We Did Not Have Any Contact With The Current Governer.

We are proud to have deep roots in the State of Illinois but wanted to let our public know that neither nb Worldwide nor any of our officers or employees have had contact with the Governer or any of his operatives in the last six months. We are absolutely certain that no individual associated with our organization offered any future political favors, free vases, cups, teapots, tiles, plates, mini tumblers, or cash in exchange for the recently vacated seat in the United States Senate (even though we think we are qualified and deserve the job).

Available At Our Etsy Store At This Very Exact Moment (Right Now).

This cup is 3.75 inches high and 4 inch diameter.

Bring this ample sized cup into your kitchen. All of our cups go through a rigorous training regime to make sure they will behave properly in the company of other cups, be they porcelain, stoneware, glass or earthenware. Our cups can hold their own, but they don't come with any bad attitude.

Note the nb Worldwide stamp of yes we made it ourselves with our own little hands authenticity. Beware of other cups that seek to pull the wool over your eyes.

If you want this cup click here and you will be taken directly to our Etsy store, then all you have to do is click a few more times and before you know it Voila, the cup will be delivered to your door. (Isn't the internet amazing?).

New Items Available From nb Worldwide Etsy Store.

Mini Tumbler.

Bud Vase/ Bottle

Small Jar.

Check out our Etsy store to see more pottery. Find the perfect holiday gift.
New items will be added during the week.

New Great Wall Of Pottery Scheduled For Evanston Unveiling.

We invite the public to visit us at the 17th Annual Holiday Ceramics Sale at the McGaw YMCA at 1000 Grove Steet in Evanston. The sale opens on Friday December 5, from 5-9 pm and continues on Saturday Dec. 6 from 10 am -5pm, and Sunday Dec. 6 from noon - 5 pm. Admission is free and a percentage of all sales goes to YMCA youth scholarship programs.

nancyandburt Worldwide's First Annual Theme Song Contest (With A Prize.)

During a meeting at our annual pre Thanksgiving retreat our corporate officers had a long and heated discussion pertaining to the sad fact that nancyandburt Worldwide is badly in need of a theme song. Most corporations with a worldwide reach have theme songs and since we mean to be taken seriously by the world we realized that we need one too. None of us are professional musicians so the board wisely decided to sponsor a public competition. Applicants must strictly adhere to all rules listed below (or we will throw your entry in the trash).

The Rules.
1. Theme song must be submitted in playable form (cd, mp3, etc.) Sheet music and notation will not be considered. Cassette and 8 Track tapes will not be accepted. Theme song may be emailed via the link or sent to the street address on our website.
2. Theme song must be loopable so it can be played continuously while viewing the blog.
3. Theme song may not contain any obscene or lewd content.
4. Theme song must be original, composed and performed by contest applicant.
5. Theme song should be from 40 to 80 seconds in duration.
6. Only one theme song entry will be considered per applicant.

Contest Rules.
1. Contest submissions will be judged by a jury selected by our board. Theme songs submitted by employees or relatives of nb Worldwide or the jurors will not be considered.
2. There will only be one winner and prize, there is no second or third prize.
3. Winner will be announced on March 1, 2009 on this blog.
4. Application deadline is Feb. 15, 2009.
5. Applicant must supply their legal name, address, nationality. Since this is a contest for a worldwide corporation applicant is encouraged to be a citizen of any nation in the world.
6. Winning applicant must agree in writing to release all rights for us to play the theme song on our blog and web site in exchange for the prize. No additional royalties will be paid. Applicant should be prepared to be grateful for receiving the huge amount of attention that will accrue having their theme song played constantly on the nancyandburt Worldwide blog and web site.
7. If we don't receive anything that our jurors like the theme song will be "The Sound Of Philly" Also known as the Soul Train Theme. Don't say we didn't warn you. (nancy is from Philadelphia.)

More fine print.
1. If Desmond dances to your theme song the chances of winning are greatly enhanced. See notes about Desmond at blog profile. There is a photo of Desmond "ready to dance" on the blog post of Friday August 8, 2008. You can view footage of an African Grey parrot dancing at the following link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch6lFDWRR0U This is Desmond's general style of dancing.

2. The prize is guaranteed to be of at least one hundred dollar retail value.

Click Here To See New Real Estate Listings At Our Etsy Storefront!

