( i found this equisitely lovely rock on a beach last summer in greece )

while waiting to get our kilns hooked up at the new studio, i have been depending on my test kiln (a.k.a. the easy bake oven) which has been a complete life saver . . .

. . . i can actually fit 8 of my pourers in this handy little contraption !

way back in 1994, i spent a month down in baja surfing and eating the tastiest fish tacos you could ever imagine at this little shack called pilar’s.

and TODAY, i had lunch with basak , and ate THESE fish tacos that just might give pilar a run for her pesos !

i actually don’t really even HAVE a sweet tooth, but my sweet friend, marty, sent me these amazing moravian sugar cookies that are unbelievably delicious. they look so plain and so simple, but they acutally burst with flavor and have the perfect “crunch”. it’s like in italy, when you are served the most bland looking pasta which turns out to be the most exquisite and flavorful meal EVER (how do they DO that ?).

these cookies come in a handsome red tin that contain about a billion cookies. i highly suggest ordering a tin . . . or three !

after devouring a delicious breakfast concocted by the ever wonderful JW, i was ready to roll up my sleeves and move into my . . .

NEW STUDIO that i am so so so so VERY excited about ! it is located in berkeley on 4th + channing and is called fourth & clay. this is a brand new beautiful clay studio/gallery brought to life by the amazing and talented josie jurczenia. the space is SO spacious with ceilings that are SO high. it is the working studio of josie, me, and one more clay guru who i can’t mention the name of YET, but you will all know who she is and will shout with joy when she moves in ! there is a gallery in front and we will be open on the first saturday of each month from 11-5 AND whenever we are there working in the studio (which will be a LOT). you can also call or EMAIL ME for an appointment.

HEY, check out the charming works of the oh so charming josie j.

sadly, my dad passed away on sunday, january 13th, after 22 days in the hospital with pneumonia, a staph infection, and a host of other complications. thankfully, he died very peacefully and it was actually an incredibly poignant and magical ending. i feel so grateful to have been with him for his very last breath. i learned so much about life throughout this entire experience.

he was truly an amazing man and father. i will miss him everyday.

and so we both begin again . . . life will be different for the both of us now, but the possibilities are endless.

today i am feeling very blue.

but then i realized that not all blues are bad.

here are some good blues . . .

can you believe that the year 2007 is over ? it is shocking to me too, but i am very much looking forward to the year 2008. i have a LOT up my sleeves . . . including moving into a new and fabulous studio AND moving into a new and fabulous abode ! more details soon.

peace and joy.