Ceramic pitcher and 'lil platters LOVEBIRD theme

Creating ceramic gift favors for my daughters LOVEBIRD-themed wedding shower was almost as much fun as giving them away! I combined textured items found in nature and my own handmade stamps to create a collage of scattered impressions.  I continued working with the organic composition by adding and overlapping splotches of pastel low-fire glazes. The loose form of the small platters (approx. 6 inches across...perfect for mints or mixed nuts) and the cheerful bird on the rim of the pitcher (an excellent vase for flowers) added to the earthy, casual theme.
To make the pitcher I wrapped the clay slab around a cardboard cylinder AFTER making the impressions. They I closed the seam and added a few more texture impressions to camouflage the seam. I placed the cylinder atop a circle of clay that was about 1/2 larger than the diameter of the cylinder. I folded the half-inch excess up along the bottom of the cylinder and used a carved dowel to make the impression on an angle. This secured the bottom nicely without having to be too particular about a perfect fit. I added the handle and removed the cardboard cylinder.