A New Painting

About a month ago I was speaking to someone about my desire to paint again and how I don't really have the space or the time. She suggested I make finding the space and the time a priority.

So like all new ideas I come across, I obsessed about it.

I posted on Facebook about wanting to find a studio to rent and was contacted by a fellow artist friend. She was also interested in finding a space.  1 day later we viewed a studio space and signed a lease on the spot!!

I can't even begin to explain to you the excitement I felt knowing that I finally had my OWN space!
A place to hid and create. A place of my OWN. All mine. Me.
No more excuses. 

Awesomeness...

Yea well now I'm dealing with finding the time....
Stupid life getting in the way.

Anyway... now for the subject of the post.

As you know if you've read my previous post, I'm in love with interesting looking and pretty people.
I can't help it.
So I thought I'd paint a picture of a woman.
Nothing deeper then a pretty picture.  My art is not intellectual.  I just like pretty things.

Here she is in progress:

and a close up:

I'd say she's about 1/2 done.

Of course I'm struggling with my old enemy Insecurity.  I question my talent. I'm trying to remind myself I'm painting for ME. No one else.  But I worry I'm no good... Nevermind that I enjoy painting....

I hope to finish within a month and will post the finish project.

If you feel the need to comment, make it something constructive. If you're cruel, I'll hunt you down and punch you.  I'm incredibly scary in person (said no one ever who's ever actually met me...)

The back story of Inspiration (with pictures!!)

 I don't get out much.  I'm about middle age (get that..."about"). I have a young child. I work full time plus I have my side business. So I'm tired most of the time.

I usually try to go out at least once a year.

Yes, once a year.

But let me explain what this once a year for me entails. If I go out,  I wanna GO OUT.  I have cocktails (sometimes a lot of cocktails). I dance on tables (or dance floors. bathroom stalls. street corners. I'm not picky). I hug strangers. I talk to anyone who will listen. I touch people (not inappropriately!! seriously...)
I eat at Perkins at 3 am and laugh with the drag queens.

Last year, after dancing at 80-35 (Girl Talk! Dance it out bitch!) and then dancing with the drag queens at the Saddle, I attempted to walk the 10 plus miles home with my sister.  She refused to wear shoes since "the ground feels so good".  We ended up laying down in someone's yard about 3 miles from home and calling a cab.

So yea, I can't make this a weekly occurance anymore! Or monthly for that matter.

Friday I went out.  I went with my friend Casey. She's awesome.

(Casey is part wolf)

Friday night I was thoroughly entertained. I was inspired. A feeling that unfortunately does not happen enough. 
I was inspired by the people I encountered that night.

Here is a list of the people who have started my latest inspiration:


Vince: An old friend I haven't spoken to in 20 years.  Unfortunately, he was working at the bar and couldn't really talk.  He had Jesus and Mary lights set up at the end of the bar. I loved them.

(blurry picture of Vince in the Jesus and Mary glow)

Glow sticks boys:  I think there were about 4 of them.   One gave me a high five and one gave me a hug.  The hugger had glow sticks in his ears. oh youth...

Boy with lights on his gloves:  This boy was wearing some kind of cape, had approximately 100 beaded bracelets on each arm, was wearing an Iron Man mask and most importantly, was wearing weird colored light gloves. Casey fell in love with his gloves.  I think I happened upon a rave....

Old biker couple:  The guy was about 70 years old and his old lady seemed about 20 years younger.  They told us they hang out at the Court Avenue district every weekend. Just sitting on their bikes, watching people. They both had guns on their hips and mullets on their heads. Not sure which of those things I found more frightening.

Christopher:   Oh where to begin with this one???  It was later in the evening. He was drunk. And obviously lonely.  He was in his thirties, shaved head, sleeveless shirt, ex military with a kabala tattoo. Lives in a hotel.  He kept hitting on Casey and trying to read our auras.  He was very wrong.  At one point he asked if we wanted to watch True Blood with him at his friend's house. "She's bi-sexual".  Um, that's your big move?  Wow.....  hold me back!!

