http://xoxopotterydesigns.co.za/

Xoxo Pottery Designs, Sea point by appointment only, Cape Town (2026)

29/07/2026

Where does the XoXo come from?

The short story is, I couldn’t say my name as a child so I called myself Xo - bet you didn’t see that one coming did you?
to be said phonetically XO (ex oh)
The long story is it’s a term of endearment used by those closest to me.
My name is Alexia and I was born into a Greek family. Growing up I couldn’t quite say Aleee-X-iiiia so I named myself Xo,
I could pronounce it so I went with it.
Little did I know 44 years later I’d still be referred to as Xo, or Xopies.

I know my parents gave me a beautiful Greek name however I’ve never completely identify with it.

It was in high school that the a’s on either end of my name got chopped of and from there on I’ve been Lexi.

When I started attending ceramic classes in 2013 I had to write my name on my pieces.
I started stamping my clay with a XO.
The ‘unofficial’ me, the me that my nearest & dearest know me as.
The me that was still toying with the idea of ceramics as a full time life path, the me who didn’t totally believe in myself yet, the me who had been walking around feeling like half a person, the me who still allowed a very critical and judgmental voice to cause havoc in my soul, the me who felt scared to accept my gifts, the me who struggled to acknowledge my own light,
the me who just couldn’t see me!

It wasn’t until one evening in 2017 while sitting next to a friend of mine who suggested a double XO.
I LOVED the idea of doubling the X & 0, so I started stamping all my clay with XoXo.
A representation of me.
Unbeknownst to me, she - a brand developer went home that night & started creating, designing & developing my brand.

It’s amazing how the universe sends us the exact people at the right time. She saw the me I had been denying, the me who was very ready to take a leap of faith & follow my heart, the me who was in fact very ready to take this step into my light.
Xoxopottery Designs was born.

Some people automatically assume XoXo stands for
hugs & kisses.
Ultimately, it stands for love,a term of endearment, an innocences of a child and the acknowledgment of light & stepping into my creative power.

I cannot believe XOXOPOTTERY is turning 9yrs old next week!!

26/07/2026

40 random things about me..🌼

1. Do you like blue cheese? love it cheese is life
2. Are you a good friend?
Yes, I can confidently say I am🫶🏽
3. Do you own a weapon?
Kitchen knives and a really big oven (kiln)😉
4. Whiskey or Wine? Ooo Both, but wine mostly.
5. Hot dogs or cheeseburger? Gyros baby🌯🇬🇷
7. Do you like camping? No thanks
8. Can you cook a 7 course dinner? ABSOLUTELY
9.Hotel in city or house in village ? Village for sure.
10. Favourite hobby? Baking, exploring, traveling, writing, building puzzles & taking photos.
11. Are you weird? Oh, with absolute certainty
12. Worst pain ever? Enduring betrayal or stupidity.
13. Biggest downfall? Believing a false narrative.
14.Nicknames? Xo, Xopies, Lexiloo or Kori.
15. Two drinks you enjoy? Champagne & Wine, in Greece then : Ouzaki & Palomas.
16. Do you believe in ghosts? Ya, Friendly ones
17. Phobias? Snakes, Stupidity & brain dead convos.
18. Candles or flowers? Both - why must I choose.
19. Day in or Day out? BOTH, I can stay home all weekend very easily. I can also be up & out at sparrows fart for hours (esp while traveling).
20. Age? 44
21. French fries or onion rings? Greek style fries with lemon & oregano cmon now!
22. Laundry or cleaning? Both, I’m a clean/neat freak so household chores don’t scare me. The smell of fresh laundry is my best.
23: One random fact? Did you know: Baby powder disorientates ants? Now you do🤣
24. Favourite stone? Amethyst or tanzanite
25. Favourite chip flavour? Anything Salty.
26. Can you dog whistle? No
28. Do you have scars? Yes, some are visible most aren’t…
30. Ever had surgeries? Plenty❤️‍🩹unfortunately, mostly as a baby & young child.
31. Shower or bath? Shower always.
32. Like gambling? No, but I’ll play lotto occasionally.
33. Coke or Pepsi? Neither don’t drink fizzy drinks
34. Series or movies? Series or Docuseries.
35. How many TVs in your house? 1
36. Do you wear glasses? Nope - only sunnies😎
37. Do you like to dance? Sometimes..
38. Sweet or savory? Savory always
39. What do you drink in the morning? Coffee- weak & milky!
40. Something you refuse to Eat? Liver or egg

Now it’s your turn- tell me a random fact about you👇🏽

24/07/2026

There is something quietly magical about opening a fresh bag of clay.

