Ah, Warm Weather Crafting

Let us now take a trip from the snow... into the future...

...Ah, Spring.

Guess what else happens in the spring besides crafts. Yes, ok, allergies.

 Babies!

Lots of babies seem to come about in the spring! (I shouldn't talk.. I was born in April). Making things for little ones.. oh man, it's so much fun. I like to imagine it will be their favorite thing for all time. When the truth is they will most likely throw up on it, break it or loose it. Well, maybe not.

My friend, Louann, asked me to make her niece, Erica, a piggy bank last spring. It was to be a gift for her sister's baby shower. She said she wanted a piggy bank, gave me the color scheme.. and off I went!

I was never the best at ceramics in college. I really struggled through the hand building... I think this was mainly due to the fact that I couldn't quite keep the back end of a ceramic cat attached to its body (Ugh, memories).



Specimen A

 My instructor always told me "clay is a lot like bread" because of the wedging and the science behind the mixtures. That must explain why my bread never turns out. See Specimen A.

In my defense, this bread would have been edible if I had not:
1. used wheat flour tried to make it health food
2. used splenda tried to make it health food
3. used a bread maker been in a rush

Despite my lack of confidence in baking and ceramics, I knew little Erica would just love this piggy bank if I made it out of clay.

And so we begin.

Observe slab box

Sense frustration in previous slab box

See newly formed box

"Insert Baby's Savings Account Here"

Adding embellishments (so she'll keep it forever)

Transparent & Opaque low fire glazes

...Ta Daaa!

    

I hope this brought a smile to Erica's little face...

and yours!