Week 8: Fun with Clay

So I'm two months into this little project, and my goal of posting my new thing every Sunday is already well out the window. No matter. Deadlines aren't really my thing anyway. I'll be happy if I end up with all 52 weeks documented, besides, starting every post with some sort of half-baked excuse for why it's late is beyond dull. So I hereby renounce any commitment to scheduled updates on this matter. Moving on.

Last week, I looked to Pinterest for new thing inspiration, specifically, new crafty thing inspiration. I went in search of a project that would make use of the clay I had from my attempt at Christmas ornaments (results were mixed on that one). I wanted to attempt something slightly more sophisticated than than the ashtray I made for my non-smoking father in the fourth grade, but not so sophisticated that it would require a potter's wheel and Patrick Swayze's ghost to complete. I looked through all of the crafty things I've pinned and decided that something like this or this seemed relatively doable.

This is what I was going for.

Source: honestlywtf.com via Kate on Pinterest

My finished project looks nothing like that. In fact, it looks more like the aforementioned ashtray than that charming little bowl, and I really wanted to do it over in order to have something more presentable to share here, but... I needed to prove that a new thing was, in fact, attempted in week eight.

So, while I definitely did not create a masterpiece, it was still a fun, easy little project. I mean, really, I like any craft that can be done whilst watching Bethany Ever After or the Real Housewives of Wherever because I feel like trash TV is more easily justified when enjoyed in conjunction with another, slightly less mindless task.

Whatevs. Here's the (entirely self-explanatory) lowdown.

[Side note: I thought that a feather would make a cool pattern, so I went on a forty minute walk around my neighborhood in search of one. Nada. I did not find one single feather. For some reason, I had expected to walk outside and have my pick of feathers...probably because my soon-to-be brother-in-law seems to always have a feather tucked jauntily into his cap.

I will have to consult Buckley on the best places to find wayward feathers. Anyway feathers were a no-go, I tried leaves but they didn't really work, so I went the doily route. Side note on the side note: Do doilies have a use outside of craft projects?]

Bake. Or air dry depending on your clay.

I attempted to sand down the edges but quickly realized that my bowl was destined to be wonky. I will most likely trash it because, as it turns out, I have no real use for a tiny, shallow, wonky bowl. Nonetheless, playing with clay is fun. Took me back to the Play-Doh days.