Carly's New Year 24 Blog!
Happy New Year Everyone! Let's hit the ground running in 2024!
Our first week of January went by in an absolute blur. We had Dudley HAF workshops for the first 2 days, which were all fully booked and meant that the studio was awash with creativity. Lots of different items were painted in a rainbow of colours and some fabulous clay penguins were built. As the children were all still on the school holidays, the rest of the week was fully booked too and then the first weekend was filled with Have a Go Potter's Wheel experiences. Myself and Saz did not know what had hit us! But that's how we like it.
Speaking of Dudley HAF - I've just this minute submitted our application to supply workshops for Easter! We are applying to put on more hours and accommodate more children this time, as we are still finding that our workshops get completely booked out within 1 hour of them going live on the bookings portal, with many children disappointingly not able to get a place. Hopefully, this time we can get everyone in!
The "Autumn in Clay" project is nearly completed! Nearly all tiles are fired, and Saz is getting ready to mount them on the boards for display at the Red House Glass Cone. Dudley Creates are going to be encouraging applicants for Art Council UK funding for Spring projects, so we are getting our thinking caps on for that one. Keep an eye out for more free community workshops coming your way!
I have held my very first hand building workshop - and it was a triumph! 2 lovely ladies came along and created some superb jumper mugs. I think they surprised themselves with how they managed to master the art of handles so quickly, and they are now drying out a treat. My February workshop will be flower plaques and bookings are being taken now.
A big ask of our followers - Please can you like, share our social media posts as much as possible, and spread the word amongst you family, friends and colleagues about how wonderful we are? Cheeky I know, but needs must! Here at the Cone we are undergoing some major refurbishment and alterations which will only benefit this amazing place which Saz's Ceramics & Crafts is lucky enough to call home. This is an ongoing project, likely to continue until at least August. Just because we have scaffolding and workman on site does not mean your visits to us will be restricted - we are very much OPEN FOR BUSINESS - as is every other independent studio on site. The benefit to sharing the love for us? We can consider being open for more days on a permanent basis, rather than by appointment only - what's not to like about that! More Saz time!
As some of you may know, we do not have a coffee house at the moment on site, but you are very welcome to bring your own beverages (no food allowed in the studio, but there is seating elsewhere on site), and just a short walk from the site we have a chip shop, several pubs which also serve hot drinks, and coffee shops located in Wordsley.
Right folks - I'm off to work down my 'to do list', which just now seems to be growing by the second! So much to do, so much to plan, and so many exciting things to work on for you all! Carly x
