Made of mud & glass

Photo and text Marleen Hogendoorn

New LEIDEN - Starting a business from a hobby, that's what Leiden residents Carolien van de Meij and Rico Suijkerbuijk did. They make their own ceramic mugs, cups, bowls, and other products.

Carolien had been working with ceramics at Atelier Odette for a few years. "It's a fun hobby," she says. "My father is very handy and made a potter's wheel from an old sewing machine motor. Rico sat behind it and immediately turned a teapot. We enjoyed working together and invested in our own potter's wheel." The studio is next to their house. Rico and Carolien made new items every day and received many responses. "People asked if they could buy them. We didn't expect that. We decided to approach it professionally and start our own company. The products can be purchased through the webshop on our website." Their own company has been in business since July 1st. They chose the name Blubber & Glas because it sounds fun and refers to the origin of their products. Everything is made from blubber (clay) and glass (the glaze). Blubber&Glas's range includes bowls, coffee and tea mugs (also perfect for serving nuts or vegetable stems during drinks), and oven dishes. Prices range from €7.50 to €37.50. Carolien and Rico also use their own products at home. We even drank the coffee served during the interview from a handmade mug. Rico: "We're our own test panel. If we need something, we try to make it ourselves."

Making the ceramics is meticulous work and takes several days. A block of clay is placed on the potter's wheel. It is pulled and shaped by hand. Then it needs a few days to dry. A handle is then attached to the mug, and it goes into the kiln. Finally, it's glazed and kiln-fired again. No two pieces are alike.

Of course, things do go wrong sometimes: a mug cracks or sticks to the oven. That's why there's a rack in the studio for "misfires," hence the name. Carolien: "We're just experimenting with what's fun. We're just getting started and still have to develop."

The couple dreams of having their own shop. Or a coffee bar where they can use their own products. They're also considering a shop-in-shop and participating in Christmas markets. Rico: "We both have jobs, so for now we're just combining the two. But if we could ever open our own shop, that would be fantastic."