CONVENTION COUNTDOWN II: ON THE ROAD AGAIN!

“On the road again. . .

Just can’t wait to get on the road again. . .”

Been humming that lately? Well, have patience: it’s just three months until the 2012 CAS Collectors Convention! You won’t want to miss all the fun in store, as we celebrate the all-American appeal of Ceramic Arts Studio with our very own “road trip”, “A CAS Summer Vacation”!

On August 25^th, the main-floor Cedar Room of Madison’s Howard Johnson Plaza will be transformed into a traveler’s delight, complete with summer vacation-themed décor, “car bingo”, and colorful picnic basket centerpieces just waiting to be taken home by lucky Door Prize winners! Among the events on the evening’s agenda: our much-anticipated On Display Contest. . . a delectable Buffet Dinner. . .the annual CAS Collectors membership meeting. . .our always-popular Club Auction, called by professional auctioneer Shirley Baumann. . . a Raffle for a CAS-themed quilt once again created and donated by club member (and quilter extraordinaire) June Behnke. . . and presentation of the 2012 CAS Collectors Commemorative to each person in attendance!

You’ll want to arrive in Madison early, of course, to take in all the antiquing the area has to offer, plus the annual WPA Show and Sale. Show hours are from 9 am to 4 pm Saturday at the Alliant Energy Center. This year’s exhibit theme is “Wisconsin Stoneware: 1850-1900”, and Convention attendees will receive free show parking at the show – a $5 value.

For out-of-towners planning to stay over, Howard Johnson’s has arranged a special Convention room rate of $69 per night – a brand-new lower rate, and a terrific bargain! For room reservations at the discounted rate, just call 608-244-2481, and mention that you are with CAS Collectors.

So, let’s do the math: dinner, the On Display contest, our annual meeting, the Club Auction, Door Prizes, the chance to take part in the quilt raffle, the 2012 Commemorative, free parking at the WPA Show, and the opportunity to once again mix and mingle with your CAS friends – all that, for just $60 per person! What’s not to like? Send in your Convention registration today – and remember: all registrations postmarked by May 31^st will be entered in a drawing for the “Earliest Earlybird” prize. Another Convention “plus” – but only if you register early !

Don’t delay – do it today – and make plans to join your friends at the 2012 CAS Collectors Convention, “A CAS Summer Vacation”. It’s an exciting end-of-summer “road trip” you won’t want to miss!

AUCTION ACTION 2012: THE RETURN OF SHIRLEY!

CAS Collectors is pleased to announce that our annual Club Auction will once again be “called” by professional auctioneer, Shirley Baumann. As in past years, the auction will be held on Saturday evening, following our banquet, and the other Convention festivities.

Shirley’s experienced and entertaining handling of our auctions for the past seven Conventions made those events fun for all, and we look forward to her return visit for Convention 2012!

Doing some spring cleaning? Our best auctions always include a terrific variety of CAS pieces, so now’s the time to comb through your collection, and pick out any duplicates and don’t-really-needs to include on the auction bill. (And, if you have any “Summer Vacation” souvenirs on hand, why not bring those along, too?) An auction bill chock-full of variety will add to the evening’s enjoyment! (Even better, you can earn some extra cash to cover your own auction purchases!)

In keeping with the spirit of fun and fair play, the following guidelines should be noted:

1) A list of all auction items should be received by Tim Holthaus by Monday, August 13^th so that Tim and Jim can include them in the auction program. Item listings received after that date may not appear in the program, due to printing deadlines. As always, however, we will do our best to accept a limited number of “last-minute” submissions on the evening of the auction, depending on time available. Send your auction info to Tim at: tjholthaus@tandj.us

2) Please list any known defects, and also the general condition of the item, along with name and general color. (Example: BRIGHT EYES WITH BLUE BOW; SMALL FLECK ON EAR). CAS items that have been repaired, or have minimal damage, will be accepted for auction; items missing “parts” will not.

3) Please list a “reserve price” minimum bid if you require one. Reserves will be listed in the program.

4) Bring the items you will be auctioning with you Saturday evening for setup. If you are unable to attend the Convention, you can still consign auction items, and ship them prior to the event. Contact Hank Kuhlmann (hankk@omahasteaks.com) for details.

