Happy April, fellow craftspeople and claysmiths! Say it with us, spring is here! Snow’s melting, birds are singing and so are we at Stone Leaf Pottery. Our team is energized and ready to help our customers achieve their deepest pottery desires. We hope you’re just as excited as we are for the fun ahead!

NCECA was here and it was gone again. But, not to worry! We carry products from many of the brands that were shown at the conference, including your all-time favorites. Want to check on stock in the store? Give us a call!

Speaking of which, shoutout to our customers who drive far distances to get their supplies from our store! We never want you to make that trip without being sure you’ll get your stuff. Contact us before driving down so we can ensure we can get you what you’re looking for!

Onto upcoming events. We’re hosting a couple of exciting workshops that you’ll want to be a part of!

We’re kicking off with The Bronze Age workshop! This workshop will be Saturday, April 13, from 10am to 1pm. Taught by Stone Leaf’s resident mastermind Peri Charlifu, the cost is $50 per person. This fabulous workshop is about sprig-making, goblet-making, working with bronze glazes on texture, and cold finishes! We’ll be working with cone 5 B-Mix clay, pre-thrown goblet stem and cup are provided. The maximum is 16 people in class, so be sure to  sign up soon!

Following that in May, we’re hosting the Ray Guns & Space Lasers Workshop! Also taught by Peri Charlifu, this workshop will take place May 4th 10am to 1pm. Learn how to create and assemble ray guns and space lasers (sculptural, not functional), incorporating found objects, and what glazes or cold finish to use. The cost is also $50 per person, 16 people maximum. Contact and specify to Stone Leaf Pottery by May 1st if you want to use cone 04 earthenware clay or cone 5 clay.

Participants need to bring:

- a box and wrapping material to transport your ray gun or space laser back to your spaceship

- your favorite hand-building tools

- any found objects you feel would be fun to incorporate into your ray gun or space laser

Sign up for the workshop to make your own ray gun or space laser

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The Colorado Potters Guild is also having their spring pottery sale next month, May 2-4! More information on that in our next newsletter, but be sure to mark your calendars!

Curious about local farmers markets and crafts fairs to participate in? Check out this great search resource that can help connect you to local opportunities!

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Now, for Ingrid’s Tip of the Month.

“My Tip of the Month: Plan Ahead.

I started my life as a potter in North Dakota. I don’t know about now, five decades ago, there were no pottery supply stores in the state. Initially I made all my clay and glazes from scratch, buying my supplies from a potter who would take orders from potters and bring in a truck load of raw materials. I had to make sure I ordered enough to last for several months of production. Eventually I got connected with Minnesota Clay, but that was an eight hour drive. Planning ahead was essential.

I would get commissions for dinnerware sets. I always threw doubles so the pieces that matched best for design, size, shape, and weight were available for the customer. Part of that meant making sure I had enough of the same batch of clay, required underglazes, and clear glaze to complete the commission. I have never run out. It meant a lot less stress than worrying about if the next batch of clay would match or come in time.

My Tip of the Month is to plan ahead. Always plan ahead for your upcoming projects and work list. Don’t assume your supplier will always magically have exactly what you need in stock. That scenario is just not possible. Plan ahead, order ahead, especially in these days when the world is experiencing supply chain issues.

Happy Firing!

Ingrid”

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Onto our specials!

CLAY OF THE MONTH

Los Altos by Laguna, $14.25 per bag up to 100#

Cone 10 clay for the win! Los Altos is a gorgeous, slightly coarse clay which contains 60 mesh sand. It has excellent properties for all forming methods, and it’s wax reactive! How cool is that? It’s a beloved go-to for those who enjoy both hand-building and throwing with an extra bit of umph. While our customers who enjoy more buttery clays may shy away from the medium-coarse description, Lot Altos’s 60 mesh sand allows for great structural ability without worry of sharp grit against your hands. Those who throw with Los Altos tend to love both the process and the final product, as well as how vibrant white, green and blue glazes react against the body. In standard and reduction firings, small specks of orange appear on the clay, giving it an altogether warm look.

Grab a bag today!

Here’s an example of Los Altos from Pinterest!

TOOL OF THE MONTH

Fan brushes, 10% off

Introducing our Tool of the Month: Fan Brushes! Fan brushes are the secret weapon for glazing large areas! The loose, soft bristles are perfect to help smooth brush strokes and promote blending. Ideal for use with crystal glazes, load them up with glazes for easy flowing application. Or, create a lovely ombré with multiple layers! Be sure to let your layers dry in between if you try this. The results could be mind-blowing.

These lightweight and easy-to-use brushes make the perfect companion for your glazing needs. Get yours now at a discounted price!

Want to learn more about glaze brushes for pottery? Check out this great YouTube video by Amaco!

GLAZE OF THE MONTH

Jungle Gems 4oz jars by Mayco, 10% off

Our Glaze of the Month for April is Mayco Jungle Gems! While traditionally used as low-fire glazes, did you know these fun and colorful glazes can also be used at mid-fire (cone 5/6)? Explore stunning color combinations and effects with these versatile glazes. They become more fluid at mid-fire, creating unique fluxing and running effects when layered. Check out Mayco's color charts for a glimpse of the possibilities!

Jungle Gems, already prone to move, will move that much more at mid-range temperatures. The crystals will lose some of their definition and act more as a blending agent adding variety and interest to your piece. You’ll want to be careful about placing glaze too close to the bottom of your piece – you may want to put a “cookie” or a piece of scrap bisque beneath the piece to prevent glaze from running onto your kiln shelves.

Want to see layering Jungle Gems with stoneware glazes and underglaze? Check out these awesome links that show examples of both!

Jungle Gems & Stoneware Glazes

Jungle Gems & Underglazes

That’s all for now, folks! Happy potting and we look forward to seeing you around the store!

Elise and the Stone Leaf Pottery Crew

Follow us on social media, Instagram @stoneleafpottery and Facebook Stone Leaf Pottery!

All Clay of the Month purchases are limited to 100# of clay. The sale price is valid only in April 2024 and not combinable with other discounts.

It's not uncommon for us to run out of the clay (s) of the Month, so we always suggest you shop early in the Month to ensure the clay is in stock. Also, when purchasing Glaze or Tool(s), or Equipment of the Month, again, it's limited to products on hand. So, if we don't have it when you shop, come shop with us again soon! We replenish our shelves constantly—we'll hopefully have more soon! Got more questions about how this works? Please, please reach out to us!