There were other random people through the night who caught my eye.  The 3 person jug band. I love a good washboard solo.  Or the girl dressed as big bird.  Another rave boy whose ears were extremely fascinating to me.  Or the guys all wearing wolf t-shirts who gave Casey the wrong directions.

                         ("we're the four best friends that anyone ever have....")

Seriously, the freaks really do come out at night!

We ended the night as all fantastic nights should. Eating breakfast foods at Perkins and admiring the drag queens.

I probably won't be able to go ALL out like this for another year. But the people of Friday have provided me with an artistic kick in the ass.

I hope to show you the outcome of this inspiration in another post.

Until then,  you should go out...

My Des Moines Arts Festival

This is what I bought today at the Des Moines Arts Festival. The picture doesn't even begin to show you how freakin' beautiful it is!
It's a hand dyed turquoise and teal fabric piece. It's fairly small, at 16" x 20". It was on sale.  And for that reason I'm extremely grateful.  I loved this artist's work but I'm broke.
Her name is Mimi Damrauer and she's from Chicago.
Here's her website :
http://www.mimidesigns.tv/index.html#hero-gallery-1

Not only does this woman have fabulously beautiful work....she's extremely nice! I mean, to the point I'm writing about her!
I first visted her booth after being drawn in by all the colors in her work.  I love me some color yo. and this woman knows color.  And my guilty little secret (not really a secret or all that dirty) is my love of quilts.  Her work has a look of quilting to it.
You'd think I'd be better at describing work after studying art history. But that was a hundred years ago and I didn't do so well in school....
                                             

                                                 From MimiDesign website! This WILL be mine!!)

ANYWHO, back to the story. So she is immediately friendly and talkative and tells me there are some "sale" items that her boyfriend told her she needed to mark down cuz they didn't fit in her car anymore! love it.  and all her "sale" pieces are beautiful. I'm immediately drawn to a bright fushia and pink circle piece and the turquoise one I bought.  I couldn't decide. So I told her I'd be back.
And in reality, I wasn't really planning on coming back.  I wanted one of the large pieces but I don't have $2500 and then I start to fight myself in my head about all the other things I could buy with $100. 
So we leave and finish the loop. Which for some reason is really short.  I would love for someone to tell me why there are more beer tents then artist tents at the Festival. stupid.

And we do end up walking by again, so I HAD to stop and look again.  The artist wasn't there but stepped away for lunch. The helper girl there was hilarious and was adamant I call the artist immediately to ask her the price of "my" piece. I didn't want to bother her. I mean, I hate being interupted during my lunch...
But I called her after being bullied about it. I felt like a dork.  The artist was so gracious, she offered to run back to her booth right away. She told me the piece was $100 but would "work with me". YAY!
I told her I'd come back later after her break...and I meant it this time :)

So my sister and I wander to look at more stuff we may have missed.  We did stop at a jewelry booth that was being attacked by what seemed like every woman in Des Moines, all of them wearing really ugly hats.  I thought it must be some really cool jewelry to be surrounded like it was.  I was kinda annoyed to find the so called "art" was what appeared to be mass produced necklaces and bracelets for really cheap.  They actually were made of PLASTIC and painted to look like silver!! WTF? I thought this was supposed a fancy shmancy art festival. stupid.

As I'm trying to hide my disgust at the made in china booth,  Mimi the artist calls me. Perhaps she thought I wasn't coming back? Is she psychic but with timing issues?  She tells me she's at her booth and she'll sell the piece to me for less if I buy it.  That kinda doesn't make sense but whatever.
So 10 minutes later I am the proud owner of the beautiful turquoise piece you see above!!  Mimi was really so nice and sweet and not to mention generous. Did I mention she told me the piece originally was priced at $300?  I'm a lucky girl. 

If you're in Chicago, or anywhere around the midwest and happen upon an art festival and you happen to walk by a booth exploding with color, stop by and see Mimi's work.

She also will give you homemade cookies shaped like her artwork!!

