Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

Copenhagen, Denmark

Victoria — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:43:46 +0000

If you follow me over on Twitter you might have noticed last week I visited Denmark for a long weekend. I like travelling, I’ve always thought it broadens the mind especially when you go somewhere and your illiterate! You have to work out what things mean and what they might be used for.

Denmark was such a fascinating place to visit – there was so much to do and my legs ached from all the walking! We visited pretty much all the city centre galleries and museums. The thing I always find most exciting is holiday food, where you get the flavours of a country.

Strangely I often find myself in supermarkets when I’m on holiday, I just find it fascinating to see such little snippets of people’s daily lives and its also a great place to pick up little delicacies for half the price than the airport!

For foodies Copenhagen is a bit of a paradise but while it’s really easy to find a good cup of tea or coffee its more difficult to find an evening meal that isn’t steak. If you’re going to visit I’d highly recommend the Brewhouse pub which serves an extremely tasty mushroom burger and Torvehallerne KBH the food market just next to Norreport metro station for some fabulously fresh baked rolls and pastries.

I closed the giveaway on Monday and thanks to random.org the winner was picked as number 45, imynda. Congratulations!

Copenhagen, Denmark is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

From my favourites – Craft it yourself!

Victoria — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:47:08 +0000

Keeping in the DIY spirit of my last post – picking up new crafts for a new year I’ve collected these items from my favourites. Each of them are great additions to your handmade projects or might just inspire that unique flourish for a special gift!

Handspun yarn, purple love by Snowberrylime £16

‘Made With Love’ cotton tape by lillalotta £4

D.I.Y. cheese kit by UrbanCheesecraft £17

Peach bloom red porcelain buttons by susansharpeceramics £7

In other news recently I was included in the Etsy Spring lookbook, you can find me on page 134 in the homewear section! It’s awesome to be included with so many other great sellers.

From my favourites – Craft it yourself! is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

From my favourites – the rustic kitchen

Win a hand thrown pottery yarn bowl!

Victoria — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:36:13 +0000

So, how are your new years resolutions getting on? Last Friday was apparently the most depressing day of the year, when most of us break those things we’ve resolved to achieve.

There’s still time to turn things around though! if your resolution this year was to try and spend more time crafting then I’ve got a treat in store for you. I’m giving away this hand thrown yarn bowl – unfortunately it is a second but if you’d like to give it a home just complete the survey below.

Along with the bowl I’m also giving away a hank of ‘Fro’ yarn in a lovely blue, red and orange colourway so once you receive it you’ve got something to put inside it.

The contest runs from today (January 23rd) to the Monday the 6th of February. Good Luck!

Sorry folks the giveaway is now closed!

Win a hand thrown pottery yarn bowl! is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

Process: Making hand thrown pottery bowls

Victoria — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 15:58:30 +0000

I’ve been wanting to do a post like this for a while, this takes you through the process of making a set of bowls.

The first stage is preparing the clay and getting it ready for throwing. You need to ensure that the clay is free from air bubbles and to do this you ‘wedge’ the clay before weighing it into balls.

Throwing then starts at the wheel, shaping the formless lump of clay into something recognisable. This stage only takes a few hours to create a set of bowls they then sit in the studio drying out for up to 2 days until they’re at a firm cheese like state.

They’re then ready for turning, removing the excess clay to create an elegant foot ring on the bottom. Again this only takes a couple of hours to trim a batch but then they’re left to go bone dry and this can take anywhere from just a few days to up to two weeks depending on the moisture content in the air and temperature.

If you’re counting along with me then we’re at around three weeks of making time so far. They’re also loaded into the kiln to be bisque fired which takes two days to cycle through the program and then finally glaze fired which takes three days.

Sometimes I think pottery really epitomises the contrast between our modern and traditional culture; it’s such a slow process in the face of heavy manufacturing for speed. When I sit down to make a piece I’m intensely physically connected to each pot, after all when you pick up one of my pieces your hands are placed where mine were during the process of creation.

Process: Making hand thrown pottery bowls is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

There’s something brewing

Victoria — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:37:00 +0000

Making home brew is something I’ve always wanted to try, I think I’ve wanted to understand more about the brewing process and become more ‘involved’. When I go down the pub I always prefer to drink real ale – my favourite being Fursty Ferret and Double Maxim.

For Christmas my boyfriend got me a brewing kit and so far its been quite a fascinating experience. From mixing it all in the fermentation tank to actually being able to taste the sweet to bitter flavour as it develops.

It’s a few days yet from being kegged, once it goes in the barrel it’ll sit for a further 14 days to mature and develop more flavour. I’m actually really excited to try the finished product at the end of the month! Using a kit has taken quite a bit of the work out from the complex procedure of creating a mash and you’re also benefiting from the breweries experienced blending.

