Here's my lovely jon at our stand at The Big Cake Show, Exeter, it's not a show we would have picked to do but we won best stand in show at The Big Food Show last October. The prize was a free stand and with accommodation provided by some lovely friends it was a cheap show to do. Lucky for us as the crowds weren't mad so with covering the cost of people sorted every sale was profit, unfortunately not everyone was so lucky and a few stands had big loses, particularly the stands selling food. If it's not sold they have no choice but too dump or give away. There was a lovely bakery stand near ours from Teignmouth and they arrange every day for unsold goods to be collected for the homeless, what a great idea!

It wasn't all work, we had a few runs along side an estuary in Exminister, beautiful coast on one side and a bird nature reserve on the other, loaded up with all sorts of birds I didn't recognise and one particularly lovely heron, he was massive. 

Then home and back to a small workshop at my house. These three lovely lades spent the best part of a day making their own ceramic wreath once I'd showed them the various techniques needed. They had a great time and I love their final pieces. It's great to see the techniques interrupted by other people and has given me a few ideas for when I next get chance to make a few decorative pieces.

Here's one of the piece's just finished, they are all drying now in the pottery. Part of the deal is that I will fire and oxide them and then they are ready for posting so not only did they learn the process but they get their piece to keep. Bargain course with lunch thrown in too! 

i've got a large order on and one of the requests was for a red glaze, I'm not normally keen on reds as they can look too man made but I found one I like and here it is sitting with the beige and oatmeal glazes, a great contrast.

I like mixing up the colours/glazes/shapes - personally I think it makes for a more interesting look but everyone is different!

These little guys are being re-fired as I think they could do better with the finish, ready to send off to a lovely restaurant in Cornwall, Number 6 in Padstow, owned by Paul Ainsworth. He's had a load already and wanted more little jugs. They are individual sauce pots, or milk pots, or dressing, madly I only have one in my kitchen, think I'll nick a few spares for me!

Another piece from the workshop, loads of detail layered up on here.