Ladybug Mug — Variegated Green Glaze, Red Stoneware
Start your morning with a little garden charm. This hand-painted ladybug mug pairs a rich red stoneware body with a variegated green glazed interior — no two mugs glaze exactly alike. Wheel-thrown, hand-painted, and finished with a warm antiqued exterior, it's the kind of mug that makes a coffee break feel like a small ritual.
Details
- Clay Body: Red stoneware
- Capacity: Holds approx. 15 fl oz
- Dimensions: approx. 3.75" tall x 3.75" wide at the rim
- Rim: Straight
- Interior Glaze: Variegated green
- Exterior Finish: Black wash, hand wet-sanded to a smooth matte finish
- Food safe, dishwasher safe, microwave safe
The Process
Each mug begins on the potter's wheel and is trimmed by hand once the rim is dry enough to hold its shape. While the clay is still wet, I transfer a light green slip design using a newsprint technique — a slow, hands-on step that can't be rushed. After the first firing, I apply a black wash by hand for a subtle antiqued look on the outside, then a variegated green glaze to the interior. The ladybugs and leaves are painted entirely by hand before the mug goes back into the kiln for its second and final firing. Once glazed, I wet-sand the exterior by hand for a finish that feels as good as it looks.
Made by hand in small batches in my Denver studio — no AI, no mass production, just one potter and a paintbrush.