Handmade wish vase: a meaningful gift

Handgemaakt keramieken wensvaasje wordt met onderglazuur ingekleurd tijdens het maakproces – een betekenisvol cadeau.

In the Instagram Reel, you catch a glimpse of the shaping and coloring of the wish vases. What you don’t see is the intensive and careful process behind it, where each vase is made with attention and patience. This is how a meaningful gift is ultimately created, unique and full of significance.

The making of a wish vase: from clay to potter’s wheel.

Before I start throwing anything, I prepare the clay. That means kneading, airing, and making sure the texture is just right: not too wet, not too dry. Only then can the throwing begin.

The shape slowly takes form between my hands and the spinning wheel. I work intuitively, but with a clear goal in mind: a vase that stands firm, feels soft to the touch, and is just the right size to make a small gesture meaningful. Not mass-produced, but made one by one, with care.

Drying, throwing, waiting

After the initial throwing comes the **trimming**: refining the shape and neatly finishing the bottom. Then perhaps the hardest part begins: waiting. The clay must be completely dry before it can go into the kiln for the first firing, the bisque firing. This is the moment when the clay transforms into ceramic.

Coloring with underglaze

In the Reel, you can see how I apply color using underglaze. This is an important part of the process. The colors soak into the clay and remain visible after glazing, but with a soft, matte depth. The coloring is done by hand, often in multiple layers, and each vase calls for something different. Sometimes bright and bold, sometimes soft and subtle.

Then the symbolism: the leaf

For each vase, I choose a leaf that I press into the clay before it dries. Every leaf has its own meaning, and I select them carefully. Nature plays a big role in my work, not only in terms of shape but also as a source of calm, inspiration, and comfort.

Keramieken wensvaasje met onderglazuur, een uniek en betekenisvol cadeau

Glazing and firing

After coloring comes glazing—a transparent layer that protects the vase and gives it shine. Then it goes back into the kiln for the glaze firing, at over 1000 degrees Celsius. Only then is the vase complete. Color, gloss, texture: everything comes together in this final step.

A meaningful gift

What started as a piece of clay has now become a wish vase, ready to bring a little light to someone. Each vase comes with a card explaining the meaning of the leaf and a small ceramic heart. It’s not just a product, but a gesture. Something tangible that says: “I see you. I’m thinking of you.” A meaningful gift.

And that whole process—you might not see it in a short video. But it’s in every vase, whether you give it or receive it.

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