Some of you may have seen my recent Live at 5 broadcast where I shared my top ten gifts for potters (if not or you want to rewatch just click on the video to the right). To make it easier for everyone to find these great products I decided to write a quick blog highlighting them for you all!
Here they all are and if you wish to make it even more festive why not listen to the 12 Days of Christmas and sing along as you read this!
10. Mug or pottery from your favorite potter.
It can even be one you made, the important thing is to use it everyday! I try to “gift” myself with at least one new piece every year. Last year it was a Karen Newgard Mug and a Ben Carter Yunomi, this year it’s a……well you’ll have to wait till after Christmas to find out!
9. Mr Marks Wax On
This is my favorite wax. It is water soluble and dries hard so you can carve through it without it smooshing. I find that you need to water it down a bit or else it can be gummy. It is also great for waxing the bottom of pots when glazing.
I get mine from The Ceramic Shop.
8. Embossed Rollers
One of the best tools I discovered in 2017 is by far embossed rollers. They are a great way of adding texture and pattern to your work. There are so many different designs and style out there and price ranges as well. I started off with some simple plastic rollers but quickly fell in love with the wooden ones.
7. No Crack Hand Cream
Clay + Skin = Cracking…
There is no way around it, working in clay makes your skin dry. I have tried many lotions and creams to combat this and my current go to is No Crack Hand Cream. It moisturizes and heals my skin without feeling greasy. I use it every morning and night and after every studio session to keep my hands soft and crack free.
I get mine at The Vermont Country Store but it is sometimes available on Amazon as well.
6. Sunbeam Heat therapy Neck and Shoulder Wrap
Oh my goodness. after a long day in the studio wait actually after a long day anywhere my shoulders and neck hurt. I use this heated/massaging wrap to relieve daily aches and pains. Sitting down with this wrapped around me with a hot cup of tea in my favorite mug melts away all of the days stresses. They come in a bunch of different sizes and you can get them with or without the massage function. I got mine here on Amazon.
5. A Massage…
a REAL one! Not that a back rub from hubby isn’t lovely but seriously treat yourself to a good long massage. 30 minutes at least or if you can sit still long enough go for a whole hour. You will feel refreshed and revived and your body will thank you!
Check you local listings for a massage therapist.
4. Sticky Bat
This is the best, so great for trimming bowls, plates wide mouth cups and so many more things. It is made of a sticky rubbery plastic material…those are technical terms, seriously 😉 that holds your pot in place while you trim. Eliminating the need for wads of clay that can squish you pot or leave behind unwanted bits of clay stuck to your pot. It has made trimming easier and more efficient in my studio. I do have to let you know that that is not the best for tall, wobbly bottle or vase forms but really is wonderful for everything else.
Available at: www.buyciproducts.com
3. Speedball Underglaze
I use these underglaze for so many different surface techniques. Not only does it give great solid coverage of color it is amazing water down and used to stain and highlight texture. I also use it like watercolor to paint directly on the surface and create lovely painted designs. These are matte opaque underglazes which work perfectly under my clear gloss and satin glazes.
Currently they have 24 different colors and they are mixable so you can create endless custom colors.
Can I say enough good things about Speedball underglaze.. nope!
Available on Amazon in singles and multi-color packs
2. Zebra Carving Tool
P8 (short handle) P1 (long handle)
I love these tools. They are extremely well crafted, easy to hold and the blades are incredibly sharp. This is my go to carving tool for sgraffito and for adding texture to the surface. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook to see all of the cool techniques you can do with their tools.
Available at www.buyciproducts.com
Yes, this may be a shameless plug but really where else can you get unlimited access to hundreds of HD videos for the the amount you’d spend in a month on two cups of coffee! Or even better join for a full year and it’s like getting two months free.
Also look for new faces in 2018 as ClayShare expands and adds more instructors which means many more classes for you.