Pottery Tour Already?

Well, it is March, however little it may feel like spring. Just back from a great meeting of the Central Maine Clay Artists. Usually I hate meetings - one of my downfalls in office environments - but these are fun, like hanging out with friends. I always come out of them energized. We elected a new president, too! Congratulations, Martha - that's what you get for missing a meeting!

Today we talked about two projects, Mug Season and the Maine Pottery Tour. Mug Season is an April fundraiser jointly put on by The Central Maine Clay Artists and local coffee shops: buy a handmade mug, get your coffee free. Half of the proceeds go to the artists, the other to local arts programs. We chose which shops to work with (there are always more wanting to participate than we can cover) and decided who would be contact person for each. I've got the Downtown Diner, here in Augusta.

Then we went on to discuss the Pottery Tour, happening hard on the heels. The tour is moved back this year to the first weekend in May, because I was hearing a lot of feedback that Mother's Day weekend was not working for a lot of people. I still kinda like Mother's Day Weekend, because it's easy to remember and it seems like a good activity to do with one's Mom, but hey, I'm not a little tin god; if most people prefer an earlier date, well, let's try it.(Here's the Facebook link for that one, also, if you're so inclined.) So many good ideas out of this meeting! Unified-look signage, postcards, joint promotion!

The last two years, I have invited guest artists, but will be skipping that this year. I find I can be sanguine about bad weather or low sales if it's just me - shit happens, right? - but I am a big ol' ball of angst if I feel like I am letting someone else down by allowing it to rain. That, and I expect to have a mega ton of stuff, much of it clearance. Seems wrong to ask someone to compete with clearance prices. Oh, and will likely be having household company that weekend too.

In other news, I sliced my Lemon Berry Soap loaf this morning! Here's what the big reveal revealed:

Six weeks to cure before it's ready to roll. (Or slide. Bubble. Whatever.)