And the winner is....

Lucky #72.... which is indeed....

PRUE  FOTHERGILL.

Prue has won her choice of some LoveBird Earrings or a Necklace, and she choose a pair of Blue Lovebird earrings and decided to give them to her Mum in Christchurch as a wee pick me up! How lovely is that. I love it when things like that happen, the prizes always seem to go to the best people. 

Thanks to all who entered and showed their support - we had 75 entries in total.

Till the next time.... Gill

LoveBird Giveaway!

** Giveaway has closed now **

 Thank you for entering. Winner will be announced 18th June, 7pm.

I love to make new designs, I have so many ideas in my sketch book begging to be rolled out, cut, stamped or pressed, fired and glazed. And usually when I am supossed to be adding to my current stock, the new designs are born. ( That's when most creativity happens doesn't it?)


Over the last few weeks I have made a new Robot necklace design in Turquoise & Green (Which was a big hit with my 5yr old son!), tinkled with my '2012 Christmas Dove' decoration, made some Twinkling star earrings, a cute 'wall art' Horse, and started on a new range called 'LoveBird'. I've made necklaces and earrings with a impressed design of a pair of sweet birds, perching on a branch, into a 3D raised heart necklace and simple circular earrings, glazed in Red, Royal Blue, Turquoise & Distressed Eggshell Blue.


I thought it was time for a Mudbird giveaway for all you amazing supporters here and on Facebook, so when the number of 'likes' hit 1100 on my Facebook page I though it was the perfect time!

So... would you like to win a pair of my Lovebird Earrings or a Lovebird Necklace?


Head over to my Facebook tab, click here for the GIVEAWAY tab, enter your details and be in the draw.
Entries are open WORLDWIDE, so there is no excuse not to enter.

Entries closed 17th June 2012

Good Luck 

x

 Gill

p.s Here is a photo of my cheeky boy (who is growing up far too fast for my liking) and his Robot necklace. He has been begging for me to make him something and I love it so much!

p.p.s Leave a comment here about your favourite colour in the LoveBirds range for an extra entry!

Hot off the Press!

Yikes, where did May go? Thought I'd better squeeze in a post this month before it ticks over to June 1st tomorow. I can't believe we are 1/2 way through the year, but I guess it has been kind of busy lately! I counted up that since February 22nd earthquake, I've had 12 markets... TWELVE! That's busy and wonderful all at the same time. Great for Christchurch that there has been such a creative scene. I've got 5 lined up for the rest of the year and there is another 5 or so to add to that! So if you are in Christchurch there are plenty more opportunities to get your handcrafted shopping fix!


In May the studio was humming as there were 3 markets that I attended, so I am taking a break from markets in June, to catch up on building up stock levels, an exciting commission { accounts / paper work - better put that in, incase my husband reads this } and working on wholesale orders - Yes, you read that right... I'm going to start wholesaling, just small to begin with. I've got a very long list of requests to supply to some wonderful stores, but I'm a one woman band, with 3 young kiddies and I do need to sleep ( contrary to popular belief that I don't need and sleep!).


So anyway - exciting news this week. Yesterday I was in the Christchurch Mail newspaper on page 4! The lovely Cate Broughton came over last week to interview me about my Emerge range, kind of like an update after my article in Zest Magazine ( 27 July 2011). It's been 10 months and I can't believe how much work I have packed into those months. Imagine what I could get done it this was Full time...!

I've also been contacted by TVNZ Breakfast show on TV1, and I'll be filmed next week (all going to plan) to be part of the reporters round up by Lacie Wilson. Pretty exciting to say the least.


I've also had fun making a new range of earrings and necklaces that I've called "Lovebirds" and to celebrate over 1100 likes on Facebook, I'm setting up a wee giveaway. Details will be posted in next few days.


Keep warm x Gill

May's TV Debut & Markets.

I'm nervously counting down the days until my segment airs on Hearts in Crafts on TVNZ7 ( episode 5 ) May 5th, Saturday at 6.30pm.

It's a wonderful 13 part series showcasing some of New Zealand's creative and forward thinking people. 
From the TVNZ7 website:
 "Hearts In Crafts is the first of its kind, a show all about embracing New Zealand's appetite for craft; sharing the stories and meeting the personalities of some of this country's finest crafters. 

While reflecting on traditional crafts, Hearts In Crafts reveals emerging and contemporary crafts, and most importantly profiles the people passionate about craft. From the internationally renowned craft masters whose craft is their life's work; to the exuberant hobbyist who can't get enough; to the environmental saviours turning trash to treasure and the meeting places where likeminded crafters gather to share and learn. Crafting knows no bounds as viewers will discover over the course of our 13 part series."