Summer is here!

Ok Summer isn't "technically" here but it's 90 degrees out and vending season is in full swing!

Jeez it's been so long since I posted I don't even know where to begin!

I guess I'll start with what's been my goal for the last few years...

I got in to Market Day!! WOO HOO! Here's a picture of the June Market Day. My table is pretty sad in my opinion. I need to work on my displays. My issue is I enjoy making the jewelry a lot more then the "business" stuff.

But I've had fantastic response to my work...and even my display! It's been great so far meeting so many different people. Vendors and customers. I love doing this!

My next show is Reiman Gardens Art in the Garden on July 7th.

Reiman Gardens List of Artists

Very excited about this one. I was here last year and the response was great. The only bad part was the weather. Typical Iowa summer. One minute a thunderstorm is rolling through and the next it's 100 degrees with 1000% humidity.  Hoping for a lot better weather this year!


On a brussels sprouts note:  Fried Brussels Sprouts from Zombie Burger + Drink Lab!  Otherwise known to me as "HEAVEN"

Start of Show Season

Yea so I'm clearly really bad at posting huh?
But I figured, I better start posting again since it's the beginning of a new show season.
I've been applying for shows like a crazy lady.  I really want to be in at least one show a month until Christmas. I think that's a pretty good goal right?

So far, I've applied for Market Day (2nd times a charm right?) 
www.marketdayiowa.com

Reiman Gardens Garden Art Fair
http://www.reimangardens.iastate.edu/en/garden_art_fair_2012/

Art on the Prairie in Perry
http://www.artontheprairie.org/newsandupdates/

The Market @ Lotus
http://www.facebook.com/events/333921366647930/?ref=nf

Hopefully I'll get into all of them....and people fall in love with my stuff and I make a million dollars...

or something like that :)

Did you miss me?

Holy schnikies it's been a really really long time since I posted!!
I'm sure I was sorely missed right?

Well I won't bore you with stories of what has happened in the 4 months since I've last posted. I'll just say I've been busy and 2011 ended very successfully!  2012 is going slow. I think I burned myself out last year.  BUT the good new is I'm on track to have a great 2012. I'm really hope I can get more shows in, and therefore, more sales!

So my newest obsession is fabric.  In fact, I have spent WAY too much time and money on Ebay.  I think I like the color and the texture.  I mean, you can pick up paint but it's messy.  But a red batik you can hold in your hands! 
I got a few quilting books for Christmas. I love quilts. I love what they represent (warmth, traditional, reusing materials, my grandma), how they feel, how they look.  I think I'm strangely attracted to the mathmatical compontent too....cuz I HATE math.

Anyway,  one of the books is about making "untraditional" quilts.  They're mde by gluing the fabric to a base fabric and basically make a fabric "painting". The first one I made is about 10" x 10".

Here's my first attempt (note, the hands in the top left belong to my son. He's my biggest fan and I love him for it!) :

The quilting part sucked ass. I'm really really bad at free motion quilting so I just did stripes. For some reason the stitches came out wonky on the back ....and I'm not in love with some of the fabrics.  But I LOVE the process. It's so much fun to make! 
So now I wondering if I should incorporate these as items to sell....or just for fun. 

Would love some feedback here...

it's hell getting old

This week I started back on my "full time" schedule. I was technically full time before at 30 hours but apparently everyone wanted to call that "part time". 

My schedule was 7:30 - 1:30 every day and it was AWESOME!  I got all my work done at my day job and then was able to get a lot of work done at my REAL job, Fennibird.  AND I was able to take a little me time so I wasn't so bitchy all the time (though the boys may think differently).
I loved my schedule.

Well this week the powers that be decided that I had had enough of a good thing and I was told to come back to 7:30 - 4. boo. So now I'm tired, I'm bored, I'm crabby. I don't have any time to work at my REAL job or I should say I don't have a lot of motivation to work at my REAL job. I get off work, get my son, make dinner, clean, clean some more (yet my house is still a poo hole) and then I'm freaking exhausted by 8 pm.  Which got me to thinking....

