And now for the “real reason” for my trip up north… Cirque du Soleil.
Yes, one of my favorite places in the whole world – under the Big Top.
Under Le Grand Chapiteau!!!

The new touring show “Amaluna.” Sadly, Chicago does not seem to be on the touring schedule yet. I’m assuming it might make it here sometime next summer. But I couldn’t wait.

And here’s a sneak peek under Le Grand Chapiteau… courtesy of Google Images.
The ushers were really good at keeping everyone form taking pictures. Shucks!!!

Even Pam got into the act… trying on a little fascinator hat under the Big Top!

Gotta love that Grape Pop.
Who cares if it’s all fake? Who cares if it doesn’t really even taste like grapes?
As long as there’s some fake blue foam on top I’m in!!!
And tonight Julie introduced me to a new brand… could have been a contenda’!

Next to the Casket Arts Building, there’s a little sculpture yard… with a big tube with a five!
And you know how I love rust! Apparently it’s somehow connected to the folks from the Franconia Sculpture Park. Remember that really cool park that I showed you all last May when I was up in Minneapolis for the St. Croix Pottery Tour?

And while I loved the sculpture from the front… nice & crusty & rusty!
But it was even cooler from the inside. I love the way the sun makes another 5 inside.

Next stop on our Minneapolis tour was a quick trip to Sarah Chapman’s new studio.
After moving north, she had to find a new studio location. She first landed in a small space above a groovy little diner. But then this new space opened up in the Casket Arts Building. It’s a beautiful space in a beautiful location. Apparently, it’s an old casket making factory that has now been turned into an arts building full of artists of all sorts.

Inside we found Sarah’s new studio space. A very quaint, and not surprisingly well organized space. Love the hardwood floors, the exposed brick walls and her assortment of really cool tools. Her inspiration board above her work bench. The antique wooden tool box overflowing with tools.

An assortment of lovelies in process on her work table. Some pieces she’s working on… and some pieces that are “ideas in progress” or wacky inspiration! Baubles. Beads. Earrings. Pendants. Tubes. Seashells. As well as some wonderful porcelain twigs by Roberta Polfus!

And every metalsmith needs a mascot, right?!

Meanwhile, just outside of Sarah Chapman’s space is the home of Quench Jewelry Arts.
A fully functioning metalsmith studio run by owner Sarah Michaela Sitarz. Quench offers classes, workshops, parties, corporate events, studio time and work bench rentals.

One of the coolest parts is the old vault door that’s still in place.
So cool that they’ve left it there… and even cooler that it has the original lock and more!

For more information, you can find Links to both metalsmith Sarah Chapman
& Quench Jewelry Arts in the column to the right on this blog. Yeah… over there —}
Or you can just click here for Sarah Chapman.… and click here for Quench Jewelry Arts.
In addition to running Quench, click here for jewelry by Sarah Sitarz.

We all scream for ice cream!
After scooping up some great pottery at Northern Clay Center, we decided to scoop up some sweet snacks at the local ice cream parlor! A wonderfully sweet stop on our tour. Sarah decided to go for a Dreamsicle Float!

And Pam was enjoying her Raspberry Chocolate Chip sundae.

While I went for Chocolate Cinnamon Pretzel ice cream… with a LOT of hot fudge!!!

While driving around Minneapolis, I saw a wonderful billboard…
and a smaller version on the back of a bus. Seems I have all the answers?!!!

The first stop on our afternoon adventure was a trip to Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis. Much like Lillstreet, they’ve got a gallery of ceramics, classrooms, artist studios and a lot of fun for everyone. Sarah, Pam and I were excited to get our shopping on!

Inside, we got our shopping on. Not only were there a lot of great ceramic artists represented in their retail sales area, bit there was also a great show in their Main Gallery. It was a collaboration show where one artist made the pieces, and then had other artists do the glazing in their own styles. Very cool. Makes me think that I need to some more collaboration projects in the near future. After the Gallery show, we toured the studios and the classroom facilities. It was Pam’s first time to Northern Clay Center so she was excited to see it all.

Anyway, we ended back in the retail space and we started getting down to business. After looking at all of the pottery, the sales associate told us we could open all of the cabinets and “shop” from there too. And then he said there were still some pots left from the American Pottery Festival in the back room… so we shopped in there too! So much fun! So many pots!!!

After looking at all of the pots, I had to start narrowing it down. I finally landed on three different mugs that caught my attention. The latest additions to my ever-expanding “Mug Collection.” The first one was made by Kenyon Hansen… who seems to be the latest “golden child” of the pottery world. He’s been all over Ceramics Monthly and creating quite a stir with his wonderful forms, surface treatments and glazed textures.

My second choice was a stunningly refined cup by Kyla Toomey. I’m been coveting these for about a year now every time I see them in the Lillstreet Gallery. This time, I found this sweet one glazed in a very light green celadon glaze. I love how these are created, cut, popped and refined… I’m not quite sure how she makes them. But I;m very glad that she does!!!

This last one is actually the first one that caught my attention! At first glaze it’s just a pretty normal, functional mug by Birdie Boone. Nice shape. Nice glaze. Nothing too extravagant. But then when you touch it… watch out!!! The bottom of the mug is rounded off with no foot ring… so it rocks! Literally!!! It rocks back & forth… and I fell in love instantly!

Please take a second to check out their work on their websites. Simply click on their names above the photos, or go to the “Links” section and click on their names there. You’ll go right to their websites to see more of their incredible work!

So I made it up to Minneapolis… for a really quick get-away with friends!
And a new furry friend named Roscoe!!!

Yes, I’m up in Minneapolis visiting my friends Sarah Chapman & Julie Wight. You know… Sarah who’s been making fantastic holiday ornaments every month this year as part of the Holiday Ornament Challenge!!! And then our mutual friend Pam Robinson is in town for a conference planning meeting, so figured we should all meet up for a day of fun! Anyway, we decided to throw together a quick get-away adventure for me… a great excuse to celebrate my birthday & Julie’s birthday too!!! Anyway, when I got there, I got to meet the new puppy – Roscoe. Adorable!!!

Then we took the party outside where we played with potter Emily Murphy and her cutey-patootie daughter Ada. Although Roscoe was more interested in the dried leaves… and the pet bunnies in the cage next door!

After some fun in the yard, we decided we should go out and play around town in Minneapolis. Unfortunately, Julie had to stay behind to do some studying… and to watch little Roscoe!!!

Ahhh…. a girl and her dog.. Adorable. Both of them.

Let today’s whirlwind adventure begin… although I’m not really headed South or West?!!!

My adorable 8-year old niece Taylor apparently lost another tooth today.
And she decided on her own to write a letter to the Tooth Fairy… which might just be
the cutest thing EVER!!! Seriously… I mean EVER!!!