As I continue to wait for more art fair notifications, I’m keeping busy
in the studio anticipating good news and more shows to add to my calendar.
So far there are only two that I’ve heard back from… both with good news!
Here’s the start of my Summer Art Fair Schedule – hopefully with more to come!

Schaumburg Prairie Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, May 29th, 2010 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, May 30th, 2010 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center
201 Schaumburg Court in Schaumburg, Illinois

Hinsdale Fine Arts Festival
Saturday, June 12th, 2010 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, June 13th, 2010 – 10:00am-5:00pm
Burlington Park on Chicago Avenue between Washington & Garfield Streets
in Hinsdale, Illinois

These are traditionally my first two shows to kick-off the summer.
One on Memorial Day weekend, and the next on Father’s Day weekend.
If things continue chronologically, I should hear back from Evanston next!

After a lengthy “hiatus” from the studio while remodeling my bathroom…
the mug cylinders I had thrown before renovation began had “a little bit of a wait”
for handles & slip. Going in just to spray them now & again… trying to keep them
feasible… keeping them moist so I could finish them off. For about three weeks!!!

The bathroom project is finally finished… and tonight I finished the mugs!
Now they just need a couple days to dry… then into a bisque kiln…

As the summer art fair season is looming just around the proverbial corner…
I’m busy trying to replenish inventory levels and make a lot of new pieces!
And I’m looking for your suggestions.

Got the next great idea?

If you do, please let me know. I’m always looking for new ideas & new shapes
that I can add to the collection. Over the past few summers, many of my art fair
customers have made suggestions… soap dishes… spoon rests… ikebana vases, etc.
So once again, I’m looking for your suggestions of things that you would like to see
done in  “my style.” Let’s not get too crazy. Let’s keep it practical.
And keep in mind it will probably be stamped & textured… just a guess!

As an incentive, I’m even offering a “finder’s fee” for the first person who suggests
the new form. Deal being that if I do indeed make it and add it into the “art fair inventory”
the first person that had sent in that suggestion will get a free one! Yep… I said FREE.
Keep in mind that there’s no guarantee that I’ll make every suggestion. There are
a lot of “feasibility” issues that help determine what will be “part of the line.”

So send me your ideas, as an e-mail or blog comment. I’d love to hear your ideas.
And Sheila Z. … I got your suggestions and I’m going to try making the prototypes soon…
we’ll see what happens! Thanks.

Back in the saddle… and back to some good-ol’-fashioned stamping fun!
The mugs I started the other day are now all stamped…
now they need to “dry” to a stiffer leather-hard so I can trim them and add the handles!

I finally sat down and figured out my Retail Sales Tax.
Another annual tradition…  ouch!

Thanks to all of my customers who stopped by and bought lots of pots this year.
Thanks to everyone who didn’t complain (too much) about the extraordinary
percentage I need to add to every purchase for the Department of Revenue.

But seriously, c’mon… now “logically” I understand that all of that sales tax “money”
I get over the year is really not my money, and never was. It’s just been adding up
and “hangin’ out” in my account for awhile. But it’s still a little painful every time
I have to sit down, calculate some numbers… and then write “that” big check... ouch!

As we near the end of the year, the holidays are racing towards us.
And as always, many of you will be shopping last minute to finish off your list.
I, for one, haven’t even started my shopping yet…

So not only am I hosting a second Holiday Home Show for the last-minute shoppers…
with my friend & talented metalsmith Sarah Chapman…  so you can cross off all the
names on your list in one fell-swoop… but I’ve also got a gift for you!

If for some reason you can’t see the above coupon, it is for a free clay ornament!
Just for showing up. No purchase necessary. Limit one coupon per person.
Just my holiday gift to you.

Just print out the coupon and bring it to the Mud & Metal Holiday Home Show.
Sunday, December 20, 2009 – 10:00am-6:00pm
Contact me for address details & directions…

Mark your calendars now…
Sarah Chapman and I have decided to once again team up for a second
Holiday Home Show at my place. And to celebrate the season, thank our loyal customers
and to help those last-minute shoppers rejoice… we’re offering 20% off everything
for that one day only! Including my already reduced “Tired Of Shlepping Sale” items.
So come for the day, hang out on my sofa… make your list and check it twice…
then finish off all of your last-minute shopping in one fell swoop!

20% off on the 20th
Sunday, December 20th – 10:00am-6:00pm

For address, directions, etc… please contact me by e-mail or phone.
We hope that you’ll be able to join us for the day – and check off that shopping list!

