Very excited to see the basement “greenhouse” in full swing last week when I visited my friends in Bartonville. Last year, their “pandemic project” was to grow colorful coleus plants in the basement and then sell them in the Spring. We had a great “Plants & Pottery Pop-Up” last May on their driveway. So much fun. So pretty. So colorful!!!

Well, since Covid is still going, Rosene has hunkered down for another Winter with her coleus garden in the basement… and we’re already planning another “Plants & Pottery Sale” for this Spring. She already has HUNDREDS of coleus plants… can’t imagine how many she’ll have come May for the pop-up sale!

Think you might need a little help finding some of the fortune cookies at Illinois Beach State Park? Well, here are a few visual clues… one for each of the fortune cookies! Located in both the north & south areas of the park, my textured fortune cookie rattles are waiting to be found to bring “good fortune” to those who can spot them!

Happy New Year 2022… celebrating with 22 fortune cookies!

Part of yesterday’s adventure was celebrating the New Year… while spreading some “good fortune” along the way. Again this year, my second time, I took several of my own textured fortune cookie rattles and hid them all throughout the state park for random people to find in the days to come! Twenty-two to be exact… celebrating 2022!!! Get it? So the next time you happen upon Illinois Beach State Park… keep your eyes open while you enjoy your hike!

Yesterday my adventure took me out to Illinois Beach State Park… about an hour north of Chicago, just a smidge south of the Wisconsin border. I enjoyed the fresh snow, the blue skies & just playing out in nature. It was so weird to practically have the entire state park to myself?! I think I saw less than a dozen people all day long!

So I had free run of the place to enjoy the magic & majesty of it all… no random people in my photos! And along with the freezing temperatures came some amazing ice sculptures… windblown & gravity-defying. So much fun to experience these magical moments all around. Such a great day. Such a wonderful adventure.

So we finally go some snow in Chicago on Saturday night!!! Happy New Year to us all. Not nearly as much snow as predicted, and it was followed-up with beautiful blue skies the next day. So yesterday I put on the hiking boots and went outside to play in the snow! So much more fun than curling up on the sofa… which it seems like we’ve all been doing a little too much of these past few gray & gloomy days!

So excited to see that the new cast of the next GREAT POTTERY THROWDOWN has been announced… as the new season begins airing tonight in the UK. Unfortunately, we need to wait for awhile to see it here in the US.

Can’t wait that long?… there are still a few spots open in my upcoming pottery class at Lillstreet Art Center… THE GREAT LILLSTREET THROWDOWN. This will be “Season Four” for our own version of challenges, contests & projects! If you’re in the Chicago area, sign-up soon to be part of the fun starting on Thursday, January 13th!

Click here for more information & registration!

VERY EXCITING!!!
Except I don’t have Channel 4…
and I’m not in the United Kingdom…
so I don’t get to watch tonight!!!

We Americans need to wait for it to come “across the pond”
for us to watch on HBO Max… soon I hope?!

Appears that Diane is still enjoying her new handmade dinnerware… and celebrating the New Year with a great brunch spread. The fun of the holidays continues… and it looks like Diane is really loving the surprise pottery Christmas Gift she got from her husband Jim!!!

Looks like Kristy is kicking off the New Year with a yummy bundt cake… lemon & blueberry!!! Of course it doesn’t hurt any to put a homemade cake on a handmade platter!!! A beautiful way to kick-off the New Year!

And here’s a fun New Year’s Resolution for YOU… when you use my pottery at home, be sure to send me a picture so I can share it with everyone here!… gary@firewhenreadypottery.com

Wishing you all a wonderful New Year… and huge thanks to everyone who has stuck it out during another tough year! Thanks for following me & my pottery adventures throughout the year. Thanks for supporting artists. Thanks for supporting small businesses. Thanks for all of your comments & kind words. Here’s to a better New Year… with less pandemic & more pottery for everyone!!!