Mark Your Calendar: Whitney Smith Sample Sale

If you're in the Bay Area this weekend, be sure to stop by ceramic artist Whitney Smith's Spring Sample Sale on Saturday, March 28, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Smith is making space in her studio by clearing out not-quite-perfect items -- which are 10 to 70 percent off regular retail -- prototypes, older pieces, and even some brand-new designs (her organic-modern Lichen Collection, for instance, is a particular fave of mine). The studio is located at 539 Athol Ave. at Cleveland in Oakland.

And if you're not in the area, don't despair -- Smith will be filling the "Sale" section of her Etsy shop with bargains starting on Sunday, March 29.

See more of Smith's gorgeous handmade ceramics right here.

Etsy Find of the Day: Whitney Smith Lichen Bowls

I'm crushing hard on this new collection from Oakland ceramist Whitney Smith. These delicate bowls' organic, modern form is a real departure from Smith's (also gorgeous) signature Art Nouveau-inspired pieces -- and one that I wholeheartedly approve. Above: Lichen Nesting Bowls, $240 for the set

Lichen Bowl, $44

See all of the offerings in Smith's Etsy shop right here -- and check out more of her work here.

Cool Stuff: Ceramic Pedestal Bowls

So pretty ... so versatile ... so totally mine.

The set of three ceramic tripod bowls is $79 from VivaTerra.

Cool Stuff: Månses Design Bone China Collection

Perfect for summer salads: Månses Design of Sweden's simple and graphic salad serving bowl. (And come fall, you could also use it for pasta, soup, and other hearty fare.) Made from bone china, it's $50 from the Scandinavian Design Center.

Some of the other lovely pieces in Månses' bone china collection:

Breakfast Bowl, $20

Small Bowls, $33 for four

Flower Pot, $20

Cups and Saucers, $21 a pair

Egg Cup, $20

See the entire collection right here.

Cool Stuff: Netzwerk Skin Bowls

These Netzwerk Skin Bowls look like the most delicate porcelain, but they're actually soft, malleable, and unbreakable hand-injected thermoplastic.

Handmade by Viennese designer Hedwig Rotter (aka Mano Design), the bowls are 28 euros apiece (about $43) from Pure Austrian Design.

eBay Find of the Day: Teak Salad Set

What could be more perfect for serving all those fresh salads you'll be tucking into this summer? (Though it's not like you actually need such a good-looking incentive to eat healthy. Right?)

This teak salad set was manufactured by Dansk and comes with a large serving bowl plus four individual bowls and two salad servers. Trust me, it'll look smashing on your patio table on a balmy summer evening.

Current bid: $15

Etsy Find of the Day: Lace Pottery

So lovely ...

These delicate porcelain bowls are created by Kernersville, North Carolina crochet guru Maggie Weldon, who molds the wet pottery against doilies to transfer the lace's intricate impression to the vessel itself. Above: Day Dreaming Beauty, 16 by 16 inches, $225

Tatted Bliss, 6 by 8 inches, $25

Lotus Bowl, $65

See all of the offerings in Weldon's Etsy shop right here.

Etsy Find of the Day: Holey Bowls

I'm so taken with these perforated bowls by Philadelphia ceramist and Etsy seller Chloe Le Pichon. Each bowl is hand-thrown on the potter's wheel before Le Pichon carves out the holes, creating something that's both substantial and ethereal.

The 3-by-9.5-inch decorative bowls are $55 each, and are available in a golden black glaze as well.

See all of Le Pichon's beautiful ceramics right here.

Etsy Find of the Day: Whitney Smith

I just love Oakland ceramist Whitney Smith's pretty, organic pieces, which have been featured in Bon Appetit, Cottage Living, and Sunset magazines.

You can find them at upscale boutiques like San Francisco's Urban Mercantile, Los Angeles's Show, and New York City's Calypso. They don't come cheap, but they'd make a fantastic gift for someone really special on your list.

I was happy to discover that Smith also has an Etsy shop featuring a few of her seconds and overstock designs at discounted prices:

Dogwood Flower Cake Stand, $78 (normally $100)

Small Split Pod, $48 (normally $60)

Pomegranates, $180 for a set of three (normally $192)

Hollyhock Plate, $98 (normally $125)

Nesting Lotus Bowls, $275 for a set of eight (normally $350)

See more of Smith's work right here, and check out her Etsy shop here.

And if you're in the Bay Area, you can visit Smith's Oakland studio Thursdays through Saturdays from 12 to 5 and Sundays from 12 to 4 between November 29 and December 16.