No instructions.

No expectations.

Just endless possibility.

Every piece begins with two hands, an idea, and a curiosity to see where the clay wants to take me.

Some become sculptural bowls. Others platters, vessels or functional pieces of art that quietly become part of someone’s everyday life.

No two pieces are ever the same, because neither are the moments that inspire them.

And somehow, after all these years, every kiln opening still feels a little like Christmas morning.

21/07/2026

Xoxopottery Quotes

20/07/2026

Home. Exactly where I belong. 🤍
I’ve needed a few days to quietly transition back into my normal life. A soft landing of sorts.
I don’t think I realised just how wonderfully full my days had been until I got home, unpacked my suitcase, sat quietly
on my couch… & for the first time in 6 weeks, with nothing on the agenda except being home.
No ferries to book. No taxi’s to catch.
No heavy suitcase to drag behind me.
No more Kaliméras.
No more Yamás.
Just me & the beautiful life I’ve created.

I’m B A C K in my happiest place on earth.
My studio. ❤️
I’ve been quietly pottering around all weekend, finding my groove again. I’ve got about a 1000 ideas doing laps
around my brain.
Walking back into my studio & seeing all the pieces I’d left drying before I flew out felt strangely emotional.
I’m convinced they all looked at me & whispered…
“And where exactly have you been, rondelopper?
It’s about bloody time.”
So here I am…Switching my kiln back on has brought so much gratitude into my being.
I can’t even begin to explain the joy that fills my heart doing something so wonderfully ordinary.
I’ve opened more bags of clay than necessary
purely so I could squish my hands into them.
Repeatedly. 🤭 My palms have genuinely been twitching for weeks to feel clay again. I’d forgotten just how much I’d missed that cool, familiar texture.
That feeling that somehow tells my soul…
“Lexi, You’re home.”
As incredible as Greece was, being away has only reaffirmed something I’ve always known.
I absolutely love my everyday life.
I love my routine. I love my studio. I love XoXoPottery.
Home isn’t just where my heart is.
It’s where my hands get dirty.
It’s where ideas become something you can hold.
It’s where I feel most like myself.
Now… don’t get me wrong.
Would I still happily accept a little ouzaki, a Greek salad, some bouzouki playing in the background and 32 degree sunshine?
Without a second thought. But right now…
You couldn’t wipe this smile off my face if you tried.
The travel diaries may be over…
But the C L A Y diaries are just getting started.
Now if you’ll excuse me…
I’ve got clay under my fingernails and absolutely no intention of cleaning it off anytime soon.

16/07/2026

Just wanted to say a HUGE thank you… 🤍
To everyone who followed along, commented, sent messages, voice notes, made phone calls, checked in… and somehow became emotionally invested in my daily ramblings🫶🏾

Some of you were out there conducting full blown investigations. I absolutely loved it. 🤭
And no…I’m still not telling. 🤣

Some mysteries are simply better left unsolved…
mainly because they’re much funnier that way. 🤭
We’ll just file it under…
“What happens over Palomas, stays over Palomas.” 🍹😉

Thank you for the company, the laughs, the interest, and for coming along on the ride. You made this trip even more special.

I’m going to disappear for a tiny social media hiatus while I remember where I left my pottery tools, reacquaint myself with clay instead of Ouzaki, and convince my washing machine that yes… all these sarongs belong to one person. 😂
Then I’ll be back.

I think it’s time for a weekly Clay Lexi: Dear Diary Edition. 🏺
It’ll keep my writing muscles warm… for when that completely inevitable book deal lands. 😌📖✨

Manifesting. Delusion. Confidence.
Who’s to say? 😂🤍

15/07/2026

Dear Diary Day 44: The Great Re Entry 🇿🇦
Hello Sea Point, hello Cape Town.
Would I rather still be swanning around Greece in a sarong, with an Ouzaki in 1 hand and a gyro in the other? Sure.

Would I rather still be waking up to church bells, sun loungers, frappés, tiropitas, lemon beers, sun tan oil, the sun blinding me, and absolutely zero adult responsibility? Also sure.
Would my bank account appreciate it if I came home? Apparently yes.

