The clock is ticking… the year is ending… and we’re about to embark on a New Year! Hope you’re having a great night with family, friends or even your TV remote… whatever makes your night special! Enjoy… reflect… and stay safe!

It’s the end of the year and I’m busy making a big batch of chocolate chip cookies for tonight’s festivities. Reminiscing about yummy cookies… how my Mom used to bake them for my art fairs… how my niece Taylor has occasionally taken over “cookie duty”… and so many other end-of-the-year thoughts. Seems like the perfect time for cookies!

Imagine my surprise a few weeks back when I got a Facebook Message from Patty… a pottery friend & fellow Lillstreet teacher… who was visiting her daughter in Brooklyn and stopped by a small bookstore. She was excited to find that the bookstore featured a LOT of pottery books. Patty found this one that she thought would be good to show some new techniques to her beginner classes.

Flipping through… she found THIS photo that looked a bit familiar to her! So funny for her to find a book “out in nature” that features one of my pieces on page 61… under the category of “Impressing” as it is a British publication. Special THANKS to Patty for bringing another copy home for me too!!!

And yes, I was aware of it…
but it was published several years ago, so I had kinda forgotten about it?!
So it was a great “photo-refresher” from Patty!!!

Clear skies with some crazy contrails this morning. Little breezy with some chilly fingers… mental note to self… get warmer gloves! I do believe that this morning was our first hard frost of Winter… and my fingers could tell!

After a very hectic “pottery & holiday season,” I’m finally getting around to finishing up some of my own personal holiday fun! And I just love this gift that arrived from my cousin Michael & Anna in Minnesota… custom dish towels with two family recipes printed in them. I must admit I got a little choked-up when I saw my Mom’s perfect handwriting on one of them… and my Grandma Kitty’s on the other (my Mom’s mom). Such a thoughtful gift… THANK YOU Michael & Anna!!!

Now I feel like I might just need to make a Pineapple Coconut Sheet Cake!!!

On a dark & rainy night, this homemade french onion soup looks AMAZING… baked in handmade pottery with ooey-gooey cheese melting all over the place. Thanks to my cousin Kim for sharing her homemade gooey-goodness with us!

A quick stop into the studio today to water the plants & turn out some more reclaimed clay. You know how I love “FREE” reclaimed clay… and it will be nice to kick-off the New Year with a fresh new batch of fresh “new” old clay!

Another day, another Christmas tree collection… keeping the holidays alive!
Thanks for sharing Amy.

Sure, Christmas might be over… but that doesn’t mean that the festivities
can’t continue for awhile still. Loving this little holiday collection from Sharon…

“I love my Christmas tree. It looks awesome with my vintage tree
and my handcarved Jamaican Santa. Thank you!

And while we had a nice sunrise happening over the lake…
a quick look over the shoulder showed a beautiful full moon still hanging out to the West.