| Need a new lamp in the living room? Instead | | | | this is no problem. Rather, it is an |
| of shopping around and hoping that you will | | | | opportunity. All that need be done is to make |
| find something which only resembles what you | | | | another handle out of clay, striving, of |
| desire, make it yourself. It is not hard, | | | | course, to make it handsomer than the |
| really, once you have mastered the basic | | | | original. |
| techniques of making ceramic wares. Once | | | | |
| started, you will find no end of things of | | | | These are but a few of the things you can |
| their children's development. The | | | | accomplish after gaining a little background |
| kindergarten boy or girl brings home drawings | | | | knowledge and practical experience. Stop and |
| made on cheap paper -which in a few years | | | | think for a few minutes and you'll be able to |
| crumble into dust, much to the parent's | | | | come up with many, many others. Just to run |
| dismay. However, if these same drawings, so | | | | through the alphabet, there are: ash trays, |
| much treasured by parents, were done on tile, | | | | bells, cigarette boxes, dresser sets, egg |
| they would never fade; the colors would | | | | cups, figurines, gravy dishes, hat pins, |
| remain vivid and fresh as the day they were | | | | inkwells, jam jars, lockets, mirror frames, |
| made. | | | | napkin rings, ocarinas, pipe holders, |
| | | | quatrefoil wall plaques, razor holders, |
| Among the most popular do-it-yourself | | | | saltcellars, thimbles, umbrella handles, |
| projects today is the tile-topped coffee | | | | vases, window boxes, Yule cards, zipper tags |
| table. In a fine furniture shop such a table | | | | for children which bear the wearer's name and |
| would cost an absolute minimum of $100. Yet, | | | | address. |
| the ceramics hobbyist in his spare time can | | | | |
| produce just as fine a table quite simply and | | | | You could probably compile a similar list in |
| at one-fourth the price. | | | | short order. Perhaps, you will even think of |
| | | | a ceramic something that begins with the |
| Similarly, when gift-giving time rolls | | | | letter X. Many ceramists have turned their |
| around, you can present your family and | | | | hobby into profitable sidelines by conceiving |
| friends with things no one else could | | | | of new ceramic forms. |
| possibly give them things you have created | | | | |
| especially for each of them. Your gifts, | | | | The vast majority of professional clay |
| though inexpensive to make, will bear the | | | | workers today got their start as amateur |
| which can be made for the home and your own | | | | hobbyists, just like you. After they advanced |
| personal adornment. The most ordinary article | | | | far enough, they found that people were |
| can be given real, lasting beauty with a bit | | | | willing to pay for the ceramic goods they |
| of imagination on the ceramist's part. | | | | produced. |
| | | | |
| Take, as an example, a commonplace kitchen | | | | Of course it is nice to be able to make your |
| knife. Let us say the handle is broken. The | | | | hobby pay for itself. And it's even nicer if |
| blade, however, is fine steel and it would be | | | | you can earn a living by doing something you |
| a shame to throw it away. For the ceramist, | | | | enjoy. |