I went to the animal fair

[rolanni]

…or, rather, the pottery sale at the day-job.  The Colby Pottery Club members do such beautiful work.  I managed to get away today with only a mug and a sandwich plate, because you can never have too many pretty pottery mugs and, face it, if you’re having coffee, eventually you’re gonna want a sandwich.

My, they’re pretty.  I especially like that the mug is a little thinner, and thereby lighter than it might otherwise be.  Steve had bought a stunning mug at the winter sale, but it weighs so much that I can barely pick it up empty on a bad hand day.

*is happy*

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[kahva.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that is a pretty set there! Color me officially a little bit jealous. :)

[queenmaggie.livejournal.com]

I adore hand made ceramics, particularly in the colors pictured. I've started collecting them when I go to faires for use in the kitchen. I finally realized that with my kids grown, I didn't need to keep using plastics. I now have a selection of berry bowls, mixing bowls, pitchers, wine cups, platters, cheese plate, mis en place cups, and little bowls for using every day. It makes me so happy!

[hapaxnym.livejournal.com]

So if you give an Author some coffee, she's going to ask for a sandwich to go with it? I think there's a picture book here somewhere...

[doccolt.livejournal.com]

Beautiful work! One can never have to many coffee mugs or sandwich plates.

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

LOL! I had that same thought. My younger daughter is a big fan of those books right now:)

be careful

[stick-breaker.livejournal.com]

I don't want to extinguish you joy, but be careful, some of the glazes are not kind to humans. Some of the pretty colors are created by toxic metals. I don't know where you would test/verify the safety. Definitely speak with the Creator, not just the retailer. I would recommend you do not make it your primary coffee vessel.

This note is totally self serving, I want more of your stories. I am rereading Mouse and Dragon. I can't wait for Ghost Ship!

[verana1111.livejournal.com]

The Ren Faire potter I bought my vegetable bowl from this winter had a sign assured he used all lead-free glazes, because "ít's easier to keep an old customer than get a new one"(after the old one dies of lead poisoning) . I think there's probably a much higher chance of getting lead glaze at Walmart, Target, or any store that carries imported Chinese brightly colored ware, than from artisan-made pottery. On the other hand, always a good idea to check.

Re: be careful

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

The pottery club uses food safe glazes, I am assured, and I believe them. If I want to worry about leads in my glazes, I'm afraid I'm going to have to look at the mug I bought at the drug store in Skowhegan 20-odd years ago and used daily. Or the cups we now use most regularly -- made in China.

Re: be careful

[enleve.livejournal.com]

You can buy lead testing kits (http://www.leadinspector.com/testing.html) that will let you test ceramics, bathtub glazes, toys etc. at home.

Very few manufacturers seem to care about this issue. I'm pretty careful to buy lead-free dishes, but in those cases where I've received a gift and wanted to put my mind at ease, the lead-testing kit helped.