Weekend Shopping Success

Sunday was a wonderful and relaxing day. The American Craft Council Show was being held in Saint Paul. I look forward to attending this show every year - I always see work that I love and have the opportunity to learn how my own work fits in with people who are making their living with craft. I wore my copper pendant - the one that had been turned down for Lark Books' "30 Minute Necklaces". My customers love this piece, and I had at least five different artists compliment my neckpiece. So I guess I was quite close on the piece - I just wish it had been accepted. I think I'll make another one with a different twist later this year.

I was looking for a wedding gift for my friend Michelle. Michelle is getting married on May 1st and I knew I didn't have time to make her something - my time right now is totally focused on my BFAC 2011 piece. So I was hoping to find her something neat. Although I really wanted to come in under $50, I overspent on a fantastic wall piece of heat treated and formed copper by Claymoon Copper . I love this piece. I would have a much more difficult time releasing it to Michelle if I had available wall space. But I really don't. So I will wrap this up for her and her new husband to enjoy in their new house and I will hope that she has the room for it. It is not overly large - just 8 x 20 inches.

Only three more weeks of Beading For A Cure auctions. We have some really amazing pieces to offer this week. Today's piece is by Cindy Hlavka. I have known Cindy casually for several years now and she is the current President of the Upper Midwest Bead Society - a position that I held more than 10 years ago. I urge you to take a look at all of the wonderful pieces that will be offered this week, and I will be featuring them throughout the week in my blog.

Stress Can Kill

Stress. It seems to be something that we are all dealing with now in various ways. I usually am pretty good about letting it slide off me, trusting that all will turn out well in the end and that we are all watched over in a fashion. I still believe that, but obviously my body didn't get the message that my head did. So I have a stress-related illness that will annoy me for the remainder of this year and I'm not happy about it.

But, I really don't have the time to deal with crap like that. I have holiday gifts to make and design and larger projects to get going with. So, enough pity talk - back to creative talk. It makes me much happier!

I got notification from Lark Books last night that a pair of earrings I made for an upcoming book's "Gallery" section was accepted. I'm very happy about that - now to find the next thing that I can make something for and try again. You don't get anywhere without trying, and this month I'm batting 500 - LOL. One rejection, one acceptance. Not too bad :-)

Ups and Downs

The road to creativity has some of the most elegant pot holes in the world. I keep making and applying for books and contests. Something things are accepted, other times they are not. My latest disappointment was my necklace for the "30-Minute Necklaces" book to be published by Lark Books. I thought my design was strong and very visual, but it didn't make the final cut. I'll be curious to see what did when the book is published, but I'll show put a picture of my entry below - you can judge for yourself.

Tomorrow is my last Sunday off until Christmas . I remember that I used to really love the holiday season - getting or making gifts for people and enjoying the lights and music. It might not be my diety, but I could enjoy the concepts of "peace on earth" and "goodwill towards mankind/womankind". However, since I have owned the shop, we've been open for extended hours for the holidays and that includes four hours of work on Sundays. That will leave me with my studio day during the week, so at least I will have one day off. So I'll enjoy tomorrow as much as possible because it will be the last for a while. I think I'll sketch and maybe play with my watercolors. Happy Halloween to all of you, and good All Souls and All Saints Days. Good Samhain to my pagan friends who follow that path, and be safe to all of you!

Oversleeping, Overspilling - Time is my Enemy

I normally get up at 3:30 am. OK, I am the first to admit that it is a ridiculous time to get up. But if I don't, I don't have time for my on-line work in the morning. Today is a busy day. I'll work during the day, but I'll go see Harry Potter tonite with my DH. That eliminates my night-time internet time and makes my early morning time even more important. So what happened? (Three guesses and the first two don't count.) I overslept. I awakened at 5:00 am and panicked. I jumped into the shower while my computer was warming up and then hit the internet. I might get 50% of what I need done finished before I have to leave for the shop in 45 minutes.

I need to leave for the shop at 7:00 am because I'm busy trying to create two different submissions for the "30-Minute Necklaces" book that Lark will be publishing. I have 48 hours to finish, photograph, and mail my entries. I finished one yesterday and I'm very happy with it. I plan to work on the second one today, but that's much easier said than done. Whatever happens I have to photograph my results on Wednesday night and do the accompanying paperwork so that I can Express Mail them to the publisher on Thursday morning. I recall that the Carnival Blog for the month was deadlines. Well, nothing like finding out about a project on Friday and having two pieces complete and in the mail by the following Thursday morning. Deadlines...you gotta love them