UPPING THE ANTE: hint number 2....

....about Tuesday's prize sweepstakes here at pottersblog. There will actually not be one prize. TWO lucky winners will be picked, in the US or Canada*, to each win one of my handmade pots, a runner up and a grand prize winner!
Stay tuned. More hints coming, and the whole enchilada finally explained Tuesday.

*foreign too, I guess, if you are willing to spend the 20-40 bucks on shipping--I will pay shipping US or Canada.

What can you win? A BIG HINT.

Tune in Tuesday and WIN THIS BAG

(who knows what awesome pot by Gary Rith is in this bag?)
Remember, a petite competition and prize starting Tuesday. Oh yes, it will be worth it!

many pots, including one for ME!

(pots by Gary Rith)
As Christmas approaches (HAHAHAHA! But you are always looking ahead in retail) the potter makes a ton of pots, so hopefully he can pay the property tax bill that just landed on his desk, plus the next stinking property tax bills, due in December. And maybe groceries and cat food too. So YES, I am quite busy.
The top mug is some experiments for me. I am trying to make handles pulled off the the mug, whereas usually I make a handle then add it. I'll get pics of the difference sometime soon. PLUS, of course, all that squiggle glaze action! That's a sweet and will little mug, and I AM SLURPING MY COFFEE OUT OF IT NOW. That thing is MINE.

Penny says: vote Obama

I had mentioned that redneck thugs stole my campaign signs off the yard last year, and at other houses on the street, taking only democratic candidate's signs. I also mentioned the pickup truck that detoured through my neighbor's yard, taking out their Hillary sign, and some of the flower bed. I have a feeling Obama will have no problem winning NY, but I wanted a sign anyway, one that wouldn't be stolen, and campaign workers gave me one yesterday. It is perfect, and untouchable. This is a very busy state highway, and the sign in the window is easily seen by every redneck and liberal passing by.
I plan to put my Michael Arcuri for congress signs all over the yard. He won a close race for congress two years ago, thanks in part to my yard signs. It will be close again, but today the signs go UP.
If you look closely, you will see a small and cute beagle in the lower window.

NEAR BEER: a regular guy review

I drink very little but enjoy what I drink. So, yesterday, awesome date that I am, I take the wife shopping for handbags. I know. First an action and adventure movie, then shopping! Then SHE rewards me with a barstool. What a heavenly day.
You know, I had my pint, but it was too early to leave, because of FOOTBALL ON THE TV. Watching Utah (HARHAR!) kick Michigan butt. So I saw Kaliber NA, made by Guinness. Beer without alcohol on the menu, and asked one of the numerous and cheerful barmaids for one. Nobody there had ever had one, so I was reviewing this for the whole bar! Little ole me! And what did I tell those assembled?
"It's cold, it looks like beer, it has foam like beer, and it is golden yellow like beer, and it tastes a lot like beer!". Everybody at the bar was happy. Me too.
(this, as with eveything I write here, is TRUE--I really did have to do a taste test for the assembled).
The missus had some too, there was much happiness, and Michigan lost. I say that, just because it was an interesting matchup and loss for them, at home.
The beer? As I say, it tasted a lot like beer, which is always a stretch for fake beers, so it gets a 5.5-6 out of 10 thumbs up, which is very high praise for this type of stuff.

Stereophonics

Maybe Tomorrow. Yep, this was in the movie Death Race. Mellow and excellent tune though.

DEATH RACE!

#$!%ing AWESOME: murder, mayhem, blood, guts, fast cars, babelicious co-stars.
Me and Missus Pottersblog went OUT for a movie today. I had heard about Death Race, and when I was in college I saw the original from 1975. Did I mention we went OUT? To stadium seats and stero speakers everywhere? WE LIVED it, and my ears are still ringing.
TEN big thumbs up out of ten. It is exactly what you think it will be, noisy and fast and satisfying.

THIS LEAF:

was in my yard today. Here in the north, fall creeps up on you all August, then hits you in the head in September. Mighty pretty, though.

WIN THIS BAG

And what is in it. Big competition with a handmade prize by me, starting Tuesday! Don't miss it!

and more....

(pots by Gary Rith)
Jessica asked if I was making anything Halloweenish. I thought about and said hey, a ghost on a mug!
Also, it has occured to me with these elephant bowls that the head can go on the front side in addition to on top. I won't say one is better than the other of course, just a little different.

nightmares

The first half of the night I dreamt I had my little toe pierced and a big earring put onto it then I somehow tattooed that toe myself THEN I went to a dirty tattoo parlor and got a big one on my arm and THEN I was in some castle and we were going to be attacked by Orcs but at least the elves said they would help us. I was looking for my sling shot, so at least I would have some weapon. Then I woke up thinking of Loverboy..........

Everybody's working for the weekend!

By Loverboy. I don't like this song much. Regular guy rating of only 2 thumbs up out of ten. But I woke up with it on my mind! Because what a weekend it is: Labor Day!

