So it’s Monday… and it feels great to be back in the studio being productive again! Getting back into the groove!!! It was a long break, so it feels great to have my hands back in the clay! And to “practice throwing” again… as the new session of classes starts tonight at Lillstreet!!! And I don’t want to look too “rusty” for my Intermediate Wheel students tonight!!!

After a very long stretch of gray & gloomy mornings… feels like a month or more… it was great to FINALLY get a sunrise this morning worth sharing! The first “real” sunrise of 2023!!!

Warming up a chilly Sunday night… looks like Gerry & Rosene are cooking up some yummy hot cocoa in their new “hybrid” mugs! I mean, who doesn’t like chocolate & marshmallows?!

Thanks to my friend Jen for sharing her healthy salad with all of us. Mixing a large salad and serving it to her family… all in my stamped bowls! She even mentioned that maybe I should make some custom salad tongs (my version) to sell with my larger serving bowls!

Would anyone be interested if that were to happen? Thoughts???

After a long & enjoyable holiday break, I figured it was finally time to venture back into the studio to turn out another batch of reclaim clay. It’s been slaking down in my reclaim bin for a little longer than normal… so I actually had to add a little water back in to soften it up a bit… just so I could turn it out to dry it up again!!! HA!!!

Looks like Adam and his kids continued the search… and he & daughter Delaney each found a new 2023 for their own collections! So fun that this has become such a family activity! Here’s to the start of a great New Year!

Looks like Kim & Don have cooked-up a little “hot dish” tuna casserole for a chilly Saturday evening’s meal. Although from what I’ve heard… it’s mostly for Don, as Kim is not a big fan of “hot tuna fish.” And yes, I’m kinda right there with ya’ Kim!!!

But the casserole dish looks great!!!

Looks like another fortune cookie was found today up at Illinois Beach State Park! Good find Michael… thanks for playing!!!

Who knew that I could feed my Thin Mint “addiction” even when the Girl Scouts aren’t in cookie selling mode?! NOT ME!!!

At least until I received this great “care package” Christmas gift from my cousins in Minnesota! They knew it would be a hit… as their daughter Caroline used to be my “Thin Mint Hook-up” back when she was still a Girl Scout!

Looks like another one has been found! Adam “returned to the scene” after randomly finding a fortune cookie last year… and then searched online to find me. So now that his kids know about the fortune cookies… the hunt is on!!!

According to Adam…
“My son Harper found the one next to the yucca plant. He couldn’t have been more excited and proud. His sister Delaney hopes to return and try for one for herself! They had a great time with the hunt. Feel free to share their photos if you’d like. Thanks, Gary!”