Muddy Fingers Teapot Making Workshop at The Customs House

Just recently I discovered that The Customs House Gallery in South Shields run a range of workshops and classes. There are drawing and craft classes to suit all tastes. With workshops like Fascinator making , Creative fabric accessories and Make Your Own Teapot.

I genuinely thought all my dreams had come true when I read that last workshop title! I mean its no secret that I'm a big fan of tea, and tea sets so this seemed like the perfect treat for my 40th Birthday , I know I know I look so young pahahhaha.

Roping in a pal we booked our tickets and as giddy as teenagers we tootled off to be creative (and left the monkeys with Daddy)

 

The workshop was run by Marv (Marvelous Marv) one half of the partnership who own Muddy Fingers Pottery. He did a quick demo of how the teapot was to be made and I'll be honest he made it look so easy.... then he informed us that teapots are actually the hardest things you can make!

All of our materials and tools had been set out and we quickly set to work following our instructions, there were masses of stamps, cutters, rollers and pattern makers to choose from and I think most of my time was spent planning a theme, my partner in pottery however wasted no time in choosing a zombie/skull theme for her.

With my late mother in laws tea set, inherited last year,  firmly in my mind I decided to make a pot to match and went for delicate florals.


Now then I have a confession, I decided to take my swanky new (to me) camera along and took some great snaps but didn't check to see if I had the cable to remove the pictures to my pc so I'm afraid that for now you have only a few mobile snaps. Although truthfully I was so consumed by the workshop I forgot to take many pictures.

Marv was an amazing workshop leader, positive, encouraging and helpful all the way through and I loved hearing about the work Muddy Fingers Pottery do, they've just returned from the craft village at Glastonbury and they also make crockery by hand for hotels around the world! They really are very diverse. They are a friendly bunch too, when I'd tagged then on facebook telling my pals I had booked onto the course for my birthday Muddy Fingrers had liked my status and I thought nothing more of it until I arrived at the workshop and they had provided cake to help me celebrate!!

At the end of the workshop the teapots were carefully taken back to the Hebburn pottery where they will be fired and glazed and fired again (I think) and they will be returned to us in a few weeks

I can't wait to show you the finished product.

If you'd like to know more about Muddy Fingers or book a workshop to make your own masterpiece you can check them out on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and their website.

You should also definitely check out the amazing work of The Customs House and The Customs House Gallery