The Sorting Hat!! + an update on the serpentine table finish

In between waiting for the shellac to dry on the table I had a bit of time yesterday and so I decided to finally try making a Sorting Hat (you know, from Harry Potter *wink*). I'm not exactly what one would call talented with clay but I did manage to make something resembling a hat. I'll let you decide if it's any good :)

I didn't have any brown clay so I made him from some scrap clay and painted him. Do you think this could be the sorting hat (somewhere deep in a corner of a roombox)?

I also made some bottles. Nothing too fancy or elaborate but with stickers on they might look passable. With a bit of colour of course.

The one I really liked was this one and so I tried making a mould and casting in plaster instead of resin. It worked! I might make some more of these, to fill a shelf with eventually. It will need a light sanding and a coat of paint (not sure what colour yet though) and with a sticker it'll be a good filling for shelves in the future.

And an update on the table..... you can see the difference in finish on the scrap piece and on the table. The table has a second coat of shellac and the scrap piece has five coats. The scrap piece is also polished with special shellac polishing oil for a little extra shine. It's not shiny enough to be able to see your reflection in but it is a nice semi gloss. I think this is quite enough shine for the table. Now I only need to apply three more coats of shellac on the table.

I probably didn't mention the foul smell shellac has. Well, actually the alcohol has a distinct smell.... but that isn't all that bad if you compare it to the polishing oil. The oil has lavender in and so the smell is almost unbearable - for me at least, since I detest lavender and get nauseous every time I smell it. I guess I'll have to do the final polish on the table outside.

Hopefully tomorrow the table will be finished and then I'll have to start writing my thesis (I will, seriously, I swear! :D)

Until next time!

*Poof*