Joanne,

The pieces are functional in a sense - raku firing doesn't allow the pieces to hold liquid - so they are functional as fruit bowls, vases for dried flowers, etc. Some people say they have a way to seal them, but I haven't tried it yet. I was also thinking that one could put plain glass vases inside the pieces to hold water. Or if you could fit a live plant with a saucer inside, that would work, too.

Kristina