u/pandapandamoniumm

I’m a hobby potter with a small home studio who normally works on the wheel, but I’ve been experiencing unpredictable chronic fatigue and muscle weakness in my arms, wrists, and hands. The flare ups are random and make the physical demands, extended workflow, and the cleanup of wheel work simply too demanding and taxing for me. If I have the energy to wedge and throw pots one day, there is no guarantee I’ll have the energy to trim or carve when it’s ready (and often a throwing session will be enough to set me back). This has been keeping me out of the studio, and I’m done with letting it. My body might be tired, but my brain needs studio time!

I’ve recently started trying more hand building, and the workflow seems to be a lot more doable for me. So far I’ve made a wall shelf/shrine, a modular paint palette, and some small trinket trays. But I’m struggling to come up with more ideas for small but functional hand building projects - ones that don’t wear me out just from rolling out big enough slabs. So I’m looking for ideas and suggestions! Or advice from potters who also struggle with this but still manage to get into the studio.

By functional, I just mean not purely decorative. (For example, berry fridge magnets I would consider functional.) They don’t need to necessarily be quick - I like sculpting and am down for labors of love. But size-wise it’s best if they’re smaller. Bonus points if it wouldn’t be easier to throw it on a wheel, like bud vases, because tbh it kinda makes me sad.

Thank you!!

My 3-month old nephew has recently been enjoying his high contrast books, and since he can’t really do anything else at this age it’s becoming kind of an important tool for entertaining him. So I thought I would knock together a few little books with high contrast drawings and primary colors since that’s what he can see right now.

But, I have artist quality paints (Holbein, Windsor Newton, Schminke) - I know cobalt and cadmium and manganese aren’t really safe. He obviously won’t be eating the book or using the paints, but I also don’t want to give him something he can’t touch and then put his hand in his mouth. I could also borrow a laminator from a friend?

Does anyone have any experience or recommendations with something like this? Am I being dumb? Thanks in advance!