Back again!

Lots of pictures to make up for the fact that I have been away for a week. No computer so no email, no blogging, no pictures, but lots of time to do my knitting and read books, amazing what you get done without the distractions, oh and Paul was a way for three days too.

We had some more snow in the week, most of the previous fall had gone, well not gone specifically but had been turned into hellish ice on top of the already pretty scary ice that we already had. More patterns were made though it was getting more difficult as this snow is on top of ice so I had to be even more wary than usual of my distinctly dodgy sense of balance in order to not cawp over.

A sight you don't see very often, my sketchbooks and this is a one off believe me they won't be making a regular appearance here. I'm always slightly ashamed of them, they never were amazing items at uni and yet I always felt they were supposed to be something extraordinary. They make more sense now that I'm out of college as now I can see why I need them, for me, for what I do but I just didn't 'get' why I needed them at college and I'm pretty sure my tutors could tell and I'm pretty sure they knew that nine times out of ten I made something and then drew stuff. I've never felt I have a style of drawing really and pencils just put me in minor panic mode, a slip trailer however now that's completely different. Some of these books go back a bit, the bottom right one is from when I was a Jason's, the pattern there is on a bowl I have here but I'd forgotten how much I liked it. I've been looking back through old things these last few weeks, there's stuff in them there books that I feel I can still use. Now that's why I need sketch books!

Kick - step - kick - step, reminded me of a dance from my pantomime chorus girl days.

I can't get enough of the patterns in the snow. It's been ace seeing them all, so many sweet wee feet and then scuffle marks and wing patterns and sheep and deer and what looked like a blooming big dog!

I made a tree the other morning in the farm yard, again a solid sheet of perfectly polished ice under that snow, gently gently.

I've been a busy girls, making and thinking and things have been happening though a little slower than usual but probably that's because I'm thinking. I have things I still want to play with but without having a deadline on the horizon I'm finding it hard to really get the hang of trying new things. I'm getting there I think. These funny fat jugs remind me of something I saw in the Netherlands the other year and I have been putting feet on them and a couple of dishes this week, maybe because I've been thinking so hard about staying on my feet and because I've been walking to and from work and not cycling. Who knows why they have appeared, maybe it's just madness.

A brushed and trailed slipped slab, made into a dish today.

How beautiful is this! Looks like the twig fell and bounced in the snow leaving it's imprint before resting next to it, my photography does it no justice but it was gorgeous.

Now what made this mark? Well in case you can't guess it was a Hannah carrying two bags of clay and ee-by-gum it blooming hurt! Usually falling on a bag of clay as opposed to the floor may lead to a slightly softer landing, that is unless the bags are frozen into big red twelve and a half kilogram ice-cuboids. That was the first of two falls yesterday, it's incredible how fast it happens, a split second and schlumph there you are flat on your back and wondering how on earth you got there and thinking oh no I didn't put my hands out to stop me did I? I'm fine, slightly battered, a little bruised (though not such impressive bruising as I'd hoped for given the weight of the fall and the aches and pains I have now, a little disappointing really on that front) and a bit achy but nothing more than that thankfully.