Custom ceramic pet Christmas ornaments made from photos in Rio

The idea

Querida Cerâmica, a small studio in Rio de Janeiro, turns customers' dogs, cats and birds into Christmas tree ornaments. The customer sends photos by WhatsApp or Instagram. The owner studies the animal's markings, sculpts it entirely by hand, lets it dry, fires it in the kiln, paints it to match the real pet and finishes with glaze. The whole process takes about a month.

Each ornament costs R$150 (roughly $27). Last year the couple behind the studio, Fernanda de Souza Ribeiro and Carlos Augusto Pereira da Silva Júnior, deliberately capped the offer at 40 pieces to test demand, because production is slow. Those orders brought in about R$4,800 (roughly $870). The studio, founded in 2021, has no fixed catalogue: it makes what customers ask for, and the owners say this is what keeps attracting new buyers. It now has around 60,000 followers and no employees, and projects R$325,000 (roughly $59,000) for 2026 across all its products.

Who it fits

This suits a patient person who enjoys working with their hands and can learn to sculpt small animals. Ribeiro had never made a ceramic piece before she took classes near home. Orders are limited and scheduled, so it can run beside a job if you cap the number of pieces, as the couple did. You need a table at home or a shared studio, plus access to a kiln. A partner who handles sales, packing and firing helps a lot. The idea works anywhere people love their pets and decorate a tree: Europe, the Americas, Australia. The same method suits other occasions, such as birthdays or remembrance gifts.

Costs and revenue

The couple spent R$15,000 (roughly $2,700) on a second-hand kiln and materials. A smaller start is possible: expect around $900–3,000 for clay, glazes, brushes, tools, packaging, a few classes and, if you do not buy a kiln, paying a community studio to fire your pieces. These are editorial estimates.

The studio charges about $27 per ornament. Check what buyers in your market pay for personalised gifts and count your hours. If you complete 20–50 ornaments in the season, expect roughly $500–1,500 in peak months, with little income out of season unless you add other personalised items such as mugs or name letters.

Risks and pitfalls

• Likeness. A pet that does not look like the pet disappoints. Ask for several photos and show a progress picture before firing.
• Slow production. One piece takes about a month. Cap orders and close the order book early enough for delivery before Christmas.
• Breakage. Pieces can crack in the kiln or in the post. Make spares and pack in plenty of padding.
• Seasonality. Ornaments sell for a few months only. Add year-round personalised products.
• Underpricing. Hand sculpting is slow. Time one piece from start to finish before setting your price.