pottery...

A little while ago when we were living back in our lovely little granny flat, I enrolled myself in pottery class at my local community college. It was so perfect as it was just down the road, I could have even walked there………….if I wanted to.

The picture above is my on my final piece. After many (and I mean many) pinch pots were constructed, I managed to tackle these lovely 5minute vases. That is what the teacher called them, but I can assure you that they took longer than 5 minutes to make.

Basically I took in an old vintage lace table cloth that I got from my mum. I think it had belonged to one of my Grandmas. Once I had beaten and done all that needed to be done to the clay (there was a lot) I then pressed the lace into my clay and rolled over it. After I had done this, I then rolled up my clay to make the vase shape and then added a bottom. Some of the lace pattern disappeared through-out this process as I had to handle the clay a lot, but I think it only added to the effect. After that It was left to dry out and a few weeks later it was glazed and then fired. I was fearful that they would explode or crack in the kiln.

I was so happy with the final product. I kept the glaze as off white as I liked the pattern to do the talking rather than the colour.

At the moment the two of them sit on a floating shelf we have above our TV. I love to look and them as I’m very proud of the finished products. I love that no one’s else in the entire world will ever have these, as I created and made them from my very own hands. There is something really special in that.

I really loved the course and would one day like to do another. As for the pinch pots, well I was kind enough to pass some of the good ones on as gifts and kept one or two of them just for laughs, as you would laugh if you saw them.