Okay, so there’s been some talk about Ghouls of late.
Yes, I’ve been in the studio making this year’s addition to the holiday collection.
Said “Ghoul” is currently in the kiln trying to be fired for the second time. The “plan” is to debut the new Ghoul here once I know that the kiln actually worked. Here are the characters currently in the “Ghouls Collection” from previous years. There is a VERY limited quantity of some of these left before the get “retired.”

If my kiln ever gets fired, the newest addition will debut at “Art In The Barn”
and be first come, first served. No dibs. No saves.

“Can we talk?”…

Another comedian gone too soon.
Another sad day with the passing of comedy legend Joan Rivers.

She was one of my favorite comedians. Always telling it like it is.
I’m pretty sure I wore out my cassette tape of “What Becomes A Semi-Legend Most.”

From her early days of stand-up, to hosting “The Tonight Show”, to one of my favorite guilty-pleasures “Fashion Police.” With a sharp tongue, a quick wit and an infectious laugh, she could always make me smile. Whether making fun of a celebrity, politicians or herself, Joan could always make it real – and would always say what your were already thinking!!!

•  “I wish I had a twin, so I could know what I’d look like without plastic surgery.”

•  “I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later, you have to start all over again.”

• “I was born in 1962 … and the room next to me was 1963.”

•  “I have no sex appeal. If my husband didn’t toss and turn, we’d never have had the kid.”

•  “I’ve had so much plastic surgery, when I die, they will donate my body to Tupperware.”

•  “A study says owning a dog makes you 10 years younger. My first thought was to rescue two more, but I don’t want to go through menopause again.”

•  “Half of all marriages end in divorce – and then there are the really unhappy ones.”

•  “My breasts are so low, now I can have a mammogram and a pedicure at the same time.”

•  “Don’t tell your kids you had an easy birth or they won’t respect you. For years I used to wake up my daughter and say, ‘Melissa, you ripped me to shreds. Now go back to sleep.”

•  “I was dating a transvestite, and my mother said, “Marry him, you’ll double your wardrobe.'”

•  “At my funeral, I want Meryl Streep crying in five different accents.”

We will miss her dearly…
and no matter what people say, she looked pretty darn good for eighty-one!!!
She should. She paid enough for it.

For those who need a little more Joan…
check out the documentary about her life & comedy “Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work.”
It’s a wonderful look into her world, her dedication to her craft and so much more.

Okay, so I couldn’t wait any more…
I was trying to get all of “my” work done before I opened up the bin of Cory’s collaboration pieces that she gave me last night. But temptation got the best of me… and YOU get another sneak peek too…

That’s my Cory… she’s a “sly” one…

And another hint into what she’s been working on for “Art In The Garden.” Mark your calendars for the last weekend of August to stop by in Glenview to see our Limited Edition collaboration come together!!!

Cory has been cranking ’em out…

And showing off more & more… little teasers pecking & poking out all over Facebook!!!
Guess I need to start getting my act together if I’m going to be ready to put it all together for “Art In The Garden.” Remember, it’s the last weekend of August… which is coming a lot faster than I would like!!!

Last night in class, one of the students brought in some Bulgarian pottery that demonstrated their traditional slip decorating style. We had discussed this traditional Bulgarian technique of slip decorating in class. I saw a YouTube video and decided I would try it for my class. If I’m going to mess up, why not do it in front of my students for a good laugh?! So we discussed it, did the demo and I posted it on my blog and Facebook page. Marina had seen the posts, and since she’s Bulgarian.. who better to bring in some actual pieces from Bulgaria???

Click here to see my original posting about this process…
including the original video that inspired my class demo on slip “dripping” decoration!

So here are a few colorful examples of the Bulgarian style of slip decoration. It’s a pretty amazing technique of dripping, banding, squirting and dragging through layers of colorful slips. These examples were gorgeous… and more colorful than I expected?!

Look close. It’s all done with colored slip. Drips. Bands. More drips. And dragging through…

Click here to see the original blog post about the video I saw online that started this whole thing. And special thanks for Marina for bringing in these beautiful samples. So fun to see this Bulgarian pottery story come full circle. Video. Demo. Gorgeous.

My friend & wonderful artist Cory McCrory has started to share a few sneak peeks into our collaboration project… she’s such a TEASE.

You know I loves me some roadkill… and this one made me laugh after the concerts!!!

Today was the Arlington 500 bike ride. Seventy miles through rural roads northwest of Chicago. Right around Mile 62, we pedaled past these signs… they made me look twice… and stop for a quick photo op…

Good to know the deer are having fun as they cross the street!!!
And I had fun laughing on the side of the road.