The first of my irises to start blooming. These short yellow ones are always the first of the season. A fun surprise on an otherwise wet & gloomy Monday morning.

Just me here painting some accents of colored flashing slip on this next batch of mugs.
The colored slip should turn orange & show good flashing marks after being soda-fired.

We’ll gather lilacs in the Spring… and then put them in a handmade oval vase. Even better when it’s stamped & soda-fired… with double handles to make displaying the flowers even easier.

Just doing a little stamping here on some little oval vases!
All with my own handmade stamps pressed in one by one… by one… by one…

Blow it hard & make a wish…

Some fun new color to add to my garden… a new Bergenia plant from my Cousin Kim. I’ve never tried one of these before… but I’m in!!! I mean… I’m riding high after my success with my hellebores. How much harder can these be?!!! HA!!!

I’m SO excited that these hellebores have started blooming in my garden! They are first ones to ever survive a Chicago winter in my garden. Sure, it could also be the lack of care, or dogs & kids walking on them?… yes, I get a LOT of that! And not to gloat… or jinx myself… but they are looking very happy & healthy right now!!!

Here’s a shot of my latest orchid to be re-blooming. People always ask what the secret is to get them to re-bloom… and my answer is almost always “neglect.” But then again… I also think it needs to be happy in a handmade stamped & soda-fired flower pot. Just sayin’… I mean, they asked.

… but worth it.