iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

I posted a little story about a guy I just met showing me a photo of a pot - and it was something I made!!! And that story led to someone else saying she wanted to buy it!! I’m tickled.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

#pottery There’s a certain joy in unloading a kiln and realizing you don’t have any shelves to clean up!!(ok just one little drop but it came right off!)

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 04/08/2025

My husband is hard to buy gifts for. But he loves 🦕, & it was so awesome to discover @tannedtrilobite.bsky.social here, who makes leather wallets with dinosaurs. The wallet just arrived & his wallet items transferred to new wallet in minutes! Thanks Neil!! 👍 The perfect birthday gift!!!

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Was off SM for two weeks on a river trip. So nice to have been unplugged for a while. Now I have to get caught up! Got these 14 oz travel cups listed finally. Thinking of calling this glaze combo “moody blue”…

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

#pottery #ceramicbowls I sold out of my hole-y bowls, which was exciting because now I can make more of them! Looking to explore some fun patterning with the cutouts. I love the shadow play it creates.

Close up of a blue bowl that has round cut outs in various sizes at the rim, creating disparate patterns that allow light to go through and make interesting shadows.

Large bowl glazed in a seafoam green with a brown drippy rim. The interior has black brush strokes and red and yellow dot accents for contrast. The rim has round cutouts of various sizes in three parts of the bowl, creating an interesting negative space pattern.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

Finally finished the commissioned teapot/mug/infuser/drip plate set. Now I just hope it arrives safely!!! 🤞🤞

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

#birds We have a pair of red tail hawks nesting nearby. I just saw one swoop right by our house- landed on our fence with his breakfast catch - a rabbit! I managed to get a photo out the window but also was able to get in the yard and capture more shots. Feeling excited and lucky I got to see this

Red tail hawk with a rabbit catch, landing on our fence.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

I’ve always said I wouldn’t do any commission work. I lied, as I agreed to make this tea set! The tea steeper fits in the mug as well as the teapot. And the drip plate can be used over the steeper to keep things warm, either in the mug/teapot. hope the glaze firing works out. 🤞 #pottery #teaset

WIP: teapot with matching tea mug. Matching infuser and drip plate next to the tea mug. Freshly trimmed and drying.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 22/06/2025

#pottery #rakuware #rakufiring I did a raku firing with my class last week. There was enough space for me to get these round vases in, a white crackle glaze. I wish I’d got darker crackle lines. The small dark spots are actually micro crackles.

Three round raku white crackle vases with a green rim. The crackles are varied in size, with some dark black spots that are actually micro crackles in the glaze.

Close up of a white crackle raku fired pot. The small dark splotches are actually micro crackles.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 20/06/2025

#pottery #lightplay I was using a small herb stripper one night for a whole bunch of herbs. Got sick of it filling up so quickly. So I made larger ones but also decided to play with patterns the holes make. Could also be a nice unique fruit bowl. Now to get them listed. Like my hole-y bowls?

Teal green shallow bowl with holes cut out on three sides. Black brush strokes on the inside with red/yellow dot accents on the inside for an abstract aesthetic.

Ocean blue bowl with holes cut out on three sides. Black brush strokes on the inside with red/yellow dot accents on the inside for an abstract aesthetic.
Places on a wood table in the sunshine , letting the light go through the punched hole patterns

Bowl with holes cut out on the rim creating a fun pattern, with mandarin oranges inside, a nice contrast to the ocean blue glaze.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

I posted this photo on my FB page. A FB friend (my hairdresser) messaged & asked if I have it in purple. Erm..not in the photo, so no. Then says she wants one. Please send pics of what I have. Done. Then she says : do you have it in purple? 🙄 ???!!!!???? #pottery #teamug

Mugs with matching tea strainers sit on a drip plate. A hand holds a blue mug above matching tea strainer on a matching drip plate. Mugs and strainers are partially glazed with scalloped edges on the mugs, in blue, green and brown.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

I lost my cat years ago and never got another as we travel quite a bit. I hated having to leave him, although we always had cat sitters. Last night, we had dinner with a friend who just got these two cuties. So nice to get a kitty fix! This is Poppy and Oliver. #cats #cuties

