Frequently Asked Questions
How do I take care of my ceramic items?
Dishwasher
All items are dishwasher safe. Despite it being dishwasher safe I recommend washing it by hand to prevent the glaze getting a little dull overtime.
Microwave
My ceramics are high fired so the pieces will most likely be fine in the microwave. Nevertheless, my recommendation is to avoid using them in the microwave because I didn’t test a range of them. Better be safe than sorry.
Thermal shock
Always heat food in ceramics from a cold oven to avoid a thermal shock. This means that you put the pieces in the oven before you preheat the oven. This helps the piece to get used to the heat. The same goes for boiling water in tea mugs or tea pots etc. Always warm them with a little warm water before filling them up with boiling water.
All items are glazed in a food safe & lead-free glaze.
I design & hand make from my home studio in Antwerp, Belgium. Every piece is unique, & hand thrown on the wheel with a lot of joy & love. I work with stoneware clay. After the initial throwing the pieces are dried for about a day on the shelve before they can be trimmed. Then the piece is air dried for a about a week. When it’s completely bone-dry I fire it in the kiln for the first time at 950 ºC. Then I glaze all the items several times. I develop & mix my glazes myself – no premixed glazes here – what makes them unique & lively. The kiln in my basement then fires my pieces up to 1.220 ºC. Ceramics is a slow process. Every piece takes 3 to 4 weeks to finish depending on the weather, the piece itself & my 3 kids distracting me.
All items are made by hand, so no two pieces will be exactly the same. Subtle imperfections are celebrated as part of the beauty of each piece. These include variations in the materials as well as evidence of the making process.
I work very hard to minimise my impact on the environment. I use cardboard boxes which are either recycled or from FSC responsible sources – both completely recyclable. I use an alternative to bubble wrap made from recycled paper. The packing peanuts I use in my packages are biodegradable. They are made from natural, nontoxic sources, such as wheat & corn starch. They dissolve in water & can be thrown into the compost pile. I urge you to try & reuse any non-recyclable packaging yourself. Thanks so much for that! Waste isn’t waste until you waste it.
Shipping & Deliveries
I make every effort to process orders within 2-3 days (weekends & national holidays excepted). Please bear with me when things go a little slower due to unforeseen circumstances.
Belgium
All items are sent via Bpost which normally takes 2 to 3 working days. You will receive a confirmation once shipped. If you have a specific deadline like a birthday or wedding, let me know in the buyers notes, I will do my best to try to get your order to you in time.
Europe & International
International items are sent via Bpost. It takes about 5–10 working days but please allow up to 14 working days as services can vary depending on your location. During busy periods such as Covid-19, Christmas & holidays this timescale can double – I cannot be held responsible for these delays. All items are sent with a ‘Track & Trace’ code which will be sent to you in an e-mail.
I send to the following countries: Belgium, Germany, France, Luxembourg & The Netherlands.
If want your order to be sent to another country, please contact me & we’ll try to work something out.
If you are local, pick up at the studio is possible. You can choose this option in the shipping options during checkout. Contact me so we can set a date & hour for pickup.
You can pay by Bancontact, Ideal & Paypal.
Returns
That’s ok. Please visit my Terms & Conditions page to read about the return policy.
Please save the packaging as proof & send me a photo of the damaged item within 48 hours after arrival & I’ll get back to you. Please find all contact information at the contact page.
Orders & Wholesale
I do make some custom orders. Do you have something in mind? Let me know & we’ll try to work something out. Please allow about 4 weeks to complete, because the process of making handmade ceramics is very time consuming.
For any enquiries about a special order of listed items, wholesale, or custom pieces please contact me.
Things you didn’t know you needed to know
I have a little photo studio set up in my home where I take the pics for my social media & the shop. The lovely By Nouchka took the pictures of me.