Swimming and my Blooming Business!

Wow! SO much has happened since I last posted.

This is the exciting story so far...

I made a jug during the school holidays and because my passion is birds and flowers I put a little Gorgeous Bushrike on the top (in sculptural form) and in detail on the front.

After the final glaze firing, I posted a picture on Instagram and my personal Facebook page. From that one vintage jug - I got so many orders that it has turned into a little business!

I am so excited to share my journey on my blog!

I have added many more pieces to my range and created a website. You can go take a look at my work at shirleyceramics.com

I have posted all over South Africa and to Australia and France! So exciting! I have just got an order from a friend in Spain.

I want to blog my progress to share my love and passion for birds and flowers and also the slow but wonderful craft of clay and handmade and handpainted.

My pictures and thoughts will also be of my daily life as I swim everyday in a beautiful Tidal Pool just 15 minutes from my house.

I am also  a full time Mom to two teenage girls which is wonderful but it can be very overwhelming and stressful at times.

I hope you enjoy coming on this journey with me as I share my thoughts and pictures of life as a Mom and potter.

Please comment and share your thoughts about motherhood, creativity for the soul or even just to say "Hi"

This is Dalebrook pool - where I go every morning to swim! It ismy "happy place" and absolute  bliss!! 

My work and some of my orders ready to "fly " to their new homes! 

These are my little bowls with pressed ferns and local fynbos from Cape Town, South Africa 

I use the Roberts bird book to get accurate detail and colours when painting the birds. 

The Gorgeous Bushrike and King Protea Butter Dish 

One of my favourite orders for a customer is this Kingfisher jug. 

It is the beautiful blue Malachite Kingfisher and the stunning Pied Kingfisher 

Have a wonderful day! 

Shirley xx 

Gorgeous Bushrikes ready to fly....

This is where my little business has all started with this jug! How exciting! 

A month or two ago I set up a studio at home so that I can now work from home while my girls are at school in the morning. 

 I have been Homeschooling my 2 teenage girls for 4 years ... but now my 13 year old is in Grade 8 at our local High School and my 16 year old has just finished her IGCSE's and is at a Cambridge College in our area busy with her AS and A levels.

Its so strange not to have them around in the morning but I am loving the time to create and work with my hands with clay!

This is the jug bisque fired and I worked with underglazes to paint the little birds. I decided I want to start with  South African birds on my jugs and these are little Gorgeous Bushshrikes.

The clear glaze has brought out the bright colours of these birds which I really love! This is a 1 litre jug.

I now have many orders I am busy working on! Its so fantastic to be spending my time doing something I absolutely love! Such a blessing!

I have custom orders for not only South African birds. I am almost finished an Australian Kookaburra. It is a type of Kingfisher and is very beautiful.

I create my jugs using the coiling method of handbuilding. Although it takes a long time I love the look of it being handmade.

If anyone is interested in ordering my jugs you can email me  - shirleyehunt@gmail.com
and I will send you all the details. I can ship locally and overseas.


Have a amazing Wednesday!

xx

Love art ...

I live to make things .... with my hands ... everyday! I am passionate about art.

This year  I have started pottery lessons with a few of my friends. It has been so wonderful having new projects to work on each week. We started with coiling and I decided to make a large bowl with the theme of birds and flowers.

I am passionate about birds and all my pottery projects have birds on at the moment.

I spent hours painting the lilies and the little Robin using underglazes and small, very fine brushes.

I love using underglazes and building up the colours - almost like watercolour painting.For this bowl I also pressed dried ferns into wet clay and then after the bowl was bisque fired I used a sponge and put 3 different colour greens on the fern "pattern" .

The underglazes change colour so much after the final clear glaze. I want to build up all the underglaze colours I have so I can experiment more with colours.

Travel - Camping on the River!

I decided to surprise my youngest daughter and planned a camping trip! I am not a camper!!

I love to travel and find amazing new places to visit but they must be in the comfort of a house with all the necessities and yes - luxuries! So this little holiday was quite a challenge for me!

A friend suggested this camping spot which is about two and half hours away from Cape Town and on a beautiful, picturesque river. The campsites are under trees and our site looked out at the river. Khomeesdrif campsite is on the Riviersonderend River only 15 min away from the little country town of Greyton.

Camping life is slow - there is lots of time to play "tennis", chat to new friends and prepare meals, kayak on the river, swim, play cards and relax! 

I actually realised how wonderful it is to all sit around a wood fire and chat! There was no internet connection or electricity so we couldnt be "busy" on our phones!! 

We decided to take a short 15 minute drive to the pretty little country town of Greyton.

The main street is lined with many restaurants and art galleries and antique/vintage shops. 

Old signs on a very old building - lovely! 

Talor has  always got a camera around her neck and finds the most amazing places to get the perfect "shot". She is such an amazing photographer!

Hope the birthday girl with her best friend - Josie. 

This is my favourite artists studio - David Kuijers. I absolutely love his work and have one print of his up in my house but was very tempted to buy another one! 

The quaint streets of Greyton. 

Back "home" to our campsite it was still raining and cold so we made another large fire and snuggled around the campfire for another cup of tea and rusks ans chatting! The slow life!! I think I could get used to this :-)) 

Happy 13 birthday my beautiful Hope! We love you so much!!xxxx

Shirley xx 

Loving...

Loving the WEEKEND and the time to refresh and relax.

Loving my garden and all the beautiful proteas and pincushions that are full of buds and some have already opened.

Loving the colours of this beauty - protea in a pot outside my front door.

Loving where I live. These beautiful sunny winters days that break the icy cold winter rainy grey
days.

Loving the warm sun on my skin and the brightness of the sky , sea and sand.

Loving spending time with those I love, friends visiting from Canada, family, my girls and my husband.

Loving long walks and talks in Kalk Bay with my husband after a busy week.

Loving homeschooling my girls and watching their growth.

Loving this blog and connecting with people overseas and close to home who love creating and making beautiful things to treasure.

Loving gym and getting fit and eating healthier.

Have a wonderful weekend full of LOVING! xx