Heatwave hell and a peek at what's fresh out the kiln

August 21, 2026

Hiya lovely human,

If you share my corner of the world, I hope you are managing to stay safe (if a bit sweaty) during this current heat wave. I am writing to you from my office in the semi-dark, as I’ve got the curtains firmly closed trying to keep out the blazing heat. My fan is on full blast; I am cuddling an ice pack and have a damp cloth draped over my head. Not quite the aesthetic I pictured when I quit my job to go full time with my pottery. I never thought I’d think wistfully back to my days working a corporate office job, but that office did have air con...

In case you thought I was joking, here is a selfie of me loading the kiln earlier in a very sweaty shed!

Just like every self-employed creative I know, I’m trying to desperately cram in as much as possible into a day that simply does not have enough time in it. Despite it being August, I am already finding myself planning for the end of the year and the whirlwind that is the festive season run up (notice how I avoided saying the big C word – it's still definitely too early).

I say this as if it is a negative thing, whereas I should be giving myself a pat on the back for putting my planning hat on for once (my ADHD detests that hat) and actually trying to be organised this year.

One of the positives of donning the planning hat is I'm managing my time better, which has resulted in more time in the studio – always a win.

My Studio Highlights

Here are some recent commissions and orders...

This was a very unique commission for a necklace to wear for a customer's graduation.

Two lime character fidget stones.

The bottom pendants are commissioned earrings to coordinate with the customer's existing necklace.

A very special commission that is part of a two piece set (vase and urn) for the customer's puppy that sadly passed away. I will be painting the urn over the next few weeks.

Fancy your own personalised piece?

I am currently open for commissions but have limited slots available. If you'd like something unique please do reach out. I will be very busy on the run up to the festive season so it might seem too early to start thinking about gifts but now is the perfect time too book in.

Head over to my Commissions page on my website to find out more and send me a message 💌

Fresh out the kiln

I wanted to share some of the pieces from my latest glaze firing. Thankfully the kiln gods were kind and my kiln, Calcifer, did a great job getting these pieces fired safely!

Here are some merfolk inspired designs.

It has been so hot lately with the heatwaves, that all I can think about is the sea and how much I'd love to be swimming in it. Sadly I don't live near the seaside, so unable to get the idea out of my head, I naturally gravitated towards these mythical sea creatures. Being queer and non-binary myself, I love to put a queer twist on my characters and these merfolk characters are no exception!

Dish £88.

Trinket dishes £60 each.

An extra moment for some close ups of my large merfolk mug.

Large mug £220.

Next up are some FUN-guys. Yep I made myself cringe.

Jug £125.

Fidget stones £16 each, 2 for £30 or 3 for £42.

Hanging decoration £40.

Inspired by the moths that keep finding their way into my studio, here is a little gender queer character I created enjoying a night time flight.

Large mug £220.

Some more whimsical fidget stones and hanging decorations (not yet strung with their faux leather strap).

Fidget stones £16 each, 2 for £30 or 3 for £42.

Hanging decoration £40.

Last but not least, one of my favourite pieces to come out the kiln for a while...

If you read The Tiger Who Came To Tea as a child, , you might recognise my design as a play on the famous illustration on the cover. I wanted to revisit one of my favourite childhood books and give it a queer twist.

Having once imagined myself as the little girl being visited by the tiger, I wanted to explore what it might be like if I was revisited by the tiger after all this time. Thinking about not only how much I have grown and transformed over the years, but also what journey the tiger might have been on during our time apart.

This tile is called:The Tiger Who came to T

Tile £360.

Something caught your eye?

If you fancy giving one of my new pieces their forever home, or would like to know what other pieces I have available please just get in touch.

You can pay via invoice and I can post your new piece directly to you.

You can send me an email, head to my contact page on my website and send me a message or contact me through my socials.

Email: maznash@outlook.com

Instagram: @maz_nash_

What's Next?

Well, Calcifer, my kiln, is currently very full with new pieces that are ready to be bisque fired. I've just got to wait for the temperature to drop so I can fire my kiln overnight when its cooler. If the ambient temperature of the kiln shed goes over 40 degrees Calcifer will switch off! A great safety feature but awkward during a heatwave...