Toot to to too to too toooooootttt….

Posted on
Mug Competition!
Mug Competition!

Let the trumpet fanfare commence!

The competition is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered.

The winner is Rebecca Burman! Congratulations to you! I will be in touch with you soon.

If you didn’t win this time, make sure you subscribe to my blog so you can be kept up to date with all the relevant Tea with Jud information and wonderful competitions.

Cheerio for now.

comp-winner

Ten hands are better than two!

Posted on

Hello everyone!

My new home
My new home

Apologies it has taken me so long to give you all an update about my move, but I have been very busy! Moving house is hard work, never mind moving house and workshop too! I am settling in well and loving what Blairgowrie has to offer, even though I’ve mainly only explored the supermarket, hardware shops and builders merchants, several times! (that’s where all my new friends work)

I’ll summarize this as best I can as a lot has happened in the past week and a half…

Thursday 1st October: Moving day;  a very early start, 5am! Dad, Owen and I got the boat to Scotland. The weather was incredible, we could not have asked for better weather to move in! It was so beautiful driving up with the sun shining on the trees and autumn leaves.

Friday 2nd October: The cement for my new workshop floor was ordered for 3pm. We had a lot of preparation to do before hand. During this preparation I discovered it is not possible to push a wheelbarrow and pull up your trousers at the same time.

3.45pm: It took quite a while for the cement lorry squeeze round the corner to my new workshop, sparing only centimetres from my neighbours house. Shortly after this is when I discovered laying cement is a man’s job! Oh my goodness! I cannot believe how heavy it is! Such hard hard work.

Welcome to Scotland Hat Cake
Welcome to Scotland Hat Cake

8pm: Charlie arrived with his exceptional carpentry skills and a super surprise …. an amazing cake, baked by Claire. It was the best reward after 2 tiresome days.

Saturday 3rd October: Charlie made door frames. I hate mortar. Mike arrived to help, making 10 hands in total. Many hands really do make light work.

Sunday 4th October: Who knew wood was such a technical material! Using 3 doors from gumtree and the charity shop we were under pressure to make them fit into Charlie’s handmade frame, hang them and get all the other important jobs that I wouldn’t be able to finish myself, before Team with Jud left that evening. But my, what a team. I am really lucky to have such good friends and family to help. I couldn’t have transformed my new workshop without them.

The rest of that week I spent lime washing walls,  painting the doors, painting the store, painting the floor, painting many things actually… and getting everything ready for the arrival of my kiln. It arrived a whole day early at 8.15am whilst I was in my pyjamas. People like to start work really early here. The lorry delivering my kiln couldn’t fit down the lane either, so I soon discovered the advantages of living on a farm… forklift trucks at my disposal and very skilled drivers who will help you in return for a cup of coffee! perfect! If only I could pay everyone with cups of coffee…

I have also successfully transported all my stock and bisque ware without any breakages. Maybe I should give a certain few well known delivery companies some tips on handling fragile goods!

So, after a lot of hard work, and a little bit more to do, I just have to wait for the electrician to wire up my kiln and some lights before I can get back into a normal working routine.

My new workshop
My new workshop

I love my new house and workshop. There is a river and a swing. I am really looking forward to winter here. I love snow so much. My friend in the hardware shop told me he sold 400 snow shovels in one winter! How exciting!

All my friends and family already know to visit, my calendar is getting busy… but any other Tea with Jud fans, if you are ever in this part of the world, please don’t pass by without letting me know. You will always be welcomed with a cup of tea from me, and perhaps a snow shovel.

Cheerio for now.

 

 

I am moving

Posted on
"Moo"ving House
“Moo”ving House

I can’t believe I am moving tomorrow! After months of longing, planning and hard work I am ready to set sail to Scotland. Hooray!

My pot sale last Saturday was brilliant. The sun shone, which made the ice cream provided by The Vintage Tricycle Company even more tasty! Thank you to everyone who stopped by, I hope you all had a good time and are happy with your purchases.

Tea with Me
Tea with Me

Tea with Jud production has stopped temporarily. The past few weeks have been pretty hectic; finishing orders, packing up my workshop and worldly possessions, organizing my pot sale and making stock for Christmas (yes, I really did mention Christmas!).

