Tatton Park Flower Show 2014

Well its nearly upon us the Flower Show at Tatton Park. I have always wanted to visit it as I go to the Southport Flower Show every year but it's always been on at the same time as Potfest in the Park. Well as I wasn't selected this year to exhibit there I was really not sure what to do until I was approached by the Flower Show exhibitions team. So after a little bit of umming and arrring I decided to take the plunge and well here it is July already!

Wednesday 23rd - Saturday 27th July 

10am - 6.30pm

Sunday 10am - 5pm *

* plant sell-off 4pm

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

I will be in the Horticultural Arts and Craft Pavilion stand number HA/26

So I am showing my floral pieces as they are very appropriate to where we will be. I am a little nervous so I am hoping people will be nice. I will of course be taking the animal heads and some of my smaller sketches as they seem as popular too so cross your fingers for me and I will report back on Sunday or Monday if I haven't recovered. Or come along and say hello

Bluebells

Buttercups

Clematis

How to get there.

Follow the link to find ways of getting there via public transport and parking etc.

Tatton Park
Mereheath Lane
Knutsford
Cheshire

http://www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/rhs-flower-show-tatton-park/plan-your-visit/travel

 ps now if I am doing it on crutches you have no excuse ;-)

but if you can't check out my new shop
http://www.juliemiles.co.uk/shop/index.php
 

New Online Shop launched this July

So whilst in a leg cast I thought I would spend my time a little more productively and have set up a New Online Shop

Click on the link to be taken straight to the shop and have a peek. If you spot any mistakes then give me a shout as I have proof read it many times but there is always something you miss.

So there is a bit of everything from pots to

drawings and Trophy Heads series and to celebrate the launch 

I am giving you free postage and packing for the whole of July!

Todd £55

Paddy £35

Clematis £45

Bluebell vases

Bluebell vase - tall £42

Do you like Butter?

Dandelion clock vases

 Clara £30

 

school school schools

So a flurry of schools means I have neglected my blog but also I have my leg in a cast so once home I have collapsed on the sofa, leg up and promptly fallen asleep! Tired is not the word. 

Well lets see what have I missed blogging......

I had 3 days in Shevington Primary School working on a clay mural of Shevington in 1814 for the schools 200th Birthday. Then on to Blacko Primary School who came to the Mill for a day of art activity with Karen of Redcurrant Glass and me. So thumb pot animals or pets were explored though there are some strange pets in them there hill. Then we had a Well Being Twilight at Marsden Primary School with some beautiful T-light holders too.

And then on to Aughton Town Green Primary School in Aughton nr Ormskirk and a weeks worth of designing and creating a mosaic to celebrate their 50th birthday too.

So less of the chat and on to the pics

I stood on a chair and still couldn't get it all in!

So next stop is the pictures from Shevington's mural. Each class worked on a section of the mural such as farmland and jobs the children did such as the long summer holidays to help collect the crops. Another class looked at the what jobs and how they lived on the canal. The mines were very important too and the children were used to push the carts of coal along the shafts.

 Some strange pets in them there hills of Blacko

And last but not least the fabulous t- lights from the teachers at Marsden Primary School.

Oh and this is my new cast.....

5 weeks and we shall see if I need surgery or not. Cross fingers not!

Didn't we have a lovely time the day we went to the Craft Festival in Devon

Well that was a whirlwind of weekend down in Devon at the
Contemporary Craft Festival in Bovey Tracey. 

I met the lovely Gwen and Mary at the Services on the M6 on Wednesday to drive down in convoy so we had company at stops and to pitch our tents. The weather was awful on the way down but as we approached Bovey the sun began to shine for us to set up camp. 

From there we went to the pub of course. 

Bovey Tracey is a lovely little town in Devon with the fabulous Contemporary Craft Festival Shop and the base for the Devon Guild or Craftsmen. There is also a variety of eating places which I think we tried them all. 

