Last night in my SURFACE DECORATION class, we tackled textures & patterns created by “bulging” out the side walls of a straight-sided cylinder. To make it even more fun, we also played with colored slips, texture tools & sodium silicate for that fun crackled effect. Always fun to see my students trying the “tricks” after my demo!

Not a lot of clouds, not a lot of excitement. Just another quiet morning riding along the lakefront enjoying the morning sun… and the early Spring warmth of the morning. So nice not to have to pile on the layers any more?! Hoping we’re done with that… but it’s Chicago!!! It could always snow tomorrow?! HA!!!

When your friend Tiffany celebrates her birthday with FREE ice cream at Jeni’s… it would just be “rude” if I didn’t go with for the birthday festivities & yummy ice cream! And I wouldn’t want to be “rude”… right?!

Morning light on fresh clematis sprouts in the back courtyard. Spring has sprung!

And now for the ever-popular… but never acknowledged “ugly” side of soda-firing. All of the parts that most people don’t ever realize happen behind-the-scenes… scraping kiln shelves, sweeping & mopping, stacking kiln furniture and my least favorite task… adding a new layer of kiln wash on all of the shelves I used in my firing. Luckily, I get to look at all the pretty pots after all of this drudge work!

Another beautiful morning with a few clouds flying low on the horizon. It’s a little weird, but in the best way possible, getting re-acclimated to the warmer weather this week. I’m used to wearing several layers… but now it’s time to start peeling them off. I had on too many this morning… but wasn’t quite ready to peel them off quite yet. I’m not “crazy” like the three guys at the end!!!

The soda kiln has been emptied… with plenty of new pots ready to prep, price & pack for upcoming shows. Overall a beautiful soda-firing. I love all of the brighter colors that grab my attention while unloading! Such a fun treasure hunt!!! Okay, so there were two “casualties” with globs of soda goo & chunks of who-knows-what in them… but enough about that… back to pretty mugs!!! Here’s a fun stack of new mugs… and one beauty that might just need to join my own personal collection???

A couple bricks removed to help with cooling so I can unload the kiln tonight. Can’t see much… but that one little snippet looks pretty good so far.

Looks like Julie celebrated Easter today by baking this beautiful pineapple-upside-down-cake… and served it on a handmade platter by you know who! I’m sure it must have been a hit at their family celebration! Thanks Julie for sharing your festivities with the rest of us!

Another handmade Easter Basket fulfilling its holiday duties! Thanks Keith for sharing your basket. Hope you have plenty of leftover jelly beans for the week to come… except for those black ones…. yuck!!!