The excitement is building

I've got so many plans in my head that I think it's either going to explode or I'll forget them all! 

I'm working on building my own website! I have now purchased my domain and hosting, and am ready to get stuck in. 

But... I've hit my first techi snag. I've had to call in the cavalry in the form of my brother. My tech guy is on holiday so I'm working through as much of this as I can as it's a good experience to learn if I'm going to maintain it. So my bro is my stand in tech guy while I get to work on the content.  

Eventually I'll have my online shops in one place where I plan to sell the ceramics and craft supplies together. 

I will also move this blog over and I have a second blog in the making about how crafting has been the making and saving of me. 

I hope to be able to pay it forward and help others who are chronically ill to find new meaning in life, as I did with the help of my many friends and fellow spoonies. It will be a place where we can share experiences and tips on how to cope with things in day to day life. 

This is a long term project of mine. I will be putting together posts about how chronic illness affects different aspects of our lives and how we can move forward with it, posts on different crafts and activities that I have tried (and will be trying) that have helped with my wellbeing, and posts on articles and items that I find that could be beneficial to us, such as household aids. I will be essentially opening a window into my life in the hope that I might be able to help someone who is perhaps newly diagnosed and feeling lost. The biggest lesson that I learnt was that I am not alone. 

So watch this space and hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have a new project called 'Crafting is my Therapy' to share with you. I'm very excited about this and I do hope that you will come along for the ride and take part with advice of your own as well. 

Cath xx

Scrapbooking *by* beginners.

Hi there folks! I've been reading a lot about scrapbooking on Pinterest (one of my fave places) lately. I love the idea. We already have a rememberlutions jar in the house where we add post-its with all the good things that happen throughout the year so that we can go over them again on New Years Eve. It's worked well... but... there are no photos and I LOVE photos! So we decided to have a go at scrapbooking as a way of combining our memories, photo albums and journals.

I have been looking around for some nice scrapbooks and I'm amazed firstly at how much they cost in a hobby shop. As I have no idea what I'm doing I didn't feel I could quite stretch that far just yet. Maybe, later on when I'm a seasoned scrapbooker. Is that a word?

So I kept an eye out for a few weeks while the idea was ruminating and then Mr TS found 2 beautiful handmade books in a charity shop of all places! I really can't imagine why anyone would ever want to part with these.

Aren't they lovely. They appear to be made from bamboo strips and leaves with the binding fastened with a twig. I absolutely love them. 

Naturally Missy had to have one of them! I was thinking of her when I got the idea to scrap book. She's going through an awful lot of crap at the moment and it'll be good for her to have a book to hand that she can put her happy memories and time with friends in to look back over when she's feeling blue.

Here's mine and Mr TS's first attempts at scrapbooking. Don't laugh, it's a work in progress and I think that once we get into our groove we'll become more creative. 

I did have a go at making mini-bunting with washi tape (my new favourite play thing) and I raided Missy's craft box for other bits and bobs. I'll be on the look out for pretty things now to decorate more pages with.

So there you have it, scrapbooking by a complete novice! It is fun and I do love sticking things with glue. (Some things you never out grow!) Hopefully this will become a new thing for us as a family and I will have new (and improved) pages for you to see. Until then, thanks for reading.

Cath xx

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My own little piece of France

I really do have a wonderful husband. We have a dream of retiring in France and we had an amazing holiday in Normandy last summer. The link is here. I think what really made that holiday was that my parents and one of my brothers came with us. French living really does seem to be all about the family, and the bigger, the better!

Since going out there it has really made our goal of living in France a lot stronger. This year we are going to the south west of France near Carcassonne for 2 weeks. It is a beautiful region and we can't wait to explore. We're staying in a villa in the mountains but only half an hour drive from some of the highest rated beaches on the Mediterranean coast.

While we are waiting for our trip hubby has brought a little of France to our house for me. We can't afford to change our kitchen and it was starting to look rather tired and worn out (a bit like me!) so hubs decided to paint it for me.

This photo shows the before kitchen. This was taken when I had the wall knocked down between the kitchen and dining room. I was in a wheelchair most of 2014 and needed better access in the house. I will be in and out of the wheelchair for the rest of my life but thankfully I'm doing ok at the moment. Due to this we decided to cash in my pension and use the money to adapt the house to some of my needs. So the wall came down and the doorway removed to make a wider space for my chair. We also had a lowered counter top, our breakfast bar put in so I have somewhere to work downstairs and use for things like food prep without having to stand. I'm not sure what Missy is doing in this pic!