I was sitting here about to pass out at 8 pm when it struck me that yes, it's only 8 O' FREAKIN' Clock. There's absolutely no reason why I shouldn't be busting my tush to get some art work done right now. But I'm exhausted.

Why? Is it old age? is it the complete brain drain of my day job (sorry if for some really wacked out reason my boss is reading this...but yes, my job is a snooze-fest. If you don't believe me, watch Laura for awhile. She falls asleep at least once a day. I digress....)

So what's the point of this rant? I have no idea. I'm tired. I have no idea what I'm talking about.

On a happy note...
Last weekend was the first of many East Village Sunday Bazaars!! I had a great time, met a lot of very cool and funny people. I made quite a few sales and there was a lot of interest in my work. YAY me!!

http://desmoines.metromix.com/events/standard_photo_gallery/east-village-bazaar-sunday/2803286/content

The Bazaar goes on every Sunday in September and October. Be there or be square. Seriously, I don't think I've seen so many hipsters since my last vacation in Chicago with my favorite hipsters, Joe & Dee (love you!)

I'm really tired

Why do I procrastinate?  Seriously, why have I not learned my lesson yet?  High school and college, nights and early mornings busting my ass to get papers and projects done.  Now, busting my ass to get jewelry done before the 1st East Village Bazaar of year. 

It's supposed to be huge on Sunday. Biggest crowd yet.  The HyVee Triatholn is the same time. The hours of the Bazaar are extended just to hopefully get all those running people to come out and buy stuff.

So I had what? 2 months to get ready? So when did I really start getting to work? Last week. Ok, maybe last weekend. Seriously, I'm exhausted.

And to top it off I'm dealing with my usual low self esteem. I'm annoying :)

I made a few pendants featuring the stunning skyline of Des Moines. I think they're kinda cool.

My 15 minutes

I was included in an article about local crafts in the Des Moines Register today.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110821/LIFE/308210009/Handmade-Iowa-creative-household


I have mixed feelings about it. Besides the horrendous personal photo, I think I would be ok with it :)
My sister took my picture at the last minute. I had just got back from the farmer's market. I was really hot and tired.  I have crazy eyes. 
Then I made a dorky comment about wanting to be married to someone from Duran Duran when I was younger.  It's true.  I loved Andy Taylor. I was going to be the hottest painter in London, living in a loft, married to Andy. We'd jet set to fabulous tropical locations with the rest of the band and their cool wives. I hope he reads this and I can tell him I'd still marry him. Just sayin...

So yea, the article was nice. I hope people read it and come the East Village Bazaar....and buy all my stuff.  I was really excited to be included. When I got the email asking me, I was so happy and excited and nervous.  What a great opportunity!

And then yes, of course I went the typical Jen route and immediately started doubting myself and comparing myself to the others included in the article.  They're all in brick and morter stores. Why can't I grow some cajones and go into a store and see if they'll carry my stuff?  Seriously, I can not think I can make this a full time deal if I can't get into a store!! But I'm so scared of the "no". And I also think I'm a little scared of "yes".

No means I suck and everyone who has ever bought anything is just pitying me (yes because that's what people do....spend money on things they hate just to be nice! don't you?)
Yes means this is real and I have no one to blame but myself if it fails. And so I guess I'm scared of being the failure.

I really wish I had more of an artist's typical ego.  I never would have made it in London with this crap attitude!

I'm very lucky to be included in the paper.  I'm very lucky to included in the East Village Bazaar. I'm very lucky so I'll just shuty and enjoy my 15 minutes....or less cuz I don't think my portion of the article was 15 minutes worth....unless you count that it's be in the paper all day and another paper doesn't come out until tomorrow morning...so maybe it's 24 hours.....

20 years later...still have issues...

This weekend was my 20th high school reunion. I hated high school.  and I couldn't tell you why.  I wasn't ridiculed (to my face at least), people weren't excessively mean to me. Yea, I was the "art freak" who hung out with the other weirdos.  I had a great group of friends. So looking back I wonder why I don't think of that time more fondly. Sure I couldn't beg a guy to look at me....but I made up for that in college (Hello!)