Returning home to Cape Town has never felt like a consolation prize. In a few short months she’ll be warm, golden & showing off again. Hopefully my tan holds out until then, because I suddenly feel pale.
I was in Greece for 44 days.
Six gloriously gifted weeks. 1,056 hours.
Nothing wasted. Not 1 early morning wake from the church bells. Not 1 sunset harbour or city walk. Not 1 meal that didn’t involve cheese, olive oil, garlic or the good Samian oregano.
Not one “just 1 more Paloma.” 🤭

I got my fix. It all hit me square between the eyes, & I felt every single minute of it. The funny thing is…
I somehow never got the Greek island travel memo
in my 20s and 30s.

I was too busy flying to visit my sisters, who somehow chose to live on two entirely different continents.
I took aunty & godmother duties VERY seriously, so for a good 15 years I wanted my family fix each year.
By my mid 30s,
I was happily walking across Spain on not one, not two, but three separate Caminos. Somewhere along the way, I completely missed Greece.

Then I turned 40, and my maiden voyage return to Greece happened.
Well… I think it’s safe to say I’m hooked.
I’ve drunk the Ouzaki. It’s basically Greece’s version of
Kool Aid.
I’ve developed a strong opinion on fresh seafood & mobile vegetables shops.
I’ve become dramatically & humorously attached to
being screamed at on ferries. I’ve mastered the art of
“drop, roll, run, panic” while disembarking.
I may or may not be emotionally attached to a harbour
wall in Pythagorio.
The best part is I’m never looking back.
This level of aliveness has no price tag.
Do yourself a favour. No matter your age…
Go & experience a Greek island at least once.

Just don’t blame me when you’re halfway home pricing apartments & wondering if olive harvesting counts as a career change.
The good Lord knows I’m currently playing that game with myself.

I genuinely think my 40s are becoming my highlight era, & these yearly Greek Odyssey trips are providing the elixir for my favour.
Time is the biggest gift there is.
What an extraordinary gift these past 6weeks have been.

Now…the trip home. Cape Town…
I hauled my heavy ass suitcases off the conveyor, plastered the look of innocence across my face, smiled at the customs officials, and cheerfully announced while in mid stride…
“Gosh, it’s good to be home” casually walking straight through with several food items that were probably living somewhere between “allowed” and “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Apparently my halo fits surprisingly well.

I got home & walked straight into my studio.
My Xoxopottery brain switched back on immediately. In fact, it switched on a week ago when I ordered 180kg of clay.
I forgot how hard I worked the week before I left.
I forgot how many pieces I left to dry out in my absence. I greeted all my babies.
“Mama’s home”.
Before I’d unpacked a single block of cheese…
Before I’d rescued the oregano from my suitcase…Before I’d even remotely behaved like a normal human being coming off a long haul international flight…
I packed my kiln, tapped the door and said, “Fire well, my loves,” then switched it on.
Priorities.
Would I happily stay in Greece forever?
Have I already trolled property sites?
Have I already asked who the “Fernando of Samos” is? Because we all know every potter needs their own Fernando. Yes to all.

But for now, coming home is no hardship, home isn’t the place I escape from. It’s the place I get excited to return to. I’ve absolutely loved sharing my Greek Odyssey with all of you.
Thank you for laughing with me, travelling with me & putting up with my increasingly concerning relationship with gyros, Palomas & the Greek way of life.
Although…Let’s be honest…This version has been the ‘family friendly’ edition.
Some stories are best left between me and the stars in Greece. The rest? Well…Those Palomas may or may not have been code for an entirely different narrative.
There may or may not be an entirely separate Dear Diary sitting somewhere that absolutely cannot be published… yet.
Guess you’ll have to wait for the book.
Or the movie.
Ask me again after one more Greek summer.
Or after I’ve accidentally signed a publishing deal because apparently the Greeks keep giving me material faster than I can write it.

