Here’s the first sneak peek… this year’s NEW Christmas Mugs with stamped holiday lights. And a few more mugs with Christmas Trees in case you didn’t get one last year! Although this time there are some stars on top too! All coming to this weekend’s HOLIDAY HOME SHOW… limited quantities, so come early!!!

So apparently this is “a thing” now??? After last night’s post about the bathroom remodel based on one of my wall pocket vases… this morning I got another one!!! Longtime friend & follower Jean sent me photos of HER bathroom… also centered around a few of my tiled pieces, a round disc & a couple all pocket vases! Pretty cool huh?! Any other interior designers needing some inspiration?… c’mon over!!!

This is a text message from my friend Mary Foster…

“Hi Gary, hope you’re doing well! I was at a neighborhood gathering this afternoon and a woman told me she had just redone her bathroom. She designed it around a wall pocket vase she bought from you at ART IN THE GARDEN a couple of years ago. I thought you might enjoy seeing the pics!”

And Mary was right… I LOVED seeing the pics.
The bathroom is gorgeous… and I’m oddly “honored” that it all started with
just one of my little ol’ wall pocket vases!

Looks like Matthew is supporting his favorite team… and going GREEN ON GREEN!!!
Healthy greens in a stamped & soda-fired bowl.

Thank You… Thank You… THANK YOU!!!

I couldn’t be more thankful to all of the people that made my Alaska Adventure possible up in Fairbanks earlier this summer. I had the best time experiencing Alaska… and getting there to teach a two-day workshop for the Fairbanks Potters Guild was a “great excuse” to go to Alaska. So huge, HUGE THANKS… and a couple Thank You gifts that followed…

To Theresa who scheduled, organized, facilitated, chauffeured & tour guided my whole experience. She literally took a week off work to take me all around Alaska to see the sights on her own time. Amazing. So I hope she enjoys adding a teapot to her collection!

To Tammy & Matt who hosted the workshop at her Raven City Studios, provided a LOT of clay, plenty of tools, hosted dinners & even took me hiking!

And to Ida… my favorite! I told her while I was here that I believe every studio should have their own Ida. She obviously has more ceramics knowledge than any of us. She was a steady “support” for me with her knowing glances, her nods of approval, her offering assistance & overall making me feel like I was doing a good job throughout my workshop experience. I’m guessing she’s the matriarch of the group… an probably doesn’t always get the accolades as she should. So there… YOU’RE THE BEST IDA!!!

Some pretty red anemone flowers with seeded eucalyptus in a small textured & soda-fired square vase. Loving the scroll pattern & the crazy-cool details in the flower’s center!

We had a beautiful Fall weekend a couple days ago. Perfect for a roadtrip weekend down to Peoria to visit with friends. Oh yeah… and to re-visit the stamped & soda-fired totem pole in their front yard!! Look familiar???

So I did a little roadtrip up to Appleton, Wisconsin yesterday to drop-off some hybrid mugs with the fine folks at MKM Pottery Tools. It was great to finally meet Rick, as well as his support staff with Angie, Rachel, Seth & Christopher… as we’ve only known each other “virtually” online. It was great to finally hang-out, get to know each other for real & deliver some of my soda-fired hybrid mugs to them. It was kind of a cool “full-circle moment” as I use the MKM handrollers to create my hybrid mugs. And Appleton is apparently where all the magic comes from!!!

Celebrating another Floral Friday with some blue hydrangea in a round spherical vase…
stamped & soda-fired with a blush of a teal blue glaze!

Celebrating another Floral Friday with some blue hydrangea in a round spherical vase… stamped & soda-fired with a blush of a teal blue glaze!