Hand Made Pottery, Self Sufficiency, Simple Country Life and other Musings

I am totally in love and I have to share it with you!

It may come as a surprise to many of you, but no, it is not a new puppy, or kitten, or any other critter... :)

It is the artwork of Ziva Slavec, a Slovenian pottery maker, and more specifically, the little collection she made for me.

You need to go and visit her website to see her beautiful work, and I also highly recommend following her Instagram account, where you can find her creations and sharings from her life in the beautiful Slovenian countryside.

But now, let me ramble about the beauties that arrived safe and sound, although international post has been again a bit scatchy, which I am slowly beginning getting used to, when living remotely in the woods.

They are so refreshingly original, and back to basics, I totally love the simple style and very natural, homey feeling they evoke, both when looking at them or when actually eating from them or holding a cup and sipping a hot beverage.

There is so much truth to the philosophy that however you create your surroundings, and what you are surrounded by, sets how you feel, your mood and the overall energy.

Those of you who have visited my home know how much I love the country - simple - back to basics - rustic and a tad rugged style, which is very visible all around the interior of our house, as well as the garden, etc.

And this beautiful pottery just fits right in.

And those of you who visited my home also know well that I am a crazy mug collector and that I have always loved hand made ceramics and always rambled about 'one day' I would love to have a set, because, let´s face it - if nothing else, it just fits so beautifully into our wooden red house in the woods :)

But there is actually more to it. Have you ever experienced the feeling of actually realizing that you don´t need to posses things that are factory made and that it is actually possible, in this century, to lead a lifestyle, where you are as self sufficient and sustainable as possible, where you actually support each other with other craftsmen, small local family owned businesses, while remaining as environmentally friendly and using natural materials?

Well, if you haven´t tried, all I can say is TRY IT. It is possible. We are step by step getting there in our household and farm and I am totally loving it. 

Just imagine it is a Sunday breakfast (or in this case, the Long Friday before Easter breakfast). The family is all at home, no rush or stress, nobody needs to be at school or work.
You take out your hand-crafted pottery, whisk a batch of waffles, using fresh eggs from your or your neighbor´s happy and healthy chickens. On the wood stove you cook a pot of Dandelion coffee from the roots you dug out, dried and roasted yourself.
You serve the waffles with honey from the local bee keeper, kefir you made from the locally farmed milk from cows that graze outside on big green pastures that you pass by on your way to town. Top it all with strawberries you froze from last year´s garden harvest.

Not only is this satisfying on so many levels, but it is totally possible. You just need to WANT TO find the sources and make it happen. Sustainable, supporting those who take good care of their farm animals and small businesses who need to feed their families. No big corporations. And you know what you are actually putting in your mouth.

But back to Ziva´s beautiful work. I am so super grateful and happy and in love and deeply appreciate the custom made mugs that are simply unlike any other ones in the whole wide world! :)

I cannot imagine my breakfasts without eating an oatmeal, or granola from my ceramic bowls with the artistic spoons, or my morning coffee by the fireplace, or tea while working on the computer from one of the mugs.

If you are looking for an addition to your pottery cabinet, or for a meaningful gift for your loved ones, you should definitely check out Ziva´s website and shop.

Thank you so much Ziva!