This is the motley crew who did the work for me. My bro, Uncle Bob the builder (as Missy calls him, even though he's a carpenter), hubs (love ya) and a friend of ours, who has experience renovating his own houses.

This is my brand new breakfast bar/office! You can see the old units in the background.

This is the dining room side before we painted it cream and put a sofa in there. I like this pic because it all look nice and clean.

All this was done in 2014 then we took a break from house improvements to get married and go on honeymoon.

At the end of 2015 Matt was made redundant from his job of 25 years. It was a big blow to us especially as my ex also went back on his maintenance agreement that we had and it meant that we lost half our household income in a matter of months. We are now living off savings. Thankfully Matt has a new job starting next month but it's on a fraction of his old pay. So obviously we can't afford to change the kitchen any time soon. Matt however discovered chalk paint and decided that he was going to transform our kitchen for me and we were going to have a slice of our French dream.

I think the choice of green paint was great as it contrasts really well with the black counters and floor tiles. And look at the lovely hand painted motifs he's done to add a bit of charm to the kitchen. I guess I'd better get back into cooking again now the kitchen is back together!

I am very lucky to have such a thoughtful and clever hubby. I love my little piece of France and I can look at it from the breakfast bar where I tend to work and admire it each day. Thank you Sweet xx

Busy as, well Elves! Time to stuff those stockings.

This year I intended on being more organised with Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. For those who know me it will come as no surprise that I used Pinterest to pin the lovely ideas that I found and to keep them where I would be able to find them again. I am quite the Pinter-addict! 

I have most the main gifts sorted and of course many are made by my very own hands. I can't say much more though as I haven't given them yet and they are surprises. What I always seem to forget though are the little fun items for the stockings that Santa's Elves have worked on. So below are a few ideas that I've found and some of my own items that also make great stocking fillers. 

Women are always the easiest to buy for in my opinion. Jewellery always fits really well into a stocking as well. 

This Camellia Rose bangle style bracelet is lovely for both women and teens alike. I love how this catches the light with all the Rhinestones. You can find it here. www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-Women-Fashion-Rhinestone-Camellia-Rose-Gold-Bangle-Bracelet-Jewelry-/252194172779?hash=item3ab7f1af6b:g:pusAAOSwl9BWNgS3 

In the age of technology and just about everyone owning a phone, phone covers are a popular choice. I loved this Minion phone cover when I spotted it. I am bit of a fan. Shame they didn't come in the right size for my phone. 
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/iphone-5-5s-case-Hard-Back-minion-ganster-NEW-UK-seller-stocking-filler-/161567588558?roken=cUgayN

Missy is an absolute bookworm and every year she asked for the same thing from Santa, a notepad and pen. She writes so many stories and gets through so many notebooks that I'm sure she will end up being an author. These stunning notebooks have faux suede bindings with a leather strap to close them. I'm particularly impressed that you can refill them. 
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252207358462?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649

While I'm talking about books I really must show you this stunner. The photograph is one of my mother's, Christina Powell. A few Christmas' ago her garden squirrel made of wire frosted over and this was the beautiful result. The photograph was used to make notepads and Christmas cards. I really love these in the glossy finish. 
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/256416663/frosted-squirrel-notebooks-original?ref=shop_home_feat_2 

For very young children the first thought is often of cuddly toys but why not make it that bit more special and go for a handmade one? I found this cutie on Etsy (home of handmade lovelies) made by Simply Stitched UK. I can see this fast becoming one of the favourites that has to be in the cot at night. 
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/185880009/crochet-bunny-rabbit-liberty-rose-with?ref=teams_post 

Another favourite for the stocking is smellies and goes for men and women alike. While I was browsing around some of my fave shops on Etsy I found these delicious looking (although not to be eaten!) bees wax soaps from the Soap Dragon. Don't they look wonderful! 
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/64482076/2-bee-natural-cold-process-honey-guest?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

My next amazing find is from The Turquoise Eye. I've been a fan of her work for a few years now and am completely in awe of the detail in her work. Her art work transposes so well to these gorgeous compact mirrors that I'm sure they would be a hit for the lady in your life. 
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/234606969/dragonflies-pocket-mirror-christmas?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=stocking%20fillers%20uk&ref=sr_gallery_39

