Looks like Rachel has been making a yummy pot of warm soup and a chilly & damp Sunday afternoon. Luckily, she has a new stamped & soda-fired spoon rest to keep her stove clean!

So “word on the street” is that registration for Winter pottery classes at Lillstreet will open tomorrow morning. I will be teaching three classes & a soda-firing workshop during the Winter session. Registration for my classes fill up FAST… so be prepared to sign-up early!!! – www.lillstreet.com

Intermediate Wheel – Mondays 7-10pm

Beginning Wheelthrowing – Tuesdays 7-10pm

The Great Lillstreet Throwdown – Thursdays 7-10pm
The BEST class ever… based on the British reality show “The Great Pottery Throw Down.” The class is full of projects, challenges, races, contests & other fun & frivolity… and a great prize for the Winner at the end of the session!!!

… and a Soda-Firing Workshop towards the end of February!

Looks like a “Breakfast of Champions” down in Bartonville! I mean, who doesn’t want to start their day with the smell of bacon wafting through the kitchen?! Thanks for sharing your morning ritual with us Gerry & Rosene!

Just a little bling & sparkle for a Saturday afternoon! I told my friend Pam that I may have just found her sparkly new Christmas present… but I would need a few people to go in on it with me! HA!!! I mean, she does love her bling!!!

I’m not really a “fancy car guy”… but, this is a 1983 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur… covered with a MILLION Swarovski crystals! Each crystal set by hand by five full-time setters over a period of six months! To see this sparkly masterpiece in person, it is currently on display at Navy Pier’s LIGHT UP THE LAKE. A fun & sparkly holiday event inside Festival Hall complete with millions of lights, ice skating, food, drink & plenty of Instagram moments!

As part of our final class of the Fall session, my Intermediate Wheel class did a fun “trading-exchanging-stealing game”… with a category theme of handmade flower pot with a plant in it. Some people were “racing” with the kiln and weren’t quite able to get a plant, but we were pleased their flower pots at least made it out of the kiln in time! Always a fun way to end a great session with fun students!!!

And, in case you’re wondering… I came home with the beautiful red flower pot with a red anthurium flowering in it from Darcy… perfect for the holidays!

And yes, if the dishes on Chris’s Thanksgiving table look familiar… that’s because she just picked up her special order dinner plates the night before Thanksgiving! Just in time for the big holiday feast! She requested a set of dinner plates that are all different… different stamps, different squiggles, different coloring… but at the same time would still “read” together as a group.

Remember, your pottery collection does not need to be all matchy-matchy…

A little pre-dinner photo of Chris’ Thanksgiving table from yesterday. A beautiful placesetting just waiting for an amazing feast to be shared with friends & family. Homemade food always tastes better on handmade pottery… make it part of your holiday traditions!

Sure, we had pumpkin pie & my cheesecake for dessert yesterday… but who doesn’t want some chocolate brownies too?! My niece Taylor made a batch of brownies to add to the celebration yesterday… just one more yummy platter on the table!

… which I’m sure won’t survive the rest of the evening!!!

Since I know someone else is bringing the pumpkin pie… I decided to go with a classic cheesecake… with a little splash of chocolate & cherries! I hope they like it? And again, HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all of you!