Not wanting the excitement to pass too quickly… I slowly started to open the boxes.
You’ve got to love surprise Care Packages… and the great friends who send them!!!

And it started with LOTS of styrofoam peanuts… which tumbled out everywhere!!!

And then there were more boxes “floated” inside the bigger box…

Lots of bubble wrap… lots of peanuts… lots of shrinkwrap… all incredibly well-packed…

Soon enough, some of the pottery began to reveal itself…

Last night I received two large cardboard boxes at the studio. I knew I hadn’t ordered anything lately so I was pretty intrigued. A close look at the return address, and I had a pretty good idea that a LOT of beautiful things were waiting inside…

So I got an e-mail yesterday from the folks over at Pinterest…

Hi there,
Pat yourself on the back: You got 13,356 clicks
to www.firewhenreadypottery.com from Pinterest in the past 30 days!

That sounds pretty overwhelming to me?!
And I don’t quite know what to do with that news, that number.
How do I process that information? What does it really mean?!
I’m not well-versed in the world of Pinterest, but it sounds pretty cool to me!!!

Click here for finished Fire When Ready Pottery pieces on Pinterest.
Click here for Fire When Ready Pottery TEXTURES on Pinterest.
Click here for Fire When Ready Pottery STAMPING on Pinterest.
Click here for Fire When Ready Pottery MUGS on Pinterest.
Click here for Fire When Ready Pottery TILES on Pinterest.
Click here for some of my BIKING SUNRISES on Pinterest.

And then start pinning to your heart’s content!!!

We’re nearing the end of my Facebook Challenge, so it’s back to basics. With a couple stamped vases, pitchers and a teapot. Plus, another thank you to ceramic artist Cory McCrory & metalsmith Sarah Chapman for nominating me to take the Challenge!

Continuing with my Facebook Challenge, today’s collection features a bunch of bowls. Including the last ones which were inspired by a Gail Nichols Soda-Firing Workshop… coincidentally, this photo has become the “poster-child” for Lillstreet’s annual Empty Bowls fundraiser!!!

Today I nominate Steven Hill to take on the Facebook 3 x 5 Portfolio Challenge.
I’m sure he’s been nominated several times, but as of yet I have NOT seen his posts.
C’mon Steven, step it up!!!

Like I said, I had trouble narrowing it down to “three” images a day.
And since today is Mugshot Monday, I thought I’d share some stamped mugs
as part of my Facebook Portfolio Challenge!!! Yep, slight over-achiever here…

I’ve been tapped a couple times for the ongoing Facebook Portfolio Challenge,
including my two besties… ceramic artist Cory McCrory & metalsmith Sarah Chapman.

I had trouble narrowing it down to three images as “instructed”, so I’ve bumped it up to five!
Today we’re focusing on stamped & soda-fired vases.

And as part of the game, today I’d like to nominate my studio neighbor Karen Patinkin
to take on the Facebook 3 x 5 Portfolio Challenge! Show us your stuff Karen!!!

WARNING : I will be “infecting” all of my students tomorrow night during the first night of our new pottery session. My Beginning Wheel students better be ready… I hope their immunizations are up-to-date?!

For those who can’t quite ready the small type…
WARNING!   CERAMIC FEVER.  VERY CONTAGIOUS!
Symptoms: Continual complaint as to household duties. Paints day and night instead.
Sleepless nights dreaming up ideas. Anxiety waiting for final firing.
Swell head when you receive your first ribbon.

NO KNOWN CURE

TREATMENT: medication is useless. disease is not fatal.
Victim should attend as many classes as possible.

Thanks for sharing Emily Murphy… and for spreading your own contagion “Blog-itis Maximus” to me several years ago. YOU are very contagious as well!!!

Need some visual inspiration?
Need a quick fix of pottery, textures, patterns, tiles and more?!
Or a few more stunning sunrise?!

Click here to find my Pinterest Boards.

Look what showed up in my mail today?!!! Whoo-hoo!!!

Marked my calendar already. You know where I’ll be playing & shopping come Mother’s Day Weekend. I’d love to see some of you up their filling in your own pottery collections too… as long as I get first dibs!!!

For more information, be sure to click here for their website : www.minnesotapotters.com