Reiki Doula Blog » Birth Art

Belly Bowl FAQs

Anna — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:05:26 +0000

What is a Belly Bowl?
Belly Bowls are ceramic bowls made using the pregnant belly as a mold. They are durable and can be used for food or decoration. They make a beautiful keepsake and excellent gifts!

How do you make Belly Bowls?
First, we discuss what you would like your bowl to look like. This is your bowl, I do my best to make a bowl you will love! Then I make a cast of your pregnant belly using plaster/gauze strips. I use this cast to sculpt the bowl out of clay. The clay then is dried, fired, and glazed making your unique Belly Bowl.

How can I order a Belly Bowl?
Call 910.343.6239 or email me by posting a comment on this blog.

How much does it cost?
My bowls start at $130 for a simple bowl with no extra designs. If you would like me to add a pattern the price will increase based on the complexity of the pattern. Most of my bowls range between $130 and $200.

Can you make a Belly Bowl from a belly cast?
Yes! If you have a cast of your belly I can make you a bowl. I even offer a $20 discount for providing your cast. However, although I do my best to protect your belly cast I cannot guarantee that it will not be damaged in the process. The moisture from the clay can soften or discolor a cast. I do use a plastic protective barrier, but sometimes this is not enough.

What if I don’t live in Wilmington, NC?
Yes! You simply need to mail me your belly cast. If you do not already have one, I will provide you with specific instructions on how to make one. You will receive a $20 discount for providing your own cast, but shipping and handling fees will be added to your order.

When should I do my Belly Bowl?
Most people choose to do their bowl in the last trimester. But a belly bowl can be made at any point during your pregnancy. You could even do a bowl for each trimester to celebrate your growing baby! I recommend that you schedule your casting prior to 38 weeks to make sure you don’t miss your opportunity.

How long does it take?
The casting/ordering process takes about 45 minutes. The whole bowl creation process takes about two months or longer if I have other orders to complete before yours.

Lemon Vulva

Anna — Sat, 10 May 2008 20:38:19 +0000

Or how can something the size of a grapefruit fit through a hole the size of a lemon? I got out my yarn and crochet hook in search of an answer…

The grapefruit has entered the birth canal.

Pushing…

PUSHING..

Ahhh!

Yes, everything does return to its normal shape!

It works with really big onions too.

To see this and other amazing examples of birth art check out the Independent Art Company’s Birth Art Show at their Wabi Sabi Warehouse, 19 North Ninth Street in Wilmington, North Carolina. The exhibit opens May 22 with a reception and will run until June 20. See you there!

The Next Generation

Anna — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:53:49 +0000

Today I picked up a new bowl fresh from the kiln. This is the first one I did with Kirsti. Her babe loved to lay with her bum under the left side of Kirsti’s ribs. You can’t really tell from the pictures, but when you look at the bowl there is a definite indentation where Rosie’s bum was. In fact the bowl is as lopsided as Kirsti’s belly!

My only disappointment was that the base shifted when the bowl went into the kiln, so it doesn’t fit snugly. Mistakes are wonderful teachers however. All in all the bowls I did with Kirsti are definitely more refined. I can’t wait to do more, I love this process!

Finally, My First Finished Belly Bowls!

Anna — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:06:22 +0000

I know you have been waiting a long, long time to see how they turned out. Here they are:

So what do you think? For me the firing process was very magical, and I am so glad they didn’t explode!

I have two more bowls in process right now, and they are in a whole new league. I will post pics of them in March. I feel ready to make a bowl for anyone who is interested. The whole process is a lot of fun!

Belly Bowls Revisited

Anna — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 17:15:58 +0000

So far so good with bowl number two. It needs a bit of trimming, it is amazingly asymmetrical. Some of the imbalance is excess clay, but a lot of it has to do with the baby I think…

They look pretty different. I used the same belly with exactly one week between the moldings. Bowl number two is almost ready for the next step!

New Belly Bowls!

Anna — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 16:39:10 +0000

This is my first Belly Bowl. It is almost dried and ready to be glazed and fired.

The first bowl was so fun, I asked Colleen if I could do another. This time the kids were eager to help.

Colleen holding the bowl while it dries on her belly. Colleen is awesome. Thank you Colleen!

The first bowl lost some of it’s shape while it dried, so I tried something new. If there are any experienced potters out there feel free to give me tips. Hopefully I will be able to post two finished bowls in the next month!