5) Adequate lighting will be provided, but you are welcome to bring a black light, jeweler’s loop, or magnification for your examinations. You will have adequate time prior to dinner, or on a break, to examine the pieces. The club does not guarantee against defects, and it is your responsibility to check the items thoroughly. (As you know, we are not Sothebys, and we have been known to pause while someone takes a last peek at the item that’s up!) CAS Collectors is not responsible for any item defects not mentioned in the written item description, or not noted by the buyer prior to purchase.

6) Please be respectful, and remember that we are buying from fellow club members. Only those in attendance at the Convention may place bids.

7) A 5% surcharge will be assessed to the buyer at checkout, to cover the cost of supplies associated with the auction.

8) A 5% surcharge will be assessed to the seller before payment is mailed (10% for non-club members). All surcharges directly benefit CAS Collectors.

9) CAS Collectors encourages sellers with more than 5 items to offer one auction item as a donation to the club. (There is, of course, no seller surcharge on donated items.)

10) Have fun — that’s the point! (Well, that and great buys!)

Please start checking your collections now for possible auction submissions. The more items we have on the bill, the merrier the evening! Above all, plan on having a great time -- and let the bidding begin!

“ON DISPLAY” 2012: A WIDE OPEN ROAD OF POSSIBILITIES!

“On Display”, the annual event calling on the creativity of all CAS Collectors, returns for its ninth go-round at our 2012 Convention, “A CAS Summer Vacation”! Judging by the overwhelming success of past “On Display” contests, it’s a sure bet that this year’s event will once again be a Convention highlight!

“On Display” will be one of our featured activities on the evening of Saturday, August 25^th, and here’s how it works: each Convention attendee is invited to bring along to Madison creative displays showing off CAS figurines to their best advantage. There are 10 display categories, and each Convention-goer may have a total of three entries. While other ceramics may be included, CAS pieces must make up the bulk of any figurines included in the display. Decorations and accessories of any and every kind are acceptable -- whether display stands, cabinets, flowers, furniture, background pieces, or what-have-you. Display setup will be prior to our Convention gathering, with tables provided in our meeting room to accommodate the displays. Judging will be done by all Convention attendees, and terrific prizes will once again be awarded in all 10 categories, plus a “Best of Show” award to the overall favorite entry. As in the past, an entry is eligible to win in more than one category.

The possibilities are endless, and now’s the time to start planning! As an added bonus, once again the name of each person submitting an entry will also be entered in a drawing for yet another terrific prize!

Here are this year’s categories – some old, some new, some tied directly to our 2012 Convention theme, “A CAS Summer Vacation” – but each and every one a road-worthy creative opportunity!

• “Most Imaginative: The Decorators’ Memorial Award” (in honor of Millie, Flossie, Martha, Rose, & Gertie)
• “Funniest” (The “Reuben Sand/Margaret Purucker Memorial Award”)
• “Best Use of Accessories (CAS or non-CAS)” (The “Sid Foye Memorial Award”)
• “On The Road Again: Best Use of CAS Figurines with a Model Car” (any type!)
• “Beach Party: Best Use of CAS Figurines in a Beach Setting”
• “Packin’ Up: Best Use of CAS Figurines and a Suitcase” (any size!)
• “Scenic Wonders: Best Use of CAS Figurines in a Tourist Attraction Setting”
• “Home, Sweet Home: Best Use of CAS Figurines to Capture The American Spirit”
• “A CAS Summer Vacation: Display Best Conveying Our Overall Convention Theme”
• “As Betty Intended: Display Best Capturing The Style and Spirit of Betty Harrington”

And there you have it: ten categories to ponder, plus the “Best of Show” prize winner, to be voted on from the winning entries in these categories. As always, there are sure to be many colorful and creative entries on view, (meaning lots of great ideas we can all take home and put to use showcasing our own collections!)

Need to jump-start your creative juices? Selected winning displays from the 2011 contest are pictured in the Fall, 2011 and Winter, 2012 issues of CAS Collectors Quarterly, and many more appear on our website, www.cascollectors.com . Numerous unique display ideas are also depicted in Chapter 20 of Ceramic Arts Studio: The Legacy of Betty Harrington. Check out the possibilities – and may the best displays win!

SEE THE USA WITH CAS –

“A CAS SUMMER VACATION” –

AUGUST 25^th IN MADISON!