Check Out These AWESOME Handmade Pottery Mugs!

Posted by Risa on May 13th, 2010 — in Holidays & Celebrations, Meet the Artists, New Products | Click here to comment

We just added a beautiful collection of handmade pottery mugs to the site!  I ABSOLUTELY LOVE them!!!  You think I’m kidding? I bought one for practically everyone I know!  Check out this photo, and it doesn’t even show all the ones I got!

This new collection includes Jewish mugs, as well as mugs that can be personalized with a name or phrase! The Jewish mugs are engraved with really fun phrases like “Chai Maintenance,” “Oy Vey,” and “Bubbie” – perfect as gift for a Jewish mother or Jewish grandmother who loves her morning coffee!  The 20 oz. handmade pottery mugs are made in Northeastern Pennsylvania by artist JoAnne Stratakos. These substantial and gorgeous pottery mugs are great for gift giving.  Decorative, and extremely functional, these pottery coffee mugs are dishwasher safe and microwaveable.

If you have an occasion coming up for a guy or gal and just have no clue what to get them, these mugs make the perfect gift.

I am giving/have given these mugs for the following occasions:

• Mother’s Day
• Father’s Day
• Birthdays
• Teacher’s end-of-year gift

The mugs come with a choice of flowers for $25,  or you can get a personalized mug for $30.  I know, from giving out a bunch of these this past weekend for Mother’s Day, people LOVE this gift!  You can also give the pottery mugs as gifts for Administrative Professional Day (which just passed), Hanukkah, or a housewarming gift.

Although I love all crafty things, I have a special place in my heart for pottery.  For years I did pottery.  I took classes and then just did studio time creating pieces that I use every day in my house.  I made a set of dinner plates, salad plates, small bowls, and soup bowls.  I made several big bowls for pasta and an even bigger bowl for fruit.

I think one of the most challenging pieces I’ve made are mugs, which is why I do NOT have a set of mugs in the house.  Unlike all the other pieces, there are 2 parts to the mug – the mug and the handle, which has to be joined very well into the main mug.  I don’t remember exactly why I gave up on mugs, but I just didn’t get good at it.  Maybe I’ll take a picture and show you a really ugly (but clever!) mug that I created.  I cut off about 1/2″ from the top rim of the mug, but left a piece attached, then swirled it over the edge and created a handle out of it. (Update – I found the mugs  I made and took photos – see below.)

Making any kind of pottery by hand is a big job, and although I’m sure JoAnn can throw (that’s the term used in pottery for making things) mugs pretty quickly, these are the steps that I used to make a piece:

• kneed the clay to get all the air bubbles out
• center the clay on the wheel and throw the mug
• hand-build the handle and join it to the mug
• let the piece air dry
• finish the piece on the bottom and smooth it all out
• fire the piece once
• glaze the piece
• fire the piece again

I love these pottery mugs and I’m sure you will too!

Here are photos of the mugs that I made 13 years ago and detailed photos of that mug I was talking about above – the wacky (but clever!) one never seen before!

THE UGLY MUG

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing some of my own creations.  Maybe another time  I’ll show off my pottery bowls, plates, cookie jars, and pencil holders.