For me, cooking is all about being present in the moment, listening to the ingredients themselves as well as what my mind desires; I use basic rules and techniques to guide me but allow my imagination and the rhythm within the food to take my dishes in a truly personal, unexpected direction.

I try to make our business very sustainable. I don’t waste clay and I recycle shipping materials. Also I use vintage or found objects for patterns.

Lafayette Avenue Ceramics' signature line is full of functional kitchen items in an array of nature-inspired colors. Best sellers include our Squeeze Cup, with its unique finger prints, and the Gold Cactus Mug which shows off our love of the Southwest.

Our signature style is snarky and funny and I would say our signature item is our coffee and cocktail stainless steel stirrers.

My goal is to create pieces that are calming, balanced and almost like looking at clouds...everyone sees something or connects differently to each of my pieces.

We make clean burning candles made from 100% soy wax and cotton wick candles. we have 7 scents at the moment that are my personal favorites. Each one brings back memories and are so fun to burn.

Any time I'm able to take the ideas in my head and make them into a tangible, functional object I'm over the moon! There's nothing like unloading a kiln full of treasures that have only been an idea in my head or a sketch on paper prior to that moment.

When it come to jewelry and home goods, many tend to be mass produced. Everything I make is handmade with a lot of attention and detail. I also think I offer styles accessible to everyone. Some other handmade jewelry can be very bold. While I hope my pieces make a statement, I also want people to be able to wear the jewelry everyday or keep the decor up on their walls year round.

I LOVE throwing pottery on the wheel and experimenting with new shapes, colors, and functionality. It's beyond therapeutic and freeing to be able to make something you and other people can use and appreciate every day.

Our clean water investments, as well as the fact that we're creating our products here in Minnesota (versus pumping everything in from China) are the 2 largest elements of our brand that make us different.

My vintage graphic coasters are my most popular product.
Cheltenham Road actually started with furniture. I would find an old, damaged piece, repair it, refinish it and sell it.  For one market I made a bunch of coasters out of scrap wood intending to just use them as a decorative accent in my booth but they sold out almost immediately.

The best feeling in the world is watching someone smell the scent and see them close their eyes with a look of joy and comfort on their face. That is the reason I do this.

I love keeping old parts out of landfills and restoring them to a piece that is both functional and interesting visually. Since I am not doing this to make my living, each piece gets the individual design and attention I think it deserves.

I love when I try a new technique and really enjoy the outcomes. My favorite parts of ceramics is throwing on the wheel and the end when I see the results. My least favorite part is trimming.

Perhaps the most satisfying part of it all is when someone wants us to make a custom piece, but they can’t quite put into words what it is they want.  Working that person to actualize their vision is such a great joy.  

I love two things most, making the candles, it’s just zen for me, and doing events and meeting all the customers, seeing return customers, and being part of the local economy.  

My favorite part of what I do is making people laugh. My items are an easy way to make people smile and not take life so seriously.

I love throwing pots more than just about anything.

What sets us a part is our aesthetic and simple yet complex fragrances.  Our style of the look of our products and fragrances is for them to be modern and suit any palette.  The design matches almost all decor and our fragrances are very neutral where most people like the entire line.