Delft Blue

I just love blue and white Delft pottery. OK, maybe not the cats and chickens, but I think the plates, vases and boxes are beautiful. A bit grandmotherly perhaps, but I'll be a grandma someday, right? Every time I've see a Delft shop, I've wanted to go in, just to take a peek at the lovely things inside.

Peeking was a good thing today because we happened on a gentleman demonstrating how these hand painted-items are made.

He was incredibly friendly and answered every one of my gazillion questions. (Anyone who knows me, knows that isn't an understatement.) He explained that he could never work in the factory because he can't paint fast enough. He walked us through the entire process - from transferring the design (with a pencil because the graphite burns away during firing,)

 

to painting (it turns blue during firing due to cobalt,)

to signing each piece (each artist's has their own mark,)

to the finished product; which, of course, I had to have. I felt like Varuca Salt as I walked over to the shelf thinking, "I want it... NOW." My little piece of the Netherlands, safely wrapped in layers of tissue and bubble wrap, is tucked away in the corner of my suitcase...