Terra Cotta
Summertime Craft Ideas
Spring and summer come and everyone starts opening their doors and windows, bringing in the fresh air. Tree leaves are full and flower blooms abound birds are singing, building nests and taking care of their chicks. I am drawn outdoors by the lure of warmer days and the call of the dirt and new sprouts. Not to mention, as a mom, the kids are clamoring for more room to play. It’s a perfect time to pull out some fun out door family crafts.
Here are a few, easy to personalize, craft ideas for summertime fun or to celebrate May Day, Mother's Day or a holiday weekend. All craft supplies are easily attainable from craft supply stores or online suppliers. While making these crafts is a fun family activity, some are available in pre-assembled kits, or already made. Use your favorite search engine for more information on various ideas – keyword suggestions are offered below craft each idea.
1. Terra cotta clay pot Bird Bath. Invert terra cotta clay pots, from larger on bottom and smallest on top. Add a clay saucer (the part the pot sits in to catch the drained water). A waterproof saucer is necessary. Set the clay saucer on top of the inverted stack of pots. Paint or mosaic the pots if you feel especially creative. For more bird fun, add a mister. Birds love to play in the water. Note: Make two similar stands and use one for a Bird Feeder.
2. Plant and grow an Herb Garden. Include herbs such as basil, thyme, sage, chives and any other favorites. You'll have fresh herbs to add to your recipes all summer long. Herbs are easy to grow, making this an easy garden for kids to help. Take it one step further and create a "kitchen garden", including lettuce spinach, tomato, cucumber or other salad favorites.
3. Build a toad abode. Use a terra cotta pot and a rock. Invert a clay pot and prop edge on a rock. If you have a chipped pot, that would work great too and wouldn’t require propping. Paint and decorate to your liking.
4. A handmade Stepping Stone. Personalize with stones, marbles, or other memorable items. Make the project a tradition. Mark the stone with the year and include items to remember the year a key (house or car), a toy, etc. A footprint each year could signify the walk of life and would be fun for young children to mark their growth from summer to summer.
5. Personalized necklaces. Letter beads (for names or initials), a few spacer beads, a charm or two added to a simple chain makes a lovely, personal necklace for any mom or grandmother. For fun, make matching necklaces one for mom, grandmother, and daughters.
6. Bookmarks make a great craft for rainy days. Get creative – use paper, dried flowers, ribbons, needlepoint thread. Use beads and charms attached to chain or yarn to create a "book thong".
7. A decorated throw pillow. A pre-made throw pillow with light colored fabric, decorated with fabric paint. Fabric glue will easily adhere buttons and other small mementos. Start from scratch and decorate your fabric before making a pillow – tie-dye, iron-on colored pictures made with fabric crayons or reverse dying using a darker fabric and bleach provide many creative ways to decorate any pillow or piece of fabric. Another variation would be decorating pillow cases.
8. A tie-dye party is fun for family or a gathering of extended family and friends. Supplies are readily available online coming in easy kits.
There are so many fun activities to be done outdoors during nice weather. For more ideas, or to submit Your Own, visit http://www.mommamuse.com/2006/04/21/summertime-craft-ideas/ .
About the Author
Judi Cox is a work at home mom living in the Ohio Valley with her husband and 4 children. She enjoys gardening for fun and for the birds, playing with the kids, reading, and promoting other mom businesses. She has been making soap and lotion since 2001. Visit MommaMuse.com.
How can I fire a terra cotta statue?
I made a medium sized (1 foot wide by almost 1 foot high) statue out of terra cotta (the reddish brown stuff). In the instructions it says you can fire it in a kiln at a temperature of like 1900 degrees fahrenheit. Well, I do not have accesss to anything of that temperature at all. I was wondering if I can SAFELY fire the statue in a household oven WITHOUT damaging the statue. I need a definite answer, and I would like to know what the best temperature is. thanks!
if the statue is truly dry you can safely put it into an oven - but it won't make any difference. When firing at the appropriate temperature your clay will change and the particles will stick together (sinter) and afterwards it will be much harder and insolubable in water. That will not happen in your oven, you really need the correct temperature for that.
Either keep the statue like it is and protect it from water/humidity. It will stay being very fragile.
Or look around in your town if you find a ceramic studio which will fire ceramics for people (yellow pages). Or some school/university may do that as well. If you live in the countryside you could check into pit firing, as you could do that in your back yard.
Though you only can fire your statue if you constructed it properly. There should be no enclosed air spaces in your sculpture and the walls should be not more than an inch thick.
