Huge thanks to everyone who came out today for Day One of the GLENVIEW SUMMER ART FAIR. It was a sunny, hot, cloudy, steamy, breezy, sprinkley & hot asphalty kind of day… not ideal. So extra special thanks to those who “survived” it with us!

And a reminder… tomorrow is Day Two from 11:00am-5:00pm… and the weather forecast is looking better!Just hoping the wildfire smoke cloud doesn’t come back!!! Fingers crossed…

Last session, one of my Intermediate Wheel students came to the first class and “proclaimed” that his goal for the class was to make EIGHTY PIECES during the session!!! As a recent condo owner, Jack has plenty of room to fill. So some of the eighty were for personal use, some are gifts, but most were just for the practice & muscle-memory of making so many pots! At our final class, Jack pulled them all out for a little “show & tell”… and the Grand Total was 84!!! Congrats Jack… you succeeded & blew us all out of the water!!! A wonderful achievement!!!

Hard to believe that June is right around the corner, which also means the NORTHERN ILLINOIS POTTERY TOUR is just one week away!!! Mark your calendar!

I will once again be hanging out with my good friend Cory McCrory in Sandwich… along with a handful of other talented potters! C’mon out & say “Hi.” Visit all six locations and you’ll have a chance to see all 43 artists!!! A lot of fun & a LOT of pots!!!

Always a “good sign” to see a good sign …
touring pottery studios up in Minnesota!!!

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!!!