Twelve years ago today our world changed forever.

Stunning shades of saturated colors on the horizon this morning. But I especially loved the way the Navy Pier Ferris Wheel was still lit up. The way it reflected in the water almost as though it was replacing the sun?!

Soon enough the sun made it up high enough to splash beautiful colors all over the clouded sky. Plenty of cloudy canvases to paint with morning colors!

Soon enough the sun popped over the horizon as a large red ball.
The shades of pinks disappeared as the high clouds became white & wispy.

Sure, the high clouds may have been capturing everyone’s morning attention…
but the lower cloud bank wasn’t quite done showing of yet.

Tonight is the first night of the Fall session of classes at Lillstreet.
I’ve got a full class to start with the basics of wedging, centering & throwing.
And if I can’t get ’em with that… I’m sure some Oreo’s will help me win them over!!!

Just a “little warm” on my drive to the studio tonight!
Lucky for me & my students, Lillstreet has some good air conditioning!!!

And I’ve never noticed before that “outside” is apparently one word in Toyota World?!
OUT   SIDE.

And sometimes, big sky & big clouds really deserve a BIG picture!

Yesterday however… was pretty darn spectacular!
The morning started out with a weird “wall of clouds.”
Seriously… like a wall of clouds encroaching on the sunrise!

Then, soon enough, that large could mass dissipated and the sky opened up with a beautiful wispy cloud formation that encouraged the sun to dance across the sky. Big clouds. Big sky. Big fun.

No clouds to play with this morning.
Just a clear sky with a bit of humid haze in the warm morning air.
Still pretty… but nothing too spectacular. I think I’m becoming jaded.

So earlier this evening while I was at the studio, I was passed in the hallway by the Lillstreet Executive Director. He asked for my 2014 Summer Camp availability. Or at least to start planning & coming up with 2014 dates I can commit to soon. Does he have a calendar? Does he know it’s only September 9th? Really?! Already?!

Okay, so maybe after this summer’s scheduling fiasco where practically none of my thematic camps were even offered due to poor scheduling, I guess it’s reassuring that they’re starting early. I should take it as a good sign that they want to get my camps into next summer’s schedule. I get it. But… it’s September 9th!!! It seems like we just finished Summer Camp a couple weeks ago!!! Sheesh…

Tonight was a really fun night. My own personal “pumpkin carving party.”
And the best part?… I didn’t have to dig out the seeds and pumpkin guts.
Just the fun of carving one pumpkin after another!

And so much fun to see all of these smiling faces looking back at me as they’re piling up all around my studio. Every shelf, every table. Pumpkins everywhere!!! Each one with a different personality. Each one making me smile.

So now they’re all carved & “warted” and ready to start drying slowly. Next up?… a few color accents here & there. But that’s fun for another night!