Your friends will be amazed and almost jealous as they drive up your long driveway through the enchanted wooded lot. They will instantly comprehend that you are an individual with daring and sophisticated taste. This domicile is built on a slab, there's no basement but plenty of storage in the attic. House comes fully wired and ready to hang. nb Worldwide international symbol of authenticity is on the back.
House is 3 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide by 1/4 inch deep.
Lot size is as big as your imagination.

nb Worldwide invites you to visit our Etsy storefront to view our hot new real estate listings.

nancy and burt Worldwide Test Markets The New Great Wall Of Pottery.

Will the public accept the new modernist version of the Great Wall of Pottery? Stay tuned for up to the minute feedback about our new display.

Artisan Winterfair Opening Is Huge Success!

The public came from the far reaches of Oak Park, River Forest, Elmhurst, and the Chicagoland area to kick off the first annual Artisan Winterfair in the lovely new addition to St. Christopher's Church.

Exclusive Photo Of Pottery Hiding Under Unfired Glaze.

We invite you to visit the Artisan Winterfair to see the new colors and patterns revealed by Tuesday nights firing.

First Annual Artisan Winterfair Starts Tomorrow.

nancyandburt Worldwide is pleased to announce our participation in the Artisan Winterfair which opens tomorrow evening (Nov. 21) with a reception from 5 - 9 pm. The Winterfair will take place at St. Christopher's Church at 545 S. East Ave. in Oak Park. Please come to visit The Great Wall of Pottery.

nancyandburt Worldwide Begins Recovery Program.

Despite ongoing counseling and a sincere wish to change my behavior I continue to have painful withdrawal symptoms from the 24 hour news cycle of the presidential election. Over the course of the last two months I've found myself staring at Politico, Daily Kos, The Huffington Post, Cnn.com, and various political websites at all times of the day and night. How did I get here, what was I supposed to be working on today, is it Monday or Tuesday, October or November, how did I end up on the RNC web page? I would sit down at the computer to make a blog entry and two hours later find myself reading about the first dude's new clothing.

My first step is to admit that I was powerless over the 24 hour election news cycle. My second step is to realize that a power larger than myself has restored our nation to sanity. My third step is to turn my life over to the new administration and get back to the blog.

High Heels Terrorize Union Pier Garden.

The Union Pier Police Department dispatched their most experienced bomb sniffing dog to examine the oversize shoes discovered this morning at the front yard of the Hoffhines Studio. Rocky the Chihuahua's alarm turned to disinterest and it was quickly determined that the gargantuan slippers are harmless. The police believe this may be a political prank and are currently questioning members of the local chapter of the GOP.

The Great Wall Debuts In St. Louis.

After being hosted by the St. Louis Art Fair this weekend nancyandburt Worldwide officially declares their undying love for The Great City Of St. Louis. Thankyou St. Louisians, if every day was like The St. Louis Art Fair we would be the happiest producers of pottery in the world.

Mysterious Appearance of Giant Snail at Hoffhines Studio Garden.

Local biologists have been flocking to the back yard garden at Linda Hoffhines Studio in Union Pier Michigan since this huge gastropod was discovered this afternoon. It appears that the giant mollusc has been living off of a diet of back yard sculpture and is incorporating the bits and pieces into it's shell and carapace. Dr. M. Schilthuizen, Phd, of Midwestern Michigan University noted that "This is a most remarkable example of a terrestrial gastropod capturing, storing and exhibiting biomass. I've never seen a mollusc secrete such a colorful and highly patterned surface onto it's shell. This specimen will provide scientific researchers with many fascinating questions for years to come".

Desmond Returns From Paris.

It was a long plane ride, and he is just getting over jet lag. After a fabulous week visiting relatives from all over the world Desmond is happily settled into his back yard perch.

Ceasefire Declared With Mulberry Tree.

The backyard war with evil tree has been called to a halt. Tree has agreed to stop berry production, nbWorldwide cancelled the demolition order with Davis Tree Service. Hopefully this new found peace in the back yard will last for a while as we prepare for the final shows of the summer.

Big One That Got Away.

nancy and burt said goodbye to one of our favorite pieces from the pre Ann Arbor firing. The teapot posed for a final portrait before it went out into the world with it's new owner.

New Work Is Unveiled.

