Transform a bundt cake pan into a whimsical ceramic art piece

Suzanne Herbert-Forton shows how to design domestic goddess art pieces such as this Piece O' Cake ceramic and embroidered cake tin.

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Filed under: How To, Fabrics, Materials and Supplies, Pottery

For years, Suzanne Herbert-Forton of Catonsville, Md., could not bring herself to throw away an old industrial iron she picked up in Baltimore. As an artist, she developed a way to blend her passion and skill for ceramics and embroidery into detailed mixed-media story pieces. She also applied the same concept and technique to household items, like her iron. The "Iron Maiden" was born and soon after, an entire series of "Domestic Goddesses" paying silly tribute to the challenges of the modern woman, as we'll see with her "Piece O' Cake" tin.

Materials and Tools:

bundt cake pan (or similar shaped cake pan)
low-fire ceramic clay (cone 04-06)
rolling pin
clay tools
plastic wrap or dry cleaning plastic
slip
clay flower mold
underglazes and clear glaze
paintbrushes
unbleached muslin
piece of lace
fine point permanent ink pen
drawing paper
embroidery hoop, embroidery floss
needle
plastic needlepoint canvas
small piece of fabric for backing the embroidery
construction-grade adhesive*
drill
beading wire and small beads
wire snips
fine needle-nose pliers
towel
iron and ironing board
wood craft stick
newspaper
*Use construction-grade adhesive to attach metal and ceramic parts to each other.

Figure C

Steps:

1. Draw a design for the piece on paper. Cut out a circle slightly larger than the bottom of the bundt cake pan for a pattern. Cut two different sized petal patterns from cardboard.

2. Cover the bottom of a bundt cake pan with a layer of plastic.

3. Roll out a slab of clay using a rolling pin. Press lace into the clay using a wooden craft stick to create texture.

4. Cut a circle out of the clay with the paper circle pattern. Using cardboard patterns for large and small petals cut several of each from the clay.

Figure E

5. Place the clay circle over the layer of plastic on the bottom of the cake pan. Slip and score the petals and press them to the clay circle around the bottom, filling the small petals in between the larger ones. Place rolled newspaper cylinders under the petals to hold shape. Clean the clay seams and touch up the lace texture where the clay is joined.

Figure G

6. Flowers:

Press the clay into the clay flower mold and remove the flowers.
Place them around the clay circle at the base of the petals.
Punch holes around the inner edge of the clay circle with a needle tool.

Figure H

7. Cover the piece o' cake ceramic piece loosely and allow to dry thoroughly to a leather-hard stage.

8. Fire in a kiln to cone 04.

9. Apply underglazes in desired colors. Let dry. Apply two coats of clear glaze.

10. Fire the piece o' cake ceramic piece in kiln to cone 06.

Figure I

Embroidery

11. Draw the embroidery design onto the muslin fabric.

12. Place the fabric in an embroidery hoop.

Figure J

13. Stitch the piece o' cake embroidered design. Remove the fabric from the embroidery hoop.

14. Wash the embroidery and dry.

15. Turn the front side down on a clean towel and press with a steam iron.

16. Cut a circle of the needlepoint plastic to fit inside the ceramic piece.

17. Trim the embroidery to within a 1/2 inch of the stitching.

Figure K

18. Cut a circle of the same size from the backing fabric, stitch the two circles together, right sides together, a little more than half way around, clip curves and turn the whole thing right side out.

19. Slide the plastic inside the open part and slipstitch the opening closed.

20. Drill a hole if needed for hanging.

21. Cut 3- to 4-inch lengths of beading wire, one for each hole in the inner circle of the ceramic piece put a small bead on each length and fold in half.

22. From the back slide the two ends of each wire through each hole so that the bead prevents the wire from slipping out.

Figure L

23. Attach the ceramic part to the center back of the cake pan with construction grade adhesive. Allow the glue to set overnight.

24. Place the embroidery in the ceramic circle, poking the wires through the edge of the embroidery. Slide a bead over the wire, wrap the wire around underneath the bead, snip the ends and tuck them in with needle-nose pliers.

Display your piece o' cake ceramic and embroidered cake tin.

Web site: www.herbert-forton.com