One of my customers “found” Santa in his house and decided to send my a quick picture of him. A festive red hat with some white fur lining can make one of my ceramic masks look jollier than ever! Thank you George for sharing your holiday spirit with me!

This is kind of amazing…
in an oddly simple, old-school, and yet I’m sure not-so-easy-to-do kind of way!
Pretty impressive. Makes me want to start “spinning” more bowls to see what shows up!!!
Click here for the video!

For several years it was so hard to find a good apron to keep the clay off my clothes while I was throwing. So my Mom and I sat down and designed a new apron that would do what I wanted it to do. First off, the lower section splits into two panels to cover each leg as you sit down at the wheel. There are patch pockets on the back of each hip to keep your phone safe & clean. The straps actually go over the shoulders, instead of around the neck, to avoid neck strain & fatigue. There are three different buttoned height adjustments, as well as three buttoned width adjustments. So the aprons are “one size fits all”… for the most part. My Mom started making them for me, and then we sold a few to my friends. Over the years, she has made quite a small little “business” for herself making these pottery aprons!

Here is my friend & potter Greg Schultz throwing a large pot on the wheel…
and keeping his clothing clean all at the same time!

So there are a few currently in the apron inventory. I have them for sale in my studio at Lillstreet, and they will be making an appearance at my Holiday Home Show next weekend.

APRON A – From the “Eclectic Collection”, a patchwork mix of earthtone patterns & textures.

APRON B – From the “Eclectic Collection”, a striped patchwork with assorted pattern accents.

APRON C – Navy blue with a small pattern of green, red & light blue across the apron.

APRON D – A blue “denim” background with some printed patterns in yellows, reds & greens.

APRON E – A cool mint green apron with whimsical butterflies flying across the apron.

APRON F – A clean, geometric stripe with red, oranges & yellows.
SOLD : to one of my former students & now Lillstreet Monitor Chuck!

APRON G – A mind-bending pattern of black & white.

APRON H – A retro-vibe with a musical flair!

APRON I – I’m seeing spots before my eyes… bright pops of color on a blue background.
SOLD : to my friend & potter Emily Murphy up in Minneapolis!

Last night I was one of the Judges for the Costume Contest at Navy Pier.
The annual event draws quite a crowd of people vying for the big prizes. During the day they had the kid’s Costume Contest… but I was busy making my own little Minion’s costume. So I could only be there to judge the adult costumes. The Family Pavilion at Navy Pier was packed with people, costumes & excitement.

The fun started right off the bat with Heinrich the emcee for the night! Apparently, he’s also part of the Navy Pier Crew. But he got the party started with his outlandish get-up!

There were so many fun costumes, and some not so great. And it was my job, along with two other Judges, to decide which one would be the top three costumes! Of course I was looking for creativity & sense of humor. And a commitment to a complete look from top to bottom. Plus, my personal preference is for someone who actually makes their own costume instead of just buying one from a store! So here’s a few contenders…

BABY ON BOARD…

THE ADULT VENDING MACHINE…

THE GRIM REAPER…

FOURSOME??? – Unfortunately for them, I didn’t quite get the connection… or theme?…

Third Place – THE INVISIBLE MAN

Second Place – GRETA GREMLIN from the movie “Gremlins 2”

He put in a huge amount of work on this! From the huge false eyelashes to the glittering red lips. The bedazzled stiletto heels. Not to mention the incredible handpainted body makeup from head to toe! Amazing.

And for those of you who never saw “Gremlins 2″… here’s movie Greta’s headshot…

Everyone wanted to get into the act… including one of Navy Pier’s head honchos Jen!

First Place – and the winner of round-trip airplane tickets… THE GARGOYLE.

All three of us Judges appreciated that the entire piece was handmade. That she had used so many different pieces & parts, so many textures, so many details. Not only the Gargoyle with extending wings, the claws, the teeth, the parapet of “stone.” Everything was created just for this. No store purchase mask here. We loved it. And so did the crowd watching.

And here’s my favorite part… that she had worked so hard on all of the details…
but left one small part “undecorated.” Too funny… and obviously homemade!!!

So here they are all together, the three top winners! Celebrating their Halloween victories!!!

And at the end of the night, I decided to celebrate my own little “victory” with a stop at one of my very favorite spots at Navy Pier. A little congratulatory snack for a busy day of Halloween fun!

Yesterday I got together with my niece Taylor to make her Halloween costume. She decided a few months back that she wanted to be a Minion from “Despicable Me.” Now I know that “Despicable Me 2” was all the rage with the pre-teen crowd this past summer. But I must admit that I missed that one. So I had to do a little research to make sure we got all of the details correct. So for the rest of you who also missed The Minions… here they are…

With so many Minions, so little time… we had to decide which Minion she wanted to be.
Of course, it was every kid’s favorite… the one-eyed one of course!!!

So I went out to my sister’s house early yesterday for a yummy “planning” breakfast, followed by shopping for costume parts & pieces. After gathering all of our supplies, it was back to their house to build a Minion. But when we got back to their house, I was greeted by a small family surprise birthday party!!! Yes, apparently my “Birthday Month” continues with more fun & parties!!!!

After we chatted, opened presents and ate party foods, it was back to my Minion!!! Some foam sheeting, some styrofoam balls & wreaths and a bunch of yellow fabric! And we’re off... into Minion Madness!!!

And my very-trusting niece Taylor was inside as I cut the mouth open… right where her face was. And yes, we were EXTRA careful. Grandma, of course, was sitting there cringing with every poke & snip!