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 03/06/2025

Happy pride month! Some Ramen bowls with a rainbow colored design and mugs. (Close outs, available at link in bio) #pottery #soupbowls #largemugs

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 28/05/2025

Got out to Sequoia NP this last weekend. It was so impressive to see the General Sherman & Grant trees. But what hit me was that right now, it seems like it’s going to be such a long 4 years 😖 and yet these trees have stood for so very much longer, surviving. It felt hopeful. #resilience

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

I happened to come across these photos from a few years back. Made some bottles and punched a hole through them & joined the edges. Put them in an anagram wood firing. And they actually pour fine! The holes make a nice handle! #pottery #anagamafiring #woodfiredpottery

A wheel thrown bottle with a hole right through it below the neck. Slip decorated with some red splatters and white slip. Bone dry piece

Two wood fired bottles, with holes right through them just below the neck. Fired in an anagama kiln, they came out toasty with slip decorated splatters.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 18/05/2025

berry bowls, with a drip plate. The first time I made these, I wasn’t sure what pattern to put in for the drainage holes. But I seem to gravitate always to a trio of dots and that’s what these became. I think they’re pretty sweet, what do you think? #berrybowls #pottery #kitchenware

A hand holding a small berry bowl to show the inside and the drainage hole patterns in clusters of three. A matching drip plate sits below it. Glazed in a rich ocean blue.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 16/05/2025

We were out in Wyoming a few weeks back. And caught a cloudy day with these great big pillowy clouds. I could have watched it all day, an escape from the chaos of the world right now.

Landscape photo green hills in the background and a wide blue sky with pillowy clouds stretching to the horizon.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 14/05/2025

“There is something in the nature of tea that leads us into a world of quiet contemplation of life.” – Lin Yutang, The Importance of Living Sage green tea set; fluted mug, matching infuser and drip plate. ttfunctionalceramics.etsy.com/listing/1823... #teamug #pottery #teainfuser #teaset

Hand holding a sage green fluted mug with a brown drippy rim. A
Matching tea infuser sits in the mug, steeping some loose leaf tea. The mug has a matching drip plate it sits on.

A sage green fluted mug with a brown drippy rim, full of tea, reflecting the sky above. A
Matching tea infuser sits on the matching drip plate nd a spoon is resting on the plate.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 11/05/2025

Was able to restock more of these tea mugs, with matching infusers and drip plates. The drip plates also function as a mug saucer, or flip it over to as a lid to keep your tea warm. I think I’m liking these color combos! What do you think? #pottery #teamugs #teainfusers

A hand holding a blue mug above a matching tea infuser on a drip plate. Two other mugs are to the left; the middle one glazed in a sage green, the other in a Teadust tenmoku. All
Mugs are partially glazed with a scalloped edge at the bottom. the tea infusers sit at an angle on the green and Teadust mugs, also partially glazed at the top. The drainage holes are in a triangular pattern.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

And yes! No kiln drama for the win!!! Here’s one of the fired bowls. I quite like the various holes I punched through it. Makes it more visually interesting I think!

Blue decorative bowl with holes of different sizes punched through at the rim on 4 sides. Abstract pattern of black brush lines and red and yellow accent dots in the center.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 08/05/2025

Now I’m impatiently waiting for the kiln to cool down. When it was at 900F last night we heard a loud thump, like something had fallen. Spouse thought something exploded in the kiln?! 😳 Peeked through the peephole, shelves intact. Nothing in the house seemed out of place? A little anxious.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 07/05/2025

Getting ready for another glaze firing. I try not to have much expectations because …things happen… 😬 But I am excited to see how these will come out. It should be a rich blue after firing. #pottery #glazedwork #handmadebowls #ceramicbowls

3 glazed but not yet fired bowls. They are all glazed the same, with a darker rim over a red brown glaze (which should turn blue after firing) with black brush strokes and red and yellow dots for accents.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 05/05/2025

I love the raku firing process. Here’s a close up of my recent raku pot with white crackle, which sold recently. I’m excited that we will be doing an obvara firing in a few weeks. Never tried it. If you have, please share any tips! #pottery #raku #whitecrackle #homedecorvase #vase

Close up of crackles on a white crackle raku fired vase with some darker lines over lighter colored crackles. It makes me think of spider webs, although others have described it as a map (of Paris)!