I think the reason I hated high school is for the same issue I deal with every day. I never feel like I'm good enough. I wasn't good enough to be "popular" or even dateable.  I always wanted to be something I wasn't. 

It's the same issue I deal with everyday. I don't feel good enough in my current life and especially in my art and business.
I constantly question myself and how I'll be perceived, how my art will be judged.  How ridiculously stupid.  I was good enough then and I'm good enough now.  My art is my own. I should want to do my art for myself and no one else.

At the risk of sounding like Stuart Smalley, I wish I realized that I'm pretty cool....I'm pretty kick ass. I wish I could walk into a room, any room, and remember that.

welcome to the digital age

This weekend has been a good one for me.  I discovered the joys of digital art.

For Christmas last year, my husband Tom surprised me with a new computer.  Granted, he was sick of me stealing his laptop every night but still, very generous.  It's one of those cool ones with the touch screen tab thingy. 
As you can tell from my description, I'm very knowledgable about computers.

Anywho, it came with a basic paint program that basically sucks.  So I thought about shelling out the cash for Corel or one of the other major programs. I looked at them all. I used the free demos.
By the word "use" I mean, I tried them for one day and then got so confused and annoyed I never tried again.
I contemplated going back to school for digital art but quickly realized that was a dumb idea (for me. Anyone who goes back to school is a hero in my eyes).

So on Friday night I was browsing the internets....can't even remember what I was doing... and I stumbled upon a painting program.  I did a little research and found that it's the perfect program for "newbies" like myself. I played around on the demo and quickly bought the full version. It was freakin' cheap too!!

And now I'm in love.  I can't stop playing. How cool is it to "paint" without the hassle and mess of real paint? Yes, the traditionalist in me just cringed at that sentence.  Of course, nothing will ever replace the sensation of raw materials like paint, ink, and pencil.  But this program has actually released me from my dumb insecurites.  I'm not wasting good paper and canvas (which was a weird hangup I had). If I don't like something, I can just erase it.  If I love something, I can get it printed. How cool is that?!

Yes, I know I'm about 20 years behind.  But  guess I've been stubborn in thinking only "true art" is the use of traditional materials.  So I'm sorry to all you commercial and digital artists out there who I may have looked down upon.  Which is really sad considering you're out there doing what you love and I was trapped by my own insecurities.

This weekend I found the Fun in art again.

duh.

blah

I'm so very uninspired right now.
I have a bunch of shows coming up in September and October. In fact, one every weekend of those months. so yes, I should be busting my butt to get ready.  but am I? no I am not.

I'm not sure what's going on. Is it the unbearable heat of summer that's leaving me tired all the time? Is it that my day job is sucking the life out of me? Is it the snide passive aggressive comments from the one person who should be my biggest fan?

perhaps all of the above.

I hope I get my groove back soon.  Maybe I should go to Jamaica like Stella did.

Jewelry jewelry and more jewelry!

I did so much creating last weekend before the show. Now I have to take the time to list them all on Etsy.  woah this will take a while!

Here's a few examples:

Still recovering

whew....I can't believe I survived that!!

