Looks like one on this week’s MUG-SHOP MONDAY mugs has arrived safe & sound! Just in time to brighten another Saturday of “sheltering-at-home”!!! Thanks again Julie!

Looks like my friend Marsha is kicking off her day with a beautifully healthy fruit salad… even tastier when served in one of my handmade stamped bowls.

Also… be sure to check out Marsha’s pottery on Instagram with some beautiful glazing effects!

Looks like my friend Tiffany made it outside to enjoy the beautiful sunny weather & some Spring flowers… well, she was still safely “sheltering-at-home” as brought her own flowers out to her front porch. A safe hangout spot with good distance from anyone… and a nice BYOV.

BYOV : Bring Your Own Vase…
which just so happens to have been made by you-know-who!!!

So it was a tough day down in Peoria for some good friends of mine when the gusty winds blew through last Sunday! They have an amazing terraced backyard garden with large trees, tons of hostas & flowers, and a LOT of rustic decorative accents all over the place… even a ceramic totem pole made by “you-know-who”!

Well… after the gusty winds…
they now have a few less trees and one less totem pole!!!

Yes, the storm took out one of their largest trees, which in turn took out portions of other trees… and totally smashed my TOTEM POLE!!!

But like I tell my students… “It’s just clay!”

I was just happy that the tree fell where it did… damaging the trees & totem… and NOT my friends or their house! Could have been so much worse… luckily, they had a beautiful green bowl of chocolate to help with the aftermath… also made by “you-know-who”!

With everyone staying home, hunkering down, baking bread, and cooking more food in their own kitchens… it’s fun to see my pottery making a difference! Even in the smallest way… like this little spoon rest helping Deborah keep her curry sauce from smearing all over the countertop!!! Ha!!!

Looks like my friend Pam made herself a healthy & yummy dinner last night while self-isolating… and I’m sure that eating it out of one of my bowls only made better!!!

If any of you have been enjoying my pottery in your new “quarantined life”… I would love to see a photo! Please send a few pics to my email – gary@firewhenreadypottery.com. Thanks, be safe, be healthy!

After Steve Lee, we were also treated to my pal Mike Stumbras on INSTAGRAM LIVE! Mikey took us on a wonderful “tour” of his ceramic journey through education, history, dead things and so much more! His work is amazing… so if you’re not following him on Instagram yet, you definitely should be!

This afternoon on INSTAGRAM LIVE, I got to watch one of my former teachers Steve Lee working in his studio at The Archie Bray in Montana. He did a few demos of how he trims pieces on a chuck, carves his designs and inlays his colored slips. We also got a sneak peek of their soda kiln being loaded.

This social distancing is new for all of us, but in some weird way we’re getting to “see more” of everyone on social media. Weird, right?!

If you follow Archie Bray on INSTAGRAM, it sounds like they’re going to try doing these LIVE events every Friday afternoon during the pandemic. Check it out for a little more ceramic inspiration… and great diversion from all of that self-isolating going on!!!

So I just got a wonderful phone call from an old high school friend that I haven’t talked too for years! Funny how a crisis like this can affect people in different ways… and can inspire people to get in touch with others! She said she’s been thinking about me a lot lately… so she called! We talked for well over an hour, got all caught up on life & family… and it felt as though no time has passed at all. Amazing how good friendships can do that. All caught up. Made me smile. Felt the love. Thanks Anna for making my day! You’re an amazing friend!

So here’s my challenge for all of you sequestered out there…
CALL AN OLD FRIEND TODAY!

Even if it’s been years… her phone call made MY day,
so now you should go out and make someone else’s day.
Pay it forward… or in this case, CALL IT FORWARD.

If you’re looking for a little clay inspiration tomorrow while you’re still social distancing… I think you might want to watch these two Instagram Live videos. The first one will be at 2:00pm CST with my former teacher Steven Lee who is now the head-honcho at The Archie Bray!

The second one will be my pal Mikey Stumbras starting at 4:00pm CST. I know we’re all looking for good things to fill our days & spark our creative spirits. Here are two good ones! I know I’ll be watching both of them too!