I have also learnt many things whilst organizing my move. This is what I’ve learnt..

  1. Did you know there is no such thing as “normal” concrete?
  2. External doors (for my new workshop) are really heavy and don’t fit into a renault clio.
  3. 6 legged spiders are just as scary as 8 legged spiders.
  4. When your head is full of a million things, do not to walk off with someone else’s trolley in the supermarket.
  5. All my family and friends are wonderful and I am completely overwhelmed by the support and generosity of everyone both from a business and personal point of view. It is impossible to put into words how grateful I am. Mum and Dad especially, thank you for your continuous love, patience and support.

I’m sure you know yourself that moving house is time consuming, so I will be off the radar for a couple of weeks until I get settled. If you do have any knitting/pottery queries or wish to place any Christmas orders, please get in touch and I will reply as soon as possible.

Heart Mugs
Heart Mugs

Until then, I’ll be busy laying concrete, unpacking, painting things, boiling my new kettle for well earned tea breaks, and organizing my new workshop!

I will give you an update when my life gets into some sort of order again!

Ciao for now.
Jud

 

I need an Ice Cream

Posted on
Mmmm, Ice Cream
Mmmm, Ice Cream

This week I have been so busy I have hardly had time to think! My list of jobs to do seems endless and I’m starting to feel a bit emotional as I pack up my workshop.

The seconds pile is growing as I tidy up, the last bisque is on and now all I have to do is sort out all my stock, ready for my seconds sale on Saturday.

The Vintage Tricycle Company
The Vintage Tricycle Company

As an extra special treat for everyone, myself included, I will be joined by “The Vintage Tricycle Company” who will be offering tubs and cones of delicious traditional ice cream. YUM! I cannot wait!

Lets hope the weather stays dry for us!

See you on Saturday.

My second “seconds” sale

Posted on

Hello there…

So as you all know I will be moving to Scotland at the end of this month, but I will not be able to take everything with me, so I thought, why not have another seconds sale!

Come along and pick up a pot. You might even get one of my home baked brownies (if I have time to make them!)

Tea With Jud Septmeber Poster v3See you there!

Tea V with Jud

Posted on

Once upon a time in October 2014, I was approached by a lovely girl who was interested in using my dinner plates for a competition.

BBC Great British Menu - Tea with Jud 1

That lovely girl was Danni Barry, and she is a Chef at Deanes Eipic in Belfast.

Danni is now starring on this series of the BBC’s Great British Menu. My plates make an appearance for the Fish course episode and I think they look amazing! Thanks Danni! You can watch it here http://bbc.in/1L5BSQZ (Available to watch until Oct 1st)

BBC Great British Menu - Tea with Jud 2

This year Danni has already celebrated winning the Best Chef in County Antrim at the Irish Restaurant Awards 2015.

I recommend if you are going out for lunch or dinner in Belfast, you should go and sample some of Danni’s delicious creations for yourself. Mmmmmm….


Check out all my plates…

Commissions are also welcome if you fancy having identical plates to those featured on the TV show.

Link to Plates in store.

I have very exciting news!

Posted on
Tea with Me
Tea with Me

Bonjourno boys and girls!

Exciting news ALERT! After months and months of searching I have finally found somewhere to live in Scotland! I am sooooooo ecstatic, and happy and scared and slightly freaking out at how much I have to organize! This is going to be a BIG move.

I never imagined I would live in a cottage on a fruit farm with my workshop next door! I am so excited about what opportunities lie ahead as I really believe it’s a step in the right direction for me; one small step closer to my seasonal coffee shop.

So, I have one month left in Northern Ireland, I will be setting sail at the end of September, but do not worry, before I go I will be having another seconds sale (date TBC) and this weekend I will be at my last Craft Fair in N.I for the foreseeable future – The Little Craft and Food Market.

Date: Saturday 5th September
Time: 11am – 4pm
Location: First Lisburn Presbyterian Church Hall *

I will keep you posted with any other news in-between but until then, I hope to see you in Lisburn!

Ciao

* Please note The Little Craft and Food Market’s change of location