THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER

Hello everyone! Well, spring is finally in the air—and that means planning for our 2008 CAS Convention is in full swing! Speaking of swing reminds me of the theme of this year’s get-together: “CAS Celebrates the Fabulous 40s”. Swing music was at the height of its popularity during the 1940s, and our goal is to recapture all the fun and nostalgia of that era, when the Studio was at its peak. Your creative Board members have come up with plenty of terrific ideas for making this year’s Convention really memorable, and we’ll share some of those with you elsewhere in this issue. As for the rest of what’s in store — well, you’ll just have to be there in person to find out!

Our 2008 Convention will be held on Saturday, August 23^rd only, which makes it less of a commitment for our club members. We realize that busy schedules mean it’s sometimes difficult to block out an entire weekend. That’s why this year we’ve decided to pack all of this year’s Convention fun and excitement into one extra- special evening!

A Convention registration form is included with this newsletter and the form is also available on our website, www.cascollectors.com. If you haven’t registered yet, now’s the time to do it. Think how badly you’d feel, sitting at home in front of the TV watching summer reruns, while the rest of us are jumpin’ and jivin’ in Madison! Plus, there’s still time to enter our “Earliest Earlybird Contest”: all Convention registrations postmarked by May 15^th will go into a drawing for a wonderful prize, to be awarded at the Convention. So get out the checkbook, get out the stamps, and hop to it—you’ll be glad you did!

And, here’s another string to tie around your finger: if it’s time to renew your CAS Collectors yearly membership, you’ll find a sticker on the mailing envelope this newsletter came in. If there’s a sticker, won’t you send in your renewal at your earliest opportunity? We want to make your club, and your Convention the best they can possibly be -- and we count on your generous annual support to help us do just that.

As always, we’ve made it easy to renew. A membership renewal form is included with this newsletter, and additional forms are available on our website. Help keep the memory of the Ceramic Arts Studio alive by renewing today — and a personal thanks to all of our members who have already renewed for 2008.

I look forward to talking with you again soon, and to seeing you in Madison this August. And, remember: anytime you have any comments about our group, feel free to email me at: hankk@omahasteaks.com. Meanwhile, enjoy all the beautiful spring weather has to offer. Garage sales will soon be going on in full force, and who knows? Maybe you’ll find that elusive showpiece for your CAS collection. It’s spring, and hope springs eternal!

Hank Kuhlmann

President

THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

. . .That would be our 2007 Convention Commemorative, the first-ever CAS Collectors Keepsake Ornament!

Once again designed by CAS Collectors Board member Lisa Louis (aka “The Queen of Commemoratives”), our 2007 Commemorative carried through our Convention theme, “A CAS Christmas in August”. The oversize (4” diameter), traditional round shatterproof glass ornament is finished in a brilliant satin green. Emblazoned on one side is the familiar CAS Zebra-and-palette logo in white. Inscribed below are the words “CAS Collectors 2007”, also in white. Each CAS Collectors Keepsake Ornament is individually boxed, and comes with its own hanger.

Each registered Convention-goer received an ornament Commemorative, and a limited number still remain available. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for a fellow collector, look no further!

To order, just send payment of $15 ($10, plus $5 shipping and handling) to:

Donald-Brian Johnson, 3329 South 56^th St., #611, Omaha, NE 68106.

By the way, a very limited number of our 2006 Commemoratives -- the Salt & Peppers – also remain available at $15 per set, and can be ordered from Don.