Christmas Decorations

Our range of handmade Christmas tree decorations, crafted by Caitlin, are available now in the showroom throughout November and December.

Pieces of clay are rolled out flat to create slabs, which are then left to dry for a day until they reach the leather hard stage, where they are firm yet still workable. A metal pastry cutter, featuring various designs, is pressed into the clay; when lifted, the shape remains in the cutter. Caitlin gently pushes the clay out of the cutter, ensuring the delicate decoration isn’t distorted.

This process is repeated multiple times, transforming each slab into approximately 40 decorations, depending on their size. A hole is bored at the top of each piece, and they are left to dry for several days, subject to the workshop’s atmosphere.

Once bone dry, the decorations become brittle, prompting careful scraping of marks and rough edges with a knife, a task requiring significant time and patience. The decorations are then packed into the kiln and fired at 1000°C, preparing them for glazing.

Before glazing, each piece is dusted to allow for better adherence of the glaze. The decorations are glazed by dipping them in one glaze and splashing another on top, followed by a thorough wipe-down of the back with a sponge. They are placed back in the kiln for a second firing at 1100°C.

After the kiln cools, the decorations are carefully unloaded, and ribbon is cut and threaded through the top hole. A knot is tied, and an Ewenny Pottery sticker is placed on the back, completing the transformation and readying the piece to hang on a Christmas tree!