Catching up on my thanks...

I'm sitting in my living room, typing on my laptop because my desktop crashed a couple days ago. It makes me very thankful that I use a backup system so at least all my data is safe and secure. I'm also thankful that it crashed while I was on the phone customizing a new computer which had been planned for a while. Can't afford it but also can't run my businesses without it so, it will be ordered today. I'm giving thanks for my laptop...

I'm so grateful to be home again after a very long stretch of shows. I came home safe and healthy. The bone deep tiredness will go away... My shows were fun with great times spent with friends for which I am so grateful. Sales weren't what I had hoped for but the deep in the soul parts were much more important and they were GOOD!

I'm grateful that I dearly love Mexican food! I have eaten at a huge number of Mexican restaurants over the last few months and have eaten some great food with great people. Now it's on to my favorite Mexican restaurant, Seven Mares, here in Grand Rapids. May have lunch there today since it's been a few days since my last Mexican meal! I'm grateful that they have been able to stay open in these rough times.

I'm grateful that anyone even reads what I'm typing here. I really enjoy doing this and would continue even if no one ever read what I wrote but it's extra nice when someone tells me that they read it and enjoy my meandering on. I'm not a writer (in case you couldn't tell!!!) and this is just done off the cuff so it's like listening to me talk! Which I tend to do a lot of.

I am so grateful every time someone walks up to my booth wearing something I've made!!! That just makes my heart sing. At my last show in Madison, a woman walked up wearing my earrings which her husband had purchased for her at a gallery in Texas. It was so nice meeting her!

My doorbell just rang and there was a package for me. I'm extremely grateful for having Pat and Jon in my life and the bagels and cookies they just sent!!! So now I need to wrap this up and go have a GREAT bagel!

This has been a rough year so my heartfelt thanks to family, friends and customers who have stuck with me though it all. I love you all and here's to a great 2010!!!

Oops!

I knew I was behind on blogging but boy, it's really bad when you log in and find it's been exactly a month since your last blog! It's not that I ran out of things to talk about since that will never happen, but I've been on the road doing shows all over the country and I'm pooped!

My plan is to catch up with pictures and stories next week so please check back...

Bethesda Row Arts Festival

I'm scheduled to do the Bethesda Row Arts Festival this weekend in Bethesda Maryland. Really been looking forward to this show for lots of reasons. Sister time since Kare was coming down to help me with the show. My favorite nephew (who is now so much taller than I am...big sigh) and my brother-in-law were also going to visit which would be a great warm fuzzy. And let us not forget Maryland crab cakes!!! Plus I've not shown my work in this area recently so I have totally new work to show!

And then comes the weather forecast. In the 40's with rain all weekend. I can handle the cold (reluctantly) and I can handle the rain but the two together is really, really tough. It just sounds bone chilling. Plus set-up for the show is early Saturday morning which sounds even colder.

For the first time, Michael (we were going in the same van) was the one who said he didn't want to go. I was actually relieved since I wouldn't have suggested canceling but I really didn't want to face that cold, wet weather. I was willing to go if he wanted to and he said he would go if I wanted to but he really wasn't looking forward to it.

We're not going to Bethesda Row. Not a decision made lightly but made more out of necessity. We both have heavy schedules coming up and can't afford any down time getting sick. We both have orders to get out so we can use the time productively. I'm feeling warmer already...

So no warm fuzzy family time. No crab cakes. No trying out this work in a new market but hopefully I'll get into the show next year because I'd love to do it!

Cottonwood

I love this show but it just didn't work for me this year. Had lots of fun, got to see my friend Marilyn O'Hara who's a great jewelry photographer. Also got to see Needfire, a great Celtic Rock band who I really enjoy!

First saw them at Woodlands Waterway in April so I was excited to see they were playing at Cottonwood in May. They were rained out... But luckily they were also scheduled for the October Cottonwood show. My booth was very close so I snuck away to watch. There's something about men in kilts, jumping around playing Celtic rock. Then add a didgeridoo to the mix. Wow! Do Pat and I look happy???

It's a long drive from Michigan to Texas and I'm gone for 6.5 days. It's hard to justify if the sales aren't there, which they weren't this year. It's a fun show and I really enjoy Texas and the people there but will probably take a break from this wonderful show. Unless I win the lottery and have money to play with!

Catching up in pictures

Funky Ferndale deserves it's own pictures...

Jon Hecker was next to me with the Tattoo Dreams booth so there are a couple shots of his booth. Notice the great hanging beads that Pat's now doing! Becka Strachan got a customized Tattoo Dreams table and looks pretty happy!

Then there's a picture of the space behind my booth at the show. This fit with the whole theme of the show perfectly!

My favorite - the balloon man was making balloon collars for all the big dogs...

I'm not funky...

It's now for certain. According to the Funky Ferndale show, I'm no longer in the "funky" group.

Had great fun at the show with Jon Hecker in the booth next door (Pat was home very sick), showing their Tattoo Dreams. And the people watching was fantastic! But I felt either old or just out of my element. My work didn't fit into the show or the people there. But it was FUN!!!

Next up for me is the wonderful Cottonwood Art Festival in Richardson Texas, a suburb of Dallas. This is a relatively new show for me and I absolutely love it! Everyone is so very nice plus people actually like my jewelry!!! And I get to see the great jewelry photographer, Marilyn O'Hara!

It's all good...even if I'm no longer funky...

Can I be funky?

I leave in a little while for the Funky Ferndale Art Show and I'm wondering if I'm even the least bit funky anymore. As I've been sitting in the studio making new things for the show, I realize that right now my work is more zen than funk.

So when did my work change and mellow out? All my life changes and everything that happens is reflected in what I make. For me with the world so chaotic, my work is coming out more calm and peaceful. Feels right to me!

All I can hope for this weekend is that in and amongst all the funky work in Ferndale, people will be drawn to a little sea of calm...