Bring on 2017, it can't come soon enough for me.

If You Know Me

You will know that I am a very positive and cheerful person.

But what 2016 has thrown at us has literally taken me to the edge

of the cliff.

I peered over the edge and didn't like what I saw.

I started the Year with a Double Heart Attack

which landed me in Hospital and lead to this picture of my legs 

in by hospital bedside gown. which caused quite a stir at the time.

I had a number of comments about them.

It took the wind from my sails and I felt as if I was drifting

without a rudder for a while. 

For me the only way to get back on track was to start making my basic core pots. 

 It took me a lot longer to feel at ease again on the wheel

mainly because it took me around 6 months of juggling my medication

around before I felt I was in full control again. 

 So I've been trying to get the balance between working and resting.
I pulled out of a number of shows we were due to attend to take the pressure off.

So now I'm trying to rest up but it just doesn't seem to be happening.

Sales seemed to fall off a cliff once the whole Brexit campaign trail

started rolling and we had major problems with the kilns

on the run up to our First Major show of the year at 

Earth and Fire at Rufford Abbey.

earthandfireceramicfair.co.uk

which meant we had to re fire the big kiln two days before

the show started. so we had to open the kiln at 4am

when it was 220 degrees. load them in the car

and we finally arrived at the show 45 minutes before it started.

It proved to be the day the vote was announced

I just could not believe it!

It had a huge affect on our sales and it proved to be our worst show ever!

Luckily for us we had a Holiday planned at our friends villa in Spain.

It couldn't have come soon enough

we were both totally exhausted

and we actually did nothing for the whole week. 

But we came back with renewed vigor and set about making some changes.

a new colour I had been thinking about for a long time

and we cracked on with a National Trust order

which was going to make up for the lack of sales in the showroom

and at the show. 

Thank God we took this on this year, we would never have survived without it.

( I put this bit in for all the purist's out there that think if you make pots for big orders 

you are selling out in some way. I know one thing, making this amount of pots

has actually made me a better potter ).

"It's not selling out its called survival in a very difficult trading year". 

Luckily we have great friends who give us encouragement.

and we have taken out more time from the workshop

to spend relaxing with them.

We also lost our Best friend Cadbury who's heart also failed him this year.

It's been hard to take

and even harder to start writing about it!

So we move on.

and we look to the future.

I have plans to start reusing my Gas Kiln in the back garden at home

So I've decided to build myself a new workshop

at Home. we started with dismantling the old shed.

and so far that's as far as I've got. but watch this space in 2017.

It would appear my new colour is spot on trend for 2017

and we hope to be able to show them off well at

artinclay.co.uk

Not everything in 2016 has been all bad

My Youngest Daughter Sarah gave us our first beautiful Granddaughter

into the Family to go with the 4 boys from Marion's Children

so that's been the highlight of the year!

Our National Trust order has enabled us to replace one of

our oldest kilns with a brand new one.

We Now have 3 fully working kilns. for now!

So for us it's been a strange year full of mixed emotions

highs and lows

and all we have done is keep our heads down and got on with it.

the past few months have been crazy busy and we are now

taking some time out to re charge our batteries for 2017

I Wish You All a Very Happy New Year.