I am trying to make a nest out of clay branches. I have been dipping the branches in slip but when fired the branches burn out and the clay comes out in about half inch cylinders, which are beautiful but would have to be glued back together to make a branch. This would be almost an impossible task and not give me the look I want to create a fairly large nest that one could sit in. Can anyone help me with the technical aspects of this as I am an elementary art teacher and taking a ceramics cla