The thing that takes the most time is ensuring that everything that goes into the tank is sterile since obviously there are all sorts of microbes out there in the air that would love a tasty sugary snack on what’s inside. Another 14 days or so and I’ll have my very first pint!

There’s something brewing is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

No related posts.

Vanilla cream

Victoria — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:32:50 +0000

I hope you’ve had a great new year and a fabulous festive season! There’s so much potential to be had in the year ahead, January is always a strange month sometimes full of the winter blues.

So far its been quite a mild winter but my thoughts already wander to the heady days of spring, when the mornings start to become lighter once again. I’m already working on some new glazes to come into the shop for the new season.

There’ll be a new moss coloured green that’ll probably be called Lichen, it’ll be limited edition but I haven’t yet tested it so who knows what colour it’ll be! Stocks of Pumpkin are starting to run a little low.

The newest addition to the collection is this colour called Vanilla Cream, I’ve been getting more requests for light and white glazes. It’s a little more interesting than the simple ‘brilliant white’ currently in the glaze collection.

With it’s flecks of light brown it looks like a vanilla bean ice cream and its matt texture has a creamy colour thats almost the same as the natural tone of the clay.

You can still find the sale ongoing until this Sunday, the 8th of January, so there’s only a few days left to catch a bargain.

Vanilla cream is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

Get 10% off in the winter sale

Victoria — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:09:51 +0000

It’s time for the winter sale! It’s a great time of year to pick up a bargain to feather your nest for the year ahead. You’ll find everything in the shop discounted by 10% – apart from custom order items.

If you have a coupon card from a previous purchase just let me know the code and I can activate it for you to get an extra 10% off. You’ll get a massive 20% off!

The sale runs from the 22nd of December to the 8th of January only on Etsy. Orders purchased over the bank holiday weekends will be sent out on the 28th of December and the 3rd of January.

I’ll be continuing to add new pieces during sale season so keep an eye on the shop and I hope you have a fabulous New Year!

Get 10% off in the winter sale is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

The Christmas rush

Victoria — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 11:45:36 +0000

There’s been a lot going on in the studio the last week or two in the run up to Christmas. I’ve been working on custom orders, glazing and packing pieces up to send off to their new homes.

The end of the year always brings a time of reflection. A moment to pause and look back at the 12 months that have passed and where the next 12 will take you. For me it’s been a year of firsts, my first major show and I’ve seen things become increasingly busy.

I do have a few things planned for 2012 but unfortunately I can’t talk about them yet! Although the year isn’t quite through and I’m sure you’re looking forward to a certain end of year event.

Winter is also a time to be thankful and none of this would be possible without you. From the people who take the time to follow me on Twitter and Facebook to those folks who buy my work. This year you’ve all been a part of Little Wren Pottery, so thank you from me and I hope you all have a great festive season filled with peace.

The Christmas rush is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

From my favourites – winter gift guide

Victoria — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 15:53:01 +0000

Yes I still can’t quite believe that Christmas is only 13 days away and if you’re like me you’re probably panicking about all those gifts that you haven’t yet bought.

There’s still plenty of time for UK post to arrive and I’ve pulled these items from my favourites because, well I can’t give everyone I know pottery for Christmas!

Call me Bubbles 2012 calendar by floradouville £15

Organic Walnut and Dark Chocolate Brownies by ZukrBoutique £3

Merino and Alpaca hand dyed yarn by WharfedaleWoolworks £11

Felted slippers by ing00te £44

From my favourites – winter gift guide is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery

The cafe collection

Victoria — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:23:58 +0000

It’s been such a long time since I’ve had a ‘normal’ blog post and I’ve been wanting to formally introduce some new items into the shop. There’s something very comforting about a good mug, as you cup it in your hands it warms your fingers and while very sturdy they sometimes lack a little sophistication.

I’ve wanted to add something just a little chic to the shop for a while now. Something for those days when unexpected guests arrive for coffee, cake and gossip. The cafe collection has more formal feel than anything I’ve created before with it’s short round cappuccino cups, espresso cups and tall latte mugs.

I visit a lot of coffee shops and probably my favourite is Cafe Du Vie in Newcastle. Hidden away from the high street it’s low continental style tables have a cozy parisian flair and I wanted to create something that wouldn’t look out of place gracing it’s polished brassy tables. If you’re ever in Newcastle drop by for a hot chocolate and maybe while away an hour or two with a game of backgammon.

Sadly custom orders for Christmas are now closed but I’ll still be listing new items over in my Etsy and Folksy shop. If your just wanting a little gift for yourself I’m also still taking orders for the new year.

The cafe collection is a post from: Little Wren Pottery - English handthrown stoneware pottery