What a Dish

After Wednesday’s "retainers in the dumpster" debacle, I’m in the
market for a petite dish to place next to the sink and hold the
offending orthodontic appliances. This is a funny thing to be on the
lookout for, I know. Not only do I have an odd purpose in mind, but
usually these types of little trinkets are the sort of thing that you
pick up on a whim when you’re out and about, with the intention of
finding a purpose for it later. Unfortunately I’ve always listened to
the voice in my head saying "You have no use for that", and as a result
I have no tchotchkes to draft into retainer duty.

Anyhoo, Etsy is the perfect place for such a find, and I always love
supporting independent craftspeople. Here’s what I’ve found after an
evening poking around on the site…

Anenomes are one of my favourite flowers, and this bowl from PrinceDesignUK captures the depth and intrigue of the real thing.
It’s hand shaped from a single piece of clay- and I love how the
natural color of the materal comes through from behind the glaze to
create a gradient effect.

This little guy
is such a hoot! (Sorry, couldn’t resist the pun.) Fruitfly Pie makes
adorable soap dishes in vintage ceramic molds from the 1960’s. The owls
come in many different colors, but I’m partial to the textural impact
of the white. Her Etsy shop is definitely worth a look, with lots of
tongue-in-cheek retro-inspired bits and pieces.

The work of By Deborah
is really quite magical in a gothic romance kind of way. She creates
her pieces by pressing scraps of antique lace and textiles into the
clay, then uses handmade stamps to leave impressions of ferns, flowers
and insects. So edgy and mysterious!

Okay, so I know that the skull trend is feeling a little played out
right now. But I’m still a sucker for it, and I think it would be so
hilarious to keep my retainers in the cavity of this grinning fellow! It feels very "creepy dentist’s office" in an artsy, ironic way.

I’m always so interested in the techniques that ceramicists use, and this one is really unique. Impure Vessels
uses not clay but concrete, which she (he?) layers and carves while
it’s still wet. The pieces look both rock-solid and delicate at the
same time, as though they might erode away any moment.

And finally, this is an antique piece, not a new handmade creation. But vintage French Limoges
to hold my retainers? Doesn’t that seem a perfect fit for an
over-the-top princess who would buy a dish for her orthodontics?
Indeed, I’ll take two 🙂