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 01/05/2025

Out on a hiking trip with friends in WY. Seeing some great rock art (pictographs and petroglyphs) but the down side is the ticks!!😱 Found some on me & now my I’m feeling all these itches and movements on my skin and hair. I think it’s called paranoia? Does use permethrin work? Need to know!!!

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 28/04/2025

I posted a reel of making colanders over on IG. This morning I got a comment that someone had a dream about my colander last night! (She’s thinking of getting it for her sister) It made my day knowing that someone dreamt about my work! Isn’t that a nice thought? #pottery #kitchenware #colanders

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 27/04/2025

I was happy with how these photos came out for this tea mug and infuser set. Glazed with a tenmoku Teadust. I really love the crystallizations that came out, Makes me think of a starry dark sky night.

Top down side view of a tea mug with an infuser sitting on the rim. You can see the tea leaves seeping. Glazed in a tenmoku Teadust, a dark brown black tenmoku with gold speckles. A spoon sits next to the mug.

Side view of a tea mug with an infuser lifted up above it with tea water dripping from infuser to the mug. Glazed in a tenmoku Teadust, a dark brown black tenmoku with gold speckles. A spoon sits next to the mug.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 24/04/2025

I did get this out of our raku firing the other day. I love how this one has really dark crackles amid the more subtle ones. Do you have a favorite raku glaze? The white crackle is definitely mine! #pottery #raku #homedecor #potteryvase

A round vase with a green rim. This was raku fired with a white crackle glaze then put into a smoky can. The smoke seeped into the crackles giving a fine cobweb network of black crackles over the white glaze.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

#pottery #raku #horsehair We did a raku firing for the last day of class. My TA decided to do some horsehair on her lidded jar - which she had glazed with white crackle. I took a quick photo, and love all the smoke swirling around her piece, fresh out of the raku kiln.

Thick Smoke swirling around a raku pot fresh out of the kiln. It has some smudges from the horse hair applied to it. Sitting on a black metal can, the pot is white, a lovely contrast amid all the smoke.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

Restocked some berry bowls. These are the same ones that an associate editor of Midwest Hones mentioned in last August’s magazine. She found me (gasp) from my Etsy shop! Who’d have thought?!

Some raspberries in a deep ocean blue berry bowl, lending a sweet contrast with the reds and blues. The handle has a braided texture.

A pair of berry bowls,’one glazed in a sea foam green and another in a deep ocean blue glaze. The drainage holes are set in a cluster of three, creating a sweet pattern. These have textured braided handles.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

I hadn’t made teapots in a bit but did one for a class demo. Really pretty happy with how it pours - no drips! Not bad for having not made a teapot in a while. I’m thinking I should make some matching cups to go with it. #pottery #teapots #teaware

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 17/04/2025

I had someone ask about a nesting bowl set, and when I asked what sizes she wanted, she ghosted me. But I thought I’d make some different sizes anyway, maybe someone else would like them? I really like the textured handles on these. #ceramics #mixingbowls #batterbowls #kitchenware

Close up of a handle on a deep blue mixing bowl. the handle has textures and a braided look, and the blue glaze broke brown where it was thinner.

3 mixing or batter bowls with spouts and a handle sit in a circle. Glazed ina pretty rich ocean blue glaze, it is glossy and speckly. The side handles have a braided texture breaking brown where thin. The large bowl holds 3 cup, medium holds 1 2/3 cups and the small holds 1 cup.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Was all Excited about this glaze not running this time and clogging up the holes - and then — this!!! 😖 Luckily the other 5 berry bowls made it just fine… #ceramics

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

threw this bottle for a class demo months ago but wasn’t sure what to do with it. Decided to make some sake cups last week. I like how they’ve come together, & how the tenmoku feathers down the rim over the mossy jade green glaze. #pottery #sakeset #drinkware #happyhours

A sake set - bottle with 5 cups around it. The bottle has some curvy texture from applied slip. Glazed in an earthy jade green glaze with a tenmoku tin with some gorgeous feathering.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 11/04/2025

Takes me forever to glaze pots for a firing but I don’t want to rush it and mess it up at the last stage of the game! There’s the promise of potential now… but then I hold my breath to wait for the firing to be done. (Hoping I don’t mess that part up either… )

4 cups and 4 fluted bowls in front of them. All glazed with black brush strokes and red dot splatters waiting to be loaded and fired.

