There’s something special about handmade treasures ~ especially when they’re as beautiful as they are functional. Our mutual love for hand-crafting is what first connected us with Australian based artist, Lolita, who we have long admired for her unique ceramic pieces {think cutesy coffee mugs with exaggerated handles and hand-painted stripes to her signature 'blob bowls'}... Lolita brought us along inside her Noosa studio for some clay-play and showed us how to create a DIY ceramic heart trinket tray.
What you'll need:
~ 250g of air-dry clay
~ Rolling pin {or wine bottle}
~ Needle tool
~ Sponge {for smoothing}
~ Water {for smoothing}
~ Clear gloss varnish
~ Paint brush
~ Sewing needle {with a large enough eye for your yarn}
Yarn
Method:
Step 1: Using a rolling pin, flatten the clay into an even slab about 5mm thick.
Step 2: Cut out a heart shape from the slab. Smooth over the edges with some water and your finger.
Step 3: Gently curve the edges of the heart upwards with your fingers to form a plate. You can also press the heart shape inside a shallow bowl to create a more defined curve.
Step 4: Piece holes around the heart using the needle tool. Space them evenly apart. These will serve as the “stitching points”.
Step 5: Let it dry for 24-48 hours, rotating it occasionally to prevent warping.
Step 6: Once fully dried, use a damp sponge to smooth out any bumps, cracks or imperfections.
Step 7: Decorate the dish with acrylic paint. If you choose to paint over the stitching holes, be sure to carefully poke out any paint that has gotten into the holes to keep them clear.
Step 8: Once the paint has dried, apply an even coat of clear gloss varnish over the entire dish. Make sure to poke out any varnish from the holes before it dries.
Step 9: Once the varnish has dried, thread the yarn through your sewing needle. Begin stitching around the heart using running stitches, threading the yard through the holes. Tie the yarn off with knots on the underside once you’ve completed the stitching.
Voila!