Looking after your mug

First things first, thank you for giving one of my mugs a home. Every single one is thrown, trimmed, glazed and packed by hand, so I'd love for it to stick around for many years of morning coffees, late-night teas and questionable life decisions.

The big one: don't pour boiling water straight into a cold mug.

Ceramics don't love sudden temperature changes.

If a mug has been sitting on a cold bench overnight (or worse, came straight from the fridge or a chilly windowsill), pouring freshly boiled water directly into it can create what's called thermal shock. The inside of the mug heats up much faster than the outside, creating stress within the clay. Most of the time nothing happens. Occasionally, that stress can cause the mug to crack.

It's not because the mug has done anything wrong, it's just how ceramics behave.

Why does this happen?

Every handmade mug is just that: handmade. While I take a ridiculous amount of care with my work, no two pieces are ever completely identical. Tiny differences in wall thickness, how quickly a piece cools during firing, or even where it's sitting in the kiln can slightly change how a mug responds to sudden temperature changes.

Before any mug leaves my studio, it's thoroughly inspected and filled with boiling water as part of my quality control process. If there's an obvious weakness, I'd much rather it reveal itself in my studio than in your kitchen.

That said, ceramics can occasionally contain microscopic weaknesses that aren't visible and don't show themselves during testing. Sometimes they only become apparent after repeated heating and cooling cycles, or after a particularly sudden temperature change months down the track. It's uncommon, but it's one of the quirks of working with a natural material by hand.

The good news? It's also easy to minimise the risk.

By letting your kettle sit for 30–60 seconds before pouring, or by warming your mug gently first, you're dramatically reducing the stress placed on the ceramic and helping your mug live a long, happy life.

Think of it like stretching before a run (can't relate). It might not always be necessary, but your body will appreciate it.

The easiest way to avoid it is to:

• Let the kettle sit for 30–60 seconds after boiling before pouring.
• Or add a splash of room-temperature water or milk to the mug first.
• If your mug is particularly cold, let it warm up to room temperature before making your drink.

Your tea will still be hot enough to remove the feeling from the roof of your mouth. I promise.

Everyday care

• Dishwasher safe (top rack is always a nice bonus).
• Microwave safe.
• Avoid sudden temperature changes (freezer to boiling water, fridge to microwave, etc.).
• Try not to knock it against hard surfaces—ceramics are surprisingly strong until they're suddenly not.

About lustre ✨

Some custom pieces may feature gold, platinum, copper or Mother of Pearl lustres.

Lustre is a specialist decorative finish that's applied by hand after the main glaze firing, then fired a second time at a lower temperature to permanently bond it to the ceramic. Depending on the lustre used, it can create anything from brilliant metallic gold, platinum and copper finishes to the soft, iridescent shimmer of Mother of Pearl.

Because lustres require an additional firing (and are a premium finish), I only use them when they're specifically requested as part of a custom order. If you'd like to add a lustre finish to your piece, just let me know when requesting a quote and I'll include it in your pricing.

Caring for lustre

The care instructions depend on the lustre used:

• Gold, platinum and copper lustres: Hand wash only and never microwave, as they contain metal.
• Mother of Pearl lustre: Hand washing is recommended to preserve the finish. While it doesn't contain metallic precious metals in the same way, I still recommend treating it with the same care as my other lustres.
• Avoid abrasive scrubbers or harsh cleaning products.
• Each lustre is applied entirely by hand, so tiny variations in the finish are part of the charm and make every piece one of a kind.

A note from me

I genuinely want these mugs to become part of your daily routine. They're made to be used, not hidden away in a cupboard "for good." Like all handmade things, they're a little individual. Tiny variations, speckles and glaze quirks are part of what make each one unique. If you ever have an issue with your mug that doesn't seem right, please get in touch. I'm always happy to help.