"Piece O' Cake" Ceramic and Embroidered Cake Tin

Materials:

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.

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 (figure A).

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

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 (figure D). Place rolled newspaper cylinders under the petals to hold shape (figure E). Clean the clay seams and touch up the lace texture where the clay is joined.

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 (figure F).
• Punch holes around the inner edge of the clay circle with a needle tool (figure G).

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 (figure H). Let dry. Apply two coats of clear glaze.

10. Fire the Piece O' Cake ceramic piece in kiln to cone 06.