This past weekend I took a workshop with Sarah Gromek at the Jersey Clay Society. What a fantastic workshop at a great location. Sarah was showing her techniques on how to make work that looks like leather. Here are a few of her pieces.


I purchased this tumbler because I really loved the template.




I ended up choosing to make the tumbler as a part of the class. I feel like my tumbler is pretty decent, but my stitching is terrible! The stitching is definitely the hardest part of this and one I am not sure I will incorporate into my work.

While I was making a batch of pieces—including my crab bowls—I decided to experiment with a ghost bowl. I wasn’t sure how it would turn out, but I think it came out super cute! It’s always fun to try something a little different, and I love how much personality this little ghost has.

This is part of my last batch using this clay before I give the studio a deep clean and switch back to my white clay. I have so many ideas I’m excited to try—especially some lavender-inspired pieces. I can’t wait to see how they turn out!

I think this is the most soup mugs I’ve ever made at one time! This is also the first time I’ve made my alien soup mugs. I added a new stamp for them and went with the Big Dipper—it felt like the perfect fit. I also made a few blank mugs so I can have some fun getting creative with decals.

I was making more cat trinket dishes this weekend and, once again, wishing I’d found the perfect dog cookie cutter to make a matching version. Then I spotted my chicken cutter and couldn’t resist giving it a try. They’re super cute!

I finally had a chance to get back into the studio and try out a few press plates I purchased from Shayla Marsh. There are two different styles, and the first is a true press plate system made up of two pieces. The outer piece is used to cut the shape and acts as a guide for centering, while the inner piece is used to press the form. Working with these has me dreaming about buying a laser cutter so I could make custom shapes of my own. Every time I start looking into it, though, I remember both the cost and the reality that designing all those forms would probably turn into an entirely new hobby.

So here I am using the outer templates to lay out and cut the shapes from my slab. I used a needle tool to carefully trace around each form before removing the excess clay.


Here are all of the cut pieces laid out on the board, ready for the next step in the process.


This photo shows the two pieces together on top of the clay shape. The outer guide allows the inner press to be positioned perfectly in the center. Normally I estimate placement by eye and use my thumbs as a guide, but this method is much more precise and gives more consistent results.


Once everything is aligned, I carefully remove the outer guide, making sure not to shift the inner press off center.


Next comes the fun part. I press down onto a piece of foam, which allows the clay to sink and form the raised edges of the plate. This particular piece of foam is my dedicated dark-clay foam. I keep a separate one for white clay to avoid any unwanted staining or contamination.


And here is the finished piece, freshly formed and ready to begin the drying process.

I recently purchased GR Pottery's Wallie Crescent Moon. I liked the shape, but I really wanted to know if they would fit together in a larger pattern - which they do. How cool would this be as a lazy susan centerpiece?

This goblet was first in Annie's cups class and then we practiced it at the workshop. I really love this form. I think I want to alter it slightly, but I love the s-curve shape and the elevated foot.

This was made with another new Mugg Plugg, I think it's the 942. However, when cutting the form I messed up. It was too big then I was cutting on the fly and made it too small at the top. I made lemons from lemonade and made this little v-shape. I like it. I am worried that it will not have fit for purpose though and is too small and will tip over. We will see once it comes through glaze firing.

Still playing with a puki foot and designing a new bowl around it. These are the same dimensions except one is taller than the other. I feel like this is a nice serving bowl, or a bowl for a lot of ice cream. I plan on making a few more. I think I might also try to create a lid for for a jar in the future.


I was looking at this one drying and decided to try it out as a yarn bowl. I think it's deep enough. I forgot how difficult it is to carve the swirly thing.

Practicing my puki techniques as well as trying out a new Mugg Plugg.

This first one is with a puki bottom slightly raised.


This one is the Mugg Plugg TCC which has a curved bottom. I'm not sure I really got the curve feel to it. I'm going to have to try this one a few more times.




I do really like the puki bottom.

I had the opportunity to go to a workshop with Annie Chrietzberg at the Village Potters Guild in Plymouth, MI. It was a fantastic experience.

I first learned of Annie through Clayshare and had taken a few online workshops with her over the past few years. One that I would highly recommend is her January cups class which over the last few years has gone through her entire repertoire of cups.

There were two things I was really looking to get out of the class and I feel like I made progress on both. The first was how to use a puki. The puki is a way to create a footring on a hand built object. The second is hollow handles.

I've been in Michigan weekly for work for over a year now so all I had to do was drive a bit. The Village Potters Guild is a lovely little studio that I wish was closer to where I was working. Everyone there was so helpful. The food was some of the best I've ever had at a workshop. All in all it was a great two days. We managed to make 5 projects in the two days.




Technically I was supposed to make one of Annie's squirrels, but mine really wanted to be a sheep :)

In my last post I showed the stein I made from the templates I purchased last year. There were two steins, but then there was one. I actually attempted these two goblets first. However, I bailed on the stem. I really like them as rocks glasses.




The second two worked out well. I think I would make the base just a bit larger next time, but I'm pleased with these. I think I need to keep practicing both of these forms.