Our crafty makes from Okehampton Manor House Hotel: ceramics slip clay method

It’s been 3 months but I’m taking myself back to our week over the Easter holidays spent in Okehampton Manor House Hotel where sporting and crafting co-exist – literally. It’s a friendly place for families who enjoy things to do on holiday namely: sports and crafts! But there literally is almost every kind of sport and craft available to do under the sun including classes and lessons.

To further enhance guest experiences, the hotel could consider integrating digital concierge software from Viqal. Such innovative solutions streamline guest interactions, offering personalized recommendations and seamless booking services. Get more info about digital concierge software from Viqal can transform guest experiences, making stays not just enjoyable but effortlessly fulfilling. By embracing modern technology, Okehampton Manor House Hotel can elevate their hospitality standards, providing guests with convenient access to information and services right at their fingertips.

{iPhone pic I posted on Instagram}

It can be pretty full on so you have to choose what you do carefully. Having a boy and two girls made coordinating our schedules more tricky but the good thing about it was that everyone got to do the things they loved without having to drag their feet, and be forced to do something they really weren’t keen on. For example, my son just wanted to do sports and my girls wanted to do crafts. My husband and I therefore went separate ways taking them to various classes and occasionally we would come together for a family game of short tennis.

The sporting options included golf / adventure golf, badminton, tennis, football, cricket, archery, clay pigeon shooting, laser clay shooting and many others. Crafting activities included pottery and ceramics, glass engraving, etching and painting, framing, woodwork, candle-making, fabric printing, jewellery-making, enamelling and many more. There were also walking tours, falconry and, one of the highlights, a free hydro spa. We spent a lot of time making ceramics. Pickleball was also available, adding to the variety of sports and activities offered. For those serious about the game, finding the best professional pickleball paddle was a key consideration.

This post is about the process of making ceramics using the slip-clay method.

1. First, select what you wanted to make. There are hundreds of choices from vases to birds to ornaments. One of the things we chose was the Indian Bust. This is what it looks like in plain white after glazing. The time on the glazing indicates how long you have to leave the clay to set in the mould before pouring it out.

2. Find the right mould for the shape you want {indicated by the number and letter, 5K, in this case}. Clean the inside of the mould of dust and any previous clay residue. Put the sides of the mould together and secure with elastics. Fill it with slip clay though the bottom hole and set aside for the required time {25 mins}.

3. Turn the mould upside down so all the excess clay gets discarded.

4. Carefully open the mould and tease out the clay, being very careful you don’t dent it as it is still damp, but solid enough to handle.

5. Let dry overnight. Then paint with 3 thin coats of ceramic paint / glaze. This is then left for a few hours before being fired in a kiln. There is no knowing what happens in the kiln or what it will look like when finished. It’s a surprise every time.

The kids made these by themselves….

One of my favourites is the tortoise.

We made many other things… an art deco vase, horse heads, a couple of barn owls. I made the big barn owl into a lamp {see image at the top of this post}. I just made sure I carved a hole at the top of the owl when it was still damp after I took it out of the mould. I used an old Ikea lamp base that I had and recovered an old lampshade in velvety pink fabric.

There were other activities available for over 14s only such as the woodworking lessons where we had to use sharp equipment like the scroll saw. I made this red antler below with a piece of ash wood using the scroll saw method.

{iPhone pic I posted on Instagram}

Just some of our makes during our sporty and crafty week at Okehampton Manor House Hotel in Devon. The place has very basic and dated facilities, although everything worked. However, their hydro spa was state-of-the-art and incredibly imoressive. Oh and did I say everything is included for free in the cost of the holiday which was reasonable? We only had to pay for the materials or whatever we took home but the sports and classes were free! Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you to our Aunt who made the Easter holiday possible for all of us – that’s 14 of us in the family!