smile maker of the week #8

This super cute sailboat piloted by a merry wobbler was a total custom made by fabulous Ann Wood. Beautiful vintage fabrics in my choice of colour. So so pretty, don't you think? I am sure many of you also adore her world. If you have not seen it yet, you know you must! (click here) 

Have a nice easter evenyone! xm

Hello Holland!

If you live in Europe or precisely in the Netherlands, you may be interested in this news. 

On 27th & 28th of April, I will be taking part in the international ceramic festival CLAY2DAY, which will be held at The Olmenhorst in Lisserbroek. This will be my first time to showcase my work abroad and also to visit the Netherlands! How exciting! There will be over 50 wonderful potters from the country and beyond, and I am very pleased to be sponsored by the event organiser as a new artist. (Many thanks to Sarah :) All ranges of my work will be on sale, including the new rakugaki series in the above photo. So if you are interested, please do put the dates in your diary. It would be lovely to meet my blog readers in person. 

For more information about CLAY2DAY, please click here. xm 

two years on

As of yesterday, two years has passed since Japan’s earthquake. Whether it’s small or large, I guess many people have had a different way of thinking about everyday life from that day. Be more prepared. Be more considerate. Be more appreciative to the ‘normality’ around you. Those who were affected directly may still be saddened, yet trying to enrich their new life with a little hope they can hold onto by doing whatever they can do right now. To me, the big day was like an enormous awakening too. The last two years has caused me to reflect on what I could do. Things must not be forgotten. I certainly haven’t. 

I would like to thank you for your huge support and contributions on my HELP JAPAN PROJECT. This fundraising project had run on two occasions via this blog and successfully made a huge donation to the area. Since last November, I have continued the project with special discount, titled HELP JAPAN PROJECT SPECIAL. 

Today I would like to use this opportunity to remind you that HELP JAPAN SPECIAL is still open. This will be the third phase of donation, for which I am aiming to support orphan trust fund in Miyagi prefecture. (this fund support those who lost parent(s) for their education in long term. Miyagi itself have over 1000 children accounted who lost parent(s).

If you are interested in, please do contact me. The details are below. 
Please feel free to spread the words. Your support can make a difference. 
Thank you. xm

PRICE

HELP JAPAN BIRD - £5 a pair. 30 pairs in stock. 

THE LIGHT OF HOPE - £25 each. Limited editions of 60, all numbered. Only 5 stock 3 left. (updated 15 March)

100% of proceeds will go to the donation.

Packaging & Post fees will apply to your order. (Please note that P&P includes a basic PayPal surcharges in order to maximise the donation.) If you order birds and candle holder(s), you will get 10% discount on the total of P&P. Here is the detail. (click the image to enlarge)  

PAYMENT

Payment method is PayPal. Once order has been made, I will email you a PayPal payment request. If you haven’t got a PayPal account, you can easily set up for free, or you can pay by credit or debit card. 

DELIVERY

Delivery will be by Royal Mail after the confirmation of payment. Please allow 10-15 days for an oversea delivery. Royal Mail is very reliable, however, if you would prefer special delivery, please let me know when you place an order. 

HOW TO ORDER

Please email me the following details with a subject "HELP JAPAN" :

1. Item(s) and amount you like to order

 e.g. a pair of birds, 1 x light of hope

2. Your Name

3. Your full postal address

4. (option) extra donation. please indicate in £ GBP. 

CLICK HERE TO ORDER

(if this does not work, please Email me to makikohastings@gmail.com) 

wedding project

These porcelain pieces are for the recent wedding project that I was asked to do. It was actually for my step daughter’s wedding last weekend, and my task was to create centre pieces for her wedding reception. After some discussions and consideration of the couple’s theme colour, black and creamy white, I decided to throw porcelain in a simple form but with a bit of personal touch. In the end, I made oval vases for the flowers on the top tables, round vases for the orchid as the centre pieces of the round tables and many candle holders to go around them, which are half embossed their names and half screen printed photographs of the couple. When they are lit, the letters and images would show up nicely. The result went well. The groom’s mother was especially delighted so I was pleased.

The wedding was great. Congratulations to the lovely couple! Wishing you both many more happiness to come. xm