Look what showed up in my mail today?!!! Whoo-hoo!!!

Marked my calendar already. You know where I’ll be playing & shopping come Mother’s Day Weekend. I’d love to see some of you up their filling in your own pottery collections too… as long as I get first dibs!!!

For more information, be sure to click here for their website : www.minnesotapotters.com

As a functional potter, it warms my heart to know that my pottery is being enjoyed.
To see that my work is actually being used on a daily basis or for special occasions.
I love hearing how my work has made someone’s day brighter or in some way happier.
Thank you to everyone who shares their photos & stories…
like this one which made MY day today a little brighter!

“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I had bought a platter from you earlier this year in Schaumburg and we finally inaugurated it over Christmas dinner. So I just wanted you to know that there was a lot of praise for you that night! I’ve attached a few photos of your work… we really love the piece!”    – Ria

…now if she could just share some of that cheesecake too!!!

So if you want to make this humble potter a little happier, please take a second to e-mail me a photo or two. gary@firewhenreadypottery.com. I’d love to see how you’re using my pottery in your everyday world. Thank you!

Tomorrow is my last holiday home show of the season!
Mud & Metal : A Collaborative Holiday Home Show.
After Saturday, the shelves can start coming down… finally…

And I thought I might just taunt you a bit with a few shots of some of my work that will be available tomorrow! Lots of stamping. Lots of textures. Lots of soda-fired flashing. Be sure to stop by for some great holiday shopping… and warm apple cider too!

We’re open from 10:0am-6:00pm on Saturday, December 13th.
Me, my pottery, my tiles and Amy Taylor with her beautiful jewelry.
The perfect chance to knock some names of your holiday shopping list!!!

And as always, we still have “The Tired of Shlepping Sale” going on my back porch. The shelves have been replenished with even more clearance & discounted pricing! First come, first served… they’re priced to move!

Still trying to check some names off your holiday gift list?
Well this Saturday might be the perfect chance!!!

Stop by my place between 10:00am-6:00pm for some great handmade gifts. Plenty of pottery in every room of my condo AND wonderful jewelry by my metalsmith friend Amy Taylor. And heck, while you’re at it… why not get a gift or two for yourself too?!!!

I’m sure you’re running around with a lot of things going on for the holidays, but…
What are you going to do in January?

Why not buy yourself an early Christmas gift and take a pottery class with me!
Registration is already open for my Tuesday night Beginning & Advanced Beginning Wheelthrowing Class that starts in January. Sign up soon… no one wants to miss out on the fun. Santa’s List, yes. Waiting List, no.

Click here to register online.

Special thanks to everyone who made it out my Holiday Home Show today.
It was a crazy flurry of holiday fun, with LOTS of pots moving everywhere.
It was great fun to see so many of my loyal customers all in one place… MY place!!!

Thanks so much… and I’m looking forward
to doing it all over again tomorrow from 10:00am-6:00pm.

If you need address information, just send me a quick e-mail or Facebook message.

First thing on tonight’s project list… prepping & pricing all of the pieces that came out of the soda kiln Monday night. Including “just a few” new mugs! My goal every year is to start the Holiday Home Show with over a hundred mugs. Pretty sure this batch puts me well over that. C’mon by and snatch up a new mug this weekend!!!

Yep, you just counted them, right?! Couldn’t stop yourself.

I had a wonderful kiln unloading tonight.

Always a fun treasure hunt finding new beauties as you unload layer by layer, shelf by shelf.

It might have been my quickest unloading yet?!… including all of the glamorous tasks that no one really thinks about. Packing into crates. Scraping shelves. Organizing bricks. Kiln washing shelves. Cleaning the firebox. Sweeping the floor. Taking out the garbage. Packing my car. Shlepping everything up three flights of stairs to my condo. You know, all that fun stuff. At least I have some beautiful pots to show for it… all getting ready for THIS weekend’s big sale!!!

My pottery is still on display at City Olive in Andersonville.
Last weekend was the Arts & Design Weekend, but you still have time to snatch up some Fire When Ready Pottery this weekend too! Stop by at 5644 North Clark Street in Chicago.

Start your day at City Olive this morning with Stu’s Bloody Marys from 11:00am-1:00pm for the Andersonville Arts & Design Weekend. I’m sure your Bloody Mary will taste even better if you drink it from one of my handmade mugs!!! Then stick around from 12:00pm-2:00pm for some sweets from Pear Tree Preserves. Plenty of my pottery to compliment the wonderful oils & food treats at City Olive.