Change in weather, new love for tea bowls

Being the first cold day of the season, I had a lightbulb moment with my morning cuppa tea. Instead of the usual mug, I instinctively chose the non-handled tea bowl to warm my hands. I used to shun handles because I was terrible at making them - most beginners are - and at the time I preferred non-handled cups anyway... maybe that's just an excuse since I didn't like making handles & I hadn't found many mugs that I liked. In the past year I fell in love with mugs, but I have a newfound appreciation for tea bowls - it's all in the season. On cold days like today mugs might be used more for cold beverages, but a warm cup feels comforting cupped in the hands, more intimate. I can picture me sitting on the couch after a long day at work, wrapped in a blanket, watching the cats run around while imagining different pots form in my head, drinking a toasty cuppa tea. Though I enjoy the long days and outer warmth of summer, I welcome the change in seasons, with the inner warmth of tea, and wearing long-sleeved shirts.

I can't remember the last time I made a tea bowl... if ever. I make many cups, though none I would describe as a "tea bowl." In fact I don't know what it means for a tea bowl to be a tea bowl, except that I have seen enough labeled so that I understand the general form of one. Please, educate me on the history of the tea bowl if you can. Meanwhile, here are some beautiful yunomis (tea bowls that are generally more tall than wide) from one of my favorite artists, Kristen Kieffer:

Ceramic Jewelry

Kristen Kieffer just made some gorgeous ceramic pendants -


Last week I visited Annie Chrietzberg's house for the first time and we talked ceramics for a little while, saying what a ridiculous art it is to get into. She has a friend who's a jeweler who just carries a little suitcase of work around to shows and galleries... just this little thing, full of beautiful artwork worth thousands of dollars. Pots on the other hand are big and bulky comparatively, especially with all of the special equipment. Well here's a wonderful example that includes aspects of both clay & jewelry. This one is my favorite (*hint, hint*). What do you think? Are you a fan of ceramic jewelry?

Pretty Pots

Speaking of other people's pots... these are pretty:

by Kristen Kieffer


and the stamped animals in these cups remind me of sweettart candies. Especially the bunnies. They make me want to eat them, but since they're not really sweettarts, I would really love to drink from them. Yet the handle doesn't look comfortable, so I don't know if it would be as wonderful to drink from them as it would be to look at them. Maybe someday when I have a nice home I'll have a place for something like this to be placed on a shelf to be admired. Or I'll have quaint tea parties.

One more for good measure... These look like they would be fun to touch and hold with the texture on them. Nice little tumblers, they're something I would like to have several of to use as everyday pots or for special occasions.