WIN BIG: A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

It cracks me up. My cat asks readers what TV shows they like and he gets a million comments. I want a million comments too!
OK, here it is:
---I am going to hold a special competition starting Tuesday morning (Monday is a holiday for many people).
Anyone in the US and Canada can win one of my pots, and it will be a super special one! It will be free and I will ship it to you (it would be fishy if Nancy or Holley or Lis won it, because they live down the street....but it could happen).

You will have to__________(details Tuesday!)___________in order to win.

SCENES FROM THE MORNING so far

(pots being glazed by Gary Rith; left to right middle pic: kiln and blower on top, washer, buckets of glaze on floor, glaze table on right; Buster and Penny warming up)
I hope I don't sound boastful, but up at 4:50, breakfast for dogs and people, shower, blog post and music video, take care of cats next door, walk our dogs--it is very cold and rainy! which is why they are cuddled up---then a couple of hours of glazing pots and washing laundry, then load the kiln and hit the on switch, unload washer. I air dry the laundry in the studio, are you surprised to hear that? We don't need a dryer. With the kiln's dry heat and the ventilation fans, stuff dries nicely.

The heck with politics, who cares anyway?

(stuff by Gary Rith)
OK, more 3 little pig stuff and getting the catepillar onto the handle, a new idea for me. Cheerful looking caterpillar, wouldn't you say?
Spike would like me to remind you that there is a reader's poll down two clicks.

TALK TALK

It's my life. Another 10 big thumbs up out of ten for this tune, UBER 80s, and there are ZEBRAS in this video.

Spike wants to know: a reader's poll

Spike the cat asked me to do a little typing for him this evening:
"My typist guy has been going next door this week to take care of the cats and watch Reno 911. I know nothing of this program, or others. What's your favorite TV show and why?"

Le Car

People who are old LIKE ME remember a time in the 70s when French was cool and all you had to do was sort of SOUND FRENCH, and you could be cool too. So, does everybody understand my running le joke now?

go ahead McC: make my day!

I sure hope this is the dude chosen as the republican veep candidate. When you combine it with the purported platform of the grand old party:
"MINNEAPOLIS | The Republican Party will maintain its call for a constitutional ban on abortion and opposition to same-sex marriage"

So, Americans are worried about the economy, the war, gas prices, but YES! Keep on beating that drum John.

With these moves, you figure the dems will kick some a$$ in November.

Les gang of sugar bowls

(pots by Gary Rith)
You must think I am a broken record. OK, sugar bowls for an exhibit, YEOW!

les sugar bowls!!!

(sugar bowls by Gary Rith)
As I say, I am in an exhibit in September, and may submit a bunch of wild little sugar bowls for my entry. They just get a little crazier each day.

DEAD OR ALIVE

You spin me around. I think today is the day the Regular Guy institutes ratings for music videos. Yesterday with Visage? 10 big thumbs up out of 10. This one? I would have given it an 8, but it is THE 80s dance/new wave tune, and the guy's hair is extra big, so bonus points, 10 out of ten big thumbs up.

NUNAVUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't you love the online world??? I shipped a box to San Diego and another to Houston this morning, and just shipped a piggy bank order to NUNAVUT. In the CANADIAN ARCTIC. WOW.

I love zebras

(teapot by Gary Rith)
So what's on for today?
Sending a package each to Lynda AND Cheri, two smart bloggers.
Maybe visit the tattoo parlor, for you know, some info.
Maybe go coat shopping. I was just out with the dogs in my jammies and robe, and it is 42 stinking degrees outside. FORTY TWO! A bit chilly, and there's plenty more where that came from, in the coming months.

Le pizza!

I have a little circular pizza stone for baking little circular pizzas. Oh lord, TASTY. Pretty simple too. And I make an extra for the next day.

wolf mug

(mug by Gary Rith)
Sam asked me for a wolf mug when she saw the 3 pigs and wolf plaque. He's toothy, but he looks a bit friendly for a wolf.

VISAGE

Fade to Grey. Like watching Dieter's Dance Party.

(mugs by Gary Rith)

more sugar bowls...

(sugar bowls by Gary Rith)
Sorry about that thing yesterday, where I posted that I had added a bunch of blog friends to usual suspects, but since I hadn't clicked save nobody was added until later in the day...if I am missing you, please let me know! Because as Barney sings:
"I love you, you love me, we're all a great big happy family...." or whatever

BLOOGER!

I hit save this time. I spent all this time earlier adding links to usual suspects, but I guess I never hit save and now everybody HATES ME!
Should be good now.

BLOGGERS: SHARING THE LOVE

Updated my usual suspects list. Have I got you on there? If I read you, you should be on there. If I don't yet, should I read your blog? Send the link so I can find out. I love blogs. I love people who visit my blog. SMOOCH!

me and the Queen

Dreamt I was hanging around Buckingham Palace with my friend the Queen. She has a lot of cute little dogs, that's for sure.

sugar bowls

(sugar bowls by Gary Rith and Istermay Otterspay Logbay himself)
I am in a gallery exhibit next month and need something special. I am starting to think maybe 4-5 little sugar bowls together would be a good idea.

Penny and the paper roll

Penny was chewing on the cat and I gave her a paper roll before the cat got pissed. Cats and dogs LOVE paper rolls.