Barbara
    I’m so glad you’re enjoying your pottery class and using that as an escape! Can’t wait to see what you have done with your makes this week!
    As for me I just love to craft… Anything and everything really! I do spend a lot of time crafting now I’ve retired from my teaching but when I was working it was my way of escaping from the stresses and frustration I faced at work!
    I think my real therapy is going to Maria’s workshop once a month and also another mixed media group I’m in. Its meeting up with like minded people doing what I love that really makes me feel alive!
    Have a great day! Love and hugs! Xxx

  21. It is so important to have a hobby which you enjoy, especially for someone like you, who constantly runs on all cylinders. Crafting and Groovi have been my lifeline since I retired and especially when I lost my mum and found it so difficult to deal with. Not only does it relax me and give me joy, but through it I have met some lovely people who have enriched my life.
    Your kids will be so impressed when they come home and have their boiled eggs served in handmade egg cups! Hugs. Annette X

  22. Hello Barbara – my go to way to relax is a good book. Loosing yourself in the story and completely being absorbed by it. These days it’s usually when I go to bed. Christmas is already starting to stress me out, even though I’m organised. A bit behind with making the Christmas cards, but know I will catch up in the next couple of days. Crafting always relaxes me, love getting lost in the whole process. Glad you have discovered your way to relax. Lots of love Donna X

  23. I am glad you are still loving your pottery. Reading was always my thing but pleased a friend introduced me to care making and what else that led to which at The moment seems to b e collecting craft supplies. My husband loved playing with computers until that evolved into his career and now he’s not keen at all to tinker in his spare time so I know what you mean

  24. Parchment craft is my go to to chill out
    But a do love die cutting and although I am not a good stamper I love having a go
    Hugs. Xx

  25. I also love pottery. I find it very therapeutic. Time passes very quickly when I am at the studio making. I like lots of other crafts as well. Glad you are enjoying pottery Barbara. Hope it continues for a long time.

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