First I go through major crying freak out over resin.
Then I have a marathon jewelry making day on Saturday.
Then Sunday...the big day. Ok it really wasn't THAT big of a deal. It was to me. It was my first ART show. Not craft, not yoga or business show. But a REAL honest to goodness ART show. So yea, it was a big deal for me.
So it starts with me and my sister/helper running late. I briefly thought to myself "this isn't starting well".
We start setting up, things are going well, the canopy is up. Our neighbors are so sweet and nice. Marilyn lives in central Iowa and makes beautiful baskets. 
We look to the west....its dark...really really dark.
The wind picks up, the lightening flashes and thunder booms. Down comes the rain.
OK, no big deal. The events director comes around and says the "shower" should last about an hour.  We continue to set up. The rain lets up and a few people start to straggle in.
So far, it's been 1 hour into the show.
I look to the west....it's dark...really really dark.
This time the rain pours down, the wind is threatening to blow the canopy. The canopy is actually leaking. I have to throw my stuff on the table and cover it with the table cloth.
Jodi and I have to hold on to the tent poles because I was an idiot and forgot weights. We're soaked.
Hilarious start to the day.
The rain finally stops and we start re-setting up. People start coming through again.
It's pretty uneventful and fun for a few hours. People are interested in my jewelry and I get quite a few sales.
Then the heat and humidity set in. It seriously got 7 degrees hotter in 5 minutes. It slowly became oppressively hot. Soon there were only a few brave souls around and sales slowed to none.

All in all, it was an ok show.  I can't really complain about the sales. I know that if the weather was better, the sales would have been better.
I loved meeting and talking to everyone. Everyone was so nice. The volunteers working there were amazing. Someone came around about every 5 minutes to make sure we had cold water!

Sunday I learned that people do like my work. That maybe I should concentrate on the handpainted stuff cuz people really loved that stuff. and most importantly, don't sign up for shows in Iowa in the summer unless its in an air conditioned building!!

I would like some cheese with my whine

Thank you very very much Chris, Pam and Scott for soothing my freak out last night.

I cried for a while as I'm known to do. Watched too much TV and then dreamt about resin all night long.
I woke up realizing (with Pam, Chris and Scott's help) that I'm ok. 
I re-resined the poo pieces today.  I don't want to jinx myself but .....THEY ARE FIXED and drying perfectly!!! 
So I freaked out for nothing (another thing I'm known for).

Thank you again!!
Thank you Chris for always being the voice of reason and for being one of my biggest supporters.
Thank you Scott for also being a fan and for making your wife wear my jewelry :) 
And thank you Pam for talking to me as one artist to another and helping me realize we all go through this crap.  And also the very awesome compliment ...warm fuzzy was definately welcomed.

I'll let you all know how the show goes.  Feeling optimistic again :)

Time for the cheddar....

Frustrated

My beautiful brussels sprouts...you never fail me.  But tonight I had roasted cauliflower instead. It was the bomb diggity.

ok...
on to venting....

I've been trying to get ready for a HUGE (huge for me) art show this weekend. I've been pretty proud of myself for not leaving things to the last minute.  Of course I've been agonizing about if I have enough or if it's good enough and second guessing myself and overthinking things. It's what I do.  But in the meantime, I've been plugging away.  In fact, I was so excited to sell a "new" design.  I just knew it was going to get a lot of looks this weekend and especially on Etsy. 
So Monday night I BUSTED ass getting things ready to resin. This is on top of busting ass to prepare the wood which is annoying and time consuming.  Adding the designs is the fun part but after about 50 pieces, even I was getting sick of it.

So today I rush home, prepare the room for the resining.  Got the dehumidifier going, cleaned a perfect space, got my tools and supplies together.  Of course I agonize over the resin because measurements have to be precise. So I worried about that. Then about halfway through, I'm sweating my tush off and the resin is getting thicker and thicker.  Duh!! I'm trying to resin too many pieces at one time.  So I just do the ones that must be done and figure I'll make a new batch tomorrow.  Tomorrow is the absolute deadline to resin.
I finish and realize I have nothing big enough to cover the pieces. They must be covered or every stupid hair and dust bunny magically appears and lands on the wet resin.  Already a few pieces have a little dust on them.  So I improvise with a huge tupperware bin lid.
I walk away feeling really apprehensive about the batch.  But figure, a couple dust particles is not life or death so chillax.
About an hour ago, I walk in to check on them and to make sure my make shift cover didn't fall on them.  I pick one up. The resin isn't level.
I pick up another one...not level.
I pick up a third....not level.
The freakin' butcher paper is so crinkled that it created little hills and valleys and the freaking resin is drying crooked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
of course it was every single one of the new pieces I was so excited about.

