Hand thrown with love, these thumb mugs were made with a speckled clay that makes it a joy to hold. The whimsical clouds only add to the experience. If you’re one of those people who loves to drink out of a mug with texture, this mug is for you. With the raw clay exposed on part of the exterior, it makes any cup of tea taste that much better.
These mugs are called thumblers or thumb mugs because, instead of a handle, they have an indent on the side for your thumb to rest on. If you haven't had the pleasure of holding one, be prepared. You will find yourself wondering how you have lived without one before now!
Each item is made by hand with all of my attention, love and care. Making pottery has many stages that take a lot of time and caution. First, I either throw the item on my wheel or I handbuild it, depending on the item. Then, the object is left to dry for a few days to see that it does not dry too quickly. This prevents warping and cracks. Once dry, imperfections are taken care of and it goes into the kiln. This first firing is called a bisque firing. It is fired at 1000 degree Celsius (1900 Fahrenheit) for 8 hours and then it has to slowly cool overnight before I can unload the kiln. After the bisque firing and some cleaning of the piece, it is ready to glaze. Once the glaze has dried for a day, it is fired again at 1040 degree Celsius (1920 Fahrenheit). After 19-20 hours of firing and cooling, the piece is almost ready. I do some touch up sanding to the base, clean it off and it is ready for its new home.
As you can see, pottery is not only time intensive, but it requires care at every stage. The smallest variance of this process can bring about a completely different result. The beauty of a handmade piece is that I truly put all of my heart into every stage, making each item that I sell a little piece of my heart. Are there imperfections? Yes. But so much love put into each piece that I hope those imperfections make you love it even more.