Redecorated showroom for 2012

A Happy New Year

 to all who follow this blog.

I was supposed to taking a two week break

from Christmas eve, but after a week

I was itching to get back.

We started news years day by coming into the showroom

and getting on with the business of redecorating.

If you've followed this blog for some time you will remember that

two years ago I built these two Dresser units from Scaffold planks

They have been great, but I think they look a bit grubby now.

So I added some new backs to them and Marion

Painted them with a white wash. 

Much better I'm sure you will agree. 

I've also painted the walls a slightly warmer colour

This wall is Farrow & Ball Farrows Cream watered down

painted on then scrubbed with a scouring pad. 

You may have noticed we have taken out the top shelf in both units

and then added some lights. 

 This is the finished effect.

 and here with some pots on.

 So it's a new start to the year with a new look

My hope is that it has raised the level of the showroom

and here is the overall effect.

A new showroom now all I have to do is make some pots

to fill it.

But That will start next week.

Tiz The Season to be Jolly

I was looking through my pictures

to put together a blog about the best pots of 2011

But I noticed just how many pictures there

were of us in some kind of pub or event this year.

So as One Door opens

I decided to walk through it and show you these instead

If you have seen the new video on the web site

http://www.barringtonpottery.com/

You may recognise some of these faces and partners in crime. 

 above Pat & Ian

Below

Wendy & Martin

 This one includes Young Guy

We Even met Elvis this Year. 

 Ian in another Pub

 Me with Daughter Laura in the Bar

at The National Theatre.

 another pub in London this time

Doug Fitch 

with the Love Daddies Playing at a Pub in Devon 

 Happy chap

In the Duke of York, Shepton Beauchamp.

 and some times when a pub is not at hand

we improvise.

and some times we improvise in style 

and some times we don't 

 and this is in the Local

some times it's such a struggle to walk the 120 yards to the pub

and even harder to walk the 300yds back home.

David Bowie in the Duke of York

This chap was Brilliant. 

 Now that's what you call a Pub.

 We even had some entertainment in Bristol

I don't remember what Marion was drinking but

look what it did to her hand.

and some times we had to sneak out quietly 

 But at the end of the day

We Just wanted to say that we have had a Fantastic year

and

We wish all of our Blog Followers & Customers

a

Very Happy Christmas 

and a prosperous New Year.

New Video on the web site

Hi Just a Quick Post to let you know we have just added a short video to the home page of the web site

Thanks to our good friends and Neighbours Pat & Ian, Wendy & Martin for being sports and coming in and having a taster session. It didn't last as long as the session in the pub afterwards.

any way have a look at let us know what you think.

Also a Big Thank You to Marion's

Son Nathan for his patience in filming me all day.

http://barringtonpottery.com/index.php?route=common/home

Another post tomorrow I think.

with a bit of a look back over the past year.

Pictures you should have seen, and a mug you don't want to see.

OK I have to hold my hand up

and say I have been a tad lax on the blog recently.

I've finished all of my Christmas orders today

now it's all down to the kiln gods to make sure

both glaze firings go without a hitch.

So Feeling good

here are some pics you should have seen.

Below is Nathan, Marion's son

who came down and spent a whole day filming with me

back in November.

we did a promo for the web site

and my bit of the filming for the film idea

that we did with Doug Fitch last year.

And I can't believe I haven't put these two sun set pictures up

that I took in November.

The top one looks like the sun is to close for comfort.

These two pictures of this mug still make me want to scream.

Can I make one just like this

the customer said !!!!

"Why would I want to?"

I said.

Can you believe someone came into my workshop

expecting me to make one just the same as this one.

I told him it was as far away from what I make as can possibly be

he said it has sentimental value.

I'm glad of that

because it's worth bugger all in it's current state.

He rang me the next day

and asked if I would make my version of it !

On a lighter note

I went out looking for some leaves to put on a pot today

and found this Deer foot print right outside my workshop door.

it must have sneaked past when I was busy.

Or is it Reindeer?

I have been a very good boy this year Santa !

Bowl Fest

It's not all plain sailing here at Barrington Pottery

I am having some issues that are all of my own doing

which makes them all that more frustrating.

This is a trial for a bowl that will eventually be made to fit in the font

at St Mary's church Barrington.

This one is 17" wide, but the font is 22" wide. 

It has cracked in the base and around the foot rim. 

and the slip has peeled off the rim.

I left it to late before applying the slip

and the pot rim was to dry. That's all down to me, and it's something

I knew at the time.

This bowl below was also to dry to slip the way it was ordered

so I just did some Buckley style slip trailing and saved the dish. 

This was supposed to be a live simply bowl, also ordered

but once again this had dried to much to apply the green slip to the rim.

So I gave it a simple finger swipe in wet slip. 

This was an earlier bowl with a design I call horizon. 

and if I'm having a bowl fest

I might as well chuck in a picture of this

black bowl. 

None of these were what they were supposed to be

so I'm working on the orders yet again.

cutting it fine I know but I seem to work better under pressure.

( did I really just say that )

I'm a liar !

 I hate pressure.

Dunster Castle Candlelight Day Two.

Day two at Dunster Castle started of at a much

more sedate pace.

The stand was all set up apart from a few minor changes

one of which was the introduction of a floodlight

at the front of the stand.

We were able to use a table from the castle that helped to set off the pots

in this fantastic location. 

I remembered to take a stool to sit on today

and can you spot Marion

who was here to help me today, she

"Say's Hi Bloggers. "

This local bread maker set up a stall on day two

just perfect stuff.

we were just opposite a local farmer with his stall

selling steak burgers

the smell was great and they tasted even better.

Sorry the picture is a bit blurred

I hadn't had a drop to drink Honest. 

Here is a picture of the walk down the hill from the castle

to the town.

The event really gets going about 4.30pm

and carried on until 9.30pm

It was very very busy and we did very well.

We both got stuck in to selling and being very pro active

promoting the workshop and showroom.

but we both realised that people were looking for bargains

so at some points we would have been good at selling second hand cars.

but it did the job and we had some fun with some of the customers.

We had a private bet on a stupidest hat competition.

and I gave a ginger bread man tree decoration to anyone

who I felt looked stupid enough.

I gave out 5 

No pictures that would just be cruel. 

Back at Barrington Court today

for the Antique Fair.

I was trying to describe how busy it is at the moment

and I said

 " it's like being in a Super Mario computer Game".

Dunster Castle Candlelight Day One.

Well we have survived the first Night at Dunster Castle

It's a great place for a show.

But an awkward space to make work

it's only just over 5ft wide

with an uneven cobbled floor and very difficult to light. 

as you can see you could almost do with a torch at the front of the stand.

( that's not a bad Idea ) 

The back of the stand is bright enough

I've put a slice of tree we had in the garden over the top of

the water trough at the back so we can use the space. 

Plenty of people we worked it out to be about 200 per hour

You can tell we were once both sales reps.

Sales got off to a storming start, but then fell away a bit

but we did OK 

I took a short break later on and walked through the town. 

It was drizzling but still had a great feel about it. 

all the houses and shops have candles in the windows

and there is loads of places to eat and drink.

we are there again today Saturday 3rd December

from 1pm - 9.30pm.

Come on Down.