Be among the first to see our new forms and patterns. The show opens tomorrow at 10 AM.

Grand Poo Bah Of Ann Arbor Visits Booth.

nancy and burt were honored by a visit from Steve Kerr. Steve is one of the many board members who work year round to make the Ann Arbor Street Art Festival one of the leading art fairs in the country. You will often find Steve behind the table at the T shirt booth. We recommend that you buy at least one T shirt to make Steve happy.

Skutt Kilnmaster Works Tonight, New Shapes And Patterns Emerge Tuesday Morning.

nancyandburt Worldwide Vehicle Number One is scheduled to stop at headquarters early tomorrow morning to unload and pack the final kilnload before our trip to The Ann Arbor Steet Art Festival. The show opens Wednesday morning and continues through Saturday. We look forward to meeting our patrons at booth A101.

Evanston Fountain Square Aftermath. A Recycler's Dream Come True.

"Easy-Up and Easy Down! Here's the Pile looking north on Sherman -- obviously these didn't come from further up the street (theirs are still standing...) They came from Church St., to the West -- or the left as you face the pile. It got bigger still after this picture was shot."

Quote is from Mary Dye, a potter who participated in the show. Photo is lifted off the internet. Mary, who uses a Light Dome brand canopy and had time to bring it down to half height, sustained minor damage, a few broken pots. The wind, however, was strong enough to damage any brand of canopy if it was in the wrong location.

New Village Art Installation.

Oak Park Resident Dandara Phillips took this remarkable photograph of 3 deer which were installed this morning for a short period of time in the vicinity of Taylor and Erie street. These amazingly lifelike statues are part of the towns ambitious program to bring art to the public. Village residents can look forward to sighting these deer in various configurations for the rest of the summer. When questioned about the towns sponsorship of the program, village officials assured us that the project is completely funded by a private donor and uses no taxpayer dollars.

Kiln Opening Reveals a Match Made In Heaven, A Happy Ending.

We now pronounce you a set, to have and to hold, for better or for worse, till death do us part. "I do.", "I do.".

This set and other new work will be available at the Highland Park Fine Craft Exhibition this weekend. June 28 and 29th. The Art Center of Highland Park.

Kiln Opening Reveals a Match Made In Heaven, Part Three.

Creamer and Sugar Bowl meet tray who provides the ground for a perfect union. "Aloha mis amigos."

Kiln Opening Reveals a Match Made In Heaven, Part Two.

Creamer. "Hello, very nice to make your acquaintance".

Kiln Opening Reveals a Match Made In Heaven, Part One.

Sugar bowls meets________ "Hi, pleased to meet you".

nancyandburt Worldwide Advocates Female Mulberry Tree Legislation.

Whereas the female mulberry tree, herein referred to as Evil Tree, currently poses a serious threat to pottery production at the Satellite Studio, nbWorldwide advocates legislation to devote federal funds towards research and development to eradicate said species from the Earth or at minimum spay or neuter any Evil Tree to render production of fruit and/or berries a thing of the past. The aim of this legislation is to devote national resources to said research in a similar manner as the "Manhattan Project" diverted national resources towards developing nuclear weapons.

Nancy Works In The Studio While Burt Supplements Nutrition.

With the rising cost of food, gasoline, red earthenware, and ceramic supplies, nancyandburt Worldwide searches for methods to guarantee an uninterrupted supply of pottery while our nation resolves it's current financial difficulties. Studies have proven a steady diet of fish oil and protein keeps a potters mind alert and fingers agile. Documents pertaining to Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources non-residential fishing license #264-021-668 are available upon request.

Berry Carnage Begins.

The storm knocked berries to the ground, a reminder that the evil tree is preparing it's annual assault on the nancyandburt Worldwide satellite studio.

Evil Mulberry Tree Survives Storm Unscathed.

Is this tree possessed by the devil? Did it germinate to make the backyard a sticky purple carpeted mess for 6 weeks of every summer? Why was this tree spared and another one struck down by the storm? Could anyone use seven million mulberries to effect positive change in the world?

Umbrella Reduced To Rubble.

Sixty mile per hour winds uprooted our beloved umbrella and sent it flying across the deck. The umbrella was reduced to torn canvas and wood splinters in a matter of seconds.

Giant Cactus Is Toppled.

