They’ve just said on the news that we’ve had the warmest spring on record, and now we’re in a heatwave with temperatures expected to reach around 38°C. Apparently we’ve not seen June temperatures like this since 1976, so no wonder it feels a bit extreme! Never seen the map look so fiery hot on the news!!!! Normally my studio is actually the coolest place for me to escape to. It’s an annex on our grounds, with 18-inch thick stone walls and sits under the canopy of the forest, so it has been an absolute saviour in hot weather. Even our Rhodesian Ridgeback Kaiser follows me in there to lie on the cold floor tiles which is very unusual! But today even the studio was baking… although that may have something to do with the fact I fired Blaze last night. 😂 The good news is my greenware is drying quickly, but it’s definitely not ideal when I still need to handle pieces. I’m suddenly having to rethink my usual drying routines and keep a much closer eye on things than normal. For my fellow UK potters, how are you managing your clay, studio time, drying and firings in this heat? And for everyone else around the world… what are your weather extremes where you are? Hottest heat, coldest cold, humidity, snow, storms — I’d love to hear how your climate affects your pottery.

Today was the day I had my charity sale and it was fantastic. What a crowd! And this time not only people I know, but also people who came through word of mouth, which made it extra special. I raised a total of €2,750 for the Ambulance Wish Foundation. So grateful for all the people who came to buy something from me. Especially because it was real beach weather here in the Netherlands 🥵

@Linda Robertson Congratulations, you wonderful human being. 💛 I’m so incredibly proud of you, and I absolutely love your videos. What an amazing achievement! 100! 🤯 Your combinations are truly out of this world. The creativity, talent, and joy you bring to every video are something special. You keep surprising us and inspiring us with every new creation. We love all of your combinations, and we love you, too. ❤️ Here’s to the next 100 and beyond! 🥂✨ Congratulations on this huge milestone. You deserve every bit of the success and recognition that comes your way. 🌟💫

After the most special couple of days, I’ve just arrived home from visiting the gorgeous Lucy from West2Ceramics. As many of you know from her recent kiln opening video, Lucy is going through absolute hell and back in her personal life right now. I’ve been so desperate to see her in person for such a long time — just to hug her, spend time together, make her smile a little, and hopefully give her a tiny bit of distraction from everything she’s carrying at the moment. Lucy knows all about this wonderful Skool community and how supportive and special you all are. Right now though, she simply doesn’t have the headspace, energy, or emotional capacity to join in fully — and I know you’ll all completely understand that. But… while we were together, we recorded a very special little video message from Lucy just for the Skool community. 💜 She wanted to say hello personally, send her love, and let you all know that she absolutely hopes to join us properly in Skool when life eventually gives her the breathing space and luxury to do so. I know your kindness and support will mean the world to her.

For these 12 Trinket Dishes, I applied 2 layers of MAYCO Opal Lustre together with 2 layers of different glazes from various brands and color directions. These are the results. Which one do you like most?