What graveyard bowl to buy my mother

December 23, 2009 7:47 PM

I need a bowl for the remains of eaten food. My late grandfather used the term "Camposanto," meaning "graveyard" (Italian?), for the bowl into which you'd throw the shells or bones of animals you've just eaten (mussels, ribs etc). I want to get his daughter, my mom, a bowl that would live up to the name; something with crosses, or graves, or "in loving memory," or even better something with skeletons (especially of fish) on it, something ghostly (ghastly) or something equally pithy on it. Big enough for about 30+ mussel shells on it, and preferably something not too earnest. Perhaps something like this or this (but preferably bigger).

Absolutely perfect would be something made out of ceramics, something that didn't look hugely cheap. I'd like her to want to bring it out at dinner parties...

posted by omnigut to Home & Garden (10 answers total)

Response by poster: Actually, it could be as earnest as you'd like—bad taste isn't a problem :)
posted by omnigut at 7:50 PM on December 23, 2009

Hie thee to Etsy and post your specifications in the Alchemy section.
posted by Soliloquy at 7:51 PM on December 23, 2009 [2 favorites]

Could you take a class in claywork nearby? Make your own!
Similarly, there are places that sell premade clay items that you get to decorate. Maybe one of these has an appropriately sized bowl.
posted by Chuckles McLaughy du Haha, the depressed clown at 8:09 PM on December 23, 2009 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks Soliloquy, Done. But in case I don't get what I'd like there, does anyone have other ideas? I'd love to see what grievous stuff is out there...
posted by omnigut at 8:11 PM on December 23, 2009

Response by poster: Chuckles, I'm assuming you'd paint me the perfect bowl. Actually, that's a perfect idea :) Unfortunately, I'm not going to be around for much longer....... (although that's really just a geographical thing)
posted by omnigut at 8:12 PM on December 23, 2009

Best answer: This very classy cat bowl is, unfortunately, too small.

Really though, the suggestion to paint your own is the way to go. Come prepared with a stencil of a fishbone, and use it to fool-proof the painting process. Most places that do the paint your own pottery thing have about a one-week turnover. Bring a couple sizes of the same stencil, and take a few minutes to plan out your pattern. Four or five around the edge of the bowl should do it, and if you stick with a single color, it shouldn't take too long or be too hard. You can make your own stencil by printing a fishbone image out on some thick paper and cutting it out with a blade.
posted by Mizu at 9:11 PM on December 23, 2009 [1 favorite]

skull bowl

http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/ceramic-skeleton-face-serving-bowl-with-metal-stand/

bonus too small skull bowl just because it's cool

http://www.shopanatomical.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=SS-SFB1&Click=26698&gdftrk=gdfV2758_a_7c884_a_7c3471_a_7cSS_d_SFB1
posted by stray thoughts at 11:53 PM on December 23, 2009 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks everyone, I've got her a gift card to a local do-it-yourself pottery place (I won't be around). Essentially I'm commissioning her to make her own Christmas present...
posted by omnigut at 3:56 AM on December 24, 2009

You're not giving her a DIY present, you're giving her a new experience :-)
posted by Chuckles McLaughy du Haha, the depressed clown at 6:28 AM on December 24, 2009

How to Make Stencils on eHow, and the example used in the article is a fish skeleton!

This is a very cool gift, btw.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 6:33 AM on December 24, 2009