A simple orange wildflower to make you smile on this beautiful Monday in Chicago!

Gotta love when one of your art fair friends brings homegrown tomatoes to share for a lunchtime snack!!! Just wish I had a bowl to put them in… oh, wait a minute… I think I do!!! Thanks Cheryl for sharing… and if you come to The Barn, she’s directly above me with her beautiful mixed-media paintings!

We’re ready for Day Two of ART IN THE BARN!!! There are still some new Ghouls left for today’s shoppers!!! But of course you need to say his name three times, spoken unbroken… Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice! We’re all in the Lower Barn until 5:00pm today… c’mon by!

Another morning with gusty winds, crashing waves & plenty of clouds!!! I thought there might be a good potential sunrise in there somewhere… hoping for some fun colors… but the clouds just weren’t playing along!!! Their timing was off & the dark grayness won out. The first half of my ride was great fun with a strong tailwind… the ride back, not so much! Head down, tucked into aero-bars & pedal on!!!

Now for a quick shower & back out to Barrington for Day Two of ART IN THE BARN!!!

A beautiful sunset to finish out a busy day… prepping, pricing, packing & shlepping everything out to Barrington. I got a good amount of my booth set-up… but I forgot a few key pieces! Like it’s my first time?!! Luckily I can bring them early tomorrow to finish setting up! It was a pretty ending tonight though.

Just a quick reminder… in case you’ve missed any of my other “subtle” hints?!

ART IN THE BARN is this weekend on the grounds of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. I’ll be in my usual double booth in the Lower Barn. So even if there’s a bit of weather, we’re still “protected” & showing off a bunch of new pottery. Hope you can join us… stop by and say “Hi!”

Into the kiln just in time?! Sure, they might be a little warm still when the new Ghouls make it ART IN THE BARN this weekend?! It wouldn’t be the first time, right?!

Also, thanks to Laura Williams for finishing off my kiln. I had a little extra space on the top shelf… and Laura was racing against her “art fair weekend” deadline as well. And a little sweet treat from Laura as a Thank You… chocolate covered OREOs with little toffee crumbles!!!

Plus the latest batch of “hybrid mugs” fresh from last weekend’s soda kiln firing. A combo of wheelthrown & handbuilt techniques… with amazing textures created with my favorite MKM Pottery Tools! All ready for ART IN THE BARN this weekend!

And did I mention that there will be wheelthrown holiday ornaments at ART IN THE BARN too??? Fresh from the kiln… I just need to add metal rings to the tops!

Putting the finishing touches on… a layer of clear glaze. Starting with the interiors & bottoms. The exteriors will be sprayed to cover with the shiny clear glaze… which when applied looks strangely like chocolate chip mint ice cream?!