Wednesday 16 November 2016

Autumn Updates

Well it's been a little bit hectic here lately.

I am currently working on 'A Stirring Tale' with the 
National Crafts Officer for the WI Claire Spender
dipping spoons in porcelain for an exhibition
at Salisbury Museum next year.

Knitted spoons

knitted and sewn spoons

working on a number of commissions some I can't show you yet
but this one has been delivered to a very pleased customer

cat urn in stoneware and porcelain slip

running a couple of workshops
the next one Porcelain Christmas Decorations is on
3rd Dec booking details are here - Book now

mini hare workshops
mini hare workshop
 making sample dragons for a Myths and Legends workshop this January with Y3 


and off to a weekend fair at Lytham Hall with Hopeful & Glorious


but in the middle of all that running about.....
today I am looking after our new family member Shannon! 



She is a rescue from the RSPCA East Lancashire branch. Her mum is a cruelty case which was just concluded with the previous owner getting a prison sentence. She was rescued with her 9 wk old pups, Shannon and Tommy her brother who were looked after at Althams RSPCA.
My Mum & Dad went to look for a small, quiet, house trained little dog but Shannon was off out for a walk with one of the staff when they arrived and they just took one look at her big brown doleful eyes and promptly fell in love! 
Shes a lurcher cross with a bull terrier we were told but since some people have mentioned she looks like a border collie. She is very loving and likes a cuddle but still needs house training and can be spooked by anything and everything having spent all of her life in kennels.  

So as much as we love and miss Charlie and no one can replace our special boy we are blessed with the character that is Shannon the lurcher! 

counter surfing


She is absolutely beautiful wish us luck!

Friday 11 November 2016

Christmas Decorations Workshop 3rd December 2016

I have 3 places left for the last workshop of the year here at Higherford Mill


Come and have a play in porcelain. This short workshop you will learn how to roll out the clay and impression and incised techniques to create your own Christmas decorations, tea lights or gift tags etc. The world is your oyster!

2 hours 2-4pm December 3rd
at Higherford Mill.
Bring an apron and your imagination :-)
£35 each
ages: 16 +
max places 6





Higherford Mill,  Gisburn Road, Barrowford, Lancashire, BB9 6JH
 

Wednesday 2 November 2016

Christmas Markets

So I will be at the fabulous Lytham Hall 
with Hopeful & Glorious this November 19th -20th 
with Wendy Clark Jewellery too.






As Christmas approaches, our Hopeful & Glorious Winter Art Fair at Lytham Hall guarantees to delight and surprise. Over 30 amazing artists, designers, makers and local producers will be showing the best of British craft at the Fylde coast’s Georgian gem, Lytham Hall. A stunning selection of art and craft will be shown both indoors and outdoors with a range of things to see, do and buy each day.

Lytham Hall, Ballam Road, Lytham FY8 4JX

And on the 4th December I will be at the 

Christmas Market at 
BMW Lloyds in Colne from 11am-4pm 


 

Changed workshop dates Nov 2016


I have had to change the date of the mini hare workshop and I have a couple of spaces left on the last two workshops of the year.
Saturday 12th November 2-4pm
Mini hare Workshop in stoneware
Learn to create your own hare or creature in clay in this two hour workshop. 
£35 per person 




Saturday 3rd December 2-4pm
Porcelain Christmas decorations
Make your own present labels, present tags, tree hangings and much more. Learn how to roll out porcelain, decorate with impressed textures and underglaze colours to create your own personalised decorations. 
£35 per person
email me on info@juliemiles.co.uk for more info and booking 

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Autumnal colour........oh and bees


 So Autumn is upon us and I had a weekend visiting places to inspire new works. We visited Sizergh Castle gardens and a Green Wood fair with an eye to mixing media together. Its just at the ideas stage so no spoilers yet.










Beautiful maple leaves turning fiery colours in the Japanese gardens  




The Stumpery is very new but looking lovely with its resident nuthatch
which was too fast for me to photograph. 



 Dylans mum putting the hot work into sawdust. 


 So a lovely visit up to Brougham Hall to see some pottery friends there and have a go at Raku firing. I may of planted a seed to get my raku kiln out here too as my final exhibition on my BA was raku and smoke fired pieces I kind of liked setting fire to things.



Then there's this in two weeks Open Studios with Hopeful & Glorious at he Heritage Centre might not have new work ready but its in progress. Exciting times


Sunday 18 September 2016

new workshops Saturday afternoons 2-4

NEW NEW NEW

Workshops



Saturday afternoons for 2016 2-4pm
Saturday 1st October
Porcelain tea light holders

Saturday 5th November 2-4pm
Mini hare in stoneware

Saturday 3rd December 2-4pm
Porcelain Christmas decorations

£35 per person



Tuesday evening classes 7-9pm
including basic materials & firing
Porcelain & stoneware
6 weeks at £150 each
Starting mid October tbc

Here at
Higherford Mill
Gisburn Road
Barrowford
Lancashire
BB9 6JH
www.juliemiles.co.uk

DM me to book or email info@juliemiles.co.uk

Tuesday 13 September 2016

Open Studios Sept/Oct 2016




So this is happening this weekend here at Higherford Mill 
Gisburn Road, Barrowford, Lancashire BB9 6JH
We are opening our studios again too
with refreshments and cake! 
of course!


Then these are taken from my holidays last week in the Highlands of Scotland. I went to have a rest and drink gin and eat choklit.

I was quite obsessed with the fungi which was fruiting everywhere and also the local wildlife. 
There were no pesky Eagles, Golden or otherwise and no otters or pesky otters or even beavers as we were close to where they were released in Argyle




There was also lots of lichen and also the mosses were amazing 




We got very excited at seeing this bird till we were approached by her handler as he was doing a display at the weekend and lost one of his birds of prey and was using his one to lure the other back. We were given a fab display by his hawk who was showing off for the 2 buzzards flying over head!


This dragonfly was sat sunning itself quietly until I came a long with my camera and took lots of pics. When I got home I downloaded them did I realised I was disturbing its tea.


More fungi

Baby wagtail



We fed the birds whilst having a picnic

and was serenaded by this beautiful robin




Rob Roys grave 






Loch Voil 



We did see some very marvelous Red Deer but we were traveling rather fast for photos
as we only really saw them really from the car. So evidence was needed

more fungi



This was from the bridge at Killin Falls of Dockart I thought it looked very much like a face especially when the rain drop hit the centre of the rock pool.






So on the way back to compensate for not seeing pesky eagles we went via 
Dumfries & Galloway to see if we could spot some Red Kites. 
Well we saw loads at the feeding station.














 And hopefully I will make time for me to do something with some of the
 1000 pictures I may of took! 
Watch this space....

But until then we have another date for the diary coming up too



Workshops dates for 2020

Julie Miles Ceramics Courses for 2020     So I am launching my new workshops at long last! So if you fancy having a go, being crea...