Our handmade clay ring dishes are individually formed and decorated using techniques which make each a unique item. Even though we carefully fire each piece in the same manner, variation occurs and gives unique qualities to the piece. These dishes are decorated a Western Raku Technique where pieces are placed into an environment where the oxygen is removed from around the pieces which alters the glaze, changing it chemically to reveal the oxide form of the metals in the glazes. It's a not pot process. Not only is there smoke and fumes, there are flames, lots and lots of flames. To answer a frequently asked question, yes I do occassionally get burned. Branded too. I have lost eyebrows once or twice and the hair on my arms...well it grows back. Folks ask me how I got started making these small dishes. I don't knit or crochet, but even I can see how crazy it is to either have stitch markers laying around the table top or finding them in the sofa cushions. The dishes started out as stitch marker holders. But since then, they have been adopted as ring dishes, notion plates, key dishes and on and on. They are not suitable for use with food, but don't let that stop you from using your imagination. Oh, about the lack of a "foot" on the plate and having it rock gently as you use it, it's by design and the reason we started to call them "rockn' diddles." Not everything has to be completely serious. We make these dishes to be usefhorsehairin ul and fun. The plates are about3 3/4 inches, depending on the shape. To read more about the obvara technique used to make this piece look here.