Xian Terracotta Warriors
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 CHINA PRC 1983 T88 TERRA-COTTA FIGURES 8 ST. MNH FINE  US $20.50
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 SALSA SERVING POT & SPOON-TERRA COTTA WITH INSIDE GLAZE US $.99
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 SALSA SERVING POT & SPOON - TERRA COTTA W/INSIDE GLAZE US $.99
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 African Pottery Terra Cotta Tunisian Study Katy Vase US $45.95
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 art print pink geraniums blue window terra cotta pot US $.99
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 Handcrafted Finnish cup/mug Terra cotta NEW US $9.99
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 PRETTY GERANIUMS IN TERRA COTTA POTS NEEDLEPOINT KIT US $9.99
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 NEW!! TERRA COTTA BELL WINDCHIME US $4.95
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 Terra Cotta Flower Pot Man - Women Clay Planter -Baby US $7.00
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 McILHENNY TABASCO PEPPER SALSA BOWL SPOON TERRA COTTA O US $12.50
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 2 TERRA COTTA BOWLS AND A BAKING PAN US $2.99
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 PAUL SERSTE "Brigitte" Terra Cotta Signed Bust VINTAGE US $140.00
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 2 piece clay terra cotta slow bake cook oven & cookbook US $19.99
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 HOTP "A Whole Lotta Terra Cotta" Christmas Holiday Fun! US $.99
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 PARTYLITE TERRA COTTA MINI GARDEN POTS VOTIVE trio US $.99
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 Love’s angle large Cotton Press terra cotta mold US $.99
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 Thomas B. Maracle Terra Cotta Wind Warrior Eagle US $24.99
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 FOLK ART POTTERY TERRA COTTA TURTLE OCARINA WHISTLE US $4.99
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 ROMERTOPF VINTAGE BAY-KERAMIK GERMAN TERRA COTTA BAKER US $8.00
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 Clearance- Jafra Powder Blush, Terra Cotta, NIB US $.99
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 Mary Kay Lip Color Concentrate Terra Cotta NEW US $2.99
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 Prismacolor Watercolor Pencil Lot - Terra Cotta US $.99
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 Terra Cotta Camel Incense Burner 3x6" US $8.99
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 ILIO TERRA COTTA OLIVE NAVY FLORAL PANTS OUTFIT SIZE M US $7.99
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 TERRA COTTA HEART WITH MALLARD DUCK MOLD - LOOK!!! US $5.99
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 Hose Bowl With Lid (Terra Cotta Color) 8639200 US $19.99
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 $775 NWT Prada Blue-Gray/Terra Cotta Dress Shirt 38/15 US $135.99
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 Terra Cotta Steer Skull, Hand Painted, Southwestern FAB US $12.95
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 GOLDEN SUN TERRA COTTA WALL PLAQUE US $1.50
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 WEDGWOOD C1840 TERRA COTTA CAPRIWARE TEAPOT US $325.00
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 North Face Warm Up Jacket Women's L Terra Cotta US $24.95
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 WEDGWOOD C1840 TERRA COTTA CAPRIWARE COFFEE POT US $295.00
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 WEDGWOOD C1840 TERRA COTTA CAPRIWARE SUGAR POT US $125.00
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 WEDGWOOD C1840 TERRA COTTA CAPRIWARE MILK JUG US $150.00
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 CHRISTOPHER & BANKS Linen Blend Terra Cotta Jacket XL US $9.50
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 NORTON McNAUGHTON shirt—terra cotta color--sz M US $5.99
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 1995 BREAD WARMER Stone Baked by Angels Terra-Cotta US $4.99
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 SMITHSONIAN Cadillac Junk Yard Terra-cotta Magazines 85 US $2.99
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 Antique Miniature Dollhouse Terra Cotta Pottery vase US $9.99
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 Neolithic Terra Cotta Beads, #307, Auth. Guar. US $3.99
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 Damaged Neo. Quartz/Terra Cotta Beads, #308 Auth. Guar. US $3.99
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 Large Terra Cotta Nesting Hen Perfect Collectible !!!! US $9.99
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 VTG COOKIN Clay Terra Cotta Apple Baker Casserole Dish US $24.99
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 GOLDEN SUN TERRA COTTA WALL PLAQUE NEW IN BOX US $4.99
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 TUSCANY COLLECTION TERRA COTTA CANISTERS - NICE!! US $5.95
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 New TERRA COTTA ORANGE Fabric Shower Curtain CIRCLES US $24.99
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 Aveda Indra Rejuvenating Wet Dry Foundation Terra Cotta US $.99
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 Terra Cotta Hand Painted Wall Plaque Ocean View US $49.99
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 WEDGWOOD JASPERWARE COFFEE POT TERRA COTTA / TERRACOTTA US $199.95
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 Italian Terra Cotta Ceramic Statue Sitting Man On Stump US $9.99
