Gotta love when the sun comes streaming in… and a prism rainbow lands perfectly on some vases on the shelves in my dining room! So much fun… makes me think it’s warm & sunny outside?… well, one out of two ain’t bad!!!

Look what arrived in my mail!!! The poster for the ST. CROIX VALLEY POTTERY TOUR… already on my calendar! Always a fun weekend of pottery, shopping, adding to collections & visiting with the friends & potters. Looks like there’s 67 potters this year… so much talent & so many pots to squeeze into one weekend! Can’t wait to head up north for my little pottery addiction! And you should too…

Don’t forget I brought brownies… but Melissa had also bought me some Cinnamon Bun OREOs at the Japanese food store! Yes, the info, ingredients & nutrition were all in Japanese! Very tasty… and I also came home with some “lovely parting gifts” from Melissa’s pottery studio. A beautiful set of four bowls… raw clay on the outside & a beautiful green glaze on the inside!!! Thanks again Melissa!!!

Dinner last night with some of My Talented Friends…
getting together for some “non-art fair” fun & frienship. We met at Melissa’s house where she treated us to a wonderful “hot pot” meal… my first time… served out of her own handmade “donabe” hot pots… and handmade dinnerware! Plenty of great food & great fun… especially for those struggling with chopsticks!!! Lots of yummy meats, seafood, veggies, dumplings & broths… including one she made out of corn? I’d never even heard of “corn broth” before?! Yummy!!!

BOWLS & BUTTONS : We’re officially OPEN!!!
Plenty of holiday gifts for everyone on your holiday gift list… including yourself!!! Lots of pottery & handmade button jewelry … handmade by myself & Rhonda Gurgone. We’re here at my condo today until 6:00pm… and again tomorrow from 10:00am-6:00pm. C’mon by!

1353 West Rosemont #3, Chicago, Illinois 60660

And yes, there’s a light layer of snow on top of my “Tired Of Shlepping Sale” pottery which I left out on the back porch!!! There might be some extra frozen discounts out there when I do my second Holiday Home Show in two weeks!!!

I wasn’t invited to this Thanksgiving dinner… but it sure looks like my pottery sure was!!! Always fun to see some of my handiwork gracing the tables of so many celebrations! And remember… food always tastes better in handmade pottery! Thanks for the photos Kim!!!

So here we are… all refreshed & restocked for Day Two of my HOLIDAY HOME SHOW! The sun is shining in & pottery is gleaming. Perfect conditions for a little holiday shopping today! C’mon over… open now until 6:00pm!

My condo… 1353 West Rosemont #3 , Chicago in the Edgewater neighborhood… between Clark & Broadway two blocks south of Devon. Just look for my green totem pole out front!!!

We’re just four days away from MY HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS!!! I’m still getting ready, prepping, pricing & packing the shelves with a LOT of pottery. Yes, I actually install my art fair shelving all around my condo!!! My place gets a little crowded with a LOT to see… so be forewarned… there will be a LOT of visual over-stimulation!!!

On our way to Seward, kinda taking the turn near Anchorage, we stopped off at a wonderful hidden pottery studio in woods of Bird Creek. Just a few turns off the main road… if you know how to find them… is the pottery studio of Peter Brondz. We pulled in to find a few kilns under his kiln sheds. And then the “Welcome” sign that invites you inside (after you take your shoes off) to his honor-system Pottery Gallery. With a couple other potters showing along with Peter’s pots, Theresa & I started admiring & shopping. But then we heard something… a little noise on the other side of the wall. We pondered… and then out walked Peter Brondz himself.

He was in his studio working, but was more than willing to chat with us & give us a tour of his place. And his studio space is AMAZING… so warm & cozy with a beautiful view right there where he sits to make his pots. It was a wonderful surprise to find some more local art, to meet Peter himself… and to bring a couple new pots home to add to my mug collection!!! Thanks again for the tour Peter – so nice to meet you!