Making pottery without a kiln Happy little projects to make for your home

In this inspired debut guide, Schmidt-Kohl describes how to make convincing faux ceramics by applying varnish to modeling or air-hardening clay. Outlining the pros and cons of both, she notes that modeling clay is easy to shape, but can warp as it dries, while air-hardening clay can be reworked if wetted, but dries to a gray finish. The projects share seasonal themes, with herb markers and a flowerpot included among spring items and holiday gift tags and hanging ornaments among the winter articles. Schmidt-Kohl serves up a bounty of clever decorating techniques. For instance, she details how to create strawberry jam jar tags by using decoupage glue to apply cutouts from paper napkins decorated with strawberries onto circular clay pieces. Other creative methods include soaking floral temporary tattoos onto clay ovals for "tropical" gift tags, or pressing leaves onto a clay square, removing them, and then painting the imprint green for a decorative "plant print." Schmidt-Kohl provides photo illustrations and simple written instructions for each step, and the kiln-free projects make it easy to create attractive pieces on the cheap. Crafters will want to add this to their library. (Feb.)