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 Terra Cotta Owl Statue Votive Patio Candle Holder US $11.99
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 American Eagle Outfitters Terra Cotta Blouse Size XS US $.99
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 Primitive Terra Cotta Clay Flower Pot 8'' x 7'' US $4.95
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 X-Large Dinner Plate 13 1/4" Black/Terra Cotta Rim US $.99
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 Old Navy Girl's Terra Cotta Ribbed Tank Size XS US $.50
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 Boston Warehouse Terra Cotta Garlic Baker US $5.99
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 Terra Cotta Clay Smoking Pipe Germany T D Initials US $9.99
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 China PRC T. 88 Terra Cotta Warriors souvenir sheet FDC US $15.00
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 Almay Hydracolor Lipstick - Terra Cotta US $.99
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 Starbucks Terra cotta warriors collector mug CHINA 3 OZ US $9.90
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EarthBox RB-EB-PBB Garden Kit The patented EarthBox was developed by commercial farmers and proven in the lab and on the farm. This maintenance-free, award-winning, high-tech growing system controls soil conditions, eliminates guesswork and more than doubles the yield of a conventional garden with less fertilizer, less water and virtually no effort! No digging, no weeding, no guesswork. Vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers g... |
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Algreen 81002 Agua 50-Gallon Rain Water Collection and Storage System $99.99 The Agua Rain Barrel Terra Cotta combines the timeless aesthetic elegance of ceramics with the enduring longevity of modern plastics. It is made of a roto molded plastic that is able to withstand extreme temperatures and will not chip, crack or fade.The 50 gallon rain water barrel has strength and durability while adding a beautiful exclamation point to your environmentally-friendly lifestyle with... |
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Ace Evert 9-Feet Auto Tilt Market Umbrella, Olefin Fabric 9, Auto tilt market umbrella you can maximize shading area with the easy to use auto tilting mechanism and angle the umbrella against the sun. Sturdy aluminum construction provides for years of trouble free use and fade resistant Khaki color olefin fabric looks great.... |
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Terra Cotta $14.99 The Burnt Earth Ensemble is a band that plays instruments made from clay! Armed with haunting flutes, growling didjeridus, raucous fiddles and thundering drums, the Burnt Earth Ensemble coaxes tantalizing music from the material of the Earth herself. The group's music is uniquely original, with Celtic, African, Middle-Eastern and jazz influences.... |
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Terracotta $11.99 Terracotta: Terracotta! 1997 Global Beat Release! Ambient Sitar Music! Some tracks are from the film "Bahaji on the Beach." TRACKS: 1. Cantour; 2. Dance With Shiva; 3. Lover's Kiss; 4. Brothers; 5. Masai Sonata; 6. Ever Rest; 7. Bahaji on the Beach; 8. Ginder's Theme; 9. Whispers; & 10. Dancing on the Path.... |
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Treasure: Tomb of the Terra Cotta Warriors [VHS] $24.95 " In 1974, a Chinese peasant digging a well in the shadow of Mount Li found his progress blocked by a strange obstacle. More digging showed he had struck an ancient statue. Much, much more excavation revealed that the statue was one of 8,000 terra-cotta warriors, the life sized statues arranged in battle formation. TOMB OF THE TERRA-COTTA WARRIORS details this amazing discovery, and ventures... |
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You Seal It How To Video Saltino & Terra Cotta Sealer This is the most important tool you could have when planning a tile job. Save your valued dollars by doing-it-yourself. Easy to follow step-by-step instructions. Learn trade secrets. How to seal Saltillo & Terra Cotta pavers.... |
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California's Gold w/Huell Howser: Terra Cotta #412 Step back in time to the olden days of making pottery the Gladding McBean way. The 118-year-old company in rural Lincoln, near Sacramento, is the nation's only remaining major manufacturer of terra cotta. From decorative to functional, Gladding McBean's terra cotta is acclaimed for its distinctive style which graces landmark buildings in big cities and small towns across our state.... |
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EarthBox RB-SS-TRC Staking System In Terra Cotta for the EarthBox Garden Kit $32.26 Grow tomatoes and taller plants without awkward cages and trellises. Available in green or terra cotta colors to match the Earthbox. Includes 6 sturdy Aluminum Tubes, 4 tube connectors, 2 clips with Stainless Steel hardware, 2 outriggers and 2 casters.... |
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A&E -- Treasure! Tomb of the Terra Cotta Warrio $24.95 In 1974, a Chinese peasant digging a well in the shadow of Mount Li found his progress blocked by a strange obstacle. More digging showed he had struck an ancient statue. Much, much more excavation revealed that the statue was one of 8,000 terra-cotta warriors, the life sized statues arranged in battle formation. TOMB OF THE TERRA-COTTA WARRIORS details this amazing discovery, and ventures back ... |