I could...could possibly...apply another coat of resin tomorrow.  The resin from tonight should be dry enough to do that. But I think I'm supposed to wait till it's fully cured.  Or I could go and bust my ass trying to prepare more wood and do everything over again in one night.

Or I could take this as another sign that prehaps I should just give up.  I hardly sell online anyway.  I'm so invested in this and I really want to be successful but it seems that no matter what I do or try or whatever, some challenge always comes up.  And I'm already exhausted from working at my day job, and being a wife and mother. 

I don't know. This is a long post eh? Just so frustrated.  I've been thinking a lot lately about quiting...and I guess this is making me think more

Boring Stuff

So I'm sitting at my kitchen table surrounded by what seems to be about a million pieces of jewelry.
It's time for me to get organized. I hate this part. So boring and confusing.
Yet I guess it's hard for me to sell if I don't know exactly what I have huh?

My Etsy store may look a bit bare for a while but I promise to add more stuff.

I like how I act like anyone is reading this! HA! But if you are, look at the previous post. There's a contest going on!!

Facebook Contest

I'm extremely lucky to know some very talented and friendly follow Etsians from the Des Moines area. One of which is Designs by the Wire in Newton, Iowa

The other day, as I'm perusing her facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Designs-by-the-Wire/151203648239232), I notice a post about a contest she's having. Basically, if she gets to 200 fans, whoever refered those people to her, gets a prize...a kick ass necklace! I fell in love with the idea and of course immediately suggested her page to all my friends.

I couldn't get the idea out of my head. So today I asked her if I could "steal" the contest idea from her. She said yes she said yes!! This is a great way to promote our Etsy shops and get our names out in the community. So without further ado....I give you....the Fennibird Facebook Contest!!

Here's how it works:

1. If you're not already a Fennibird fan, here's the link:  http://www.facebook.com/Fennibird

2. Recommend my page to your friends. Have them "like" my page and post who sent them.

3. I will keep track of who your friends are (a bit of cyber stalking? Yes..but in a good way!)

4. The person who brings the most people to my Fennibird page wins my "Growing Hearts" Necklace shown here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.207101509334267.57616.165589550152130

5. The contest ends at 200 fans (only 135 more to go!)

Thanks to everyone who participates and especially to Designs by the Wire for coming up with such a great idea and for letting me use it! 
Check her out!! http://www.etsy.com/shop/Designsbythewire?ref=ss_profile

Spring means headaches

yea so I didn't make it into to craft show. I cried. a lot.
But I talked to some very talented local crafters who also didn't make it.  I think it was all about "who you know". Still a bit bitter but moving on. And sadly feel better to know I wasn't the only one.

I got accepted into the Reiman Garden's Art in the Garden in July.  My first "real"art show. I'm scared shitless.  I have a lot of work to do to prepare.  I'm waivering  about what to show.
Just the silver stuff....or the wood stuff. I think the wood stuff is different enough so I'll go with that.

I was a vendor at the First Annual Central Iowa Yoga Retreat last weekend. There were about 50 people there. I was really concerned about making any sales since no one was there to buy jewelry, only to get their down dogs on.  Surprisingly, I did pretty well!! I got a lot of feedback on my jewelry and sold 6 of 8 pairs of earrings.  I'm very happy. 

Oh....and I've had about 2 months worth of tension headaches.  Don't ever buy a new house and move while also trying to start a new business while working at a full time job you don't really enjoy while raising a 4 year old son. Just saying....

the unknown

I sure do suck at this blogging crap.  Oh well....

So yesterday I was supposed to hear if I was accepted into a craft show that occurs once a month until November. So yes, I really want to be accepted.  I think I checked my email about once every 30 minutes, but it was probably more like once every 10 minutes. Then at about 10 pm, as I'm certain the fact I hadn't seen an email meant I wasn't accepted, a post comes out on facebook that we would know by today!! So today, I've checked my email once every 30 minutes.  2 more hours until I'm supposed to know.

I think if I'm not accepted I might cry... a lot.