Hey, guess what!? I did it again. I made another video. This time around I’m showing you how to make clay garden markers.
I think the first time someone asked me how I made my clay garden markers was about 6 years ago… So you know, I’m catching up on your requests at a pretty good clip now.
Chances are if you put in your tutorial request now, I might actually get to it by the end of the year.
The fact that I’m only allowing myself a trip to the bakery if I’ve posted a video, seems to be a pretty good motivating factor for me. Who knew?
I should have been using this method the whole time! Oh well. You’ve got to start somewhere, right? So let’s get busy!
If you want to see me in action {and get a peek at my really exciting workspace} you can watch the video above. If not, there’s plenty of pictures below.
In high school, I took a pottery class thinking it would be an easy A {it was}. I did genuinely like creating things in that class though and I guess a few tricks stuck.
I use a mid range clay that when fired at a low temperature looks like terra cotta. But when fired at a higher temperature looks more like redware. The clay comes in 25 pound bags. I pay between $20 – $25 per bag depending on what kind I buy.
You can buy clay at basically any pottery shop.
Basically I cut a 1” slice of clay and lay it between a piece of duck cloth {cotton canvas} and using a rolling pin, roll it out to about ¼ inch thick.
Pro tip: Wooden yard sticks are usually about ¼” thick. If you put them on each side of the clay before rolling it out you’ll end a nice little slab of ¼” clay.
Then I cut out my garden marker shapes using a cookie cutter. I have absolutely no idea what this cookie cutter shape is supposed to represent.
A ruler? A PeeWee Herman size piece of gum?
Who knows.
In my high school pottery class we used a machine called a slab roller to flatten our clay to the desired height. But slab rollers cost more than I’m willing to shell out so I just use a rolling pin and yardsticks.
When I make garden markers I’ll usually make 75-100 at a time.
I also usually wear gloves when I’m handling the wet clay so it doesn’t dry out my hands too much.
After I get all my garden markers rolled out I go over them with a little water to smooth out the marks from the duck cloth and to round the corners just a wee bit.
To cut my slices of clay I use a piece of fishing line tied to 2 sticks.
There is an actual tool you can buy for $5 but I decided long ago I’d rather buy a pastry instead and make my own tool.
We’ve all got priorities. 😉
Once I’ve smoothed out the clay, and once it has hardened a bit, I press stamps into my garden markers.
About 5 years ago I saw a picture on my friend Sue Tirrell’s instagram page where she had her pots drying on pieces of drywall with duck tape around the edges.
So that’s what I do.
In fact I sandwich the garden markers between layers of drywall.
After the garden markers have been sitting on the drywall for about 24 hours, I trim the edges a wee bit. This makes the edges a little more smooth.
Once the garden markers are dry {this takes about 4-5 days depending on the weather/humidity} I load them up in the kiln.
I have a Skutt 614-3 kiln. I bought it 6 years ago {the price has since doubled} and it’s the perfect size for what I make {ornaments and garden markers}.
Once the kiln is full, I fire the garden markers at 05 {1870 degrees} at medium speed.
The firing cycle can take between 6-8 hours depending on how full the kiln is. And how new the elements are. I always wait until the day after firing {when the kiln has cooled completely down} to unload the kiln.
And that, my friends, is how I make my clay garden markers. They’re easy to make {but a lot of work} and I love the way they look in my garden.
If you want to see a more detailed version of how I made these garden markers, you can check out the video on my youtube channel MavisButterfield.
Any hey, while you’re there, maybe you want to subscribe too. You just never know what I might make next. 😉
Keep Calm and Carry On.
~Mavis
Christa H. says
Fantastic!!! Thank you! I didn’t know you could stack them/have them touch in the kiln. Now we need one with the glazing!
Lynn says
Definitely helps to read the description first, then watch the video. I watched the video first and had a ton of questions about what exactly you were doing that were all answered in the video. I used to do crafts and sell at craft shows but I am so impressed at your patience; I would probably take so many breaks, I’d never finish!