Michigan Collection: Yooper or Troll - Meadow Green on White Porcelain

Handcrafted Michigan porcelain ornament featuring a design inspired by Michigan, in Meadow Green on a white porcelain body.

Michigan is made up of two peninsulas, and the people on each side have a few nicknames for each other. If you live in the Upper Peninsula, you’re a Yooper, which comes from “U.P.-er.” If you live below the Mackinac Bridge, some Yoopers will call you a Troll, since trolls are known for living under bridges. It’s a friendly rivalry that’s been going on for years, and most of us have picked a side at one point or another.

With this design, I wanted to have a little fun with the friendly back-and-forth between the U.P. and the mitten. To do so, I shaped both peninsulas in raised relief and added two arrow signs, one pointing north for the Yoopers and one pointing south for the Trolls. I glazed it in meadow green to match the woods and farmland found on either side of the bridge. As a final nod to the debate, I put “Yooper or Troll?” on the back, so whoever owns it can decide which side they’re on.

Because each ornament is finished and glazed by hand, no two pieces are exactly alike. You may notice slight variations in color, texture, or small imperfections. These details are part of the handmade process and reflect the human craftsmanship that makes each ornament truly one of a kind.