A very Merry Christmas to all of my loyal friends & customers who stopped by
my “Home For The Holiday” Home Shows this season. It was wonderful
to see all of you at my place enjoying some holiday cheer!

Especially those of you who came to the “Mud & Metal Show” on the 20th…
the second of the Home Shows, and scored a wonderful 20% off everything!
It was a one-time-only event to celebrate the season and offer a little shopping
relief during these tough times! Don’t expect it to happen again… it was a
special treat just for this 2009 holiday season! Metalsmith Sarah Chapman and
I thank all of you for stopping by… we hope your purchases make wonderful
gifts for your family & friends… plus the ones you’ve saved for yourself.

Hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season!
Merry Christmas to you all.

After a very busy weekend at my Holiday Home Show…
the last thing on my mind was to go to the Opera?!
But when I was offered free box seats this afternoon for the show this evening…
I was in.

So it was my first time at the Opera. I had just been there for a pre-site visit
for a “glitter gig” proposal, but never to see the show. The place is beautiful… and the
Opera was very fun. It was “Ernani” by Verde. Yep… me too… never heard of it either!
But with the offer of free seats… that didn’t matter. I’ll always take free tickets!!!

Thank You to everyone who made it out this weekend to make
“My Home For The Holidays” Home Show 2009 another huge success!

It was great to see so many familiar faces all enjoying some holiday cheer.
Art fair friends & fans. Studio friends. Neighborhood friends. Work friends.
It’s always a strange mix – all of my social “worlds” colliding in one place!
But I love it – and they all came over to kickoff their holidays in style!

My place was decked out in all its festive glory… with pottery in every room!
My favorite part?… we started out the weekend with over a hundred mugs!!!
You know they’re my favorite. Favorite to make. Favorite to use.

Thank you again to everyone who stopped by. Whether for a little holiday
shopping or just to hang out for awhile with a cup of hot apple cider!
It was great to see everyone. Let the holiday shopping season begin…
and Happy Holidays to everyone.

It’s that time of the year again… time to kick-off your Holiday Shopping Season!
And there’s no better place than my own “My Home For The Holidays” Home Show.
It’s the perfect place to find a handmade gift for everyone on your list…
including yourself.

Feel bad splurging on yourself?… well here’s a coupon to take care of that.
A little something for you. Keep it for yourself. Or give it as a gift. It’s up to you.
Just think of it as my holiday gift to you!

If you can’t see the coupon on your computer… for some strange reason…
I’ll let you know that the coupon is good for one free mug with a purchase of $50 or more.
I will have a few “extra” coupons printed out and ready for those of you who can’t get it
to show up on your computer. I’m not sure why it doesn’t show up all the time?!
Limit one per customer. Only valid during the two-day Holiday Home Show

Yes, it’s true… today there were elephants on the streets of Chicago!
Strolling down the street, one long line, tail to trunk, tail to trunk…
Walking from the train that brought them right down the street to The United Center.
Seriously… the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus has come to town.
And every year they walk the elephants down the street… today was the day!!!

It’s hard to believe that it’s time for the holiday season to begin…
but it is – and we’re kicking it off next weekend with my annual Holiday Home Show.

With pottery in every room, this is the largest selection of pottery you’ll see all year
from Fire When Ready Pottery. A whole lot more than the standard 10’x10′ art fair booth!
Bowls, mugs, vases, oil lamps, salt & pepper shakers, ceramic masks, soap dispensers,
tumblers, ikebana vases and so much more! The list goes on & on…
From large tiled wall pieces to small star ornaments & ceramic bead earrings.
There’s something for everyone on your Christmas shopping list.
Plenty of stamped textures for everyone!!!

Including the annual “Tired Of Shlepping Sale” on the back porch…
full of marked-down prices on lots of pots! Samples, class demos, “seconds” and some pots
that I’m just tired of shlepping from art fair to art fair… and now, up three flights of stairs!

Saturday, November 21st – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, November 22nd – 10:00am-6:00pm

Stop by with your holiday shopping list – or just come by to hang out on my sofa.
Either way, we’d love to see you next weekend to kick-off the holiday season!
Perfect gift ideas for everyone on your list… including something for yourself!
Make plans to stop by next weekend… and bring your friends!

If you’re in the Chicago area and would like to come by, please e-mail me
for specific details, address and directions!

gary@firewhenreadypottery.com

One month.
That’s it… shocking, I know. It kind of caught me a bit off guard too.

One month.
That’s how long we have until the annual
“My Home For The Holidays Home Show.”
Mark your calendars… I know I have… and production will soon be in full swing!

Saturday, November 21st – 10:00am-6:00pm
Sunday, November 22nd – 10:00am-6:00pm

Tonight was my first time enjoying a performance by Redmoon Theater.
They’re a local Chicago theater group known for their eclectic performances.
I’ve seen snippets of their work at other events, but this was my first time
going to a full production. And this one was right along the lakeshore at
Belmont Harbor!!! Yep, outside! Redmoon is known for putting together
their acts and performing their brand of theater in unusual places.

They are well known for their unusual style – full of music, dance, props, puppets, masks,
and wonderful contraptions that become integral to the show. It was an unusual, but
incredible night of theater under the Redmoon!

Last night was an “awesome” evening… especially if you’re six years old!
I went to see one of the final performance’s of this summer’s Cirque Shanghai
on Navy Pier. And with a generous friend like Kim, I was able to treat my friends
Kel & Kelly and their large clan of kids to a night under the Big Top. When
your friends and their kids make up a group of thirteen… they don’t get many
chances to see great events like this!

All in all it was pretty great… not only did we see an fantastic show… and we got
to spend the night with friends… AND we got to eat Garrett’s Popcorn (new on Navy Pier)…
but I also got the pleasure of sitting next to Anderson. He’s a very energetic
six year old – who sat on the edge of his seat through the entire show screaming
“Awesome” every time something cool would happen. Which to a giddy 6 year old,
was practically every 30 seconds!

He was so excited that he even passed on the Garrett’s Popcorn….
“Chicago Mix” : cheese popcorn & caramel popcorn combined! And for those of you
who know the addictive nature of Garrett’s Popcorn, you’ll understand
just what he was passing on!!!   MY fingers are still stained orange from the cheese!!!

So the show must have been pretty darn good! And what a great experience
for the kids. We had great seats (thanks to my friend Kim), the kids got complimentary
souvenirs (again, thanks again to my friend Kim), plus they had a chance to meet
the performers and get autographs after the show! And oh, but wait there’s more…
choreographed fireworks at the end of Navy Pier to cap off the evening!
A big night for the kids from Chenoa!!! According to Andy, it was “AWESOME !!!”

It was no Cirque du Soleil, but still…

ps… keep in mind there’s a decimal and a zero at the end. 2,000 miles, not 20,000!!!
not yet anyway…