Leonie and a Pottery Circus !
Hi there.
Thanks for popping in. Loved watching Leonie work her magic with these wonderful new round and open stencils. That’s why they‘re called CIRCUS, you know. Circus is Latin for ring, circle. And when you look at these fantastical ring stencils, the words Happy and Circus certainly spring to mind – without acrobats and clowns!
Then there were those cheeky stamps! How cool they are! So very Leonie! Very popular too…..
Now those Grey board sets are pretty special, too. I want to try them out. I haven’t done a lot with grey board, but I like the look of these….
Yes. Thank you so much for watching and supporting Leonie. She works so hard, that woman. Her enthusiasm is infectious.
I’m getting very excited about potterpotterpottery tomorrow! Woohoo! It’s a Saturday off – and it’s RAKU! I have made several little pots to fire up tomorrow, so I will show you how they turn out tomorrow evening.
I went the other day, but wasn‘t in the right frame of mind. I had woken up anxious that day, and just couldn‘t shake it. I guess we have days like that from time to time, don’t we? Well, I do! But Eunice the teacher just nudged me gently, plopped a lump of clay in front of me, and just said “Make a pair of birds.” So I did.
Here’s how you make birds out of clay. Brace yourself…
And guess what?! Within half an hour I was fine. The cloud had lifted, the little birds were sitting on the ready-to-be-fired-shelf, and I was content with the world again.
THAT, my friends, is the power of art, of craft, of getting out of your head and getting with your hands. it works every time. You just have to let go of the rubbish in your head, and focus on what you are doing with your hands. Those two little birds saved the day – they really did.
What was I anxious about? No idea now. Which is another lesson actually. If I can’t remember now what it was that was causing me so much anguish then, it can’t have been that crucual, eh!
Oh! And one more little Pottery newsflash.. the fat friend! The tall skinny vase’s mate! Remember him?
I blimming love it. I cannot tell you how rewarding and fulfilling pottery is for this old bird. Oi !! Less of the old, Gray !!!!
But now I must crackle on and do a bit more work.
Until tomorrow,
Love and hugs,
Barb xxx
24 thoughts on “Leonie and a Pottery Circus !”
Oh I just love love love those little birds. I also love your fat friend too. It is weird isn’t it how just doing something arty/crafty and losing yourself can push away the grey clouds and bring us back into the sunshine. Looking forward to seeing those birds once fired. xx
Hello Barbara
What’s the egg yolk doing in the top of your pot, lol?
Glad the pottery helped to calm you. We missed our picnic in the car yesterday but glad the shows blew the doors off.
Love
Roz.xxx
I love seeing your pottery gems. It is so good that you have found something that calms that panic and washing machine brain. I reckon you need more of that time just for you to let go. Perhaps you could add a pottery department to the Clarity retirement home we all need. Can you imagine what a pain we would all be without our crafting, especially as these places do not allow pointed things – no scissors, no perforating tools – nightmare! xxx Maggie (Silvercrafter)
Love the pot and the birds are wonderful. Enjoy your Raku. Great stamps. The stencils are too big for me. Can you shrink the love one to 5 inches, please? (I bet there is someone who can!) Then it is a summer flower and a Christmas snowflake.
Fabulous work Barbara. So glad it helped you get your head into a good place. Just catching up with Leonie’s shows after work.
Just got back from a few days away, certainly we were lucky with the weather. I am now catching up with all things Clarity including my happy post !!
I just love your little birds, what a great process to get them to the firing stage & the little fat friend is fantastic.
Hello Barbara – Ooh, how I love that pot. Been waiting to see the finished piece. My mind works the other way. Too much stress affects my crafting, which has been the case for the last two days. Left my job 6 weeks ago and still haven’t been paid!!!! Being running myself ragged trying to get my former manager to strong arm payroll. Finally they are sorting it out. Life, hey, finally managed to concentrate enough to finish my mother in laws mothers day card, after three attempts I might add! On that note have a lovely weekend lots of love Donna X
I saw some of Leonie’s early show but had to go out , but will definitely catch up later. Your pot looks fantastic Barbara, and the birds are such a great shape, so look forward to seeing them after they have been fired. It’s good to get away from the stresses and strains and do something you love, and even if you felt like the mojo had left the building it soon returned. x
I would love those birdies! So cute and your pot is gorgeous too – the colour and texture on it is just lush! Good to see you enjoying it and not work work work all the time. I’ve had hubby record Leonie’s shows and hope to catch up over the weekend and then next week I shall purchase the stencils and boards and masks, I’m not sure about the sentiments as they are a bit outside of my usual and not sure I would use them.
