Welcome to Margot & Me
Hello, and welcome to the very first post from Margot & Me – a little corner of the Loopline Ceramics website where I'll be sharing stories from the studio, life with clay and everything I'm learning along the way.
A new home for Loopline Ceramics
Hello, I'm Zoe – and if we've not met before, welcome!
I'm the maker behind Loopline Ceramics, working from my little studio in the Cheshire countryside, where most days you'll find me covered in clay, throwing pots, glazing pieces and generally wondering where the time has gone.
Loopline Ceramics is still a relatively new chapter in my story. I grew up in Stoke-on-Trent – The Potteries – where generations of families have been connected to the ceramics industry in one way or another. My own career took me in a very different direction, and I spent 30 years working as a Police Detective before deciding it was time to embrace a rather more creative side of myself.
Quite a change, I know!
Learning pottery in midlife has taught me so much more than simply how to throw a pot. It's taught me patience, resilience and that it's never too late to start something completely new.
And somewhere along the way, Loopline Ceramics was born.
So, who's Margot?
'Margot' is my kiln.
When she first arrived, I have to admit I found her a little intimidating. In fact, I was so nervous about using her that I left her sitting in her box for quite some time while I plucked up the courage to unpack her.
Eventually, I decided she needed a name.
Somehow, calling her 'Margot' made her feel much less scary, and before long she became just another part of the studio – quietly working away behind the scenes, transforming carefully dried pots into finished ceramics.
It turns out naming your kiln really does help!
So when it came to naming this Journal, Margot & Me felt like the perfect fit.
This is where I'll share everything that happens beyond the finished pieces you see in the shop – the inspiration, experiments, little successes, inevitable mistakes, and the people and places that shape my journey with clay.
Think of it as pulling up a chair in the studio for a chat.
A fresh new home
Launching this new website feels like another exciting milestone for Loopline Ceramics.
I wanted to create somewhere that feels much more like the world behind my ceramics – somewhere you can not only shop my latest collections, but also discover how they're made and the stories that inspired them.
You'll find one-of-a-kind handmade pieces, pottery workshops, stockists, journal articles and plenty of glimpses behind the scenes.
More than anything, though, I wanted this website to feel personal.
When you choose something handmade, you're choosing far more than the finished object. You're choosing the person behind it, the process, the time, the care and often quite a story too.
I hope you'll find plenty of those stories here.
What you'll find on Margot & Me
There'll be plenty of pottery, of course.
I'll be sharing new collections, studio updates, snippets of everyday life with clay and the inspiration behind the pieces I create.
There'll also be stories from the places that inspire me, from the Cheshire countryside I call home to the French markets and brocantes I love exploring whenever we visit.
And then there are the people.
One of the things I've discovered since stepping into the ceramics world is just how generous and welcoming its community is. Through Clay, Coffee & Conversation, I'll be introducing some of the wonderfully talented makers and industry professionals I've met along the way, sharing their stories and celebrating the incredible craft of ceramics.
Essentially, if it's happening somewhere between 'Margot', me and a lump of clay, there's a good chance it'll find its way onto these pages.
Here's to new beginnings
Starting Loopline Ceramics has involved plenty of learning, a fair amount of trial and error and more wonky pots than I'd care to admit.
But that's also what I've come to love about pottery.
Things don't need to be absolutely perfect to be beautiful. Sometimes it's those little marks, differences and imperfections that give something its character – and perhaps there's a lesson for life somewhere in there too.
I'm incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported Loopline Ceramics so far, whether you've bought one of my pieces, visited me at a market, joined me for a workshop, followed along on Instagram or simply offered a few kind words of encouragement.
And if you've only just discovered me, I'm so glad you're here.
There's lots more to come, and I can't wait to share the journey with you.
Zoe x
...and Margot, of course.
