Botanical Vases Experience with the Elm Women's Institute - September 2025

Creating beautiful slab vases with botanicals & stamps

It was lovely to have some of the ladies from the Elm WI group here in the Blended Monkey Studios this morning for a few hours of pottery fun.

Everyone created their own unique, beautiful botanical vases using pressed in leaves, flowers and stamps.

Jane brought along some lavender and filled the air with its beautiful scent when she pressed it into her slab.

Amanda added some lovely bee "sprigs" to the top of her vase. Sprigs are extra elements that are attached to the clay using the score and slip method.

We provided home-baked coconut cookies and chocolate brownies and Simon kept us fuelled with plenty of tea & coffee.

We had lots of laughs, and our cat, Simba, kept popping in just to make sure we were all behaving ourselves :-). The vases & pots will now dry slowly before they are biscuit fired. I'll then glaze them in the colours chosen by each of the students. The vases will then be high fired. I'll post a photo of the finished results too.

The Elm WI meets up on the last Monday of every month at the Pavillion on the playing field, Begdale Road, Elm. If you're interested in joining, contact Jane Carter at this email address: janecarter497@btinternet.com.

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Some fern leaves and lavender about to pressed into the clay

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Ladies from the Elm WI making botanical vases here in the Blended Monkey Studios

Some of the Elm WI group enjoying their botanical vases experience

Check out the results!

REVIEWS

"I attended a vase making workshop with some friends on 4th September.

We had a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing time. The materials were supplied - including a range of botanicals and stamps - and the process clearly explained. It was all so easy and good fun. I can't wait to see the finished products as we all our vases looked good. Thank you."

 - Babs -