A couple of mixing bowls, glazed with brush strokes and red dot splatters. To be loaded for a kiln firing soon.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 08/04/2025

Getting into berry season, and now I’m wondering where all our berries come from generally (because …tariffs! ☹️) Getting ready to glaze a small batch of berry bowls. the ocean blue was pretty runny last time, hopefully I’ll get it right this time. Which glaze color appeals to you more?

A hand holding a berry bowl with patterns in clusters of three and a drip plate sits below it, with a couple of strawberries next to
It. Glazed in a seafoam green.

A hand holding a berry bowl with patterns in clusters of three and a drip plate sits below it. Glazed in a rich ocean blue.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 07/04/2025

The world is so chaotic right now and it feels weird to be posting about the work I do. But I guess I’ll stick to what I know. Played around with an idea in my head and made this. It was nice to just play with clay for a bit. Any guesses to its function? 😊 #pottery #playingwithclay

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

#sakesets #handmadepottery #pottery #ceramics Another sake set, this time with a dark clay body with the tenmoku Teadust glaze. I love how it leaves these gold speckles, and on this dark clay body, it makes me think of a Starry night sky.

A hand pouring sake into a sake cup, with 3 other cups next to it and a sake warmer behind it. Made with a dark chocolate clay, the Teadust tenmoku glaze has lovely gold speckles, contrasting nicely with the dark clay, like a starry dark night sky.

A hand holding a sake cup, showing the interior of the cup itself. Made with a dark chocolate clay, the Teadust tenmoku glaze has lovely gold speckles, like a starry dark night sky.

A hand holding a sake bottle, which is partially glazed with the bottom left raw. Made with a dark chocolate clay, the Teadust tenmoku glaze has lovely gold speckles, contrasting nicely with the dark clay, like a starry dark night sky.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

There’s something simply soothing about having some tea, isn’t it? It’s been hard to get back in the groove but I’m working on shop restock of these. The way the world is so chaotic these days, some tea is sounding good to me. #pottery #ceramics #teamug

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

I thought it’d be cool to make some fluted sake sets. I liked the way they came out but thought that’d just be a limited edition as I found it to be a bit of a pain. Now that I’ve sold one of the sets, and I have a better fluting tool, I’m actually considering making more…🤔 #sakesets #pottery

A sake set on a Table. The bottle ha fluted sides as do the sake cup, with sake reflected from the cups. Glazed in a pretty Teadust tenmoku with ok speckles that shimmers in the bottom of the cup and sides of the bottle.

A sake set on a Table. The bottle ha fluted sides as do the sake cup, with sake reflected from the cups. Glazed in a pretty Teadust tenmoku with gold speckles that shimmers in the bottom of the cup and sides of the bottle.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Our studio is doing an event for Boulder Arts Week so we’re having a staff show. This is my wood fired porcelain vase. I love how this came out in the atmospheric firing environment with the swirls from the flames. #pottery #woodfired #ceramicvase

Round wood fired porcelain vase with a narrow neck. Exterior was left raw, except for a few swirls of red underglaze. The atmospheric firing left some ash deposits on the pot and an interesting little spot right in the middle, leaving a wabi sabi blend of white/browns colorations.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Took a week off from SM and it was so nice to be unplugged! Now it’s really hard to get motivated to get back to it. Anyone else relate? Just found another soda fired piece, now I have a set of 4 of these small 4 oz cups, a nice size for an espresso/traditional macchiato. #pottery #espressocups

3 small cups sit in a row with a hand holding a 4th above it, glazed in a pretty blue teal glaze on the inside. The exterior of the cups have a ribbed twisted texture in an earthy ochre color, decorated with black brushstrokes and red dot accents.

