My friend Donna Sauers posted a very thoughtful post on her Facebook page yesterday about how important art friends are during these trying times. And I have to agree. Being sheltered-in-place alone at home can be very quiet & lonely… but it’s great to be surrounded by a lot of artwork made by your Talented Friends! And we’re all looking forward to the day art fairs may start again, so we can get out to show-off our wares, and finally play with our Talented Friends again face-to-face!

I’ve collected a lot of art… and well as “collected” a lot of Talented Friends over the past few years. It is so great to have talented friends to play with, chat with, collaborate with and to help support & promote each other! So here’s Donna’s original post sharing some of her “collection”… including art by me & my Talented Friend Cory McCrory! Cory makes amazingly whimsical paper clay pieces, and Donna makes beautiful glass beads, jewelry and some new welded-metal-mixed media pieces!!! Check them both out on Facebook… while you’re still sitting on the sofa waiting for that commercial to end!

Looks like my friend & master gardener Rosene has accepted my coleus challenge. Every year she propagates hundreds of coleus starts and shares them with everyone. But now that she’s quarantines with all these coleus plants, I though she could use a new challenge… of growing a COLEUS TOPIARY!!! And it looks like she’s well on her way! With a beautiful tiled ClayQuilt in the back ground… which kinda looks familiar!!!

And here’s the picture of the challenge inspiration I saw on Instagram… looks like she’s got a ways to go!!!

While everyone is still sheltered-in-place, it’s good to see my friends are keeping up with their Disney Trivia… all the while “fireplace surround-ed” by some handmade, stamped, textured & soda-fired tiles! A little Throwback Thursday to a project I installed a few years ago out in the suburbs!

Looks like Spring has sprung in Minneapolis too!
Thanks to Sarah for sharing her spring tulips in one of my older “vintage” soda-fired vases!

Yesterday was another great Instagram Live with Steve Lee from the Archie Bray! He’s doing weekly “shows” every Friday… this time from his own shelter-in-place studio in his basement. It was great to see him doing some throwing demos again, this time on the treadle wheel he built for himself back in college! Crazy, right?! Be sure to tune in next week on the Archie Bray Instagram Feed for more with Steve Lee!

Little Teagan might be a bit under the weather today, but it look she’s more than ready for breakfast in her fancy new ceramic bowls!!! Teagan’s Mom is one of my IRONMAN biking buddies… so breakfast just might be pie ala mode!!!

Looks like my friend Tracy found the perfect mug to warm up her morning Stroopwafel. Not a hundred percent sure what that is… but it looks pretty yummy. Kinda flat for a waffle?… and missing the syrup!!! But I might need to try these out when we’re released from captivity!

Even though it wasn’t Wheaties… it still looks like it was a Breakfast Of Champions down in Peoria for my friends Gerry & Rosene! Enjoying their morning routine before heading out to work in their amazing garden! Trying to keep a little bit of “normal” in their everyday lives!

Imagine my surprise & quiet giggle when I found a box waiting for me outside my door tonight when I got home from the studio. After feeling so “isolated” lately, it was WONDERFUL to find a care package waiting at home for me! And what better surprise than a hunk of homemade chocolate fudge & some “turtles”… better known as Frogs down in Central Illinois.

What a great gift from my college friends Keith & Julie… from a cute little candy shop that Keith has recently opened in Eureka, Illinois to bring a sense of nostalgia, a sweet diversion & a great place for some special needs employees to work their magic! Unfortunately, shortly after they had their Grand Opening they also had to shut-down for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Be sure to check out MAURIES CANDIES if you’re ever driving through Central Illinois… whenever we can actually get outside to go anywhere?!!!

You can follow them on Facebook by clicking here…
or click on this link for some more background on Mauries, my friend Keith McArdle, and the service they’re providing to the community!

Just gearing up for “Pizza Night” with some friends!!! Sure, it’s on ZOOM… not quite the same… but I’ll take an evening with friends any time anywhere… and pizza too!!!

Not quite the same ambience as in the restaurant… when your laptop has now become your table companion?!