As my fans will know, I make ceramics mostly. They are not so easy to pop into a stocking given their fragile nature however, my ceramic pendants would be fine in the little jewellery boxes they come with. This is an example of a bar pendant that I have on Etsy at the time of writing. These have been very popular and make a lovely gift. Who do you know who is mad about green? Watch out, my sister in law is and she might get there first! 
www.etsy.com/uk/listing/240205148/lime-green-ceramic-bar-pendant-on-a?ref=shop_home_active_14

So here we are. A few ideas if you are still looking for the last minute gifts or are stuck with stocking filler ideas as I often am. Please do check out the featured shops as they have lots of wonderful goodies that I like to drool over. If you have no one to send them to, then I'm always happy to receive from them! ;-) 

If I don't write again this side of the festivities then I wish you all a very Happy Christmas and here's to another wonderful year in 2016! I'll see you on the other side.

Cath xx

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Time to expand, and I don't mean my waist!

As we all know times are hard at the moment for many of us. The financial crisis is still very real for many despite what Governments say. We have recently had a blow to our monthly income so I am having to get more creative and expand what Ty Siriol is all about. Thankfully when I named the business I added the '& Crafts' bit at the end of the name 'Ty Siriol Ceramics & Crafts'. 

I have had a light bulb moment. You see, I'm not able to keep up with the making side of my pottery due to illness and I can't keep the shop stocked and fresh like I'd want to. This is when I decided to expand into the vintage market as well but still focusing on ceramics and some glass. 

I have quite a bit of vintage stock on Etsy these days. I find them all over the place, clean them up and in some cases upcycle them and give them a fresh coat of glaze to bring them back to life. I have some stunning pieces as well that I'm quite proud of. I love it when I find a hand thrown piece of pottery with the artist's name or stamp on it. There is no way I will let them go to landfill. The artist would have worked damn hard and have trained for many years to get to that pot and it deserves to be loved by someone else. 

Here is one of my favourite finds. A hand thrown terracotta jug complete with the stamp of the artist. It's got a beautiful earthy and organic feel to it. The form is stunning and you can clearly see the stamp under the handle of the jug. Wonderful.

Here is another example of a wonderful find. This mug feels great in your hand and has a comforting feel, like drinking hot chocolate on a winters day feeling. Again we can see that the artist who threw this mug has signed the bottom. Another one-of-a-kind saved from landfill. 

This next piece I have fallen in love with and I really had to force myself to list it on Etsy. This stunning vase, thrown in terracotta, shows the lines from the wheel and you can feel the undulations. The accent of glaze across the front sets it off beautifully. If this one doesn't sell I'll be more than happy to keep it. ;-) 

It is still early days for my vintage section but so far things are looking promising. I really hope that it helps my Etsy shop to keep going. For now I'm not making very much but more doing what I want to for relaxation. To me, pottery is a form of meditation and I want to keep it that way. 

Once again, thanks for reading,
Cath xx

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Bayeux today, Caen tomorrow! In love with Normandy

This summer the Ty Siriol Clan all drove to France for a week in a little village, Le Molay Littry just outside of Bayeux. It was the first time Mr TS had driven on the right hand side and I have to say that he did so well that by the end of the week it was completely normal to us. We are very grateful for Sheila, the sat nav though even if her pronunciation of French completely destroyed a beautiful language! Even so we still got lost several times with my family following loyally behind us in their car! Grancha simply grinning!

The farm house that we stayed in was fantastic and full of French charm. It truly was a country retreat. I loved sitting out in the evenings watching the sun go down and listening to all the wild life. Nearby ducks made me laugh every night at what I guess was feeding time. It sounded like they were having a domestic dispute! Maybe I shouldn't have found it as funny as I did! 

This is the back of the farmhouse from next to the stream that slowly trickled across the bottom of the garden. This is only about a fifth of the grounds. They had loads of little places to explore for the kids. 

I think that one of my favourite parts of holidaying with the extended family was that we could all sit around a large table like when I was a child (I'm one of four!). It was really funny after a few bottles of wine and trying to converse in French. Somehow we understood each each. L'il Miss knows how to ask for various foods across the table now in drunken French. 

