Ceramic Spoon Rest & Utensil Holder

This past year my daughter moved and I thought it would be fun to make her something for her new kitchen....so I made her a spoon rest and utensil holder using clay and leaves. 

Step 1: Supplies

clay, I used red grog cone 06
clay cutter
rolling pin
leaves
slip
glazes 
9Z
X15 cardboard template
leaves etching tool
glaze brush
Kiln

Step 2: Spoon Rest

choose leaf to use for spoon rest and roll clay large enough to fit shape.

Step 3:

press the leaf into the clay, run your fingernail gently along the veins of the leaf to indent them into the clay

Step 4:

using the etching pin cut away the excess clay from around the leaf.

Step 5:

Step 6:

Carefully remove the leaf
 from the clay

Step 7:

Step 8:

place the clay leaf shape on a drying board, roll small 
pieces of clay and put them under the edges of the leaf to give it the shape of a fallen leaf. 

Step 9:

Step 10:

when the clay is leathery or has begun to harden I smoothed the edges with a small sponge

Step 11: Utensil Holder

Roll large enough piece od clay to cut the 9X15 shape. 

Step 12:

Step 13:

For clay into a cylinder shape, set aside

Step 14:

roll a large enough piece of clay to place the cylinder on to cut base.

Step 15:

use tool to cut clay for base, give about 1/2 inch around bottom.

Step 16:

reach inside cylinder and with finger tips apply pressure from the inside of the holder, then using a finger push the clay up on the outside edge to secure the base of the utensil holder. 

Step 17:

roll more clay and begin to press more smaller leaf shapes into the clay, again use fingernail to apply pressure to get veins indented into clay.

Step 18:

Step 19:

cut the shapes from the clay, remove the leaf, if it rips or gets stuck it is okay it will burn off in the kiln

Step 20:

Using slip, (liquid form 
of clay, it acts like glue on the wet clay.) smear the leaf shapes and attach to the cylinder

Step 21:

Step 22:

This is a fig leaf from my daughter's Great grandfathers' fig tree!

Step 23:

the leaves can overlap

Step 24:

I use a bit of water on my finger to smooth the rough edges of the leaf shapes. 

Step 25:

If slip squishes out a paintbrush
 can be used to clean up the wet clay.

Step 26:

Step 27:

Step 28: Glaze

When pieces are thoroughly dry , fire to a bisque ware in the kiln, I used an o6 cone.

Step 29:

I used clear glaze 
for the inside of the utensil holder. I poured it in and out. I like the clear glaze on the red 
clay, it looks very earthy. 

Step 30:

I chose an overglaze called speckled brown for the outside of the Utensil Holder

Step 31:

and the spoon rest

Step 32: Final Firing

The pieces are fired again in the kiln and ready to wrap for the holiday gift giving.

Step 33: