Geri is on holidays on the beautiful Spanish island of Mallorca. She takes a day trip to an ancient village, set high in a mountain range located on the highest point of the island.

While wandering through the narrow cobbled streets lined with terracotta pots filled with bright flowers and street cafes a plenty, she discovers a partially concealed old wooden door. Parting the overhanging vines, she comes across a hidden alleyway. Intrigued, she pushes aside the vines and makes her way past the door and up the steep winding path, only to find a small collection of quaint shops. At first glance it appears they are mostly selling natural linen clothing, straw hats and bags and typical tourist items. Nothing out of the ordinary. Rounding a corner, she spots an oversized old woven basket on a shop footstep. Full of ceramic lemons. She is totally smitten with these misshapen, larger than life orbs of yellow. And she just has to have them. All of them! But. Herein lies the problem. How on earth is she going to get them on the plane and back to her home in Sydney? But first things first. How is she going to get them on the plane from Mallorca to Nice. Her ticket only allowed 1 carryon bag. And the lemons were very likely to break if they were to be put in a suitcase no matter how much bubble wrap is used.

After a couple of days of trying really hard to relax on one of the many stunning aqua water and icing sugar white sand beaches, she is so transfixed by these lemons, her mental image of a whole basketful on her kitchen bench in Sydney is just too much, and she is obsessed with buying a basketful. Investigations are made as to packaging and the transport problem is solved. Geri hires a car with the focus on returning to the lemon shop. And so excited to soon be hauling her harvest of lemons home. After much weaving in and out of the winding streets and frustrated cries of  “I’m sure this was the way!”, she finds the shop. But, the basket is no longer on the footstep. With sweaty palms and a pounding heart, she tentatively steps inside the shop and enquires from the shopkeeper about the basket of lemons that was brimming full a couple of days ago. The shopkeeper tells her they are all gone. Gone. And Geri is on the return flight to Nice tomorrow morning…

Thinking. Thinking. How can Geri buy these lemons? No contact details of the shop. No idea who made them. Desperation is getting a firm hold.

On the flight to Nice, Geri is now single-minded and resolute. Et voila! Her solution is clear. Make her own.  Perfecto!

With no experience in the world of kilns, clay and ceramics, Geri follows her passion and like many before her, is in for plenty of frustration, disappointment, excitement and “hooray moments”.