This past weekend was a great chance to get away for a few days…
not too far, but far enough.

So much fun to visit my “first art fair friends” and their amazing garden
in Peoria ablaze with Spring colors!

Oh, and look… a ceramic totem pole in their terraced backyard garden!
Wonder how THAT got there???

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Let the games begin! We started out last night with so much promise of the hours of bingo fun to come… but ended with COVER ALL. Needless to say, I didn’t!!!

Hey, at least we had hours off fun with the “usual cast of colorful characters at the Bingo Hall. And I walked away with the free “Happy Easter” bingo dauber they were giving away.

So not a total loss!

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So much fun last night with the Krenz clan playing with the clay & getting all muddy at the studio last night. As always, some were better than others… but all of them had a great time!

Suddenly not as easy as it looks…

“Maybe if I watch him doing it… it might make more sense?”

Uh… Kel’s bowl is flopping… save it… save it…

But it looks “someone” found the Mystery OREO’s a bit more enticing than throwing on the wheel.

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Little late night cheesy yumminess after taking down Sarah’s booth at One Of A Kind. Always a good time with Sarah & Pam… even better with deep dish pizza with extra cheese!!!

A quick peek into the pottery cupboard as dinnerware pieces are changing from summer colors to seasonal earthtones. So fun to see my pottery in people’s homes… in this case, my first ever “art fair friends” who have quite the collection both old & new! Thanks for sharing Gerry & Rosene. See you soon!

With historic Route 66 running right through town, I had a very relaxing day hanging out for the Fourth with my college friends and their ten kids in Central Illinois! Lots of kids, lots of fun… my “adopted” family in Chenoa. Very homespun with a wonderful fireworks show to top off the festivities!

And my buddy Ryann who really enjoyed the parade… especially collecting all of the candy that was being thrown out along the route! And yes, she’s the youngest of the ten kids!!!

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A great day of biking today as we completed our first Century of the season! We made it through a very hot & windy day from Crystal Lake up into Wisconsin and back. So much fun… with some great rest stops along the way. Crazy cyclists like Chris refueling with bagels for carbs, peanut butter for protein, pickles for salt… and the “Superman” neon rainbow bagel just for the fun of it!!!

As always.. the best” part of biking is STOPPING!
So of course we had to stop on the side of the road for a few alpacas!!!

During the frenzy of glazing all day, it was great to have a visit from Gerry & Rosene… my very first art fair friends ever!!! We met several years ago when I was just starting out. It was a small holiday show in Sandwich, Illinois. And they were right across the aisle fomr me. Seasoned veterans of the craft fair circuit… and me just starting out. My very first show!!!

Needless to say, I made all the right mistakes. And they were right there to watch, help and advise. As I quickly overspread my booth space, fumbled all over the floor trying to set up my booth, and getting ready for the show. They were so supportive and encouraging… and we’ve been great friends ever since!

So although I was busy glazing & wadding all day, it was a great diversion to have them stop by. Sure, I was BUSY!!!… sure I was OVERWHELMED at the amount of work I still needed to do. But it was so good to see them stop by my studio for the first time! They were in town celebrating Gerry’s birthday with a studio visit and tickets to “Hamilton.” So we chatted, did a full Lillstreet tour with them, daughter Kristy, hubby Matt and Matt’s mom. I think they all enjoyed their tour of the studio… as they asked a LOT of great questions.

All too soon they were off to dinner so I could get back to work.
Glazing. Glazing more. Wadding. Cleaning. Glazing. Wadding and eventually loading the kiln!!!
I’d rather be eating dinner with them.

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Looks like little Rosie really enjoyed putting together her jigsaw puzzle today…
one of a VERY limited edition of “prototype” puzzles!
Maybe there will be more to come???

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So cute when your friends’ kids come home from school with an art project. Apparently, they were supposed to decorate their turkey with words of thanks for those that that they’re THANKFUL for. And look who made the list?!!! Thanks Rosie!!!… and thanks to your parents Kel & Kelly for raising such wonderful children and for making me part of all their lives. I’m thankful for all of you.