A visit to Kinsale Pottery - part one

Last weekend I was lucky enough chance to do something I've ALWAYS wanted to do
I finally got to use a potters wheel.

Myself & Lorna (my daughter) took a trip to the beautiful town of Kinsale and  took part in a one day pottery taster workshop at Kinsale Pottery and Arts Centre. I wish I'd taken more photographs especially of the gallery and the views.....
We did get SOME photos though (thanks to Lorna) and I'd like to share a few of them with you.

The workshop and gallery are located in a lovely spot just outside the village, its owned and run by the very charming Adrian.
When we walked into the toasty warm pottery studio on Sunday morning we were confronted by a pottery wheel that had been 'decorated' by a hen party the previous week...

My 16 year old daughter has never seen 'Ghost' and come to think of it its been YEARS since I have,

Hmmmmmm!!! I think maybe its time to rent that movie again!

Ok, so we had a little tour and a chat about what some ceramics terms, we oooohed and ahhhhed over some of the pieces left behind by more 'serious' students and then

We got stuck in !

Firstly we made a little wall plaque each ....

After the colour was added

Lorna made a lovely 'welcome' sign .

Whilst everyone was working away on our individual plaques we all got a chance to take a break and throw a small bowl or mug on the wheel .

Our two mugs are the upturned ones !

Lorna was super fast a finishing her plaque so she made a little Harry potter inspired ball.

After lunch we were free to make a larger piece.
Lorna made a fantastic wizard ...

And I made a (not quite so fantastic) Lighthouse for the garden...

Here's Adrian our tutor tidying it up !!!

They will be glazed and fired and we can collect them all next week,
I can't wait to see what they'll look like glazed.
I will be sure and post some pictures when we get them back !

Siubhan x x x

Wash-Day Blues

The title of this post may be a bit of a misnomer, considering no one single day is 'wash-day' in the CraftLee House .... every day is washday !
The last few days have been a busy time in the laundry after a trip to my family in Donegal this weekend.

Heres a really beautiful shot of Errigal, Co Donegal (the second highest mountain in Ireland) taken by my old friend (the super tallented) John Rafferty, marine photographer.

oh!!! & I can't resist posting another one John's photos of the fantastically named 'Poisioned Glen'

Isn't that beautiful?

Back to the Wash-Day Blues....I seem to have spent a lot of time washing, drying, ironing folding and putting away since I've come home.
I even sorted through the odd-sock pile yesterday... Where oh! WHERE do they all come from ?!
Somehow I always imagine that all the mates to my ever increasing collection of odd socks are off somewhere sunny having waaayyyy more fun than the poor socks that are left behind !
Does anyone out there have a crafty idea to use up a waist high pile of odd socks?

Anyway I've been dying to call a post 'Wash-day Blues' just for an excuse to share with you  some cotton facecloths I made.....Taa Daa!!

Not quite as impressive as the Poisioned Glen I grant you, but much handier for washing your face with !

Two simple crochet squares made from two 'odd' balls of cotton I picked up in France last summer.
I followed the pattern from 'Cute and easy crochet' by Niki Trench

Out of my yarn stash & into the batroom....

A very quick project I made two in one night !



I'm off now to soak one of these puppies in cool water

(or maybe some ice-cold Sauvingon Blanc) 

& drape it over my tired eyes after a long day in front of the computer!

Thanks for visiting !

Siubhan x x x