So here we are finally after a long day on Thursday, teaching, driving and then setting up at the show!

We meet this lovely lady, Ping was the winner of Master Chef last year and used our bowls in her demonstrations which was great. Her food smelled great and she brought some bowls for her home too.



And we got told today that we won this! The prize is a free stand at the next show, that's a great prize.



Meet lots of lovely people too so very happy.

What a week! Loads happening every day and lots of exciting developments. It was a real pleasure to meet Marcus and Jenny Bean earlier in the week and he gave us a copy of his cook book. We'll be at Exeter with Marcus demonstrating on the Sunday.

I finished a comission piece for a wedding in a week! Fast turn around arrived solely because the kilns is constantly firing.

The Sytch Farm Studios stamp is on the back with a hand written message.



And here is part of our new stand, I'll add photo's from Exeter.




And then I find us in The Great British Food magazine, bonus!






And tonight a quick photo shot of a 'Shooting Board'

Is it still under a year since I started 'thinking about' making the pottery into a business? It seems crazy now with everything that has happened, and keeps happening, but there's still the everyday stuff to do as well. Like cleaning out the chickens, a lot more often too since the new guys arrived! 

Popped down to the fab Entertaining Elephants today  to re stock, beautiful stuff, got myself a treat too, easily done with the range Jo offers.

It's been a bizarre weather week too, one minute beautiful sunshine and quick as a flash massive down pours, I would n't mind too much but still trying to replant and move plants in the garden. At least it was dry when a ton of clay from St Agnes arrived, beautiful soft white stoneware!

And a few quick photo's of products before sending down to the editor of 'Delicious' magazine, wow, now in this magazines Christmas Gift Guide section, what the?

 I opened the fridge to find these this morning, hence Jon being very cheffy tonite!

Which is lovely after a long but great day on Sunday at Marcus Beans Shropshire Bake Off.

Don't think you could of asked for better weather and it got hot! 

Best burgers ever for lunch, what else did we expect?!

We've had a busy few days but it's all been good. We left for The Hand of Flowers straight after work on Thursday evening, this was our room.

We meet Tom and had a quick chat before going in for dinner which was amazing and we got birthday messages on our puds!

After dinner we got to see the kitchen and meet this guy Nick who is the head chef and talked bowls and boards with him, nice guy.

Had our first lie in for months, still up at half eight but that felt like ages! And had my first day off for ages, actually did no work which hasn't happened for months, spent the day at The Cotswold Wildlife Centre which was fab, beautiful grounds and loads of animals.

They have this amazing giraffe house which you walk above the height of the giraffes so you get really close, close enough to touch if you were allowed!

And then home, straight back to work, set up the stand so could pack what is needed for The Bake Off at Brompton Cookery School, outside Shrewsbury with Marcus Bean.. 

Off for a lie down! Stroll on tomorrow!

We walked out in a moody early evening to take a look at the latest tree Jon has got for the business, I don't think you could get materials much closer to home, through the first field, cross two more and there it is.

A massive oak tree that came down in the winter storms. It's a beautiful piece of timber, really straight.

The dogs took the chance to have a dip whilst we were there

More of the length and branches, this tree will get planked and left to season before we can make it into products.

And home in a the last of the sunshine.

Here are some lovely photo's taken by my friend, I'll add his website details when he sends me them!

The set above as you know are available on Country Living's General Store.

I'll be adding the Condiment Set above as time allows, seem to have full days and nights right now.

Below are the breakfast/soup bowls in the 'soft blue' and 'cornish ware' glazes. I particularly like these bowls. I like throwing them and eating from them, the depth is bang on for me but I know everyone has their own idea.

 I'm finalising in my mind how supplying chef's and catering businesses could work.

If you look back through previous posts you'll see I make bowls in all sorts of sizes, dipping bowls, tapas, breakfast, vegetable serving and large salad/fruit bowl.

I'm going to measure the sizes again and offer businesses the opportunity to select the sizes they want in the clay and glaze finishes they prefer, this is exactly how Tom Kerridge orders and it makes sense.

They can then choose the clay body, buff, white or black and the internal glaze finish, soft white, shiny white, clear, blue, gloss brown etc. There's also the possibility to make specific shapes etc.

It's an idea that's brewing but when I meet my next Chef I'm going to talk it through more, but it's all possible,  I will have to have a minimum order number of bowls in any given clay, ten say, as the wheel will need cleaning each time I change clay but it gives everybody loads of options.

There's also the idea of small tokens when the meal is finished, like the smallest version of these Christmas hearts. There was a restaurant near us that used to give the ladies little presents at certain times of the year, Xmas, Mother's Day, Valentines etc and it was a great personal touch. I could make the small tokens for the same idea.

Any other ideas anyone?

 My Jon's been using one of the ammonite tokens as a key ring, maybe that could be a Father's Day present?

I've got the first half of Tom's order done and the second half is biscuit firing tonight but I'll either post that or take it down in a few weeks.