A Gardeners Forum Forums Members History Forum Life 2003 POTTERY???

POTTERY ANYBODY DO ANY???
Weezie

I've been dabbling at pottery for the past 4 years. I started in a "wheel" class but quickly found that I didn't have very good control of the clay because I had recently sprained my dominent thumb in a car accident, when the airbag deployed. Did you know that they no longer recommend that you hold the wheel at "10 and 50 around the clock" because these injuries are very common with airbags? A few other pieces I've made are a stepping stone, tissue box cover, birdhouse, candle holders, plates with melted glass in them that looks like the turquoise of water by a tropical island , and some puffed heart paperweights.

By the way... the glass I used to melt was brought in by a guy who works for the NYC traffic dept. It is the light used for the green in traffic lights - he has access to some broken lights. I found it fascinating to learn that the GREEN lights are actually turquoise glass lit from behind by a yellow bulb.

I've never been very artistic, but find this a great outlet for stress, and a nice way to spend some time when I can't be outside gardening. It's also been a nice way to meet people from all different stages of life.

Our latest projects have involved a "patchwork" procedure and is a lot of fun, though very time consuming. I can't wait to see my first pieces back out of the kiln! Lynne

My mommy went back to college,
and one of her first classes she signed
up for was a pottery class.....
She made some really cute windchimes out of it.
The tricky part for that is even weight,
but she had alot of fun in the class..

Just something to do to keep her busy,
but she found a few new "young" friends,
and when she runs into them, they are
very happy to see her, I guess she made the
class alot more funner than it would have been.

I loved the class in my highschool, and still
have pots that I made and vases, and bowls.
Truely a satisfying hobbie....

Send some pictures in when your projects are done.

Weezie

I forgot about the windchimes I made - all twisty and pretty and hanging by the front door!

Really gotta get me a camera soon.

Lynne

plants&pots...
Do you melt the glass yourself??? WOW! I know high temps are required..Not like I could do it on my stove or anything. I can't imagine anything as fascinating as working with glass.

Hi Jillie~

No, I don't melt the glass. We make dishes and things that have a lip/edge on them and then place the broken glass on the bottom fitting the pieces together like a puzzle, so hopefully it will melt into a smooth surface without pouring out of the project and ruining the kiln. Most of the time the glass crackles under the surface and the project ends up looking like "fried marbles" if you know these from years ago. Sometimes we get line fractures on the surface, but to quote my teacher "nothing is perfect in life".

I'd love to work with glass - even stained glass, but I don't think I have the patience for that right now. You can make those "fried marbles" on your stove however.

Lynne

Does working in polymer clay count? My middle daughter is a miniatures artist and she got me hooked on the stuff. When she lived in TX, she sent me a little goodie box with about ten colors of clay & instruction books & cutters. It's such fun! I learned how to make canes & millifiore (spelling?) and pinch-pots. She makes tiny sushi that's incredible.

My daughter also likes polymer clay - she's only 13 though. I LOVE millifiore, but don't think I have the patience to do it. What do you make with yours? I used to have a great website about it bookmarked, but lost it when my computer crashed last year.

Do you have any pictures of things you've made? I'd love to see the sushi too!

Lynne

plants&pots...coming up... trying to get this @#%^@#! download to work....

Jillie and plants and Pots,
they just had something on Carol Duvall show,
with that clay, someone wrote a book, called,
Clay Charactors 101...
It was sooooooooooooo cute, they did santa's and snowmen and reindeers...
Cute..
Weezie
You can go to HGTV and access her show to see it.

Did this work?

Fudge...gonna try again..

Hi Jillie~

I was able to see the picture by right clicking and then clicking on properties, and then cut and paste.

Wow!!! I cannot believe how TINY the sushi is!

Lynne

It worked for me too!!

How awesome!!
That is tiny!!!

unbelievable....

Thanks for sharing!!!

Weezie


plants and Pots,
Thanks for helping with that!

Glad to be of help, Weezie!

Hi, Lynne,

Those little sushi's started out as large clay canes and were reduced over and over & then sliced to make the minis. She gave me a plate of tiny oreo cookies and a balogna sandwich with a tiny stuffed green olive on top. Last year, in my Christmas stocking, she gave me a little bento box and a tiny bowl of miso soup. Her gyoza, a different process, is on our webshots under Claychik's Minis. As I get more of her photos, I'll post them.
She has a website under construction & will eventually be selling to dollhouse crafters, etc.
Check out the gyoza...
http://community.webshots.com/album/101455024VwwCVR

Just wonderful, Jillie!

I have to ask you about your koala planter - I have a friend who has the most extensive collection of koala bear things - but she doesn't have one of those yet. She just put in a pool with extensive landscaping last summer and I'm sure she would love a planter like that. Can you tell me where you got it, and if I might be able to find it somewhere near here?

Thanks Lynne

Hi, Lynne,

I bought that koala at a yard sale about 10 years ago for $1.00. I'm always on the lookout for unusual animal pitchers or bowls and used to prowl thrift stores & yard sales for them.
The koala still has the store sticker on the side. It says, "The Mud Daubers, pottery and gifts, Sapulpa, Oklahoma (how it got to a yard sale in the Calif high desert, I'll never know ). On the bottom, it's marked, "MD KPB Henri" Hope you can track one down.

Thanks for the info, Jillie! I can't believe you still have the sticker on it after 10 years - wow!

I did a search and didn't come up with anything. Oh, well... You certainly got a great buy on it. I just love getting bargains, but haven't tried yard sales yet.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone,
Lynne

People get rid of the darndest things at yard sales. Other peoples' trash become my flower pots. Teapots from the .99 stores make great planters, too & you can stick miniature sedum in the spouts. After a day of prowling the cheap stuff I come home and get out my goggles and Dremmel & make drainage holes in everything (Instead of pot shards to cover the holes I buy window screen & cut it into little squares. You get good drainage and it keeps the buggies out....MUCH cheaper than buying the pre-cut flower pot drainage screens)
I love the neighborhood signs that say "Big, multi-family yard sale." I know I'll find lotsa planter possibilities..

I love the teapot planters where you put sedum in the spouts! I had never thought to do that. The same friend of mine who collects koalas also collects teapots, and I'm forever trying to find different ones for her - however she likes the ones that are characters, like animals, cartoons, or symbols of holidays, etc. I sent her some of your pictures so she can get some ideas for around her new pool.

Thanks, Lynne

plants 'n Pots, hope she likes my ideas & can use them. Spread the fun!
I found another shot of Claychik's mini food. It's the hambuger & fries she gave me. Check Claychik's minis:

http://community.webshots.com/user/jc2weho

I am just amazed, Jillie, that anyone can work in such teeny tiny pieces - they are terrific!!!

I just started an album over at webshots.com of a few pictures of some of my pottery. I got my daughter a very belated camera on black Friday - and I am having so much fun with it.
http://community.webshots.com/user/ciminim

Lynne

Lynne!!!!!!

Those are amazing. You're my pottery hero!
Great Job!!