This gorgeous and unique mug features a design of a sun in gold, and small detail spirals all around. The gold is real 22ct gold, and I think you can tell, with all the warmth it has. I also put a line of gold around the rim and down the handle.

It was thrown on a potters wheel in a stoneware clay. It is then left to harden up for a while, and when you can handle it without it deforming, you turn it upside down and remove the excess clay from the bottom. After that you attach the handle and leave it to fully dry before it goes for its first firing.

The first firing is called bisque firing, and is to about 1000*C. The mug is not fully vitrified at this temperature, which means it is still porous. This makes it perfect to apply a glaze to at this point, so that is what happens.

This mug is glazed with a beautiful blue glaze. I love this glaze and use it a lot.

When the mug comes out of the glaze firing, which is to 1250*C it is fully ceramic. Even without a glaze it would now no longer be porous since it is stoneware, and as the name suggests it is really strong and hard.

Most mugs are considered finished at this point, but I wanted to add some gold. I really love the combination of stoneware clay, and the contrasting glamour of the gold. They are like fairy gold with something magical about them. 😁.

To achieve this they have to have a third firing. I paint the gold on in a liquid form. It is real gold - 22ct - which is dissolved in a liquid.

The lustre firing as it is called is a lower temperature, just 725*C. Sometimes this firing can affect the glaze colour but in this case it has remained blue.

Because of the gold being real gold it is delicate, and this mug is not suitable for dishwasher or microwave.

Lustre is tricky to apply, and it is always a heart-stopping moment when you open the kiln to see if it worked, or all your time and expense has been wasted. When it works it is like lifting magic jewels out of the kiln. 😊

This mug is not dishwasher or microwave safe

Also screens vary so the colours may be different in real life from what you see on your screen.