Sadly, it sounds like there’s no White Christmas in store for us this year.
On a good note… days start getting longer now!!!

Due to my own Christmas packing & wrapping klutziness,
I just broke one of my own mugs. It just “jumped” right off the shelf. I swear.

Good to see the insides of your pots once in awhile though.
Nice too see evenly thrown, thin walls. No one wants a heavy mug!!!
And as for the broken mug… my students would eagerly quote right back at me
“IT’S JUST CLAY.”

Always fun when fresh flowers arrive from a cousin just in time for the holidays. These stargazer lilies are kinda like candy canes… opening right on schedule. Thank you David & Tina.

Another mug headed off to a new holiday home. Always fun to see my pottery headed to a new family. Making someone’s morning rituals even better.

Sure it might be cold outside… but I still have some colorful orchids blooming on my kitchen windowsill. A little “bright spot of warmth” on a chilly December day.

My cousins in Minnesota are gearing up for the holidays. Three adorable kids looking forward to the Big Day. Oh yeah… and look at those great mirrors over the fireplace! Huh, pretty shnazzy, right?! I love how they’ve decorated my tiled mirrors for the holidays!!! Wish I could come up there to celebrate with my Minnesota cousins!

Merry Christmas Caroline, Christopher & Mitchell.

Another cold & cloudy morning bike ride with beautiful reflections rippling on the Lake. The sun tried, and tried, but the clouds won out until later in the morning. No real sunrise again! Still better than rain… or even worse, snow?!

Some dramatic clouds blowing over Navy Pier.. which looks a bit strange without the iconic Ferris Wheel?! Looking forward to the new one this Summer.

I got a wonderful e-mail this morning from my friend Sarah Chapman.
Celebrating the holidays with her version of a Christmas tree. So cool…
and pretty sweet to be the “featured” artist!!!

Heyro there Mr. Jackson!
Here are a few shots of our new tree filled with all of your ornaments from 2014. And a close up of some of my favorites including the Gingerbread man wearing pants! He really should be wearing shorts since you made him! I love them all….

However… it looks like her tree could use a few MORE ornaments?!
Which is good news… as Sarah and I have recently decided to do our Monthly Ornament Challenge once again this coming year. So get ready for another new ornament every month through 2016!!!

Gotta start thinking. Gotta start sketching.
Gotta start planning… a lot of new ornaments to come…

It was so nice to see the sun finally come through late this afternoon. And I love the juxtaposition of the urban train trestle bridge and the way Nature just doesn’t care… and still finds a way to call it home.