✦ There’s something wonderfully tactile about handmade pottery, the marks, textures and little surprises created when clay, glaze and fire come together.

✦ This terracotta planter has been formed using a piece of lace to create its delicate textured surface. I love using lace in my ceramics because it leaves behind an intricate imprint, creating a beautiful contrast between the earthy clay and the softer, almost textile-like pattern.

✦ The glaze was originally intended to be a soft grey, but the oxide used beneath it has reacted during firing and developed into a beautiful purplish tone instead.

✦ There is absolutely nothing wrong with the piece, the glaze is sound and the planter is perfectly usable. It simply doesn't sit within the earthy, more muted colour palette of my current ceramic collection.

✦ So rather than letting a perfectly good handmade piece sit quietly on a shelf, I've given it a place in my Super Seconds sale.

A little reminder that with handmade ceramics, you can guide the process — but sometimes the kiln gets the final say. ✦

✦ All sale items are sold as seen and are non-refundable. By purchasing a sale item, the buyer accepts the condition of the piece as described.