There's nothing like it

No, there's nothing like a few new glazes and coloured slips to spur you on! So, I've been quite busy with clay this week!

Leanne's beautiful work got me itching to do more sgraffito, so I started with a couple of tiles. I haven't been able to photograph them successfully yet though, so you may have to wait until they're fired to see them.

I also spent some time with my niece and nephew last weekend, so we made a couple of mugs for them to decorate themselves. Asriel did a great job decorating his over sized mug!


He's decorated it with coloured slips and added a few ivy leaves. He's carved his name on the other side, which again, doesn't photograph well at the moment.

Charise has decided that she will colour her mug with glazes. She plans to glaze the butterflies in pink.


When I was helping Charise put this mug together (well, ok, so I took over and just did it for her!) the clay was quite soft and started slumping outwards at the bottom. I decided to make a feature of it and pushed it out slightly further, which gave me an idea...

I'd been planning to have a girly night and wanted to make a gift for everyone. I gave small clay gifts last time (coasters and tiles) and it seemed to go down well. This time I thought I would make cups/tumblers/drinking vessels since I don't have many drinking glasses, and I decided I would personalise them and then my guests could take them home at the end of the evening. I couldn't decide on a shape though, and this is where Charise's mug helped! This is what I came up with...


These won't have any handles because they're meant for cold drinks. I think the shape is really pretty, even though I say so myself!

They're slab built, and I made them two at a time, since that's all I really have space for.


Here's the before and after! On the left I have wrapped the slab around the base, and joined it together. On the right I have smoothed the join, pushed the clay in slightly at the bottom to create a "foot" and then using a rounded end tool I pushed the clay out from the inside using stroking movements. Then I smoothed the rim.


Here they are, painted with coloured slip and ready to carve. If only these colours would stay those pastel shades! They're so pretty!


And here are the personalised cups, waiting to be fired and glazed. (This clear photo was a fluke! Since making more I can't seem to get a clear photo of the carving, just as with the tiles. Oh, and notice Asriel's huge mug in the background! He's just like his Nan and likes a big cuppa when he gets in from school!)


I've made six now, so only another... four to go, I think.

I've also been making another set of small coil built bowls. Here they are...


Just the square one to go and then the set is complete. They're both made with the same clay, but one is dry and the other is still damp, hence the different colours.

And that has been my week! It's been great to get back in the swing of things. I think I've been spurred on by this upcoming exhibition too, as well as the fact that classes finish in a few weeks.

This Monday I see how my Ivy vase looks glazed!