A little FLASHBACK FRIDAY…
a great project from last year’s GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class!

The assignment “challenge” was to create a coffee set with two cups, creamer & sugar based on a famous artist. Claire made this amazing set during class based on the artwork style of Piet Mondrian! Fantastic craftsmanship & technique… Claire killed it!!! So much so, that these pieces ended up on the Lillstreet Show-Off Shelves for several weeks!

And oh, but wait there’s more…
a new “season” of THE GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN has just started up with twelve new students…. errr, contestants! I’m extra excited that Claire came back for another round of fun… and I can’t wait to see what she creates this session! I have very high expectations!!!

Tonight after my LILLSTREET THROWDOWN class, a couple of us went over to the new Jeni’s Ice Creams now open in Andersonville!

Tonight was their Grand Opening… with free ice cream from 7:00pm-11:00pm! Perfect timing for those of us who had class until 10:00pm! And we were all pleased that they were giving away a fill TRIO of ice creams in a waffle bowl to everyone! I went for my three favorite flavors… Goat Cheese & Red Cherries, Brambleberry Crisp and Blackout Chocolate Cake!!!

As we were towards the end of the event, we never expected people to still be waiting outside in line… nor that they would have served FREE ice cream to 790 customers during their four-hour event! Congrats Jeni’s & welcome to the neighborhood!!!

While I’m sad that Pam’s friend got strep throat at the last minute… but I was more than eager to step-in for an impromptu night of musical theater. Great show, fantastic Bob Fosse stylized choreography & beautiful architecture at another classic Chicago theater … and ALL THAT JAZZ!!!

The holidays might be over… but it looks like Walt is still indulging in a bit holiday candy! Only a few more pieces… and then Maryann can put her new favorite stamped bowl away!

So last night in my Beginning Wheel class, some of my students tackled trimming, pulling handles & assembling their very first mugs!!! Not bad for their second class… I think we’re off to a good start!!!

Another batch of cylinders working their way towards becoming mugs! Too wet to stamp now… but I feel some “shamrock stamps” might just be headed their way!!!

Finally got around to wedging up my pile of reclaimed clay! It sat on my large plaster bat for awhile as the extra moisture evaporated & the clay was finally stiff enough to wedge. So a little “elbow-grease” and now several bags of FREE CLAY!!! My favorite kind of clay!!!

Looks like there’s some healthy greens down in Bartonville! Keeping the New Year healthy with steamed veggies… perfect in a handmade stamped bowl!

Celebrating another Mugshot Monday… with a purple mug & these sweet words from my long-time friend Kelly…

“This is how you and I hold hands… sometimes over a warm cup of hot tea, this morning coffee.” … so sweet Kelly!!!