Just Ramlings in General

Well, it's Friday night, just 13 days before the show in Morganton, NC. I had to stop and do something else besides try and figure out what new items I want to make for the show. I've been taking inventory of the fabrics that I have and what I can make with them. But after a while, you feel like a dog chasing your tail. So many fabrics, sooooo little time. Sometimes I think it would be better if I just found the fabric, made one or two things and moved on, but experience has taught me that assembly line is the best way to go when you want to make a multitude of the same items.

I'm just a little down in the dumps because when I re-started to do the craft shows at the beginning of this year, I had a "friend" of mine who wanted to do them also. She crocheted the cutest little totes! But, she decided that she didn't want to do the shows anymore. I already had committed to several more shows -- she just didn't get the concept that you had to reserve your booth WAY in advance.

It was a perfect relationship for a craft business, I did all the sewing, hand-painting, quilting, etc. and she crocheted. No one was in competition and it brought diversity to the booth. Plus, I thought it was a lot of fun. My "friend" did not. She said the craft shows were too much hard work. I hope you noticed that I put the word friend in quotation marks. I have come to find out that the only reason she was my "friend"...well, not the time nor place for this rambling.

I am without a car at the moment and she had the van! Perfect! Now, I am racking my brain trying to figure out how to get three 6' banquet tables, canopy, and everything else needed for a two day show from Hickory to Morganton. My daughter and her boyfriend have a car, so getting the smaller stuff from point A to point B is not the problem, but the tables...Oh, well, I guess I'll figure it out. Wish I could just go to a dealership and buy a new car, but with the way MY economy is right now, it's going to be several months before I could afford that, unless I find a really cheap van or station wagon that I could just make small payment for a few months. Wonder if I could find a nice copper oil lamp somewhere and rub and rub. Ya' think the genie will come?

In the meantime, I will continue to work my full time job (at Cracker Barrel in Hickory) and sew, paint, etc. I WILL do the Morganton show and then the one in Taylorsville on October 3 (Art in the Shop) and then the Hickory Oktoberfest!!!!

"I think I can....I think I can....I think I can"

Lazy Day

My "weekend" started today and I decided that I should take a day to relax and not do much of anything. I should have done laundry, changed litter boxes and then gotten to work at sewing something! See, I have an Arts & Craft's Show in September. It's a local show in Morganton, NC, that's only about 20 minutes from where I live in Hickory, NC. I want to make so many more things but I have been tired, as of late. I could probably have slept all day if my daughter didn't need me to babysit my two grand-kids for a few hours. I did have a lot of fun with them!!! So, it was worth giving up sleep for that.

Tomorrow is my other day off from work and I WILL sew or knit or paint...Have to. If I don't the show will be here before I know it and I will be kicking myself because I didn't get as much done as I wanted to.

So, any of you that are out there in the area -- come to the show and come prepared to spend!!

Keep on creating!!

WOW!!! I am really green!

I thought that I was computer literate...Boy, was I wrong. I recently became a member of Artfire. You see, I am a crafter/artisan. I have been playing with fabric since I was a little girl. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to make a living selling my handmade items. Several times I have tried to start this cottage industry but life got in the way and it always got pushed back. Now, much later (I won't say how old I really am), I have decided that one way or another I will make this dream come to fruition.

I figured that the best way to sell my items would be online. I also sell at craft shows and I am trying to see if there are any local shops that might be interested. Anyway, I figured that becoming a member of a site such as Artfire...it would be oh, so easy...I just put pictures up and voila!!!! Boy, was I mistaken. I'm not a total idiot when it comes to computers, but I must admit that I've had to learn a whole new nomenclature. There have been terms that I've had to look up, just to see what the heck they meant. One of them was blogging!!!!

Now, sure, I've heard the term, plenty -- but I've always been too chicken to ask what exactly it was. As a member of Artfire, you can become a Maven...and one of the recent posts was to "make an artist's day". I thought, what a good idea! Everybody deserves a pat on the back. I've yet to meet someone who's ego wasn't boosted when told what a good job they did. We all smile when we are paid a compliment.

Sounds so simple...just find an artist and pay them a compliment...put a smile on their face...pat them on the back...pay it forward. I am writing this blog in hopes that other artisans/crafters find their way here. For all of you out there that have decided that art is important. For all of you who march to the sound of your own beat. I want to send out a general, "Hip, hip, hooray!!!"

My favorite quote is: "Those who do not hear the music, think the dancers mad". Artisans/Crafters, keep on dancing...