So my answer to “Would you move there?” may become increasingly irresponsible…
Or increasingly inevitable.
Till next year…One life. Μια ζωή. Ftou ftou ftou. 🧿Siga, Siga, Kalí synéchia, Yamas.
Yasou Greece. Hello Cape Town.
Dear Diary…
I have a feeling we’re only just getting started. 🇬🇷🇿🇦😉

14/07/2026

Dear Diary Day 43: Sleep Can Wait. Cities Can’t. 🇬🇷💙
Nothing beats an early morning start. Especially in Europe. Especially in the middle of summer.
I’ve always been an early riser. My holiday philosophy has never changed…
Get up. Get ready. Get out.
Sleep can wait. Cities can’t.
I love wandering through a place before the crowds descend and everyone starts walking five abreast with absolutely no awareness of their surroundings.
The city feels like it’s stretching awake.
Shop windows are being dressed.
Café owners are setting out chairs.
The streets belong to the locals for just a little bit longer… and I love being quietly invited into that part of their day.
The only thing missing this morning…
…was my Kori.
6 weeks ago we were walking these exact same streets together. Everything was still ahead of us.
Sister Summer hadn’t happened yet. The adventures. The laughter at max capacity.
The ridiculous stories. The freedom to be completely ourselves around each other.
The memories we didn’t even know we were making. So every now and then I’d turn a corner and think…
“Oh yes… we stood here.”
Or…
“This is where we laughed until we couldn’t breathe.” No one makes me laugh like my Kori!
It’s funny how places quietly collect little pieces of the people you’ve shared them with. Athens is beautiful. There’s a pulse here that vibrates and demands your attention in the most magnetic way. Even the graffiti, which still isn’t exactly my love language, feels different now.
3 years ago I did a graffiti walking tour here and, ever since then, I’ve found myself looking past the paint and into the stories.
It’s amazing what understanding changes.

I headed straight for a rooftop bar for my last… and final… and absolutely non negotiable frappé of the 2026 Greek Odyssey Summer Trip.
It still amazes me how different the city feels from 8 floors up. Everything goes quiet.
Down below it’s all movement and noise.
Up there everything softens.
The sensory overload from the street is suddenly reduced to sight alone. The vastness of Athens feels different from above, as does the magnificence of the Acropolis standing proudly over it all.

It was especially lovely to see it now that the scaffolding from years of restoration has finally been removed following its restoration.

I lingered much longer than I’d intended.
I wrote in my diary a little. I wanted to remember exactly how I felt in that moment.
Scrolled through photos. Watched people.
Did that thing I always do where gratitude sneaks up behind me, slaps me across the face and suddenly I’ve got tears rolling down my cheeks for absolutely no logical reason whatsoever.

Then…
Back to the streets I went for my final city lap.
If you’ve followed me for a while you’ll know I do not enjoy shopping.
You will not find me wandering around a mall or a gazillion shops at home. Ever.

So you will definitely not find me doing it in Europe.
I’d honestly rather untangle Christmas lights, organise Tupperware lids or listen to someone explain cryptocurrency than spend my time browsing shops.
My motto: get in, get what you after, pay, use your kartoula😂 and GET OUT.
In fact, I think this may be the very first trip in my entire adult life where I haven’t bought a single pair of shoes. Not one. To think I once came back with 12 pairs 🤭 (ps I was a brat in my 20’s)

44 year old me - Who am I?
Someone should probably check my temperature.

As I walked my usual route, stopping every few metres to admire another impossibly ancient pile of rocks or tiny church that somehow continues to make me emotional, reality slowly started tapping me on the shoulder.i
There was a flight to catch.
Summer is over babes..

So naturally…Gyros. Not the wrapped one.
A proper plate extra tzatziki because apparently garlic breath at 35,000 feet is now somebody else’s problem.
Shaaaaame for whoever ends up sitting next to me on the plane. Garlic levels: catastrophic. 🤭

Because Future Lexi is absolutely going to be sitting in Cape Town in about 3 weeks dramatically announcing,
“I really didn’t eat enough gyros.”
There was wine. There was gyros. There were a few more tears of joy… There was yet another bouzouki player. I’m convinced they follow me around.😉
Honestly, I think they’re issued and assigned at passport control upon entry.
It was exactly how I wanted my last meal of the season to be. Then it was back for a shower…
A suitcase that needed to close containing a mildly alarming quantity of oregano.
A completely reasonable amount of cheese… (what a lie!) Enough Korres body products to open my own tiny pharmacy.
And one very, very full heart.
Bye Greece…You absolute beauty.
Thank you for another summer I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life.
I’ve had the best time.
I’ve laughed harder than I have in years.
I feel more alive than ever before in more ways than one. And my soul is soaring.

