Ideas for affordable handmade pottery gifts to sell at Christmas market

[EllaBella1983]

This is my first post, so bear with!

I'm a novice potter. I'm also an absolute cheapskate but I also love handmade things and supporting locally made goods. In December I'm planning to participate in my community studio's Christmas Market. From a seller perspective, I do pottery as therapy, but I don't want to undermine those who use it as a form of income by undermining their prices. From a buyer perspective, I generally go to markets, look at things and think eek, that's a lot.. (even if I appreciate why it's the price it is) but wish I could support the seller by buying something small but still fab.

So I thought as well as my higher end items (plates, mugs, etc.), I could sell smaller items which didn't really require much in the way of decoration or individual processing, but were still hand made.

I like useful things. I'm not one for random bits of tat (or ornaments- as I've heard they're called), so my inspiration is a bit limited to what I would like to buy and use, and how much I would pay for it.

So I'm asking... if you went to a Christmas fayre on the hunt for presents, what would you want to pick up and what would you want to pay for it?

I'm thinking of a £1-5 section for stocking fillers, a £5-£10 for small gifts, and then £10+ for other bits. Also with a view to doing customisable gifts such as house signs, which could be pre-made and then decorated and glazed post purchase.

Please throw your ideas at me.

I prefer glazed tree decs but the idea works.

This was on my list... but then learned that you can't buy strike anywhere matches in the UK anymore, so I'd have to use the strike plates from match boxes... which kinds ruins the aesthetic.

Like flat ghosts or 3d ones with embossing? Interesting idea :)

Lots of great ideas- thank you!

Thanks for everyone's ideas! Feel free to chuck a many over as you like!

Little candle stick holders.

This pottery makes match pots with the striker on the bottom of the pot.

www.glosters.co.uk/collections/planters-strikers

I was given a tiny pottery teabag / teaspoon holder. I use it everyday and love it. Soap dish would be nice too.

I collect these …… I’ve got 14 different ones now. Lovely to change them around occasionally and make different village scenes. Visiting chr love them too.

-A small dish that holds olives then a smaller section for the pips. Often has another little part to hold toothpicks. Not specifically with a Christmas theme though so it could be used year round.
-Personallised christmas tree ornaments 'Olivia's 1st Christmas' etc
-Key ring shape with an initial on it
-Mine is massed produced, but little tealight holders where the clay has been cut out to make a pattern you can see when the flame/light through it. Mine came with a tiny, battery operated faux flame.
-The handle part for a wine stopped or bottle opener
-When I was in Cornwall, I bought a ceramic lighthouse which goes on the end of the string for the toilet light switch. I don't know if people would change the handle seasonally, but possibly a smooth handle with a santa or tree painted on it or shaped little tree, santa or snowman etc. Or, if there is something locally with a theme?

A spoon rest.

Unicorn toothbrush holder where the toothbrush is a horn.

Glasses holder - eg a small owl wearing glasses This is a 3d printed one but it shows the idea great thing is you can make them quirky /not perfect and it adds to their appeal.

Don’t sell your work short though - it takes time to make, fire, glaze, fire again so should be priced accordingly.

At our local tabletop xmas fair I did clay houses to hang on the tree, little cubes/3d rectangles with a sliced roof, impressed window/door, , painted cream - very plain, took moments to make, sold out... another sell out was clay bunting for the tree red/white alternating triangles - about an inch long, joined with green twine (two holes) I think there is still a "scandi" vibe this year.
Also cream or red ceramic glazed hearts with a check red and white ribbon bow, cookie cutter gingerbread men, xmas tree and star decorations.
People love to buy something, and are often on the lookout for £3-£5 trinkets.

I just thought of another. I need some magnets for my fridge to attach paperwork etc. Ceramic might be too heavy, but if they were thin/pretty ones, maybe a local connection, flowers, plants etc I'd buy a pack of 6.
Or snow flakes for Christmas.

Little 3d ones , without outright stealing their very popular idea , something like York Ghost Merchant shape , but with stamped or embossed patterns .

I suggest things with cats on them - that's what I always look for, to give to cat lovers.

DD still has a tiny ceramic bird whistle that we got at a Ren fair. You put water in it and blow through to make realistic birdsong.
They make unglazed ceramic beads you can coat in neem oil instead of using chemical flea collars for dogs. Maybe a single dog tag and a bottle of oil? Or essential oil for humans?
I’ve also seen a little plate (10cm?) with holes that you can add to your serving bowl to drain washed grapes or tomatoes.

Small things I’d buy are
a ring holder (cone in a saucer)
used teabag holder
twin bowls for salt and pepper on a matching plate
an unglazed bread tile that you wet and leave in the bread bag to keep it fresh. I have one from a NT shop.
magnetic pin or paperclip dish (hot glue a magnet to the underside)
a garlic grater
soap dish
spoon rest.

I would buy a soap dish that had either feet and drainage holes in it, or a dish with holes in it that fitted over a hollow base to drain the water. I love a nice soap but hate soap dishes that fill with water and make the soap soggy.
My favourite piece of local pottery is a beautiful fish shaped dish that I put used tea bags in. I bought my dd a little dish for her earrings.

Things I have bought for myself or as presents recently...

Tiny fine matt porcelain bowls with gilt insides. The tiniest for me was about £8, the next size up (for presents) were about £12.

Also, for me, a round saucer type spoon rest with an indent for the spoon handle. It has an incised pattern of my favourite animal on it and is a shiny greenish glaze that matches my kitchen tiles exactly.

I avoid buying anything twee or 'fashionable', I like to buy beautiful, simple, well-made things.

Utensil pot, salt jar, small bowl with pouring lip - big enough to whisk eggs for scrambling or omelettes. I've got one of these and it is really useful but a little bit too small.

Some sort of small animals-the hedgehog idea is great. Dog, cat, rabbit or mouse ornaments?

Vase frogs. Discs of clay with holes in that sits on top of a vase, and flowers sit in the individual holes for arranging/supporting.

OP- could you give us a rough idea of which area you are in, because I'd love to buy some of the bits mention on this thread.

I used to do pottery and we made a number of different items - here are some examples

And some more - cheeseboard, tree ornaments, decorative plates

I try and buy a new little angel for my mini Christmas tree each year, a small pottery one would be perfect.