So tonight’s class demo was stacked two-part vase! I threw a 4-pound bottom cylinder, and then another 4-pound top cylinder that was bottomless. After they set-up a bit, I scored & slipped them & attached the two halves. Smoothed out the connection seam… then tried to smooth it out & reshape it into a nice, tall vase shape.

As I told my class, I would have liked to have the clay set-up a lot longer. But for class demo timing, we decided to go for it even though we all knew the clay was far to wet to hold up. So when the bottom section started to squish as we knew it would, we decided to cut it in half to see how thick the walls were. And I think it looks pretty good… nice thin & even walls… but you can clearly see how wet & squishy the clay was! We all knew it should have set-up more… but sometimes it’s fun to show a “fail” demo too!!!

Not a lot of studio time between teaching Summer Camp all day & teaching my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class tonight… but I did find enough time to stamp another large platter! One stamp at a time… over & over & over again!!!

Back in the saddle again!!!… thanks to Village Cycle Center in Old Town for fixing my handlebars yesterday! So glad I could get out to pedal into the wind this morning with waves crashing all around… with some pretty dramatic sunrise colors & drama!!!

So while I’m “off my bike” for the day… and it’s killin’ me… at least I’ve been productive in the studio! Plenty of throwing, trimming & lots of stamping! It’s all good… as long as I don’t look outside! HA!

But then there’s this?! I “felt” this problem yesterday as I was riding… felt some swiveling movement as I was shifting, braking & climbing hills on my bike. Pretty sure it’s NOT supposed to do this? So my “trusted stead” is currently at the bike shop being fixed.

I asked the bike guy if this is a “normal” thing as I’ve always presumed handlebars were metal and shouldn’t swivel like this. But now it feels kinda like “crusty foam” everywhere below the brake hoods. He said handlebars are an “alloy”… as if great clears it up?! Nope. But as long as he fixes it quick…

Last night was the BEST night ever at Wrigley Field!!!

An amazing concert with P!NK… complete with all of the high-flying theatrics you have come expect from her! Quite possibly my favor concert EVER… and I’ve seen lot of great concerts! More stories, photos & hopefully videos to come!!!

The gift that keeps on giving!!! Still the same first bloom of my dahlias…. the same single bloom that I’ve posted three times before this. Again, amazing to me how much they change & evolve as they continue to grow & open with more & more petals!

Few more clouds & a bit more drama. Sure, clear skies are fun… but I definitely prefer some cloud-cover for the added sunrise drama. Dark clouds, bright colors & streams of sunbeams breaking through. Perfection.

The purple hyacinth bean vine is finally starting to bloom on my back porch… as it slowly climbs up my “curtain” of rusty metal gears, cow bells & chains! Very excited, because once it starts it keeps blooming well into Fall. And then we get treated with some dark aubergine-purple seed pods to harvest so the vine can start again next year!

After my normal morning sunrise bike ride, it was time for a quick dip in the lake with the FRIDAY MORNING SWIM CLUB. It started during the Covid shut-down as a “safe” way for a few friends to get outside to see each other while staying safe. It has since grown to be a huge “swim party” thanks to word-of-mouth & social media. This is now the third “season”… sadly, I didn’t find out about it until season two! So much fun with about 2,000 people all jumping in the lake at Montrose Harbor for no real reason except for some FUN!!! A bit of splashing around… then home… and then back to Lillstreet for the end of another week of Summer Camp!!!