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ART

in the garden.  I have been working in our garden.. and look at the wonderful garden bed my sweet husband built for the backyard.  It is amazing!  I have planted carrots, okra and more.  Now just add water and lots of sweet sunshine.

ART

Marley monkey napping.  Now that is true art.

ART

in the studio.  Having FUN doing some new art using a new technique.  I am planning much much more.

ART

Keeping the funky in the garden.  Just always makes me smile.

ART

I was delighted to be commissioned to do the art for our local Strawberry Days t-shirts.

I will have my booth selling my own designs on kitchen towels, etc and lots of my original art.

Looking forward to the FUN.

ART

A local public bench in downtown painted by me and and idea has been launched for more

art benches.  Such a lovely bright and colorful way to art up the town.

I have been remiss in blogging but not remiss in my art.  Lots keeping me busy... and art is still a big part of my daily life.  LIFE IS GOOD.  

ta for now

Hello Spring!

We have had a wonderful spring, lots of snow, lots of rain, and FINALLY some nice

weather!  Dan and I loaded up the RV and Marley and did a 2 1/2 week road trip to Florida and back.

It was delightfully fun.  We avoided the freeways, and found ourselves traveling through small towns and seeing the most beautiful green scenery.  It was so relaxing.  We stopped for a week in Valdosta, Georgia

to visit with Dan's daughter, husband and our sweet grandkids.. which was so fun.  We got to see Jillian

horseback riding and Seamus doing his karate.  Then we headed to a beach with everyone and had a wonderful weekend camping near the ocean.  Then we hugged and kissed everyone goodbye and 

Dan and I and Marley headed south into the land of palm trees and retired people.. Florida.  We stopped

to visit some distant cousins of Dan and enjoyed cooler than normal weather and saw so many great things.

Manatees, stingrays, a real live armadillo ( I have seen a zillion dead ones on the highways) and we ate and drank and laughed... it was just the best time.  I loved spending quality time with Dan.. he is such a happy go lucky guy and and I am so grateful for that energy of happy that is his natural state.  It was what attracted me to him in the first place.  I am very blessed.  And Marley was such a great dog.. all 100 pounds of him.  

Thank goodness we have a big RV!  I now understand why most RV folk have little dogs.  But of course, we wouldn't trade Marley in for the world, but he is a big, adorable galoopa.   

But, dang it,  it was time to head west towards home and jobs and we almost made it  but then hit a snowstorm so we stayed the last night of our vacation in a small mtn town and then headed over a pass with an elevation of over 11,000 feet early the next morning arriving home on Sunday.  

We are back to our normal lives now, and enjoying some great spring weather.  After I cleaned the deck last weekend, Willie our cat, promptly claimed the swing as his favorite napping spot... as you can see.  We are now in the process of cleaning the yard and getting ready for summer.

The apple tree is in full bloom!

The cherry tree somehow managed to survive all the snow storms and we

have baby cherries and now keeping our fingers crossed that we don't get a frost.

No frost would mean we will have a bumper crop of cherries... always an iffy

thing with our mountain spring weather...but I am hopeful.  

I am working fast and furious getting orders out and doing a show this weekend at the 

Four Mile Bed and Breakfast.. the annual spring Whimsical Women of the West show Friday and Saturday.

And tomorrow I will be doing another art demo day at Confetti Designs.. a wonderful women's boutique here in town.  Here I am doing the art demo last month.  It was really fun.

They are doing a big window display today at Confetti with my art and when I go there tomorrow, I will take pictures of the window.  I am going to be art painting the outdoor wooden bench!  Taking a big tarp and lots of bright colors, and will have a blast painting outdoors.  I love doing this kind of thing... and that's a big step out of my comfort zone, because the actual "doing" has always been a very personal thing for me. 

Next month I will start doing two farmer markets a week.. whoopie.. there comes a busy summer.  And I am  starting two new exciting adventures..more about that another time....  It's never a dull moment around here!

artfully yours,

linda

Weekend art!

I worked a show in Denver for three days and part of the deal for the entry fee was I had to demo my art.

I grabbed a bag of  art supplies and during the lulls, I would work on some art.  It was a wonderful way

to pass the slow times.. and I thoroughly enjoyed working instead of sitting idly between customers.

I have decided this will be a tradition for me when I am doing these shows.  

It was a decent spring show though three days is a bit of a haul.  I met some really wonderful artists and

that is always such a bonus when I do these shows.  And of course, the customers are always so fun to chat with.

