I started doing pottery last spring and much of my work is garden related. I've been making bowls & plates from hostas, as well as fairy houses and other garden art.

I've also made some other kitchen stuff.... spoon rest, sponge holder, soap dish. Though the rest of my family isn't as into hostas as I am, they will be getting some of my wares for Christmas.

At link below check out both videos.

Paul

Here is a link that might be useful: hosta leaf art

Great idea, Melissa! I love receiving homemade gifts, and it sounds like your family is in for a treat!

Paul, thanks for the link! Though I thought his hosta bowls were really unique and the colors were beautiful, I think I'd rather have some that didn't look like they were ready to croak! Imagine painting them vibrant, true-to-life colors! Maybe it would be impossible to replicate those patterns when using glaze, or maybe they wouldn't be dishwasher safe, but I'd prefer healthy hosta bowls, please! ;)
Karen

Paul & Karen...
Those videos are exactly what I'm doing, but different glazing. I've actually been in contact with that guy and he was kind enough to share his glaze recipes, but I'm going to go a bit different route.

Here's a bowl I made in the spring. It's my favorite so far:

This is a garden mushroom I made:

And an assortment of other stuff. There's a butter dish, spoon rest, sponge rest and a candy dish:

I have a lot of other hosta bowls that I've made that need to be glazed. I think I might try and go for the more realistic glaze look. The difficult part about working with glaze is that it's not intuitive... like, green+white is not necessarily going to give you light green. So, you really would have to have some pre-mixed underglazes to use for this purpose. And you'd have to go with whatever colors are commercially available. But I might give it a shot!

I just gave a link in another thread about garden gifts by Little and Lewis. They are in Bainbridge Island WA, and I think some of their stuff might be hypertufa but it is definitely cement. I wound up ordering one of their small pieces, the White Dove. But I'd adore having ones of their gunnera leaves, or hosta leaves, or a hollow egg,.....

Melissa, what you are doing is wonderful. Wouldn't it be great to do a bowl in a soft soft gold, like a hosta leaf touched by the cold? Many years ago I did ceramic glazing, and it was an education in chemistry for sure.

Here is a link that might be useful: Little and Lewis garden art

Thanks!
And you aren't kidding! Chemistry indeed! And that's just understanding the pre-mixed stuff. It's a whole other world when mixing your own!

Melissa, those are gorgeous. I love making earrings and you're inspiring me to sculpt tiny hosta leaves for danglers. You've set a high standard, girl!

Theresa

Very nice work, Melissa! Mark Hanner from Michigan does pottery with hosta themes, too.

Here's something I actually DO have! My wife gave me this tee shirt back in 2009 for Christmas. Take a look. Phil

{{gwi:1106103}}

Melissa, your work is gorgeous! I understand about the colors being difficult to replicate. Still, I like the diversity of color you have used, rather than every piece being the same color. Beautiful!

Moccasin--I love love LOVE those gunnera sculptures! I'm sure they aren't glazed, but rather painted and sealed, which would make them unsuitable for use with food. But they are absolutely breathtaking!

Phil, I like your t-shirt, too! I think I've seen Hosta La Vista as a name for someone's hosta gardens--maybe someone on here? I was thinking of stealing it anyway!!

Someone else here had a sign that said "Beware of Hostas" (was it Melissa?). I looked it up online, and the only thing available was a tiny tin thing. I might have to get crafty and make something a little more substantial...someday!

"Beware of Hostas".... not me, but a cute idea. Especially the big ones!

Karen,Hosta Vista in the name I gave to my garden,years ago,but it is not a patented name! Phil

Melissa those are gorgeous! Oh to have talent!

Mellisa's beautiful ceramics truly inspire me. Thanks Melissa. So here is a new one. I'd like to hear how others hobbyists/artists use their love of hostas in their other interests. Pavers, paintings,anything. Les tells me one member here makes miniature fairey dioramas using hostas. I'd love to see some of them.

I am finding so many beautiful and caring people here in this forum. But Les tells me to watch our for Ken. ? - is he kidding? He laughs when he tells me this. I can't trust him!

Theresa

I wanted to start a new posting and I guess I messed up. Does any one know how to switch this or do I need to do it over.

Theresa

Terri, if you are looking at the individual postings to a certain thread, then you are not in the right spot to make a brand new thread.

For that, you must be looking at the main Hosta Forum listing, where the most recent threads active are in a row, showing their origin and then how many posts and when the latest post was made to it.

If you go to that page, "Return to the Hosta Forum" is also a link at the bottom of each old thread, but go BACK with your browser to reach that page also works, and then scroll down to the bottom, and see the spot where new threads are created.

Be sure to check the tiny box below what you write, to be sent all replies made to your new thread. Those will be sent to you in your email. If you have your email set up in your Profile/Member Page, then folks can send you an email directly, without even posting to the forum.

If someone has already submitted this info to you, I apologize for being repetitious.