What’s in a Name? The Story Behind Steaped Slow Ceramics

Have you ever wondered about the name of my pottery business, Steaped Slow Ceramics? What exactly is “steaped,” and why is it spelled that way? 

It’s a question I get asked all the time at artisan and craft markets, and I always love sharing the story. So here it is, in case you’ve ever been curious too.

Steaped

Through the pottery making process, every piece I make is “steaped”, infused with my energy. Pottery takes a lot out of me physically, and that energy gets baked right into each pot. But the beauty of handmade work is that it doesn’t stop with me. As you use your piece, it becomes steaped with your energy and memories too, making it deeply personal and uniquely yours.

And the spelling? Yes, it’s “supposed” to be spelled steeped. But I kept this version for a reason: it highlights “tea,” one of the coziest things to enjoy in my mugs. (More on that backstory in a moment.)

Slow

My pottery process takes 6–8 weeks from start to finish. Each batch moves through many careful stages, and it’s anything but mass-produced. The slowness of that process is something I celebrate, especially in today’s fast-moving world.

It also nods to slow living: finding presence in daily rituals. When we pay attention to the simple, ordinary tasks of our day: making tea, washing a dish, lighting a candle, they can become grounding, meditative moments. That’s what I try to create space for, both in my life and in my work.

Ceramics

This one’s simple: it’s what I make. I chose “ceramics” over “pottery” partly for the alliteration, partly because it felt a touch more elevated. It’s caused a little confusion (some people think ceramics = mold-making, a popular 70s hobby), but really ceramics is just the umbrella term, and pottery falls right under it.

The Logo

My logo connects two S’s — one forward, one backward — stacked and joined in the middle. It intentionally mirrors my own initials, Sara Scheuermann, so it represents both me and my business.

The Backstory on “Steaped”

Back in fall 2019, a year after leaving my corporate 9–5 for a self-directed sabbatical (you can read more about that here), I decided it was time to get serious about what was next. During that year I had reconnected with clay, throwing, shaping, and creating functional wares, and I knew I wanted to give it a real go. That meant I needed a name.

At the time, Instagram was the main way I planned to market my work. I already had a personal account, and the handle for that came from a funny Tim Horton’s commercial. It was for their “steeped tea,” where a teen used the word and the mom hilariously misunderstood it as new slang. For some reason, I loved it. When I went to create my account, I sounded it out (I’ve always been a terrible speller) and landed on @steaped.

When starting my business account, I debated correcting the spelling. But in the end, I decided to keep it. The “tea” connection felt too fitting, especially with so many of my pieces designed for sipping something warm. If Google can thrive with a misspelled name, I figured I could too.

So that’s the story behind Steaped Slow Ceramics!

The name isn’t just a label, it’s a philosophy. Every mug, tumbler, or candle holder I create carries the essence of being steaped slow: intentional, grounding, and made to support your daily rituals.

If this story resonates, I’d love for you to bring a piece into your home. Explore my collection of handmade ceramics and find something that’s ready to be steaped with your energy and memories.