One woman in particular, caught my attention.  She was near my age I think, and nearly bald.  In the world of  what many would call beauty, she was not a likely candidate.  But she had such an aura of joy and beauty that she brought tears to my eyes.  She was with a group of her friends and they were laughing and chatting and I was so awe struck by this woman, I had to step out of my booth and approach her.  I told her she was so beautiful that she brought tears to my eyes and I hugged her.  She was surprised but smiled her glorious smile and told me I gave her goosebumps.  There passed between us a sense of heart touching.  I am continually struck at how shallow some people are.. there seems to be a great deal of presentation and little heart.  But here was a woman who had transcended surface beauty and let her inner beauty radiate from her.  

I was so grateful I had spoke to her.  It's one of the perks of getting older I suppose.  And it truly was a moment of encouragement that humans have the ability to be real.  And when they are REAL, their inner

light shines strong and true.

ta.

Finished the "topper" from the scrap arch shaped wood I found

in the woodshop's dumpster.  I bought the wooden feet at Lowe's

and attached them to the base just to give it a more finished look.

I attached the middle heart cut from painted linoleum as are the two red leaves using

 copper finishing nails.  The copper makes a nice contrast.  The two hearts on either side of 

the middle heart are cut from dictionary paper and painted with watercolor and then sealed of course.

I used my favorite pencil to draw the swirls and curls and a few leaves.  I had collaged some other

hearts but was not happy the way it was turning out, so I painted over them and started all over again.

Much happier with this combo. The top of the arch is about 2 inches thick and it's painted black and

white stripes as well.  I should also mention the black and white stripe on the front bottom is paper that

I collaged on.  When I need striped black and white paper, I make my own.  I simply take a sheet

of paper and use my Sharpie Magnum marker.. it's huge btw, and make the stripes.  Then I can

make copies to use in collage.  I like that the stripes are loser and not so precise.  I finished the 

piece by spraying it with my favorite clear acrylic spray that looks so glossy.  Love this stuff.

Will make more of these for the upcoming show in May 17th & 18th  at the

Whimsical Women of the West.

It's at the picturesque Four Mile Bed and Breakfast on the road to

Sunlight here in Glenwood Springs.  A wonderful group of women

with talent galore and I plan on having some different art this year besides my

usual kitchen towels etc.  

OKAY MONDAY
seriously need to get to work.

ta.

PILES of to-do-s

more piles.

WIP

these arches are wood scrapes that  I scored at the dumpster behind the cabinet woodshop.

(pause while I smile!)

What I love about these, is they make cool art pieces that I can sit on mantels, high dressers, etc.

in a very different but very cool shape!

I also picked up at Lowe's some fat screw in round feet like knobs that I can attach for a standing arch look.

I am thinking these will be fun to art up for the May show at Whimsical Wild Women of the West.  I would love to get more of these, so will plan on popping into the woodshop and ask if they have more, or if they don't, will they hold them for me.  Obviously they chuck these out..  and I am happy to rescue them.

Here's the first one I did.  I painted it turquoise and I added a heart from dictionary pages and then wings from various found objects.  I had the iron blackbirds with their nests and they immediately found a home around the new art piece.  

The other rescue was this rattan headboard I found in the alley ready for trash pickup.  I knew it would be too wide but figured I would try it anyway.  I couldn't even fit it in my Subaru Forester - too long!  So, thankfully, I found 3 bungees and a cell phone cord and lashed it on top of my rack on the car.  Perfect.

After I got it set up,  hey, I even liked that it was oversized!  The tapering design works for the wider expanse.  Perfect.  FREE.  Perfect.  If you notice the walls in the guest bedroom are gray.  At first, I wanted to paint them a different color.  But now I like the gray. It's a nice neutral and creates a comforting color for the room.  

So that's my ART day for Sunday.

ta.

LOOK!

I made the front page of our wonderful local newspaper.

I did an art demo day at my good friend's adorable boutique Confetti Designs yesterday.

FIRST time for me.. to do art in public.  I made up my mind prior to doing it..

just do it.  Don't worry about what any  one would think.. just DO IT.

It was easy and FUN!   And I think people enjoyed seeing me sitting in my corner arting away! 

This is really a biggie for me by the way.. I have always felt really uncomfortable doing art with someone watching.  Well, I guess I finally conquered that yesterday!!!!  YIPPEEEE!

Here's how I prepped for my demo...

 I copied a bunch of color prints from my art journals to have a stash to

collage with.  I also brought an old dictionary to pull pages out of.. and I brought my cheap watercolor set

(shown in the paper photo above) because I didn't want to lug my acrylics.   A small squeeze bottle

of mat medium and a few paper plates. and a travel blow dryer completed my stash. Oh.. I also brought two pair of scissors.. one regular and one crimping.. though of course, I tore a lot.  And a set of alphabet stamps with black stamp pad and a four sided design stamp too plus a roll of paper towels and a bottle of water.  

