My uber-talented metalsmith friend Amy Taylor is here again today… also replenishing & restocking … but might have a little “untangling work” to do before she’s all set-up. Ahh… the life of a traveling metalsmith!

Spent the day today hanging out with my uber-talented metalsmith friend Sarah Chapman at the ONE OF A KIND SHOW today. She makes such beautiful jewelry with amazing designs, textures, stones & craftsmanship. If you have a chance tomorrow, be sure to swing by the Merchandise Mart to say hello! I’ll be down there helping Sarah again tomorrow in Booth #2118.

Such a wonderful surprise today when an old high school friend surprised me at my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! She traveled from St. Louis with her husband to say hello, buy some pottery… and to give me this amazing handmade crocheted throw blanket. Beautifully crafted… and in all the right colors! Such a wonderful surprise visit & beautiful keepsake from my longtime friend Anna! We’ve shared some tough times recently over the phone… so the in-person hugs were best!

Looks like a little brothy soup is warming up my friends up in Stevens Point, Wisconsin as they were getting snow this morning! Thanks for sharing your yummy lunch with us in one of my bowls Kristy!!!

So my friend Pam has a “slightly unhealthy obsession” with Chapstick… and you already know of my “ever-so-slight-addiction”… so imagine my laughter & surprise when our mutual friend Judy gave this to me last night!!! Like an unhealthy love-child of Pam & mine!!! HA!!!

Well, my “Birthday Week” started with a Marathon… and ended with this yummy monstrosity!!! Yummy ice cream & hot fudge at Carl’s Ice Cream with friends!!! It’s been a great week!!!

My friends Keith & Julie recently moved for central Illinois to Ohio… and it looks like they finally got around to unboxing some of their pottery collection! What better way to “feel at home” than with a freshly-baked pineapple upside-down cake, fresh-cut roses from the garden & the warmth of a candle… and some of my stamped pottery to pull it all together!

Looks like Rhonda’s little puppy is going to be enjoying his food & water more than normal these days… with a set of custom dog food bowls. He’s got four of them… some even if two are in the dishwasher, he can still eat & drink in style!

We had such a great time at ART IN THE GARDEN a couple weeks ago… and it looks like some of my biggest “fans” did too!!! HA!!! Allison has quite a collection of my work… so fun to have such loyal friends & customers! She’s always so supportive of her artist friends.

And this weekend is a perfect chance for me to meet more “friends” at ART IN THE BARN!!! C’mon by!

The real THANKS needs to go to metalsmith Amy Taylor & husband Tom who hosted ART IN THE GARDEN this past weekend. All the while knowing that we might mess up their yard… and the Sunday storms really didn’t help any.They were gracious enough to let us leave our wet tents & shelves in their yard to dry out before packing up. So nice… and when I got there last night to pack my tent, I noticed that Tom had already re-seeded my worn spot in their beautiful yard!!! Again, so nice of them to let us use their garden every year… and special “thanks” to all of my customers who helped wear down this bare spot! Ha!!!