Happy Thanksgiving!

Just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving.  Please, remember what this day is all about.  As you are scurrying about, making pies, sauces and what not, take a moment, draw a deep breath and whisper, "Thank you".  This day is not about over indulging as much as it is about giving thanks. Many, many years ago, the menus, as well as the times, were simpler. The day was to celebrate a good harvest and give thanks for all that you had.  


I hope that all of you and those near and dear to you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year!

Gorgeous Day!

Hello!


It is a beautiful 58 degrees here and I'm loving it.  The sun is shining and there is a slight breeze.  The weather is calling for it to go up to 80 this afternoon.  Gorgeous day.  My daughter put up some Halloween decorations in the yard and on the house yesterday.  Hopefully, today we will go and get my grandson his Buzz Lightyear costume.  That is, if he doesn't change his mind again and want to be a cowboy, again!  And, they say, women are indecisive.


I am in the process of making some old fashioned soft sculpture Santas which I hope to have finished soon.  One thing I want to do different is that I want mine to be made of really good quality fabrics and some even with real fur!  So, to that end, I will be scouring fabric shops and thrift shops and anywhere else I can think of to find the fabrics I am looking for.  I even thought about going to different pawn shops and seeing if I can purchase jewelry that I can actually afford to put on my fantasy Santa!


I will also be starting to make my grand-daughter's costume this week.  She wants to be a princess this year...but with a twist.  She wants the skirt to be as big as one of those girls on My Big Gypsy Wedding!  I see a bolt of tulle in my future.  I will post pictures as soon as I get it finished.


I cannot wait until Halloween!  That is the start of my holiday season.  Let us not forget what Halloween really is...it's a time of renewal, a time to start new projects. A time to let go of the past and start anew. Samhain is almost here!  So, start planning now for that bonfire and make your wishes and start your projects!  So mote it be!

My Roller Coaster Ride!

My life is a constant roller coaster, and lately it seems that it's been mostly down than up.  I tried and tried and no matter how I juggled the numbers, I just could not make Sharon Springs happen. This severely depressed me. I was so sure that I could. I felt like the little engine. I just kept plugging and plugging and in the end, I failed. I am glad, though, that they had a record turn out and the weather held out, even though it was supposed to rain and rain.  I'm totally re-evaluating this year and how many times I have failed in doing what I set out to do.  It seems that no matter how hard I've tried this year to do a craft show a month...well, I haven't.

So, onto Plan ???  Don't really know where I am anymore!

I will blog more. I've been reading that if you blog at least twice a week more and more people will start to read it.  Okay.  Here it is September 28th.  Next blog date...October 1st. Writing it down in my calendar so I don't forget.

Next, I've decided to join Zibbet.  It's like Artfire and they are having a yearly deal.  Which I should be able to afford by the early part of next week.  I figure, the more sites that have my items for sale the better.  Logical, no?

I've been working on my picture taking and I think I'm getting much better. So, I have a whole lot of items that I've taken to the few shows that I have done this year.  So, I will be posting the items this Saturday and hopefully something will sell.  My items sell really well at the shows. Now it's just a matter of letting the zillions of people on the internet know that I am out here and getting them to my shops.  Sounds simple, doesn't it?  I've taken my cue from the Beekman Boys.  Josh said that you should tell EVERYONE about your items. Post, blog, tweet (is that right?), etc.  I love the Beekman Boys, but let's face it, when they started they had a leg up on the rest of us. Josh is an ad executive for one of the largest ad agencies in NY and is already a published author.  And, Dr. Brent, used to work for Martha Stewart!  That's actually how the world got to know them.  They made goat milk soap...they gave some away as presents....Martha Stewart was a recipient...She put them on her show!  Bingo!  A business was born.  Yes, they do work VERY, VERY hard and they have a lot of expenses and are working towards their million dollar goal so Josh can quit his job and live permanently in Sharon Springs...now they will be appearing on QVC tonight!  Million dollars here it is!  They deserve it...I've never actually met them, but they have inspired me all this year to keep going, to keep working through the fatigue, through the disappointments, through everything.  Go to their website and, you too, will fall in love with this little town of just barely 500!

I will be going to the FEW local shops in my area and see what I can sell there.  Now, I can do this, since I have a vehicle at my disposal.  I also, have one outlet in Asheville, NC which I will probably get to in mid October...due to my work schedule.

Okay...a plea to all of my 12 followers...tell your friends, neighbors, relatives about my handcrafted work.  I need MORE followers, MORE visitors to my site.  I could also use any and all comments, critiques, ideas.  I refuse to give up my dream that I have held onto for so long.  I'm not a spring chicken anymore but I will keep on swimmin' till I can't swim anymore!

Regrouping

Okay...I survived another birthday...Another year older, not quite sure about the wiser.  My daughter made me a Black Forest Cake!  YUMMY! 


