phew

So, the Caversham Arts Trail is over for another year. Thanks to everyone who made it out and for all the lovely comments. You can see some lovely pics from the weekends over on Lauren's blog: www.laurenceramics.blogspot.com

I have work over at the Runnymede Gallery until the end of this month.

Unrelated to all that, on Saturday I went to the Dollhouse Show in Kensington to go look at loads of miniature things. It was amazing, everything you could imagine in miniature! I have two tiny bears and I thought they needed a chair and now they have their very own park bench. Oh and I saw another mini bear who was just too amazing to be left behind, so now I have three tiny bears. Here's a pic of my grumpy little bears on their little park benches. With a pound coin in front to give an idea of size...

Plenty to do

So, if you're at loose ends about what to do this weekend, there's plenty to choose from:

Runnymede Gallery Exhibition - modern jewellery by me, Jane Tadrist, Dana Kidson and Jo King. The opening reception is on Saturday from 12 - 4pm. Follow the link for the address...

Caversham Arts Trail - open 7 & 8 May and 13 - 15 May. Opening reception at Albert Road Day Centre in Caversham from 10.30 a.m. You can download and print a map of the Arts Trail here: http://tiny.cc/z980n


There is also another fantastic Third Thursday event coming up on May 19th. Please click here for more information.

It's been a busy week already, getting ready for all the shows. I also have a couple of new items added in my case in the foyer at South Hill Park if you happen to be going there.
Classes have started again, so it's all go!
Hope everyone is enjoying the fabulous weather, long may it continue!! :-)

Caversham Arts Trail

Caversham Arts Trail coming soon - 7 & 8 May and 13, 14 & 15 May
Here's our lovely spread in Craft & Design Magazine! Click for a bigger view...

Caversham Arts Trail

Will be 7 & 8 and 13-15 May... here's the flyer!! Click for a larger view....

time flies

It has been incredibly busy again and I find it hard to believe that tomorrow is March! It was just Christmas! This past weekend was eventful. Saturday I helped out in the morning with our Caversham Artists show in Kings Walk in Reading town centre. It was a lovely show and the opening especially, as one of the Third Thursday events, was very well attended. My next show will be the CAT (Caversham Artists Trail) in May.
Then yesterday I taught a one day ring course over at South Hill Park. The idea was for beginners to make their very own ring, which indeed they did, and some even managed to walk away with an impressive four rings at the end of the day! It went well but I was pretty knackered by the time I got home. But today it's back into the fray and I have loads to do as usual.
The weather has been so dreary and the garden is all dark so I also bought a bunch of lovely mini daffodils over the weekend. From one day to the next they flowered like mad, they look super cute. I'm not a great gardener, but hopefully I'll plant them soon to get some colour into the garden.
Anyway, I leave you with a photo of a stack ring I completed recently...

King's Walk Saturday 26th

It's been busy around here again - and more coming up! Firstly Caversham Artists will have our show open again this coming Saturday the 26th in King's Walk in the centre of Reading. Come and have a nose around if you're in town! The opening night last Thursday was lovely, with lots of people milling about and enjoying the live music (and wine)!
This week is half term, but on Sunday I'm teaching a day course on how to make a ring over at South Hill Park. In the meantime, I'm hoping to get a bunch of items finished today. The aim is to finish a ring that I've started on and also a pendant which has some pesky firestain.
There's still time to vote for me in the Craft & Design Selected Awards (you can vote at the bottom of the page here: www.craftmaker.co.uk/machidewaard).
It's such a gloomy day out, I think I need a lot of tea to get going. At least I've cleaned my desk and put up a sign that says "Keep Calm and Carry On"...surely that will help....

Third Thursday

My next event as part of the Caversham Artists will be taking place on 17th February 2011 at Kings Walk, Kings Street, Reading, RG1 2HG from 5.30pm until 9pm. Why not come along, we would love to see you there.

As part of the Third Thursday events for one evening only the shop windows will come alive, you will see demonstrations from artists, have the opportunity to talk to the artists and purchase the art work on show, all in the ambient surroundings of Kings Walk through sponsorship by London and County.

There will be musical entertainment, wine tasting from Award Winning local Organic Wine Merchant, Vintage Roots and The Third Thursday team will be on hand to talk about the partnership project between Reading UK CIC, jelly and the future arts events.

Our next event after the Third Thursday will be the Caversham Arts Trail on 7th & 8th and 13th-15th May 2011. There will be 15 venues with 31 exhibitors. Click here to see who is taking part.

(thanks Lauren Ceramics for this text and image!)

teaching again

This week teaching starts again at South Hill Park - have lots of plans and things to show, so besides some small preparations to go, I'm ready for that! Went and had a look at the Caversham Artists' show yesterday, lovely location and very nice display too. Sorted out a bunch of stuff yesterday so now just need to knuckle down today so the week doesn't get too hectic. It's going to be busy though, with the teaching and meeting people and the engraving course on Wednesday! I'm updating Etsy and Folksy, adding things a day at a time. I've been adding things that I already had but hadn't been on either site yet. Soon I'll start adding new items (some I have to wait because I still need to get them hallmarked). So here are a couple of photos of washi earrings now up on Etsy & Folksy:

Caversham Artists autumn show

Caversham Artists' next show will be taking place on Saturday 18th (11-6pm) and Sunday (12-6pm) 19th September 2010. The exhibition is housed in Mays Barn, a historic 17th century brick & flint building tucked away in the garden of 234 Peppard Road, Emmer Green, RG4 8UA.

