Wrapping up 2010

So time has passed, as it always does. The year's end comes on the tails of a great holiday season! Looking back on 2010,I made a lot of great things, dabbled in some new ideas, had tons of fun at shows, enjoyed meeting a lot of new people!
In addition to the art-related fun I had every month with the Carolina Mixed Media Artist Guild, The Inspired. art event workshop in Concord this spring with my girls was the absolute best!!!!! I am looking forward to the 2011 Inspired. and it can't come soon enough now that I know what a great experience it is.
I am going to close up shop for a few weeks of vacation, and when I get back, it will be time to submit applications for several shows. Time to take some new photos of my work and rework my artist statement. Maybe this year will be when I get down to brass tacks and develop my website. There is always something hopeful about beginning the new year.....

Holiday Show madness

I think the fumes from paint and glue are geting to me! I've been busy in the studio and have finished 2 fun shows :) The show last weekend had me up and on the road by 5am...

I'm hoping for the weather to cooperate at the Raleigh Designer's Downtown Market this Saturday,the 20th(Happy Birthday, MOM) from 9-3. There'll be something new for this Market; a plethora of handmade goods donated by the artists will be in raffle baskets this weekend. All proceeds to benefit the NC Food Bank! Come on out and get a leg up on your Holiday shopping and support a worthwhile cause!

After that, I am looking forward to a nice family Thanksgiving celebration; kids home from school for a few days; maybe even sneaking in a crafternoon with the girls!

Holiday schedule

My Holiday schedule is set! I will be in a variety of venues through the month of November and the first weekend of December.There is a show for everyone!

November 3-4 I will be at Soapstone UMC in North Raleigh, at the Sugar Plum Fair. There will be sessions of 9-2 both days and and evening session with food and a Silent Auction on Wed. from 6-9. Come on out and spend a rare leisurely weekday doing some early Holiday shopping.
This is followed by November 13th Mistletoe Market at Wakefield HS in Raleigh 8-5.
The Designer's Downtown Market in Raleigh will be in the Ornamentea parking lot on November 20th from 9-3 (brisk sunny weather? yes please!)
The first weekend in December is a double header; St. Thomas More in Chapel Hill on Saturday the 4th from 9-5; and Sunday the 5th brings the Boylan Heights Artwalk from 12-5!

I love attending shows and meeting customers in person. I enjoy talking about my creations and soaking up the fun, artistic atmosphere!

I hope summer weather is done...

After yesterday's Designer's Downtown Market. it's official; I am SOO done with summer weather! The booth set up was great,the company excellent, and customers were fun and sweet! BUT unless I sat still in front of the fan, it was too HOT for almost October!
I am sitting here writing this looking out the window waiting for the rain to start and the cool breezes to begin. A good sign was letting the dog out and it felt...nice!
I'm looking forward to a few weekends off, and doing family stuff before my next show. And I will I have time to catch up and replenish my Memory Journals! These are selling as fast as I can make them; they are adorable :) Is it a scrapbook? a Photo Album? a Journal? It's all 3 rolled into one. some pockets, tags, and foldouts to write, draw, rip, tape and/or staple whatever you want to keep and remember. I find it easier to start using a journal when it's not a big intimidating sea of blank white.
A project I put off until cool weather is my soldering. I LOVE to solder and now I plan on setting up my table in the garage (my second studio haha). I have come into a fantastic collection of Vintage Christmas cards and want to make collaged Christmas ornaments. SWWWEEET! Let the Fall begin!!

Work and Play

I just spent a creative fun Sunday afternoon with fellow Guild members; learning some awesome background techniques and ATC patterns. Now to make some artful ATCs for the Art of Carolinas. the CMMAG will be hosting a make and take ATC room during the AOC.
Now, after a weekend full of fun, football, and college kids, the list must be made.

1. Make a master list for the BazaarSpark show on Saturday. (Downtown Raleigh 10-5)

2. Repack inventory and update table signs.

3. Finish up last minute projects, hopefully by midweek(do NOT spend Friday night

feverishly crafting) haha

4. Be ready to pick up my younger child from school Friday afternoon, and take the

other one out to lunch while I'm in Greenville :)

5. Take photos of inventory to use on Etsy. I love my camera.

If I could only set up a work schedule and stick to it...I think I need to actually write it down in PEN, not pencil. How did I get so much more done when the kids were little and I worked night shift? I like to think it's not getting older.

