#MarchMeetTheMaker

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Day 6 : Full time or part time

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#marchmeetthemaker FULL TIME OR PART TIME Tea with Jud is a full time operation! I worked part time for the first year while I was setting up my business. This allowed me to pay my bills whilst I was practising my throwing skills, designing my product range, just generally figuring it all out. After doing some craft fairs I got a lot busier and decided it was time to give my business 100% commitment. I became fully self employed in 2015. It was a very scary step indeed but I cannot believe I am about to complete my 4th year of it! I sell my work through 9 UK stockists, on my website and go to various markets and events. #teawithjud #potter #pottery #ceramics #ceramicdesign #design #wheelthrown #handmade #handmadeinscotland #ukcraft #tableware #kitchensink #meetthemaker #selfemployed #smallbusiness #independent #rattray #blairgowrie #perthshire #scotland

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Day 7 : Less glam side

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#marchmeetthemaker LESS GLAM SIDE Well… there are many unglamorous things about both pottery and self employment! I’ll start with the pottery – the finished product is shiny, smooth and beautiful but to get to that stage it is cold, messy, dirty and dusty. Workshop hours are long and don’t even talk to me about recycling clay! Being your own boss does sound very appealing but it can be overrated at times. It’s a lot of pressure! I have to make all the decisions and I don’t know if they are the right decisions! Practical work is restricted to the workshop but due to lack of space I do all my admin, wrapping orders, accounts, planning etc in my office, aka my bedroom. I would love a separate office and a wrapping station as I feel like my work follows me around at home and I can never fully switch off from it. Something else that is not so glam is relying on an unstable income. I live alone and cannot depend on Albert for any financial contributions so it all has to come from me. There is no back up plan if I ever get sick or injured so that is also a constant worry… hmmm…. is that enough of the unglamarous stuff? Flip, I’m now wondering if there are any benefits to self employment?! 😂 #teawithjud #potter #pottery #ceramics #ceramicdesign #design #maker #meetthemaker #selfemployed #unglam #reality #smallbusiness #workfromhome #rattray #blairgowrie #perthshire #scotland

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Day 8 : Product Range

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#marchmeetthemaker PRODUCT RANGE I design and make tableware that is meant for daily use. I love colour and got a bit carried away developing my glazes so each product is currently available in 7 colours! PRIMARY – Red, Yellow & Blue or – POLKA DOT -. Green, Turquoise, Purple & Pink. Customers can mix and match or just buy into one colour range. I also do some limited edition collections which can make it even harder to choose your favourite colour! Sorry! The Red and Turquoise Polka Dot are by far the most popuar. Yesterday I got the nicest e.mail from one of my customers. He said – “I would just like to say that these are our favourite mugs being both wonderfully tactile and attractive but also perfectly functional”. I think thats a pretty good way to sum up my products 😊 #teawithjud #potter #pottery #ceramics #ceramicdesign #ceramicsuk #design #contrmporaryceramics #products #meetthemaker #handmade #handmadeisbest #handmadeinscotland #smallbusiness #independent #kitchensink #washingup #tableware #homeware #crockery #rattray #blairgowrie #perthshire #scotland

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Day 9 : Story behind name

Day 10 : You

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#marchmeetthemaker YOU Hello! Here I am. Todays challenge is all about me so I thought you might like to see a glimpse of my face and find out a bit more about what I like when I’m not in the workshop. I was definitely born to make. I love knitting & baking and then wearing and eating all the things I’ve knit and baked! I love all things pattern; stripes, polka dots, tartan & leopard print. You can usually find me in one of these patterns paired with a woolly cardigan and trainers. I LOVE music. Brass, strings and piano are my favourite. If I could be in a band it would be Arcade Fire. I’m not ashamed to admit I love One Direction, especially Harry! I love going to festivals and gigs. Wild swimming is lots of fun. I can’t wait for the summer again as I have found a new swimming spot in the river. I miss Simon Mayo on Radio 2. I love ice skating⛸ Sooooo much. I learned to figure skate at the age of 27 and worked through my grades up to grade 10! Quite an achievment for me especially since I am extremely unsporty and my ice skating teacher told me it looked like someone was holding a gun to my head while I was skating! I still dream of appearing on dancing on ice/the olympics in a sparkly leopard print leotard, but I won’t hold my breath 😂 Flight of the Conchords makes me laugh so hard my face hurts. I love a good fancy dress party and Albert my dog. I think thats the basics covered 💛 #teawithjud #potter #knitter #maker #meetthemaker #reallife #hobbies #allaboutme #me #dog #ilovemydog #mydogisgorgeous #jacktzu #polkadots #fancydress #independent #selfemployed #onewomanbusiness

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