While playing & biking in Elk Grove Village yesterday… how could I not stop by the best bakery ever?! I grew up with baked goods from Jarosch Bakery on a regular basis. So now it is such a TREAT to get out there to “treat myself” to a yummy childhood memory! It’s the same coffeecake my Mom would ALWAYS get us when she went there… a nice Mom memory.

And then I just realized… is it so bad that I did basically nothing all day today, and pretty much ate nothing but THIS!!!

Little sliver after little sliver… bite after bite… slice after slice… burp…

Yesterday I “expanded” my lock-down biking adventures by taking my bike out to Busse Woods in Elk Grove Village for a couple loops around the bike trail by myself. It’s been quite awhile since I’ve ridden that trail. A fun flashback as I actually grew up in EGV. A beautiful spring day to ride through the forest preserve.

And then after my ride, I drove out a little further and had a great “socially-distant” picnic with my Dad, sister and niece Taylor. We all sat in a square six-feet from each other and chatted for a couple hours. It was great to see them face-to-face again… but is THIS what family gatherings have actually come to???

Little bit of good news though… if anyone is interested to find out how I make my own clay stamps, I will be teaching a one-hour “Making Clay Stamps” workshop a week from tomorrow as Lillstreet Art Center will be going “virtual” for some workshops & classes. So if you want to make some stamps with me, or learn a whole new “craft” while under quarantine, check-out the online classes being offered at Lillstreet!

Click here for the link to my “Making Clay Stamps” Workshop.

More bad news today as yet another art fair in my schedule has been cancelled. We heard today that ART IN THE BARN will not be happening in 2020… which was scheduled for the last weekend in September. I know that a lot of us artists were hoping that by then we might have a chance of art fairs coming back. Guess not.

And then coincidentally, my sister Jen sent me a link to this video. Which was so thoughtful, caring, inspirational, a little sad, and yet so moving. A little “bedtime story” that makes you think about the situation we’re all facing, what the outcome might be and why hindsight is 2020… and appropriately, it’s called “The Great Realisation.” As I think we are all beginning to realize the longevity & after-effects of this historic pandemic. Reality is setting in. So far… not a fan of the “new normal.”

As “shelter-at-home” continues on & on… today is a weird day for many potters as the St. Croix Valley Pottery Tour was forced to go “virtual” this weekend for the first time EVER. I’ve gone to the big Minnesota Pottery Tour for MANY years to see a lot of incredible pottery, meet the artists, network, get inspired, play with friends and add to my own pottery collection! It’s become an annual tradition. But this year… it is all online! Which might be the “new normal” for the foreseeable future. But I don’t like it. I miss playing with my friends. I miss touching & holding pottery. I miss a lot of things! But we’re all in this together… so show ’em some love and check-out their online Pottery Tour Sale!!!

Click here to go to the main Minnesota Potters web page… and then go shopping by artist!

And just to whet your whistle… a jew photos from how it “used to be”!!! If you want more, you can also go back in my blog here to see some of my adventures in previous years! Do a SEARCH for Minnesota Pottery Tour and see a bunch of great times & great pottery!

Not so much for this year… mwah, mwah, mwah…

Four bowls. Four colors. Four textures.
All “four” another TEXTURE TUESDAY!!!

With all of the craziness going on in the world, Lillstreet has been forced to go “virtual” for their Spring Session of classes & workshops! Check the assortment online at Lillstreet.com for more information. I know it’s not going to be nearly as much fun online… I mean we can’t work together, touch the clay, feel it spinning or even share OREO’s!!!… but I guess it’s better than nothing, right?! Check out the new “virtual” online schedule… there might just be a workshop in there with me?!!!

Taking photos. Making plans. Posting online… FULL DETAILS TOMORROW!!! But for today… it’s another Mugshot Monday just under the wire!

Always a good sign to see…
four little letters that make me VERY happy!!