FAQ
POTTERY CARE
CAN I PUT MY POTTERY IN THE DISHWASHER?
YES! All of my pottery is food, dishwasher, microwave and oven safe (up to 400degrees) unless otherwise specified. I always recommend that when loading the dishwasher, extra care is taken to ensure that pieces have no pressure on the rims of the dishes. This means that the rims should ideally not touch each other when in the dishwasher (This is especially important for mugs/drinking vessels).
WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE MY POTTERY?
As I prefer to make thin rimmed, lightweight pottery, please be aware that chipping and breakage may occur from normal use. However - to extend the life of your investment, I recommend never cleaning, stacking, drying, or storing items in which there would be any pressure on the rims. This means not stuffing the pieces in the dishwasher, not letting 50lbs of dishes dry on them upside-down in the sink, and not storing them upside-down in your cupboard. Whether its mugs, bowls or casserole dishes, right-side up is best. Additionally, it is worth noting that while you can stack plates and bowls, it is good to limit it to about 3-4 bowls per stack and around 8 plates per stack. You should never stack mugs!
WILL MY POTTERY STAND UP TO A DROP OFF THE COUNTER?
Maybe if you catch it with your foot. Part of the draw of my pieces is that they are lightweight - and as such aren't like the pottery of yore that would survive a fall from the balcony of a second floor apartment. This being said, pieces are fairly resilient and should last you at least the lifespan of the majority of designer branded dishes if you follow my storage/care instructions. It is worth noting that pottery might not stand up to a drop ON the counter if you have granite/quartz or other types of stone counters. So if you do have those kind of counters, just be cautious not to buy so many mugs that they fall out of the cupboards when you open the doors.
WILL MY POTTERY FADE/BREAK/CHIP/STAIN OVER TIME?
The short answer, is yes. They are dishes that I expect to get used every day - so as with any dish, over time, you may notice that your piece isn't looking quite as fresh as it once was. You can greatly extend the life of your dishes following my care instructions, but even I follow the same guidelines and have the odd chip or break. It just happens. Some lighter colours of glaze are more susceptible to staining, but generally, if you wash your dishes shortly after use, even those pieces should last you as long as any other commercial dish set. The good news is that if you ever break a dish, you know how to contact the potter to get another one! I do not recommend using pottery that has been cracked or chipped - in addition to the potential for compromise in food safety, adding hot substances may cause dishes with cracks to break without warning and may cause burns or injury. I'd recommend ordering a replacement instead.
CAN I USE AN AEROPRESS (COFFEE MAKER) WITH MY MUG?
Due to the force needed to press coffee through the filter on an aeropress or similar styled coffee maker, use is NOT recommended for my pottery mugs. Using this type of coffee press is at pottery buyer's risk.
A FEW NOTES ABOUT BREAKAGE:
I DO NOT replace items under any circumstances. While I can certainly appreciate that it is very unfortunate (and expensive) when a pottery mug breaks, because of the fragile nature of pottery or any other dishes, once they have left my studio, I have no control over how they are handled. I carefully inspect my mugs and all other pieces at every part of the creation process - I do not sell items that are flawed, damaged or generally not up to par. There are specific ways a potter can check for flaws, and for me, every item is carefully checked for any cracks or breaks - if it's not perfect it doesn't get sold. Even hairline cracks are detectable so those are caught and don't leave my studio. I have no control over what happens to my items once they are at a retail store. A customer at the store may pick up a piece and bump it when it gets put back down or maybe it gets knocked against your other items on the way home. Or perhaps your kiddo used it without telling you and it was cracked in that fashion. Again, super unfortunate and a big disappointment, but all things that are out of my control, whether the crack form after the first time you use it in your home, or the fifth or fiftieth. Please keep in mind, that most pottery will be with you for a long time - I have sets of mugs that I still use daily that I made 20 years ago, and many many of my customers have pieces that, with following my care instructions, have lasted for years.
DIRECT HEAT/COLD SHOCK
Never, under any circumstances, put your pottery on direct heat or under a broiler. It will explode, or the bottom will break off, etc leaving you covered in something that may be boiling. I also recommend against trying to boil water in the microwave in a mug. Additionally, like all pottery and glassware, cold shock will happen when pottery goes from a cold state to a hot state suddenly, so never put a cold dish from the fridge into the oven. Additionally, try to avoid pouring boiling water directly in a cold mug. If you make tea/etc by the mug, putting a spoon into the mug and letting the water hit that before it hits the cup will help to prevent cold shock. Alternatively, you could run a little warm/hot tap water in it first before pouring the water from the kettle in it.
Granite/quarts/stone etc countertops generally are cool to touch, which means if your mug has been sitting on the counter for a little bit the mug has also become cooler. If you then pour boiling water (without a spoon or pre-heating it!) it is much more likely to break. Finally, any mug that has been bumped, knocked, etc may have a hairline crack that may or may not be visible which can make it more susceptible to cold shock - so that's something to keep in mind as well if you know a mug you are using is an older one.