Another wonderful show… always fun since I’m not an exhibitor!!!
It takes the pressure off… no pottery to shlep… no shelves to set up…
Instead I get to hang out and help my friend & metalsmith Sarah Chapman in her booth.
I get to chat with her customers. Sell people on her wonderful work. And enjoy the
excitement on people’s faces when they decide to buy their first piece of Chapman-wear!

The One-Of-A-Kind Show is a big deal… four days, long hours, hundreds of booths!
And luckily, thousands of shoppers! The show is held annually here in Chicago at the
Merchandise Mart. It fill the entire 8th floor with artists from all over the country.
Sarah Chapman being the best metalsmith there… at least she gets my vote!

So not only did I get to help out my friend Sarah, but I also got a chance to see some
other artist friends – and make a few new ones!

Rebecca Zemans – Another great metalsmith with a lot of great silver & stones!
She’s another Lillstreet studio artist – and she’s adorable. Always fun, always busy.
Every time I tried to stop by and chat… she was busy talking with customers!
Good for her, bad for me…  at least we’ll get to play back at the studios!

Melissa Banks – Rapt In Maille – Melissa is a rock star in the chain maille world.
I have quite a collection of her stainless steel work. She makes incredible designs
by weaving together assorted sizes & styles of simple, round jump rings.

Pflipsen Olivova Studios – We met this great couple last year… and purchased a few
of their incredible Christmas ornaments. I was excited to see that Steve & Katia
of River Falls, Wisconsin were back again. I had to add to my collection. He blows
the glass and she does the metal work. Together, they make wonderful work. And since
their ornaments are too nice to pack away after Christmas, my ever-expanding collection
has now taken up residence on the chandelier in my dining room! And a special thanks
to Sarah… for helping to “feed” my ornament addiction!!!

Kevin Lahvic – Kevin’s paintings are guaranteed to make you smile. He has a wonderful
sense of color blended with a fantastic sense of whimsy. And I LOVE whimsy!!!
Over the past two years, I have collected a few of his small “portraits” which make me
smile every morning as they’re staring back at me from the wall right next to my closet.

Marzena Gabrel – I didn’t meet Marzena “officially” until the end of the show. But once
I stopped in her booth to admire her fiber work, we quickly recognized each other from
“somewhere” on the art fair circuit. We couldn’t figure out where… but I could easily
figure out that she’s a wonderful person who makes beautiful layered & textured
fiber pieces. Great depth & color in her felted pieces.

Scot Schmidt – Scot makes sculptures in limestone resin… similar to tiles, but each one
is handcarved. My parents have seen his work at a number of art fairs, and this time finally
decided to purchase some of his work. They’ve been trying to fill a large wall space in their
living room – and Scot’s work will soon fill the bill. After my parents made their purchase on
Saturday, Scot and I had a chance to talk about them and their “shopping style” on Sunday.

Thank You to everyone who made it out this weekend to make
“My Home For The Holidays” Home Show 2009 another huge success!

It was great to see so many familiar faces all enjoying some holiday cheer.
Art fair friends & fans. Studio friends. Neighborhood friends. Work friends.
It’s always a strange mix – all of my social “worlds” colliding in one place!
But I love it – and they all came over to kickoff their holidays in style!

My place was decked out in all its festive glory… with pottery in every room!
My favorite part?… we started out the weekend with over a hundred mugs!!!
You know they’re my favorite. Favorite to make. Favorite to use.

Thank you again to everyone who stopped by. Whether for a little holiday
shopping or just to hang out for awhile with a cup of hot apple cider!
It was great to see everyone. Let the holiday shopping season begin…
and Happy Holidays to everyone.

It’s that time of the year again… time to kick-off your Holiday Shopping Season!
And there’s no better place than my own “My Home For The Holidays” Home Show.
It’s the perfect place to find a handmade gift for everyone on your list…
including yourself.

Feel bad splurging on yourself?… well here’s a coupon to take care of that.
A little something for you. Keep it for yourself. Or give it as a gift. It’s up to you.
Just think of it as my holiday gift to you!

If you can’t see the coupon on your computer… for some strange reason…
I’ll let you know that the coupon is good for one free mug with a purchase of $50 or more.
I will have a few “extra” coupons printed out and ready for those of you who can’t get it
to show up on your computer. I’m not sure why it doesn’t show up all the time?!
Limit one per customer. Only valid during the two-day Holiday Home Show