Less than two hours until the opening of Winter WonderFest.
Lots of lights, lots of crazy themed trees, and a LOTS of people coming soon!!!
And we’re almost done… just a little more glitter…

So I’ve been busy this week setting up Winter WonderFest at Navy Pier.
It seemed slightly ironic that this showed up today on www.HuffingtonPost.com…

More than a few artists have proved that macrophotography has merits beyond simply magnifying very small things. It can also capture aesthetically beautiful images lurking beyond our usual visual perception, whether they’re hiding inside a meteorite or on the wing of a dragonfly… or inside falling snow.

Just in time for winter and the onslaught of December snowstorms, Russian photographer Alexey Kljatov has devised a clever way to bring the wonder of macrophotography to the minuscule world of snowflakes. Using a homemade rig comprised of a working camera lens, a wooden board, some screws and old camera parts, Kljatov captures the breathtaking intricacies of snow, six-sided symmetry and all.

The wide range of shapes Kljatov manages to document certainly support the claim that no two snowflakes are alike. And while the tiny crystalline sculptures appear too perfect to believe, the dedicated photographer is able provide detailed instructions in both English and Russian for artists who wish to replicate his process. In honor of the winter wonderlands to come, feast your eyes on the delicate artworks hiding inside each snow.

NOTE: If you’re wondering about the seemingly hairy backgrounds behind these snowflakes, another image on Kljatov’s website reveals that some photographs are taken just as the snowflakes fall onto a carpet.

Click here for more of Alexey Kljatov’s incredible photographs.

Looks like ALL of the mugs have been claimed…
and we’re down to the last six ornaments!!!
They’re still looking for a good tree to hang on… yours???

Thank you all for making my first “Happy December Online Sale” a huge success!!!
In fact, this was my very first online sale EVER! I may need to consider doing more of this?
Which means I may need to “get over” my dislike of packing & shipping pottery?!

Whoo-hoo!!!
Half of the mugs were “claimed” in the first ten minutes!!!
Still a few more mugs & ornaments looking for good homes!
Click here to get to my Facebook page to check it out quickly!!!

Happy December Online Sale!!!
To “claim” any of the mugs or holiday ornaments, you need to go to my pottery Facebook page and comment on the piece you want to “claim” it. Click here to get there quickly!!!

So here’s the “shopping list” of pieces that I’m offering up for my one-time
“Happy December Online Sale.”

DO NOT use this list to try and purchase any of these mugs or ornaments.
At 7:00pm Central time tonight, I will post the same pieces on my Facebook page.

We’re doing a first come, first served, old-school style “sale.” Keeping it simple.
The first person to “claim” the piece by leaving a Facebook Comment on the photo gets it.
NOT a Comment on the entire photo album, but each individual piece.
NOT by a Comment on this blog post.

So use these photos as a “sneak peek”… to create your “Wish List”…
and then watch for the official launch of the Sale on my Facebook Page at 7:00pm tonight!!!

MUG #1 – cone 10 reduction glazed B-Clay stoneware.

MUG #2 – cone 10 soda-fired B-Clay stoneware.

MUG #3 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #4 – cone 10 soda-fired B-Clay stoneware.

MUG #5 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #6 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #7 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #8 – cone 10 soda-fired B-Clay stoneware.

MUG #9 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #10 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

MUG #11 – cone 10 reduction glazed B-Clay stoneware.

MUG #12 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

And now…

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #1 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #2 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #3 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #4 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #5 – cone 10 soda-fired B-Clay stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #6 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #7 – cone 10 reduction glazed B-Clay stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #8 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #9 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #10 – cone 10 soda-fired B-Clay stoneware.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #11 – cone 10 soda-fired porcelain.

HOLIDAY ORNAMENT #12 – cone 10 soda-fired stoneware.

So here’s the plan for later today… we’re going old-school on this one.
I’m currently taking photos of the chosen pieces. I’m thinking 12 mugs and 12 wheelthrown ornaments. When I get the photos ready, I will post them all on my blog ahead of time so you can see what’s coming up. And then I’ll post the photos again here on Facebook at 7:00pm Central time. The Facebook photo album will be the “official” sale page. First come, first served… and we’ll go by the first to comment on each photo – NOT the entire photo album post. So you can scroll through, see if anyone beat you to it, and if not, tell me you want it. And then I’ll confirm and we can work out the details later! So get ready… and keep checking my blog for the preview photos. And then back here at 7:00pm Central time. Good luck!!!

Happy December!
And to celebrate the first day of the last month, I think it’s time for a little Facebook offering. Many of you outside the Chicago area have asked if I sell work online. Generally the answer has unfortunately been “no”… I just don’t like to pack & ship pottery, and I prefer to see my customers face-to-face as they touch & feel their new purchases.

But that may change later today?!
Stay tuned on my Facebook pottery page… for a one-time online offering!
And here’s a little hint of the fun to come later today….

Here’s a quick link to my Facebook pottery page. Click here, and then click the LIKE button!
www.facebook.com/firewhenreadypottery

And with the big morning splash of color…
a big sky panorama seemed fitting to capture the moment.

And as this is the first day of December…
it also concludes that I have now ridden my bike, once again this year,
during every month of the year!!! Yeah me!!!

It was a very cloudy morning today.
But with a later start time, and less traffic on Sundays, I knew that I would have time
for a nice bike ride this morning before going back to Winter WonderFest set-up
down at Navy Pier.

Cloudy… gray… damp… gloomy… and then the clouds went BRILLIANT!!!
A crazy splash of color across the sky!!! For just about four minutes of splendor…
and then, all too soon, back to gloomy gray.

Minute One… still dark, but the color suddenly beginning to spread across the sky.

Minute Two… full coverage!

Minute Three… bright like the sun is just about to break through… almost… not quite.

Minute Four… colors dissipating… on its way back to gray!