Snowman has an annoucement

Thank you for your comments for the drawing. I wrote names on slips of notebook paper and asked my friend, Snowman to pick one. No peeking. Snowman reached in the bowl with a mittened hand and drew out the name Lori, from Lori times five, for the ornament set. Then owl piped up.
"Don't I get to draw a name too?" so Snowman and I obliged, and owl pulled out the name
Christine, from A Mermaids Tale.

So Christine, (all because of Owl) will be receiving the two little cups above. Bluebird and farmhouse in the snow. I will email you both ladies, as
Snowman wants to send these two parcels off on Monday.

I've made a baker's dozen of spoons. Some are long , for deep mixing bowls, and others shorter for serving at the table. There are both oval shaped bowls and rounded bowls.

There are mice with pies, foxes with vegegables for their stews and hedgehogs all set to make strawberry jam.

There is even a cornish rabbit with a cornishware bowl.

All can be hung from a hook, as there is a hole and I've strung through waxed linen thread, durable and sensible too. Listing this weekend. And I hope yours is a lovely one.

xx

julie

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

Mushroom Town

Trek far to the north,
lope uphill, then down;
When the woods turn thick
You're in Mushroom Town.

In winter there's a feast,

to mark the Christmas time;

Each creature brings a gift,

of food or song, or wine.

Mr. Leif Green

a culinarious fox

brings watercress soup,

and a silver snuffbox.

He loudly recites

a Shakespeare sonnet,

as he sips the soup

and pours sherry on it.

He gulps, he slurps,

his eyes shine green,

he's the shockingest diner

you've ever seen.

Tawny rabbits

in vest and pants

sing Christmas carols

and Gregorian chants

Greyish Wolf

will bring a pie,

if you like chicken,

please stop by.

Greyish ventures

out by night

and shops for fowl

by lantern light.

I'm quite appaled

that wolf has crashed,

(he wasn't asked)

There is a chair

saved just for you,

Please bring more tarts

and acorns too.

Squirrel will seat you

in a chair of green,

There's badger and donkey

and you in between.

The table's brimming

the candle's bright

O Merry Christmas

O Holy Night.

Update this weekend

xx

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

Remembrance cups

its you whatever a moon has
always meant
and whatever a sun will always
sing is you

A wedding deserves a token of affection to celebrate eternal love, but sometimes the nicest things happen all in a rush and no invites have gone out. And you want to remember.

Like the fall when a rare bird landed so close to you , you could see its heart beat beneath it's feathers. Or the moment when your baby said her first word. (This yellow butterfly cup says 'flutterby' on the reverse.)

Mr. Pricklepins. I remember the first time I saw a hedgehog. They are so small!

all the pretty birds dive into

the heart of the sky

all the fish climb through

the mind of the sea

Have you ever seen a bird's nest in your very own garden? This nest piece is actually more like a bowl. It would hold a nice portion of granola, (very nesty) or vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce. Maybe even a little whipped cream.

Or seen a fox dash across a clearing, his white tipped tail all lit up like a candle?

The reverse reads;

joy was his song and joy so pure

a heart of star by him could steer

Thank you for checking in to see my new cups. Let's light the fire now and put the kettle on.

all poetry courtesy of e.e. cummings

xx

julie

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

At the Sign of the Hedgehog

I like a sign on a garden gate. It lets you pause and collect yourself before you enter inside. I took a ramble in this rose garden today, and got stuck. As soon as I unhinged myself from one thorny cane, another reached out for me and held on, until I picked up the knack of holding in my arms, that is until I saw this rose:

Butter yellow, shell pink and raspberry tinged. So I stood there awhile, because it smelled sweet, and because bees zipped by and there was a sort of lonesome, longing wind through the pines. Then I remembered I was hungry.

So home I came, but look what I brought back with me.

These new garden signs are porcelain, run over with lace pressed in by a brayer, then a medallion is added. This one is painted with a farmhouse, larkspur and other summer blooms, with a watering can weather vane. Below it reads 'All the seasons run their race in this quiet resting place.'

Oh, and a rabbit piece because I can't seem to paint a batch of pottery without adding one to the firing.

xx

julie

juliewhitmorepottery.etsy.com

Pincushion Friend

This wanderer of hedgerow, lane
and wood, this spiny hog,
comes gently, snuffling, once again,
emerges from the fog
of centuries bygone, of dreams,
And curls before our sight,
And smokelike, grave and secret seems,
This denzien of night.
Yet charm as ever, conquers all,
As caring holds the key,
To woodland haunt, to coarse brown ball,
To hedgehog mystery!
frank marples

I think its time to form a Society for the Adoration of the Hedgehog. We can serve rosehip punch and custard. Ginger cookies in the shape of acorns. I can think of two people at least who would join in. What about you? Do you want to be the Hedgehog's friend?

In this grouping, there's a herb holder, a little portrait plate, and a lady holding her garden friend. There's a statue too, and a tiny cup to go with it, be advised Hedgehogs like LOTS of milk in their tea.