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Pottery Class: Cahaba Clayworks/Earth Born Studio

September 5, 2012 By Rhoda 152 Comments

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{Giveaway is Closed}

The Winner is:  #88 Sandy!

Have you ever been to pottery class?  Get your hands dirty, molding clay like the movie Ghost?

Over two years ago, I got the chance to go to a very fun blogger’s pottery class while I was still living in Birmingham and it was such a memorable event, that when the invitation came again this year, I said YES again to a night out at Earth Born Pottery Studio.  I loved getting my hands dirty in the clay and sitting at the potter’s wheel for another whirl at making something handmade and interesting.  My first pottery pieces are packed up in boxes right now, but one day soon they will all be unpacked and I’ll be enjoying them in my new home.

Pottery class group

Without naming all these girls, because I don’t have all their blog names, I’ll just say it was a very fun time seeing some new and old friends again and we all got our hands in the mud and enjoyed the pottery class so much.  Great bonding girl time!   My friend, Rachel, from Grasping for Objectivity invited me to come over and I’m so glad I did.  Her Aunt Tena owns the pottery and was teaching our class.

I love that Earthborn makes some incredible and gorgeous pottery for upscale restaurants, like the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, as well as renowned restaurants in Birmingham, like the Hot and Hot Fish Club.  We were all so impressed with the wares coming out of Tena’s pottery studio.  Handmade items like this are so beautiful and I have long been a fan of made from scratch pottery.

Pottery masters in class

Tena and another potter, Nabeel, gave us some demos on how to work with the clay.  I did pretty good the first time I did this 2 years ago, but this time it didn’t go all that well. I messed up some of the clay and had to start over a couple of times.

Tena the Potter

Tena explained how to work the clay into a ball and then bring it up to a bowl or vase.

013

Once it’s set solid in the middle with no wobbles (I had a big problem with the wobbles on mine), then the clay can be worked and sculpted.  They make it look easy, but it’s SO not!

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See how pretty her vase looks?

working clay pottery class

And Nabeel’s is beautiful and shapely too.

Rhoda pottery class

My blob of clay didn’t go nearly as well, but I finally coaxed a bowl out of this lump.

Pottery class Rhoda

Next, I moved on to the table, where we did some freeform clay molding and I made a rough bowl.

Pottery molding clay

I hope glaze and firing improves its looks, cause it’s not so pretty like this.

027

I made a fairly presentable bowl and I’m sure this will be pretty once the glaze is applied and it comes back from the kiln.  I loved my other pieces when they were fired.

Finished bowls in pottery class

This lop sided bowl was my 2nd attempt on the wheel, but it’s definitely not going to win any awards.

Freeform bowl potteryclass

And here’s the freeform bowl.

038

We took a tour of the back and saw all the great pottery back there waiting for glazing and firing.  I’ve always been intrigued by pottery and how organic it is. Every piece is different, just like we all are.

Earth Born Pottery

Aren’t the finished pieces beautiful??  That blue bowl on top looks just like the one I took home last time I was there.

finished pottery

These beautiful pedestals were so gorgeous.  I found out from Tena that she is now making pottery for Willow House and I do believe these were the bowls she said were Willow House bowls.

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Isn’t that just the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen?

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Just like our first trip, we all got to take home a beautiful finished plate and we got to choose one to give away to a reader.

I know, that means one of YOU!!

Square pottery plates

See the one on the LEFT?   that one will go to one of my readers!!  I know, exciting, huh? 

All  you have to do is leave a comment telling me if you’ve ever made any pottery or do you own any original pottery? 

Do you love handmade pottery as much as I do?

