This small ceramic tea cup set came to me with two clean breaks running across the lid. It’s made up of three parts—a cup, built-in strainer, and lid—and finished in a soft green crackled glaze with a bold floral pattern. Despite its small size, it has a surprising heft, and with the pattern running through it, I chose slightly thicker gold lines so the repair wouldn’t get lost. The gold really complements the dark green—possibly my favorite combinations of colors so far.
This delicate porcelain teacup came to me with a small chip along the rim. It’s incredibly lightweight—almost weightless to hold—and had a previous repair that was quite noticeable, which I carefully removed before completing the kintsugi repair. With its red edge and intricate bird and floral pattern, I kept the gold finish subtle—just enough to catch the light without competing with the design.
This small ceramic utensil holder belongs to my mom—she picked it up on one of her visits to Oregon, and it became one of her keepsakes from the trip. When it chipped along the rim, I was really happy to be able to repair it for her. The soft green glaze and foggy trees remind me of the view of Forest Park over the St. Johns Bridge, and I chose a gold finish that highlights the repair without taking away from the piece. It now carries a bit more of its story with it.
Part two of a two-plate repair from a set of shoyu plates. This one features a green cherry blossom motif. I actually really enjoy doing kintsugi on smaller pieces — the visual impact feels bigger, and honestly, they’re just really cute. 🥰
Part one of a two-piece repair of a set of shoyu plates. This one features a pink blossom motif. I love how the repairs on these two plates end up complementing each other.
This little Care Bear was another find from my local “leave-a-mug, take-a-mug” library. It had a small crack under its ear, and instead of choosing a high-contrast finish, I went with copper, which blends in almost seamlessly. I was excited to return it to the library so it can find its forever home.
This small figurine was a gift from the owner’s friend, and we chose copper for the repair. I personally love copper — the warm reddish tones pair beautifully with white ceramics. It’s not food-safe, so it’s only appropriate for certain pieces, but in this case it worked perfectly.
A little sponge holder that was originally a gift. Since it’s a hardworking kitchen piece, we chose bronze instead of gold or silver for the repair. I actually really love bronze — it sits somewhere between gold and silver visually, but at a fraction of the cost. And, I love how it pairs with the seafoam glaze.
A small incense holder brought back from Japan. The owner was pretty devastated when it cracked, but I have to admit — I kind of love where the repair landed, right at the cat’s little feet. I think it looks even cuter now than it did before it broke.
The final piece (for now) in my own kitchen plate repair series. The other two plates had big, proper cracks, but this little side dish plate only had a small chip. I actually like the contrast between the repairs. I suppose we'll see if the collection grows over time!
A cute little magnet brought back from Portugal. It survived three moves, though not entirely without a few bumps along the way. I was happy to give this little souvenir some gold corners and a bit of extra character.
A well-loved little side plate. Traditionally, blue ceramics are often paired with silver in kintsugi repairs, since the colors complement each other so well. But the owner asked for gold to match their other pieces — and I have to say, I think it turned out beautifully.
The second in a series of my own kitchen plates that my wonderful — though slightly clumsy — partner broke. This one cracked right in half, which gave me an opportunity to do a rather dramatic-looking repair. It's such a delight to eat off of!
A little sake cup featuring shunga, the playful, erotic prints of the Edo period. Somehow the kintsugi repair ended up being... surprisingly on brand. 🙈
This one comes from my very own kitchen. I love to cook, and I love these plates… but they’re a little accident-prone. On the bright side, it’s nice being able to enjoy my own kintsugi work when I sit down for dinner.
My neighbor down the street recently put up a little free mug library. I like checking it from time to time for pieces that need a little help. This one had a broken handle, so I repaired it and returned it to the library to wait for its next home.
My partner’s favorite mug, originally purchased at the Oregon Potters Association's Ceramic Showcase. A small crack took it out of the morning coffee rotation for a while, but now it’s back where it belongs.