Parliament of Owls in the Time of Coronavirus

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What to do when you're suddenly on furlough, and it's times of high anxiety? If you're Susan Whelan from our Sales & Marketing Team, you'll grab a hundred pounds of clay on your way out the door and go home to start a new Parliament of Owls. Here's what Susan has to say about her week at home.

Pinching Pots in the Time of Coronavirus

As disconcerting as it was to suddenly be heading home on a furlough of undetermined length due to a pandemic, all I could think of was getting my hands in clay. I needed the creative space that would pull me out of myself and worries about the current uncertainty and challenges we're facing. I needed to limit my exposure to news and media. Some people cleaned or baked, I only wanted to get busy making!

Whenever I've been away from clay for awhile, I always begin again with the simplest, most comforting form pottery offers us. A pinch pot well made is a meditation. Turning a ball of clay in a cupped hand, gently pinching, your brain between your fingertips, pinching and pulling into creation a pot that has your unique fingerprint all over it. Always a grounding return to clay!

Pinched pots in my world, usually become the odd owls and birds that I've been making serially for many years.

I always start with two balls of soft clay the same size. My default pinch pot is a deep round-bottomed pot. While pinching the second pot, I remain conscious of the diameter of the first pot. I want them to be a very close match.

I score and slip both rims. Carefully lining up the rims, firmly press the two pinch pots together. Sometimes it's necessary to add a small coil to the seam to even it out.

I wrap the joined form in a newspaper bag letting the form rest for a while to even out the moisture at the joint. Then I give the rough, ugly egg a good smoothing with one of the Mud ribs. Pushing against the air that is trapped inside the form, I'm able to change the shape into something that resembles a bird. The last steps are adding some personality and attitude to this little clay creation.

Susan Confesses to a Tool Buying Problem...

I realized I might have a problem when MKM started making their incredible rollers. Honestly, can you really ever have enough of these beautiful rollers that come in so many sizes and patterns? I also like MKM's small wooden ribs.

Sherrill's Mud Ribs are so smooth and flexible. They are the perfect rib for creating a smooth surface and have a shape and firmness for every need.

These two Bailey tool sets are indispensible in my tool box. With both sets I have 20 unique shapes and sizes to get into small spaces and to create interesting patterns and designs.

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Everyone likes a few extra bucks in their Bailey account for their next purchase! Spend $50 by Thursday and you will have a

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Spend $100 and you will get a $10 coupon ! Amount spent is calculated after discounts are applied and before shipping charges are added. Offer good for new orders only.

Use code 2020$$ in the comment field online or mention it to our sales staff when ordering by phone.

Offer expires midnight, Thursday, April 2, 2020.