While the palm trees, the Fern Room, the glass Chihuly installation & the Spring flower show are all very eye-catching… I’m always drawn to the Cactus Room full of crazy-cool textures, colors & patterns. Amazed by how the tough terrain & arid conditions can have all of these amazing plants, flowers & new Spring growth all under one glass roof at the Garfield Park Conservatory.

Yesterday afternoon was a great time to play hooky! With my college friends Kel & Kelly in town with some kids… and the Mimi too! They asked if I could join them at the Garfield Park Conservatory. Turns out… I COULD!!! So we had a great time touring the greenhouses seeing lots of beautiful plants & flowers under the landmark conservatory glass ceilings.

Making me even more anxious for Spring to finally catch-up & make some plants start growing in my yard!!! I’m tired of gray & brown… I want some GREEN in my life!!!

Another beautiful morning with a wonderfully colored cloud show! Sure it was fleeting… and short… as the sun went behind the clouds & quite possibly won’t be seen again for the rest of the day!

Tiny textured nuggets… now in fun colors!!!
Can’t wait for “my plan” to come together later this summer…

While I’m in the middle of making my “normal” stamped mugs for a future soda-firing… I need to remind myself that it’s time to make more of these “hybrid” mugs too!!! My collection of carved handrollers from MKM Pottery Tools has recently “doubled” & I can’t wait to try out some of their newest patterns while making more of these wheelthrown & handbuilt combo “hybrid” mugs!

Been busy stamping cylinders again… getting ready for another batch of mugs! My favorite thing to make! Each one stamped with a different clay stamp that I made myself. Handmade mugs need handmade stamps!!!

During the previous class session, my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class saw some amazing ceramic baskets in the Lillstreet Cafe’ Gallery by studio member Jennifer FitzGerald. We had a quick discussion of clay baskets & some basic construction techniques. Then this session, one of my students asked for a class “challenge”… so I suggested we all make our own versions of the baskets they were so enamored by the session before. While I channeled my inner “Mudweaver” while making this basket… my students realized it was a a LOT harder than they thought. While still inspired, none of them finished their baskets by the end of the session!

Be sure to check-out more of Jennifer’s beautiful work & give her a “Follow” on Instagram – @mudweaver_ceramics

Made a few more textured “nuggets” tonight. Watching the finale of The Traitors UK season three… while my nimble fingers keep making more!!! I’ve got a fun little plan for these…

Okay, so THIS was my favorite find in the IKEA clearance section!
I’m not sure it was worth all of their time & re-labeling with a new price sticker…
for a ONE CENT markdown?!!!

Celebrating a little “monochromatic” Mugshot Monday… with this shot from my friend Kelly. The mug, the vase, the plant in the back… a trio of textures all kinda in the same color family!