Pottery at home made easy

She's only gone and published a book! Francesca Stone, our long-time friend and the blogger behind Fall For DIY, is forever delighting us with her ingeniously creative and crafty projects.

Now she's the author of a fantastic new book Easy Homemade Pottery. It's a collection of 40 stunning decor projects that anyone can do at home, with some air-dry or polymer clay and a few household tools, without needing to set foot in a pottery studio. Naturally, we got in touch to discuss the book, pottery and finding the perfect time to get crafting, while at home with kids.

Easy Homemade Pottery sounds right up our street. Would it be safe to say anybody who loves using Sugru is going to relish many of the projects in this book?

"Yes! If you love Sugru, then my book Easy Homemade Pottery is for you! I’ve always loved how accessible clay is and I wanted to ensure the projects in my book reflected this. Every project in the book is suitable for beginners with very detailed step-by-step instructions and imagery. The book takes you through basic techniques, so you’ll feel confident using clay in no time at all. It's perfect for anyone interested in making clay pieces for their home with very little time and without investing huge amounts of money. If you like to experiment with new materials, techniques and tools to create individual pieces for your home, then you'll love this book!"

We love the approachable style, with no complex materials or previous experience needed. Which project should people try first?

"One of my personal favourites from the book is the shell magnets. It's a fast, easy and inexpensive project that everyone can use to brighten up their to-do list on the fridge. All you need for this project is a small amount of air-dry clay and a reusable silicone mould (which are cheap and easy to buy online). Add some magnets, and you can make them over and over again in minutes!"

There must be quite a bit of trial and error in pottery. Are there any pieces in your home that turned out better or worse than you intended? 

"Even if I think a project has been successful, I’ll often make it again. Most of the time you learn so much from the first creation that the second puts it to shame! The key is knowing that you will make mistakes and embracing them. My biggest tip for working with air-dry clay is to always sand every flat surface. This technique made such a huge difference to my hanging planters. The final result is a gorgeously smooth, flat, matte texture that looks great every time I see it!"

Between raising a family and running a business, when is your optimum time to get your craft on and take some time to really get into creating something?  

"For me, it’s nap time! I like to give my 3-year-old some clay to play with while the baby is asleep. It means we can be creative together while at the same time he can watch and learn more about my job. It also keeps the house quiet for a little while longer! Which is a win. Sometimes I spend an evening working on a project or a slab (a decorative polymer clay block for cutting from) when I have something more time-consuming in mind. That’s the thing I love about clay. You can create much smaller, quicker pieces in any small pocket of time you have available, and you can spend hours getting lost in a project if you have the time."

It's a fantastic achievement to have your own book out. Do you have anything else planned for the coming year?

"Thank you! I am actually in the process of developing clay cutters. They are a great way to get into using polymer clay with beautiful results and minimal effort. Most clay cutters are created for making jewellery, but I am experimenting with different designs for more interior uses as well as the more traditional earring shapes. I'm sharing the whole process over on Instagram. You can follow along @cutclaystudio"

We sure will! It's been brilliant catching up. Thanks, Fran :)