And the Stubble Vanishes

Four days of cob-plastering brought out the Good Earth Builders - among them their newest member, Keetah Bryant of Canadian Coastal Clayworks - for an intensive workshop on turning stubbly cob walls into silky smooth masterpieces. The inside plaster, consisting of a mixture of pottery clay, soaked newspaper, sand and water, went on like butter after a day's worth of sawing away at the dried cob walls from a year ago.  Outside plaster, which throws a little horse manure into the mix for extra weather-proofing, went on on the last day - which included a half-hour plaster toss by all the young 'uns and a jaw-dropping workshop on natural clay pigments and painting that adds that last layer of beauty to any cob wall. The Earthen floor comes next, along with finishing the roof and the outside plastering. Stay tuned, this project is one that just keeps on giving!