Spot the giveaway

I've been a fan of local potter, Aleida Pullar, ever since her spotty little pots caught my eyes at the markets. Her beautiful mix of porcelain and stoneware are made into a delightful collection of planters, blossom jars, beakers and trays.

I couldn't resist calling her up (especially as I'm celebrating my favourite artisans) and asking if I could pop round to her studio at Avoca Beach. She paints with landscape and turns porcelain beads into silver earrings. There are glazed tiles and indigo linen canvases. It's all very striking especially in her clean, white-washed studio.

But I still love the spots. Those cobalt and cornflower hues draw me in every time.

And the best bit is that I don't have to wait for the markets to get my hands on a new planter or flower jar. She's happy for people to call up and drop by for a browse.

If you live locally, Aleida is having a drinks and Christmas sale on Friday 30th November 6-9pm and on Saturday 1st December 10-4pm (Studio Latitude 33, 195 Cape Three Points Road, Avoca Beach). Mum, guess what you're getting for Christmas...

Oh, and Aleida is very kindly giving away one of her porcelain beakers to one of you. I do what I always do when I'm picking a gift for someone: I pick what I'd like to receive.

So you know it's a spotty one, and you know it's blue.

If you'd like to enter, leave me a comment to make me smile below and I'd love to know if you can make it to one of her open days. Think I'll go on the Friday. Boys to bed early and jump in the car for a... spot of Christmas shopping!

If you're not already a follower, you can join me with Google Friend Connect or on Facebook. Lovely to have you here by the way.

Giveaway now closed. Amanda @ mammajoy... you win!   





Beautiful things

A local potter displays her wares at the Avoca Beachside Markets. I already have one of her blue polka-dot pots holding my utensils in the kitchen. And there's one in England cradling some garlic in my mum's house. I intend on buying more. A whole lot more. I love her stuff so much I'm going to feature her on the blog very soon.

Pink rhubarb for a recipe feature I'm working on. I made jelly with the juice, then planned to eat the pulp with some yogurt or bake it in some shortcrust pastry. It didn't happen, because it was too good to eat straight from the fridge.

A little surprise in the garden. My heart sunk when I saw all these mounds. Some wretched thing digging up my tomato seedlings, I thought. The wretched thing, or things, were mushrooms. It's all that lovely mushroom compost I added to the beds. It's just a shame I'm the only one in this house who likes to eat them.

What do you think of all those blue spots? Are you going potty over them too?