With some pipe cleaners for hair, we were getting close to completion…

A few final touches… like getting the overalls to stay in place on her lack-of-shoulders!

And here it is… the final Minion!!!

So we had Taylor put on her overalls, shoes, yellow shirt, gloves and the Minion!
Then it outside for a quick photo shoot. She loved it – and I was surprised how tall it made her look! She’s normally shorter than the fireplace!

If you look closely, you can even see Taylor’s little nose poking out of the mouth.

Mission accomplished. Minion accomplished.
And here’s Taylor de-Minioned… but still excited & ready to wear her costume on Halloween!

For breakfast, Pam and I went out and asked the Concierge to recommend a breakfast restaurant. He suggested a place down the street called “Hell’s Kitchen”… no relation to Gordon Ramsay. The food was incredible… but I especially like the chandelier hanging over the stairs made with knives & meat cleavers!!!

Next stop on our Minneapolis tour was a quick trip to Sarah Chapman’s new studio.
After moving north, she had to find a new studio location. She first landed in a small space above a groovy little diner. But then this new space opened up in the Casket Arts Building. It’s a beautiful space in a beautiful location. Apparently, it’s an old casket making factory that has now been turned into an arts building full of artists of all sorts.

Inside we found Sarah’s new studio space. A very quaint, and not surprisingly well organized space. Love the hardwood floors, the exposed brick walls and her assortment of really cool tools. Her inspiration board above her work bench. The antique wooden tool box overflowing with tools.

An assortment of lovelies in process on her work table. Some pieces she’s working on… and some pieces that are “ideas in progress” or wacky inspiration! Baubles. Beads. Earrings. Pendants. Tubes. Seashells. As well as some wonderful porcelain twigs by Roberta Polfus!

And every metalsmith needs a mascot, right?!

Meanwhile, just outside of Sarah Chapman’s space is the home of Quench Jewelry Arts.
A fully functioning metalsmith studio run by owner Sarah Michaela Sitarz. Quench offers classes, workshops, parties, corporate events, studio time and work bench rentals.

One of the coolest parts is the old vault door that’s still in place.
So cool that they’ve left it there… and even cooler that it has the original lock and more!

For more information, you can find Links to both metalsmith Sarah Chapman
& Quench Jewelry Arts in the column to the right on this blog. Yeah… over there —}
Or you can just click here for Sarah Chapman.… and click here for Quench Jewelry Arts.
In addition to running Quench, click here for jewelry by Sarah Sitarz.

While driving around Minneapolis, I saw a wonderful billboard…
and a smaller version on the back of a bus. Seems I have all the answers?!!!

There’s a great new photography exhibit going on downtown these days.
Located on the plaza of North Riverside… just west of the Lyric Opera House.
“Butterflies & Buffalo: Tales of American Culture”

The first thing that strikes you is the HUGE camera sitting there on the plaza. Turns out, it is indeed the largest camera ever! So big that it actually rolls into & travels in a full semi-truck! Created by photographer Dennis Manarchy to capture cultures all across the country. This traveling photo exhibit is actually a truly functioning camera, using 4.5′ x 6′ film, which will be crossing the country to capture images & cultures from a truly personal vantage point. Up close & personal. Oversized prints from oversized negatives to capture every detail of every culture. The photography project is being timed to coordinate with the 200th anniversary of the invention of the camera. At the end of the traveling tour, the camera & images will be donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 2014.

From the website of Dennis Manarchy:
Unknown legacies lie among us.  Rich cultural heritage and folklore quietly resonate within our landscapes. The United States is the most ethnically diverse nation in the world, yet we have struggled to find commonality in our differences, and in our rapid daily quest to achieve the ‘American Dream’, we have lost touch with our roots. Now is a pivotal time.

Symbolic of our fragile surviving cultures and the enduring strength of the American spirit, “Butterflies & Buffalo” will forever preserve our nation’s dynamic cultural history through the largest film camera in the world and a 20,000-mile nationwide documentary journey. The magnificence of over 50 cultures will be captured and shared with the public to commemorate extraordinary people from all walks of life. Join us on this amazing journey. 

Click here to see more about this incredible photography project.

Have you EVER seen a larger camera lens?!

Here’s the centerpiece of the exhibit. A large portrait emblazoned on the side of the wall overlooking the plaza, the Chicago River and the back side of the Chicago Lyric Opera House.

More of the photos by Dennis Manarchy posted on the side of the building…

Here are a few of the stunning examples that are traveling along with the camera. Huge enlargements with incredible details. Each photo capturing the true personality & essence of the subject.

And my personal favorite… don’t you just want to be her friend?! She’s gotta be fun!!!

Don’t forget to click here for a video about this fantastic photography project!!!

I ran across this really great animated short on the Internet this evening.
It’s got some great animation. It’s got an incredible cover versions of one of my favorite songs.
Great story… and when it all comes together, a great message from one of my favorite places!

Click here to see the video… “The Scarecrow.”

According to Gawker.com… It’s being called “the most beautiful, haunting infomercial you’ll ever see.” And with Oscar-ready animation from the acclaimed visual effects wizards at MOONBOT Studios set over a score of Fiona Apple covering “Pure Imagination” from the 1971 cult children’s film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, is it any wonder that Chipotle’s “stealth” promo for a free iOS game is already on a fast-track to become one of this year’s most successful marketing campaigns — all without barely mentioning the word “Chipotle.”

Click here for the full video…
well, informercial… err, App endorsement… oh, commercial?!