What a fun trading game we had last week in my Tuesday night class… category theme of flowerpots with a plant in it! My students rocked it out… and brought their A-game to the trade. I was lucky enough to come home with a cute yellow orchid in a beautiful rutile blue pot!

A beautiful bi-colored iris bloom from my garden enjoying some time in a handmade ikebana vase! Homegrown & handmade… the perfect combo!

A bright pop of color to brighten a gray & dreary morning! =/
Love the “unfurling” of small petals in the center!

Big THANKS to everyone who came out to the HINSDALE FINE ARTS FESTIVAL this weekend. It was great to see everyone again, sell some pottery & hangout in the park in what turned out to be beautiful weather. Plus, now I have another bunch of flowers leftover from my booth display…. now gracing my back porch in a stamped soda-fired vase!

If only they would still be fresh next weekend for THE NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR… but I kinda doubt it…

Another beautiful orchid starting to re-bloom in my dining room…
and the smallest & cutest orchid in my collection!

I love it every late Spring when these crazy cool flowering trees work their magic along the lakefront bike trail. Red horse chestnut trees with incredible spikes of clustered flowers on large textured leaves.

When an iris bloom breaks off the stem, don’t fret… just put it in a small water-filled sipper for a quick centerpiece that brings the iris beauty inside! Thanks for the idea Rosene!!!

Huge thanks to everyone who came out to the SCHAUMBURG PRAIRIE ARTS FESTIVAL this weekend. It was so great to finally see everyone’s smiling face again… we had fantastic weather both days too! I now have the fresh flowers from my booth in a stamped & soda-fire vase on my back porch. If you missed out this weekend, you can come next weekend to the HINSDALE FINE ARTS FAIR on June 4th & 5th.

Sweet little flowers need sweet little vases! Lily-of-the-Valley season is upon us… with a beautiful fragrance… and plenty of mini vases coming to the SCHAUMBURG PRAIRIE ARTS FESTIVAL this weekend!!! Just in time to show-off your mini blooms in a cutie-patootie vase!