It’s the lazy days of summer and right about now, I’m hearing a lot of “Mom, I’m booorrredddd!” What to do? My clay production has slowed down considerably, perhaps due to the heat - though I feel perfectly acclimated now. I only notice it’s hot outside when I happen to pop into an air conditioned store where it’s icy cold. Or maybe production has slowed down because I’m trying to come up with activities to keep my 9 year old from spending too much time in front of the computer screen and TV.
We’ve been trying to go on a lot of field trips including the Titanic exhibit at the Denver Museum of Science and Nature - which was fascinating. We’re going to follow that exhibition up with a trip to the “unsinkable” Molly Brown House right here in Denver. We’re also planning the great American vacation that will most likely rival one of Griswold’s. Yep, we’re going to go camping and will visit Mount Rushmore in a week or so!
Meanwhile, my daughter and I pulled out Ceramics for Kids by Mary Ellis and made our first ever clay whistle. It was a collaborative effort. Originally, we both attempted to make one but we could only get one to whistle, so the other ended up in my scrap bucket. I made the body and my daughter decorated the whistle into a turtle. It’s currently in the bisque kiln, along with my effigy doll head, feet and hands.
If you would like to see how to make your own whistle, visit Chris Henley or Dwight Bartholomew who have some wonderful tutorials available on their websites.
To step it up a bit, visit Kenji Ogawa who makes beautiful ocarinas, or clay flutes. He has also mastered the art of playing the ocarina and even has an mp3 available on his site if you’d like to hear beautiful music being played with an ocarina.
Have a good week everyone,
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That is so cool!!
What a good Mom you are! That is great that you collaborated!
That is a neat whistle! I didnt follow the link, but is there a way to make sure you get the sound you want?
I got your comment about me being on etsy. If you have the screen shot, that would be great. I took a quick look and I would guess it must have been the cosmopolitan drinking Carrie piece as the views had more than quintupled.
Back in PA on Monday. Art Watch was an interesting experience.
Thanks LB!
I try Mary…
The ocarinas can totally be tuned - Janet, Kenji talks about making whistles with specific notes and tonal qualities.
That whistle is sooooo cool
i was in vietnam in earlier this year and saw whistles just like the one you made. how cool!
You are doing so many new creative things .. the whistle is such a neat, unusual item. Nice you and your daughter had the time together to be creative. Its always fun to be with kids who are enjoying being artistic.
How neat! What a cool mom you are.
Very exciting - I just pulled the whistle out of the bisque kiln and it still whistles.
Thank you Melody and good to see you again!
That sounds like a great trip, Peppa - I would love to go to Asia in the near future.
I’m glad my daughter is crafty Nancy - though generally she loses interest before the project is complete.
Oh, I try, Lisa, I try…
Such a wonderful experience for both your daughter and yourself. Sounds like you are doing a wonderful job being a mother.
That whistle is kewl! Great post! Thanks for sharing it with us!
*HUGS*
Liking the whistle Cynthia. It will be fun to see them with a colorful glaze.
The whistle is in the glaze fire right now - fingers crossed, it will still whistle!
Thank you Angela, I’m no saint, but I try to do the best job I can as a mother.
Hope you and Janet had fun this past weekend, Shawn!
Glad to hear that yours worked out. I tried v.hard to make one of these a couple of years ago, quite unsuccessfully. I managed to buy one a few weeks ago while on holiday.
It was a treat looking through your website. I enjoyed my visit.