Coming up in just 6 days is my first Market in May. It's the fun filled Sumner Rocks Village Street Party!

When: Sunday 6th May, 11.00 am 4.00 pm
Where: Wakefield /Marriner/ Nayland street precinct, Sumner Village ( Streets closed off, entertainment galore!)

Then the new monthly shopping evening, complete with bubbles and nibbles - all for a Gold coin donation!

Shop Me Pretty

When: Friday 18th May, 6.30 - 9.00pm
Where: Ohoka Hall, Mill Road, Ohoka

And to finish off this busy month is the wonderful...

'Winter' Encraftment Market

When: Saturday 26 May, 10am - 3pm
Where: Jack Mann Auditorium, Canterbury University, Christchurch

So all in all, May is shaping up to be pretty busy, well the lead up is already busy with the studio overflowing with drying pieces, bisqued and glazed designs. My kilns are cranking 24/7 as I build up stock!

All this info is up on my website plus more! ... Markets & Fairs

See you at the Markets... or on TV. Please visit my FACEBOOK page for some feedback. x Gill

Thank You - Charity Donations

Just before the end of last week I made 3 amazing deposits to 3 different charities! If you an Emerge lover then you'll know exactly what I'm talking about! Over the last 7 months ( Since the launch date of 27th July 2011) my customers have been able to choose which of the 3 different charities they wanted me to donate 30% of the proceeds of their purchase to.


The 3 Charities are:


* The New Zealand Red Cross
* The Christchurch Earthquake Appeal
* Adopt a Christchurch Family




The Emerge range is made from liquefaction silt, collected from my home in Woolston. Here is a link to  the Emerge pieces which gives a great explanation about it all.


   Mudbird Emerge Range




So it is with great pleasure, to announce that with the help of all you lovely people from ALL over the world, we have raised very close to $3000 to give to these charities! That is amazing and also very humbling to think of all the support you have given my business as well along the way. I am still continuing to make the Emerge range, and still letting my customers choose their charity.


Thank you once again x Gill

St Patricks Day Treasure Hunt.

Have you ever found a 4 leaf clover before? Try your luck and search. I love giveaways, and especially love treasure hunts!

It starts at 8am on Saturday 17th March - which is of course St Patricks Day! I'll be hiding 4 images of a Four Leafed Clover throughout my store - once you find all FOUR of them, you just need click on the St Paddy’s day TAB on my website and you'll find all the details on how to enter. 

I'll be adding the FIRST clue on FACEBOOK at 8am, then you'll need to go to www.mudbird.co.nz to get the rest.

So get thinking and get clicking and find those clovers. There will also be a chance to get 2 extra entries - find the sneaky clover hidden somewhere on my website - If you find that you'll get an extra entry, and also if you SHARE the Treasure Hunt post from my Facebook page you'll get another extra entry.

And because it's the weekend, you've got until 8pm on Sunday 18th March to get your entries in! Good luck. Winner will be announced at 8.30pm Sunday 18th March.

Terms and conditions:

• The winner will win ONE of my new Green Leaf Dishes.
• The information collected from your entry will be used to contact you if you win. All entries will be put into a random draw and the winner will be drawn out of a hat ( green if I can find one).
• Entries open to all New Zealand and Australian addresses only.
• This is in no way associated with Facebook.

In Honour of My Father, 1 March 1940 - 19 September 2008

Today is the 1st March 2012, and it would have been my Dad's 72nd birthday. I'd just like to take a moment to honour him, and even though he doesnt know I am making ceramics now, he is strangely linked to my new passion.  He was a very clever and incredibly intelligent man, and I learnt alot from him about excellence and his 'can do' spirit. We used to have weekly hangout times & projects when I was at high school, and he'd let me pick the idea. My favourite time was when we built a bookshelf that I still have today. I think that without his passing away in 2008, I wouldn't have rediscovered my love of clay, I might never have gone back to it. I was devastated and I took it pretty badly (as I'm sure most would grieving the loss of a parent). 

My husband suggested I take some time out and do a course or something, just for me and to give myself a new direction. My youngest at the time had just turned 2yrs, and so I thought I'd do a nightclass. I found working with clay to be very therapeutic and was quite a healing time - to start being creative again after what seemed like a long drought.

I remember in the early days making some personalised hand-stamped tags and bits and pieces to take to his grave (in Auckland) and they are still there tied around a potted succulent I planted.

Somedays I feel sad he can't see what I am doing, and I can't share with him my successes, stories and new designs,  but I know he'd be pretty proud of me :-)

Dad & I - Geoffrey Jenkins, taken about 2 weeks before he passed away from cancer.

Happy Birthday Dad, I miss you so much xxx