Tena sells pottery to the public, so anyone can purchase from her.  Wouldn’t it be so much fun to have a few place settings of this gorgeous pottery?  She also has classes available, so if you’d like to find out more, just click on her website, Earthborn,  for all the information.  She offers group classes for several people at a time, so this would be the perfect thing to do with your church group or girlfriends.  Go to Cahaba Clayworks for class info.  Classes for 6 start as low as $35 per person for a 2 hour hands-on pottery throwing opportunity. It was a blast!  We all had so much fun doing this.  Thank you so much Tena and Nabeel, for letting us come in and play in the clay.

Tena tweets @EarthbornStudio, so you may want to follow her since she will be offering some monthly “limited edition” specials on pottery pieces for a thrifty price!  We all love that.

I was not paid for this post, it is simply sharing my outing and the giveaway with all of you.  I love pottery!

Today is my parents 59th wedding anniversary and I wanted to give them a shout-out!  What a milestone that many of us will never achieve, I’m so proud of them.

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Filed Under: Giveaway, Travel 152 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam Schultz says

    September 7, 2012 at 2:57 am

    Hi Rhoda!!!

    You know what I love about you(yes everything!!!!), you try your hand at things and have fun doing it and you don’t mind if it’s not perfect.
    It gives me confidence that if you can do it, then, maybe I can too!!

    Thank you for being you!!!!

    Pam
    Pamluvspink

    Reply
  2. Pam Schultz says

    September 7, 2012 at 3:06 am

    Hi again Rhoda!!

    I just noticed that you mentioned your parents wedding anniversary was on Sept. 5th. My parents would have celebrated their 59th on Sept. 5th as well, but, we lost my dad on April 16th this year. Mom bought herself 18 coral colored roses and put them beside dad’s picture on her dresser.

    I agree with you, it’s a milestone that most people won’t get to.

    Happy Anniversary Rhoda’s mom and dad!!!!!!

    Pam
    Pamluvspink

    Reply
  3. JONI says

    September 7, 2012 at 10:02 am

    THE LAST TIME I TRIED POTTERY WAS WHEN I WAS A CHILD I THINK IT WOULD BE FUN TO GIVE IT A TRY AGAIN!

    Reply
  4. Diane says

    September 7, 2012 at 10:56 am

    There’s something so beautiful about the “real” beauty of handmade pottery. One of my favorite pieces was a wedding give we received almost 24 years ago from a potter from the town we lived in for 10 years.

    Reply
  5. April was in CT now CA says

    September 7, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    I’ve never made pottery before, but it sure looks like fun! Congrats to your parents, they are truly amazing.

    Reply
  6. Dagmar ~ Dagmar's momsense says

    September 8, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    I learned to throw for two semesters in college! Most fun classes I ever took, and I had so many handmade pottery items to give away that my friends loved. I still use vases I made all the time.

    Reply
  7. Lori R. says

    September 11, 2012 at 10:38 am

    I was required to take a pottery class for my Interior Design program in college. It was fun but I really feel that an upholstering class would have been much more beneficial in the trade. One was offered, just not required whereas pottery was a requirement. This is a really nice give away.

    Reply
  8. Sue says

    September 11, 2012 at 12:03 pm

    Although I have never thrown pottery, I have done a wee-bit of freeform pottery. I collect pottery from my travels. Something about it just calls me to touch it. Doesn’t it feel wonderful? I feel such a connection with the potter.

    Reply
  9. Heather says

    September 11, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    Hi Rhoda!
    I have never made any pottery, but really love it!! I have signed up for one of the pottery classes and can hardly wait to give it a try. Wish me luck. 🙂

    Reply
  10. Cindy Cosper says

    March 17, 2017 at 9:46 am

    Me answer a few of my friends would love to try this can you please send me info on how we can sign up.

    Thank you Cindy Cosper

    Reply
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Thanks for stopping by! I'm Rhoda, from Atlanta, GA and I love decorating and DIY projects. Decorating a home doesn't have to cost a fortune and I've spent years thrifting at antiques markets and yard sales, finding those treasures that make a home unique. I'm here to inspire and encourage other women to find their own inner creativity. Won't you join me?

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