A hand holding a small soda fired cup filled with coffee. The exterior has a ribbed twisted texture with and earthy rustic matte ochre color with black brushstrokes and red dot accents. The rim is glazed with a blue green glaze, an ocean vibe.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

Some soda fired bowls. I hope to get these listed soon. Taking a break to get out on a river trip in the Utah desert to escape the news cycle!

Two bowls stacked and one upside down. Layered with two glazed, giving a green base with a blue purplish runny rim. Black brush strokes decorate the inside and exterior, with some red dot accents.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 21/03/2025

I wanted to make these butter dishes so you can put an entire Kerry gold butter block in it. But somehow I messed up on my calc for shrinkage so it’ll take a 2/3 block instead. Not too bad I guess! #pottery #ceramics #butterbells

A round butter bell, with a carved fluted lid. The handle has a nice braided texture. Glazed in a deep sage green with red dot accents.

A hand holding the lid of a butter bell bone the butter dish that hold a
Block of butter on the dish. A Knife rests on the butter plate. Glazed in a deep sage green.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

Pleased to have sold these raku fired white crackle vases. As I dropped them off at USPS, I wondered if USPS has had layoffs like some of the other agencies? I haven’t seen it in the news. Now I’m wondering if mail is taking longer. Anyone know? #raku #pottery #ceramics #vase #homedecor

Small round raku fired pot with a white crackle glaze and a green rim on a wood table next to a Pine cone for scale and some small flower stems in front of it.

A raku fired pot on a wood table. With a white crackle glaze, the pot shows fine black crackles over a white body. The tin has a green glaze.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

A small wood fired porcelain vase. I loved the way it came out, and was definitely sad to part with it when it sold. At least I have photos of it. Do you keep all photos of every single pot you ever made? #pottery #ceramics #woodfiredpottery #vasedecor

Small round vase with a short narrow neck. Wood fired porcelain, which got some slight orange/ greys from the wood ash in the kiln. A streak of red splash goes across the bottom.

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 18/03/2025

I’ve had a lot of fun making these spoons with a textured and braided handle to go with these little kitchen jars. I just need a better way to fire the spoons! I’ve been using little stilts but I still have to dremel the bottoms. #pottery #ceramics #pottersofbluesky #handmadespoons #saltjars

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

Someone messaged me wanting these pouring bowls as a nesting set. I usually avoid commissions because they stress me out, but I thought—why not? Naturally, I started stressing anyway. Then she ghosted me. Funny how things work out, isn’t it?! #pottery

4 mixing bowls, works in progress, with their spouts pointing in the middle. They have textured braided handles.

A mixing bowl with 5 eggs sitting in it. Glazed in a sweet sea foam green, it has a pouring spout and a handle.

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Reposted by Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics

"Apples" Balise @brambledragon.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

Nautiloids to match the handle on this big ol mug #ceramics #pottery #art

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 15/03/2025

I was completely surprised last summer when an Assoc Editor of MidWest Homes magazine found my berry bowl in my etsy shop and mentioned it in their July/August issue!! It was small mention but I still felt flattered! #berrybowl #pottery #ceramics

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Tina Tan, TTFunctional Ceramics @ttanceramics.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

Sake set with a sake warmer. I love this glaze with the gold speckles, a sweet contrast with the dark chocolate clay. Makes me think of a starry night sky. Available at ttfunctionalceramics.etsy.com/listing/8995...

A hand pouring sake from a sake bottle into a sake cup. 3 other cups are next to it with a sake warmer behind it. These are glazed in a tenmoku Teadust glaze, a deep dark glaze with gold speckles. The cups and bottle are partially glazed to contrast with the dark textured raw clay.

A hand pulling a sake bottle from a sake warmer. 4 sake cups are next to it. These are glazed in a tenmoku Teadust glaze, a deep dark glaze with gold speckles. The cups and bottle are partially glazed to contrast with the dark textured raw clay.

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