Now back to the reality of life.  No matter how I juggled the numbers, I just can't make Sharon Springs happen.  There's just not enough money. I'm really disappointed that this won't happen. I will be there next year, though.  Of that, I am sure.


I will be doing the Morganton Festival Sept. 9th and 10th.  My first night show.  It starts on Friday around 3 and on Saturday from 9 in the morning until 8 or 9 at night!  Long weekend.  And then, to the real job on Sunday.  I'll be a zombie by then!  Then on September 15th, I'll be at the Hickory Art Crawl.  That's just a few hours on that Thursday.  From around 5-9.  Then, October 1st, 8th and 15th I'll be at Art in the Park in Asheville, NC.  Still looking for a November show.  And then I'll be at the Holiday Fair in Greenville, SC.


Like I keep saying, "Just keep on swimming!"  


Even though not attending Sharon Springs is devastating to me, I will continue and try again for next year.  I'm starting to save now!  

Finally Found A Car!!

As many of you know, I have been searching for a van for a VERY long time. Well, Eureka! A friend of mine, who works at the Barrel has a nice big Suburban that I am going to buy. Her husband has had it for a while and they decided that they didn't need it...so, I am going to buy it. Doing the dance of joy! It just seemed that I would never have a vehicle I could afford. It's a bit more that I wanted to spend; but they will let me make payments on it -- So....now, the dilemma of how to get to and from my shows is over, finally.

I've been scrimping and saving every dime I can so I will have enough cash to go to Sharon Springs, NY. I have decided that if there isn't enough cash I would borrow from one of those places you see on TV. The interest rate is as high as Shylock. I might as well give them a pound of my flesh! But, if it means I'll get to Sharon Springs, then that is what I will do.

I've been busy knitting bracelets and making fabric fortune cookies and painting bottles and making jewelry pouches and cutting my placemats...I'm starting to get extremely nervous about this show. I think it's a great opportunity for me and maybe just the break I need. I will reach my goal this year and move back North and get my business off the ground.

I've also decided that I will sign up for Pro Pay...a service provided through Artfire that allows you to accept credit cards. All you need is a laptop or a cell phone and an active bank account. Have all those. The fee is nominal and will allow me NOT to lose sales at the shows. Thank you Artfire!

Another friend of mine that works with me has volunteered her husband to make me some wooden cubes for the shows coming up. Next week I will buy a 4 X 8 piece of plywood and some screws and cut them to size and have her hubby get to work. I'll spray paint them and they'll look like those really fancy risers that you pay a fortune for at the stores. Maybe next year, I can afford some acrylic ones. One step at a time.

Plan B. Or is it C?

Okay...so I applied for this little local show before the deadline. Sent in my fee and filled out the paperwork...and they just called me to tell me that they have been full for almost a month! Totally bummed out, because I was hoping to make a little extra cash for my trip to Sharon Springs. So, now, I have to think of another way to make that extra cash. Working overtime is not an option, because corporate won't allow that. There are no other local craft shows between now and then. I've been posting and blogging and trying to get the word out about my Artfire Studio to anyone who will listen. No bites yet!

On an upside...I HAVE FOUND A VEHICLE! One of my friends at the Barrel has a car that I can make payments on and it's big enough for everyone and everything. Even the dog! It's a Chevy Suburban. It's big and it's mine.

I just got off the phone with the promoter of the Harvest Festival in Sharon Springs, NY and he is excited about the Festival and he also told me that they are hoping to have a Christmas show as well. That would be wonderful. I will gladly take time off from work to go there and do that show.

I am making plans to do Asheville Art in the Park in October. Have not found a show for November yet. But, I will. And, I think I might do the Greenville, SC Holiday Fair this year.

Now, I have to get back to work if I'm going to have enough product for September.

Realization

Yesterday was my youngest daughter's birthday, she is now 29! Nothing makes you realize how fast time flies as much as your children's birthdays. First I cannot believe that I have a 29 year old and my eldest will be 31 on December 31st! You look at them and you still see those little tiny faces. You still remember the diaper changes, the sleepless nights, kissing boo-boo's...And, you remember all the mistakes that you made as they were growing up. Some of us make more than others. Sometimes when you think that you have done the right thing it comes back to haunt you when they get older.

I've made my quota of mistakes...I've made over my quota! My daughter and I are working them out now. My mistakes have caused her a great deal of pain and suffering and now, perhaps too late, we are trudging through them and trying to heal. It's going to be a long process. Pain does not heal easily or quickly. But, communication is key. And, yes, we still argue and I still don't quite understand some of it, but I am trying. I'm making changes and that's all that really matters. If you refuse to admit that you have committed errors and refuse to change...then nothing will get better. You have to look at it for what it really is. Don't sugar coat it. Don't make your mistakes excuses. See them for what they really are. That's the only way to make progress. That's the only way to heal.

I hope my daughter realizes all this and I hope that one day soon all the boo-boos will be healed.