Keep those Palomas chilled.
Keep that bouzouki tuned.
And keep the little pieces of my heart I’ve left behind safe until next year… when I come back to collect them.
Ouzaki?
Ouzaki!
Yamas🫶🏾
See you next year, baby mou. 😉🇬🇷🧿

13/07/2026

Dear Diary Day 42: Reality Called…I Sent It to Voicemail…
The flight out of Samos was… character building.
Turns out the take off is every bit as offensive as the landing. 🤢 So next year I’ve made an executive decision.
I’ll ferry in & I’ll ferry out.
Best I stay in the polite good books of all the wonderfully aggressive, hot Greek ferrymen who, quite frankly, now hold my future holiday happiness in their weather beaten hands.
Look… I reserve the right to be dramatic.
I’ve had about 2 hours sleep.
I’m exhausted.
I’m emotional. I’m deliriously happy.
I feel more alive than I think I’ve ever felt before.
It’s like someone hooked me up to a spark plug and now there’s an entire festival of lights shooting straight out of my eyeballs.

I also may… have had just one more Paloma. 🤭 Actually,
I think there may be some unfinished business between
me & those Palomas. Some love stories deserve a sequel.
Some deserve a trilogy.
Mine apparently comes with tequila & grapefruit.
What can I say…When life gives you limes…Order another one.
It has been a spectacular…
Sunny. Salty. Silky. Sparkling. Soul filling.
Sea soaked. Sand covered. Sun kissed.
Slightly unhinged. Spectacular. Oh sooooo Greek kind of summer. Can highly recommend.
Five stars. No notes.
Would absolutely ruin my sleep schedule all over again.
The flight to Athens is only about 55 minutes.
By minute 35 I’d finally pulled myself together, wiped away
the last rebellious tear that was trying to escape
& gave myself the old…“Buck up, buttercup.”
Only 36 hours in Athens. No pressure. Just enough time to squeeze three days’ worth of living into a day and a half.
Challenge accepted.
Grabbed a taxi and off I trotted to see Maria.
According to my very sensible itinerary, created all the way back in February, we were supposed to have had four full days together & even a little island adventure.
But…We all know I went rogue. Some people stick to the plan.
I found an extra week available at the Blue Street house and suddenly the plan became merely… a suggestion. So as you know I whipped out my kartoula & accidentally bought myself another week in paradise.

Zero regrets. Speaking of kartoula…
I spotted an email from Nedbank.
Subject line: Card Statement.
Honestly…The audacity. Read the room, Nedbank.
I’m still over here living la vida loca.
Meanwhile they’re trying to drag me kicking and screaming back into adulthood. Absolutely not.
Adulting can wait. Talk to me next week.
This week it’s still called kartoula…
…and girl maths says we’re absolutely fine.
Don’t bring spreadsheets to a holiday.
A wonderful few hours on the couch catching up with my bestie Maria, and because of my completely spontaneous date change I also got to spend time with my other friend Maria.

Yes…
It was a Maria squared kind of afternoon.
Two Marias. Double the hugs. Double the laughter. Half the chance of anyone responding when someone shouted “Maria!”
By late afternoon I was absolutely cooked.
My battery was flashing on 1%. My poetry was circling the proverbial drain. My personality had quietly packed its bags and gone home without telling me. Thankfully an everything shower followed by a glorious three hour nap performed what I can only describe as CPR on my soul.
Suddenly…She lives. My personality reappeared.
The lights came back on.
The elevator reached the top floor again.
I was officially ready for dinner.

As we drove through the city I caught myself smiling at absolutely nothing. Funny how somewhere that once felt so enormous can suddenly start feeling familiar. Like bumping into an old friend who still knows exactly how to make you happy. Honestly… You’d have to put in Olympic level effort to have a bad meal in Greece.
At this point I genuinely think even their petrol stations could produce a respectable calamari.
We ate. We laughed. We solved approximately none of the world’s problems.
We talked until well past midnight. Thank heavens for that nap. Tomorrow morning I’ll sneak out before either of the two Marias wake up & spend my final day wandering Athens.
I love the city early. Before the crowds. Before the hustle. Before the organised chaos remembers who she is. When the streets still yawn.
When the cafés are just waking up. When Athens hasn’t quite put her makeup on yet. I plan on making every single hour count.
One last adventure. One last wander.
One last “I’ll just quickly pop in here…”
…which, if history has taught us anything, will absolutely not be quick.
It’s just me…My dirty sneakers…
And the streets of Athens. Let’s dance one more time.

Xoxo Pottery Designs

29/07/2026

26/07/2026

24/07/2026

21/07/2026

20/07/2026

16/07/2026

15/07/2026

14/07/2026

13/07/2026

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