Check out the details here: http://cavershamartstrail.co.uk/

Caversham Arts Trail

Yesterday was the last day of the Caversham Arts Trail for this year. Copious amounts of tea were had, cake was eaten, pots were made, earrings were created, and visitors said they really enjoyed seeing the locals artists! Here are a few photos. The first one is of the super cute kitten, Friday.This is the clay pot making session in action:
Lauren's beautiful work:
My two cases:
The fuel for all the hard work: tea and cakes!

Caversham Arts Trail

We've been on the radio, loads of flyers have been circulated, things have been made, people have already said they are excited about it : tomorrow is the first day of the Caversham Arts Trail!!!! See details over at http://cavershamartiststrail.co.uk - we're open from 11am - 5pm. See you there....................

monday monday

I've finished the brooches and cuff links, hurrah! Still working on the wedding rings, fitting on Thursday. Hands still on the mend, left one has a huge purple spot which hopefully will fade. I've got tons to do so am being slow about blogging. I'm sulking because I really want to take the hand engravers' course, but it's always on a Wednesday evening, which is one of the times I teach. I might see if I can change it in the autumn so I can the course. I've been wanting to take it ever since I first saw it advertised, so I really hope I can figure out a way to get on it!!! Besides that, just plodding away planning and trying to get as much done as possible. Plus in 2 weeks it's the Caversham Arts Trail! Hope to see some of you there....

back to the bench

I'm going back to work at my bench today for the first time since I hurt my hands. They are mostly better now and my other half got me some fingerless cycle gloves. They have padding over the palm, so should help me to keep it painless. I've got oodles to do and now of course I'm well behind because of all this nonsense. I did get to sort out my spreadsheets and update my Folksy and Etsy in the meantime though. I picked up the flyers for the Caversham Arts Trail last night and will be distributing them around. If you'd like one, let me know. I'll put a bunch over at South Hill Park as well, so you can pick one up there. Here are some pics of items added to Etsy/Folksy:

oooo pretty

lovely flyer for the Caversham Arts Trail: (click for larger image!)

Lookee here

Or should it be looky here? Hmmm...anyway - the first bit of press for the Caversham Arts Trail is here (http://www.caversham.info/2010/03/caversham-arts-trail-coming-in-may/). Remember you can follow us on Twitter (http://twitter.com/CavArtsTrail) which you may want to do anyway if you're looking for a piano. You'll have to go look to see what I mean...
I'm still working on the cufflinks & brooches, unsurprisingly. The weekend is shaping up to be a fun one, yippeee! We made a proper plan on paper and everything! One of the things we're going to do is go try out this restaurant. It's called Garlic & Shots. I've only ever gone to the bar bit and that was just to meet someone and then go elsewhere, so I was there probably only 5 minutes. I didn't even realise it had food. How can you go wrong with food full of garlic? Methinks you can't....I'll let you know what I thought of it....

Caversham Arts Trail

Oooh it's so lovely out - a nice mix of wet snow and rain. What a fantastic day for another driving lesson! woo hoo! Ugh....get me some more tea!!!!!!!
ehem...anyway....so in May I will be participating in the Caversham Arts Trail alongside Lauren (that's Lauren Ceramics to you!) and there are now a number of easy peasy ways to follow the plans for the Arts Trail. If you're on Twitter, follow either me (magpienest) or the Arts Trail (http://twitter.com/CavArtsTrail). If you prefer facebook, please become a fan here. Or you can just click this link, which is also on my sidebar on this blog and brings you straight to the website (http://cavershamartiststrail.co.uk). Sooo many options, surely one is right for you!
I hope everyone is nice and warm and snug today. My day looks like it's going to be full of driving, a bit of making a ring and quite a lot of tea. Oh yes and probably a trip to Hobbycraft!! I shall leave you with a picture of a nose stud I made a few weeks ago. It is tiny and has a leeeeeetle tiny stone set (yes, set, not glued!!) in the end. Here it is next to a ten pence coin so you can see quite how small it is:

exciting stuff going on....

1. Reveal - a fantastic showcase of talent right in the middle of Henley. Private view this Thursday evening. Details on this flyer or on the Reveal website. (I'm at this show!)


2. My lovely friends over at ToDryFor (tea towel experts) are giving away FREE TEA - can it get better than that? Go check it out over here.


3. Art show displaying the talents of artists who live in Caversham, Reading. Caversham Artists present "Exhuberance". Details on this flyer (click for larger view)! (I'm not at this show, but the lovely Lauren is!)