I never really thought of myself as someone who would collect china. And I don’t exactly collect china. But I have started to fall in love with handmade ceramic dishes. I can’t stop reading blogs and websites that talk about the pretty dishes that I’ve come to adore. And I have to admit that I’m gaining a decent-sized collection of my own.

The two brands that I’m particularly drawn to right now are Gien and Juliska. Gien is a French maker of earthenware clay dishes. Juliska has a lot of different stuff but what appeals to me is a line of ceramic dishes that is produced in Portgual. I think that the foreign origins create some of the appeal of these pretty dishes.

There are other similarities between the two lines of products that also help me to identify what I like in different dishes. They both have a lot of handmade features and handpainted designs on them. I love the crafty inspiration of that fact.

However not everything is the same about these two lines. Gien tends to be more flowery and feminine. Juliska is also feminine but it’s not as flowery so it’s more appropriate for daily use. Can’t you see why I obviously need pieces from both lines?!

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