Thursday we drove to the site to set up our show and as it was my first time I was really excited to see what it was going to be like. 

My stand with the very new Clematis and Buttercups.

Celedon glaze by Mary Chappelhow

Cane Toppers by Dylans Mum oh alright Gwen Bainbridge

After set up we had the Private View which was brilliant and I tweeted and facebooked like mad about the Festival. Getting 'retweeted' and 'favourited' by the Craft Festival themselves as well as Devon Life, South West England and Exeter Town! 

It was lovely to meet other makers and to chat to them about work, life and how we survive in this harsh climate as designer/makers/artists. There were some lovely customers too who bought lots and told me I was too cheap! And some lovely galleries old and and new with my work to be seen in
couple down in Devon and Cornwall very soon.

These egg and feather pieces proved to be very popular at the Festival I sold out of the small ones as I put a tea light in them to show off the translucency of the Parian and a box of them will be winging its way very soon to a
lovely gallery in Cornwall very soon. 

Do you like butter were very popular too :-)

Oliver Otter found a new home with a lovely lady from Somerset who said she had some fresh fish in for his tea... and you all thought I was mad!

Florence is awaiting a phone call to see if she has found her forever home we await with baited breath....... she is very excited.

Colin found his forever home with another maker who was really excited to do a swap as I was, her jewellery is gorgeous. Leoma Drew Jewellery has swallows and kingfishers on her silver oxidised necklaces and
I may have one too.

Here he is in his new home the very lucky boy!

Need I say anything about this one :-) at the makers private view on the Saturday before venturing into town for tea. It is a very lovely show and very friendly too. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and the friendly makers who all helped make it a fabulous show.

I wished I took more photos of other peoples stands and the sunshine and the catering vans made from VW Campers and an Air Stream but with FB, Twitter and working I think I was a little busy.
I had a fabulous time with the girls and we laughed a lot and somethings will be funny forever. Love to them both and thank you for putting up with me and my limp!

Looking forward to next year already... if I get selected!

PS the online shop is still in process of being updated but by the end of the month we shall have it up and working with maybe a little launch special offer to tempt you in....watch this space! x

Contemporary Craft Festival 2014

Packing and flapping slightly as it is my first time and that I may not get it all in so my top box has come out of storage in the shed. There was cat paw prints across the top which is a little strange as I have no cat but my shed does have mice! Honestly. It has a little bit of an orange glow like Ready Brek as it was in there when I spray painted an octopus for a school but hopefully that will wash off in the rain :-)

The last kiln is on so I will pick it up on my way passed tomorrow with more buttercups like this and clematis below. So Swallows, bluebells, cow parsley and trusty the dandelion clocks are all packed. With a few creatures and bird houses so a range of work to show.

test piece

I had a go at mocking up the space as I marked it out on the floor and using the boards to give me an idea of what to do. I did borrow a table but have left it behind in favour of my plinths I made for Country Living many moons ago. So it's packed and I will be ticking off my list and now time to pack me. I have to remember the flowers and water then its the camping list. The first thing I bought were limes for the gin I am bad aren't I. But Arthur and Mr T Achilles may not be so understanding so a night cap may be in order. I need to ferret out the air bed too.....pics to follow on my blog when I get back 

but for updates follow my twitter feed @julie_miles 

or

@CraftFestival or follow #CraftFestival2014

Or juliemilesceramics 

on facebook so you can't say you missed it ;-)

wish me luck x

Prep for the Contemporary Craft Festival 2014

Well after a hectic few weeks I have been slowing down due to a torn Achilles and the arthritis but not too much as it's only 3 sleeps to the Craft Festival that seems to have crept up really fast as its June already eek!

It looks an amazing show so if you are 

south west based please come along and say hello 

Mill Marsh Park, St Johns Lane

Bovey Tracey, Devon

June 6-8th

Open 10am-5pm

So new work based on the flowers

 in the garden which was full of 

bluebells and Clematis

http://craftsatboveytracey.co.uk/