Setting the Fall Schedule

So it begins...The finalization of Fall shows. I love when the calendar starts to gel and I can plan studio time, college football games, regular life stuff, and Holiday shows! Life is rather simple these days; empty nest means less housework, and I am now retired from being a Band Booster after 6 years :) There are really a lot of hours in a day!

Things start in 2 weeks; at BazaarSpark in downtown Raleigh on Saturday September 18th. Come on out to Martin St. from 10-5 and check out all the handmade local art and fine crafts. Guaranteed to be some awesome unique treasures...

Imaginese Gifts in Cary at Stonecreek Village is continuing to carry my glass tile pendants; maps, old postage stamps and handpainted vintage paper. This is such a cool store with so many neat items you've never seen before. I love it!

My preparations for the fall season involve some re organizing of my inventory; after a summer off from shows, I need to take stock of what needs to be done, and maybe pick new table coverings and spruce up my signage. Fall is very rejuvenating!

Follow up on Blog Block

I would be glad to post more often if I could only remember to come on in!
As for last week's blog, I actually have made progress! I decided I would give myself permission to tear up a little whenever I felt like it. I can be a sentimental Momma if I choose!
I started the grad party planning, decided I would have a party whether Son wanted one or not hahaha.
Worked on my website, which is totally empty :( because I haven't listing anything new in FOREVER shame on me. I took a bunch of pictures, and editted them. Only to lose the first listing I tried to post (operator error)! Well, try and try again...
Made lots of Art; in the form of graduation cards for several of my son's friends; I will miss them all as they drift away to the 4 corners of the world (or the 4 corners of the UNC college system)
My next project is going to finish a recycled journal I began in a workshop at Inspired a few weks ago. I loved the class, but it will be a work in progress.
Pendants for Imaginese
Pendant-special order
Secret birthday present for friend (late)
get through graduation party start cooking and buying NOW
relax today, It's a holiday!

Blog Block

Hello, Blog. It's been awhile. I'm a little ashamed how out of touch we've been. A bit of discipline is all I need. Since i've never been a journal keeper, it's still tough to sit down and bang out a blog entry. I never had a pink diary with a tiny key to hold my secret thoughts. I am much more of a list maker than a writer.
So:
1.Graduation is approaching for my youngest son. Plan the party.
2.Think about whether I will tear up or just be happy at the Grad ceremony.
3.Plan the trip to said son's college for overnight orientation. Will I cry?
4.Find a few craft shows to apply for; the blow to my ego from being rejected by
Lazy Daze still stings a little.
5.Finally decide on a color for the powder room and paint it. It's not gonna happen
on it's own.
6.Website. Do it. Enough said.

Maybe I should have been saving my lists all these years. Looking at my to do lists does allow me to look at what's going on in my life when I read between the lines.
My Blog may need to adapt to a laundry list rather than a composition.
Let's see how this works...

Starting out with good intentions...

...doesn't always mean I follow through! The craft table is pared down, but not quite neat. And everything isn't put away in the right place. But I am starting to wade throught the post holiday sluggishness, and spruce up my ETSY site. I have also gotten in some fun background painting with my sister last week; turning them in to some pretty darn cute bookmarks!
The applications for shows are printed out, and one has already been submitted. This is a good thing. I start looking forward to festivals about this time; Holiday shows seem like a long time ago. Planning far ahead is a bit tricky this year with my younger son graduating from High School and college Open House days taking up a lot of Saturdays. It will all work out...

Thanks to the CMMAG, I have dabbled where I have never gone before; into the realm of ATCs. I made 4 for the January meeting and hope to do the February "passion" theme cards. I picked up 4 mini pieces of Art from other members. This is a neat way to share without a huge investment of time and materials. I am looking forward to a busy and fun year with the Art Guild; they have a lot of cool stuff planned :)