Have a lovely weekend our lovely Barb xx
Wow that is fantastic
I love Leonie’s stencils. I am a huge mandala fan and these are just like little mandalas! I’m so glad you have your pottery Barb, the little birds are beautiful. I think of them as a pair of beautiful robins 💖 I’m inspired by the way your teacher got you out of your brain fog by getting you to make them. Perhaps I should give it a try myself. I’ve had a tough week and need to get my head in gear! Currently working on some doodling to clear my brain fog!
Love your little birds, Barbara. Glad you were able to lose yourself in your crafty world. I know what it is like to feel anxious and not know the reason but crafting certainly helps. So does meeting a friend for coffee at 10.30am and coming out of the coffee shop at 3.15pm which I did yesterday! Enjoy your weekend. xx
Missed Leonie this morning – overslept. Best night’s sleep I’ve had in ages !!! Will have to catch up later.
Pots look great, so clever of you.
I have completed the reorganisation of my craft room and now have a Clarity corner all to itself, and the rest of my gear put like with like, so much easier than having to hunt for something you know you’ve got but can’t find. Lots of work but well worth it’probably why I was so tired.
Have a good evening 🍒🍒🍒
Thanks for sharing your pottery journey with us. Love those little squat birdies! Still trying to catch up with all my recorded Clarity shows but need to watch the MasterChef final now. Love that show! So creative in a different way.
Wow does it look great bet your chuffed and little birds look great to craft does help us push through those tuff days and you got two beautiful little birds to prove it brilliant. Enjoy your extra class tomorrow xx
Hi Barb,
Wow, your pot is fantastic! Well done you. The little birds are sweet too. Pleased you came out in a better frame of mind. Craft has a way of doing that doesn’t it ( although occasionally it can make things worse like if you have spent hours on a piece of parchment only to ruin it by pouring sticky ink all over it – how does she know this!) . I had a lovely couple of hours making a stash of cards today with my foiling machine. I’ve finally worked it out and I really enjoyed it although it still comes behind my Groovi and fresh cuts. Missed Leonie’s shows but will catch up over the weekend. Love and hugs Alison xxx
Loved the birds, and your bigger piece too, you are right about craft getting your head straight, thanks for all that you do, and happy pottering. Parchy Hugs to all. X
Hello Barb, love your fat pot, can’t wait to see them displayed together. As for your little pair of birds, they are gorgeous too. Leonie is just awesome, her enthusiasm is infectious and inspiring. Loved the stencils and the stamps. Just have to hold back on the spending for a while. Take care all. Enjoy pottery today Barb. Bx
Hi Barbara
I missed leonis shows but plan to watch them on catch up over the weekend. Oh wow I love your pot, you would pay a small fortune for it in a posh shop wouldn’t you. I think it will take pride of place at home. Your little birds are lovely too, what a great way to sort your head out. Enjoy your crafty day today, just what you need before the madness that is next week.
Love Diane xxx
Oh Barb your pottery has come on in leaps and bounds and looks soooo good. Guess we lose ourselves in craft when we have an off day or are anxious but that’s work for you, so pottery is your saviour.
Time out for yourself is precious. Are you taking orders for the birds , I love them. I also like the stencils, I did not know about the meaning of circus but Fred did and gave me a history lesson. Lol. X
Amazing , love reading after your pottery antics, the two little birds look adorable – there’s nothing like losing yourself in some crafting. I attended a pyrography workshop recently and thoroughly enjoyed it, having lost my dear Dad just the week before it was wonderful to just lose myself for 3 hours, the other bonus is that I’ve found another use for my stash of stamps and stencils and groovi plates xx
oops reading about – brain tired xx
Love your birds, and you make it sound so easy but know it isn’t! Think you have a natural flare for it.