finally..

I thought at one stage today that my bowl would never be finished. I'd hammered it all morning and it seemed to be the wrong shape, and my hands were hurting and my head was aching. I went to sit by the pond and felt like throwing my bowl into it.

Thankfully, Gabriella and Heather are not just expert bowl makers, but also excellent at helping people through their emotional ups and downs. We had some time out and I put my bowl back into the fire for a fourth time and then sat in a beautiful peaceful corner of the garden for more hammering, coming at it from a different perspective. With Gabriella's help, the bowl assumed a good shape and after filing the edge, I left it in the acid wash over lunchtime.

The next part of the making was called "mushrooming" - more hammering but this time with a wooden mallet over a metal mushroom-shaped anvil. 

And finally...polishing, with wire wool. There was an option for a machine polish as well, but I decided that I liked seeing the hammer strikes in my bowl, and all the work I'd done to make it out of a flat sheet of metal (was that only yesterday?).

D had his machine-polished and you can see in the photo how beautiful it is.

Once everyone was ready, we took our bowls inside and played them, one by one, and then with the others.

It was sad to have to leave the garden and the friends we have made over the past four wonderful, exhausting and joyful days. Heather and Gabriella are off to make more bowls in Donegal, and our creations are travelling to their homes across the UK.

To add to this special day, Joe and Kim have come to visit :-)