And when in France... It had to be done!

Something else that I love about being abroad is food shopping. I love to look at all the local foods and guess what some of it means. Of course, being gluten free and having allergies might have presented a problem but it was easier than I expected. There were even dedicated areas in the supermarkets for gluten free foods. 

Some local produce was somewhat puzzling though. See the pic below. Does anyone know what part of the pig it is because we had a good laugh and my mum was tempted to bring some home!! 

My favourite day was in Bayeux when we went to see the famous Bayeux Tapestry. We couldn't drive all that way and not show it to L'il Miss. She loved it and surprisingly said it was also her favourite day. Bayeux is a gorgeous medieval town and wonderful to stroll around and explore. Below is a photo of me and Missy next to the river, the building that houses the tapestry (as you are not allowed to photograph the tapestry) and Bayeux Cathedral. 

We were local to the D-day landing beaches so visited several of them over the week, including Omaha beach (my fave), Utah beach, Asnelles beach and Arromanche. The men went off to the museums while the ladies (umm) relaxed on the beach. 

Dad with his trousers rolled up! Missy sensibly in a wetsuit.

 In the water at Arromanche where you can still see some of the break waters from D-day.

Found a sun trap

My beautiful girly

This last photo is at Omaha beach where it is hard to believe the water ran red. The beach is stunning with miles of golden sands. We needed the water to cool off this day as well as it was 30 degrees. It was actually the day we drove home and it was 18 degrees in Poole when we got back. Madness! 

No French holiday would be complete without seeing a chateau. This one is set in beautiful gardens and had a tour guide who walked us around outside explaining how different features were built or lost over the time. Sadly we only saw two rooms inside and we were keen to see more. 

Daddy daughter moment, caught cuddling!

We managed a brief tour of the outskirts of Caen when we got lost and saw the Garden of Birds (Jardin aux oiseux, if my French spelling is any good!) This is a public garden that was built on top of the city's rubbish dump. It was cleaned up over a number of years and has now been sculpted into beautiful gardens with lakes and a petting zoo. 
There is a lookout point at the top where you can see over Caen. This was the perfect place for Missy to meet her twin with the help of the panoramic function on my camera. She ran behind me on to the other side of the shot where I captured her a second time and hey presto, she has a twin! 

I really hope that we can get the chance to go back to France with Missy. It was a fantastic experience for all of us and I love introducing her to new cultures and languages. I guess I'd better start a holiday jar!!! 

If you don't know where to go next year and haven't tried France then I can highly recommend Normandy. It's peaceful, uncrowded and has so many things to do and see on the doorstep. What are you waiting for? Go get your passports!!

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A little treat for me

I've been making a few little things for me recently. These all wall pockets! I'd never heard of them until someone asked me if I made them. A quick google search and I now know what they are. Isn't Google wonderful! So I got busy and me and my daughter had a go at making our own versions of wall pockets. 

This one has a sprig of a flower from my garden impressed into it and painted. I forget what the flower is called now though but I think it starts with a G! :) 

Now this flower I do know! Lavender! Also taken from my garden. 

This time I played with dots from my piping bag full of slip. I was thinking all the lines of a fern. What do you think?

I also have some photos of the stages of production. 

Here I have several wall pockets that I made with my daughter. She also impressed leaves into hers. I do love her butterfly on the far left that she created completely! 

A close up of L'il Miss' wall pockets. These were made for Nanny. They were finished in white with a pale green glaze painted on and wiped off the leaves to bring out the veins on the leaves. I'm afraid I don't have photos of them finished. 

The top wall pocket sadly met it's doom in the kiln but the bottom one is shown above finished. 

This is the brown wall pocket in it's greenware stage. 

So now that I have these wall pockets on my garden fence I need to think of a good hardy plant to put in them. I'm really not green fingered so I'll need one that can withstand my neglect! I'm thinking of ivy at the moment. Do you have any ideas for me? Answer in the comments and remember that the plant needs to be tough to survive me! 

Lovely to have you, as always. If you'd like to see more from Ty Siriol them you can follow us on various social media. See below. 

Thanks for reading,
Cath xx 

www.facebook.com/TySiriolCeramicsandCrafts
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TySiriolCeramics  
www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TySiriolCrafts
Twitter: @tysiriolceramic