Behind the scenes: a ceramic-animal mishap
While we were in the middle of updating our hallway — you might remember the full reveal we posted here — an unfortunate little accident interrupted the process and left us with a broken piece of décor and a surprising amount of sentiment.
In short: our beloved giant ceramic dog—an absolute bargain we picked up at HomeGoods three years ago for $29—lost his face. It happened quickly, and it was one of those moments that makes you pause. John sketched a little comic to show how the tragedy unfolded:
We’re not quite ready for a long, melodramatic post about it, but in the present moment the scene was equal parts absurd and heartbreaking. Here’s the visual summary John made:
To be honest, I cried a bit. As one famously candid blogger put it in similar moments: it sucked, and then I cried. It’s funny how objects that are essentially décor can become small, constant companions. This oversized ceramic pup sat in our home for years and quietly earned a place in our routines.
There was an impromptu candlelit vigil, because rituals help when something familiar changes. Goodbye, Mr. Ceramic Dog—you were a low-maintenance “pet” who never needed walks or clean-up, and you brought a lot of personality to the hallway.
We’re weighing options: try to glue him back together, find a creative repair, or let the fragments lie as a little memorial. Some of the pieces are tiny, which makes reassembly more challenging, but it’s not impossible. For anyone else facing similar mishaps with cherished ceramics, a few practical tips can help:
- Collect all the fragments and lay them out on a soft cloth so nothing gets misplaced. Take a photo of the arrangement before you start gluing.
- Use a strong two-part epoxy for structural breaks; it sets firm and fills small gaps. For purely cosmetic chips, a cyanoacrylate glue (super glue) can work well for quick fixes.
- Work in small sections and hold pieces steady until the adhesive sets. If pieces are extremely small, tweezers and a fine applicator help with precision.
- Consider using a gap-filling epoxy putty for missing bits, then sand and paint to match the original finish if you want a seamless look.
- If the item is highly sentimental or valuable, a professional conservator or ceramic restorer can do repairs that are stronger and less visible than a DIY fix.
We might attempt a careful repair at home, or we might embrace the break as part of the story this object now carries. Either way, it won’t define our project or our mood for long. Sentimental attachments are real, and it’s okay to be a little dramatic about small catastrophes.
For now I’ll stop hyperventilating, accept that things sometimes break, and figure out the next move—glue, patch, trash, or memorial. Spoiler: I’ll live.
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