The giant cactus, raised by nancyandburt from a seedling, was knocked over when the front struck. At the moment Nancy is at the Morton Arboretum seeking expert advice before we attempt to right the prickly stalk.

Storm Pummels Studio Neighborhood.

A raging front with winds up to 60 mph hit South Harvey Avenue this morning at 8 am, downing trees, umbrellas, and potted plants. We sent our cameraman to document damage as soon as it was safe to go outside. The vital artery at the front of the satellite studio is blocked by a fallen tree. We await city crews (and welcome any presidential candidate who would like like to be photographed pitching in with a chain saw) for tree removal.

Report From Art Fair in Kalamazoo..

The tornadoes hit Kalamazoo Friday afternoon at 5 o'clock.Our tents were already set-up but with no work in them.After dinner and several beers we returned to the show grounds.Lucky for us the park where the show is 2o feet in elevation below the path of the storm and we had no damages other than several wrecked pop=up canopies. Over night horizontal rain hit the motel actual causing windows sills to flood but we did not lose power.The Event was held.Despite the fact that the county is now a disaster area ,some customers actually came to the event and bought some pieces during the tornado alert with the sirens going off during Saturday morning.It threatened to storm most of the day.I got the category award and sold some work,packing promptly at 5:00 eastern standard and drove home quickly.Passing through Indiana was like reliving the Wizard of Oz except I saw Charlton Heston in his Moses costume with a thunder bolt in the sky at least twice.I got very lucky. (Lou Zale, Deerfield, IL).

(Please note that the photo above is of a tornado somewhere in the state of Michigan which is being used to illustrate the text,n&b).

57th Street Art Fair. Booth 652 on 57th St.

We will be at the 57th Street Art Fair this weekend. Booth number 652.

Linda Hoffhines Studio and Garden is Open to The Public.

Visit "The Egg" and much more. 15964 Wintergreen Place, Union Pier, Michigan 49129, right off of the Red Arrow Highway.

Trees Grow In The Studio.

There is topiary planted in the garden, some are living trees, some are concrete. Paintings of topiary and ceramic topiary can be found inside the studio.

Outside Inside.

We know we're in the studio, but the flowers are growing here too. They're on the walls, on the table, embedded in the pottery, firing in the kiln.

Cake On A Stick.

If only everything-on-a-stick were as tasty and attractive as this cake.

Meet Mr. Green Man.

Linda and Floyd introduced us to one of the the newest members of their menagerie, Mr. Green Man, who mysteriously appeared and disappeared during our visit.

This Is Normal.

Knowing Linda and Floyd for a number of years nancyandburt expect to find ceramic flowers and wedding cakes, decorative bowling balls, parading Shrek toys, concrete rivers, and piles of sand with a profusion of vegetation growing in the nooks and crannies of an eccentric landscape.

Vehicle Number One Visits Famous Michigan Artist Duo.

This Saturday nancyandburt visited the house and roadside garden attraction built by Linda Hoffhines and Floyd Gompf, in Union Pier, Michigan. It was a beautiful spring day and the garden was bursting with growth and activity.

Huge Increase in Terra-Cotta Cost Predicted by Leading Economist.

A leading Oak Park economist is predicting that terra-cotta is about to be caught in the rising price spiral of raw materials on the world market. According to the economist, "With increasing demand for bricks, sewer pipe, teacups, teapots, vases, pitchers, flower pots and bathroom tile in rapidly expanding overseas markets, this once humble material will become a commodity that is in short supply". The economist, who wishes to remain anonymous, predicts that by next summer a 50 Pound box of terra-cotta, which currently sells for $17.40 at Dick Blick, may rise to as much as $300 dollars on the world commodities market.

"As a result of soaring steel prices, terra-cotta may soon be used to manufacture car and appliance parts in rapidly developing Asian markets." says the economist." You are about to see an explosion of economic activity centering around this material".

Bisque Wildlife Epidemic In Village.

"First we had the cougar incident and now the village is being overrun by deer." Said Oak Park Animal Control officer, Peter Slawter. "We've had at least 10 reports of tires slashed by shards on the road. It's remarkable how much damage one bisque deer can do to a car. My advice is to put away your cell phone and pay attention to these pale creatures when they cross the road."

Cups On The March.

Espresso cups could not help themselves when they saw the vases marching. They fell into formation and followed them across the table.