Sgraffito Terracotta Bird Ornament

A handmade terracotta bird ornament with sgraffito decoration in greens and blues, made in our workshop in Scotland. Choose one of eight unique designs.

The making. Each bird is shaped and smoothed by hand from rustic terracotta clay. A brushed white slip is applied across the surface, and the slip is then cut into using sgraffito — intricate folk patterns scratched through the white to reveal the warm terracotta underneath. Coloured underglazes in soothing greens and blues are added before a transparent glaze and a final kiln-firing. A sturdy metal hanger and a length of natural twine are fixed to the back so the bird can be hung from a wall, door, window, or branch. The maker’s logo is stamped on the back.

How it looks and feels. Each bird reads as a small, drawn-rather-than-printed character — the green and blue underglazes catching the eye against the chalky white slip, with the warm terracotta sgraffito linework running underneath. The eight designs each carry a different pattern, so individual birds have distinct personalities rather than being identical multiples. At approximately 10 cm from tail to beak, they hang light enough not to need heavy fixings.

Use it for:

• Hung on a kitchen wall, dresser, or open shelf as a small handmade accent
• Hung as a year-round wall hanging in a hallway or porch
• Hung on a Christmas tree branch alongside other ceramic ornaments
• A small Mother’s Day or birthday gift — cheap to post, generous in feel
• Building a small flock by collecting different designs over time

A considered gift for a bird-lover, a friend with a hallway full of small handmade pieces, or anyone who decorates lightly across the seasons — Mother’s Day, Christmas, or simply because.

Dust with a soft, dry cloth. Wipe with a slightly damp cloth if needed.

Approximately 10 cm from tail to beak.