  What I discovered while I was working yesterday, is after coloring the dictionary paper with watercolor, blowing it dry quickly with a little travel blow dryer, and then a light coat of mat medium over the watercolor which  then quickly sealed the paint so I could continue working without smearing the watercolor.  It worked perfectly!  Collaging then using my favorite pencil to outline and texture elements.. was really a fun process.  I liked using my own art  to pull images from rather than a magazine.. making my collage a lot more personal!  I was collaging on scrap cuts of wood from my neighborhood's cabinet shop (free) that I had prepainted for these demos.  By the late afternoon, I had done 3 of these and the last one I  had to resort to using cardboard with dictionary paper collaged on to create one more design.  

This morning I scanned one of the collages from yesterday and in photoshop did a bit more designing and added the words for a new design for Lunar Designs!  

To finish off the original art boards, I spray paint them with Krylon's Triple-Thick Crystal Clear Glaze.  

I spray it on thick and it gives it a really deep glaze.. a "bright, glass-like coating" as the can says.

Plus it dries in minutes.. which I love.  

And cripes.

It's snowing today.. off and on.

Just a typical SPRING thing here in our mountains.

Which makes me bury into my work and just avoid looking outdoors!

brrrrr...

ta for now!

Just finished this fun bird this morning...

I am blooming with COLOR!

A few tweaks to my garden angel..

She needed a skirt bursting with ladeda.

Adore the colors.. the "I can't keep from smiling"

kind of art 

that makes my morning studio time shine!

Decided to add a skirt on her as well..

It ties the four pieces together for the trunk show

tomorrow @ Confetti Designs here in Glenwood.

Doing art makes me smile and raises my spirit.

That and a  few cups of coffee..

Here's the sunrise that greeted us this morning when I 

let Marley out to get the morning paper.

WoW!

It's gorgeous, isn't it?

ta

art time today in the studio

prepping boards for something ART-y to follow!

Flower girl

ready for spring and barefeet.

Silver belt buckle for her head and then a tea stainer for wings.  A heart made out of linoleum

painted red.  The handle of the tea strainer is her body wrapped in blue silk fabric.  Her skirt is

a metal cut-out lampshade and her feet are metal painted.  Her arms are wire jute wrapped in fabric and 

she is holding a wire metal leaf from an old candle holder.  

garden angel

the wings?

two sock stretchers put together

and the hangers are her feet.

Then I attached a deep fry screen?on top 

and wove fabric through the screen for her body.

The handle of the fry screen is her face

and green jute wire for her hair.

She's ready to bless Spring!

Today was SPRING.

Then WINTER.

Then SPRING.

Then WINTER..

let me check....

oh it's

SPRING

again.

ta

Happy Birthday to my DAD

Yesterday you would of been 86.

I visited your grave yesterday.

Just to kiss the top of the headstone imagining it was the top of your head.

It was a typical WINDY March day and the leaves were whipping around in a happy dance.

The winter spring squalls were jumping around the valley.  Your backyard view

of the Umcompahgre was clear and I stood with you and watched the storm clouds 

move across the mountains.  You so loved your mountains as I do.

Grand Mesa was covered in a big snow storm when I drove into the Grand Valley

but on the way out it was clear and you could see the fresh snow tinting the dark areas.

I spotted the snow bear and winked at him.  

I remember so much of my childhood spending time with you discovering new and wonderous things.

We would sit for hours looking through my favorite big Life Magazine that had dinosaurs arranged in their chronological order. You never got tired of explaining my endless questions.  When the big thunder storms would come through we would sit in our lawn chairs with the garage door wide open and watch the lightening.  You took the time to show me so many things in nature and the world.  I have always believed that because of your wonder at  life and it's amazing abundance,  you inspired me to be an artist.  To create wonder and joy in my small way.  I so wish you could be here to spend time with Emalie.  You would of adored her.  She loves wild animals and nature and for a 7 year old, she is really smart about these subjects.  She is a wiz in math.  You would of  loved watching nature shows with her. If you ask her what she wants to be when she grows up, she says a veterinarian.  I imagine her in Africa someday working on a game reserve, or some exotic place doing what she loves.  You two would of been the best buds.  

So many things have changed since you have been  gone...   some things wonderful, others incredibly sad.

I am grateful for my memories and the dear times we had as a family. After I left the cemetary, I headed down Unaweep on my way out town.    I  turned off onto Cedar Street to drive by Grandad's and Bubba's house.. one of those incredibly sad things that was changed.  But despite the sad appearance of the house and yard, I still could feel the good times and the sweet memories of the place.  How we would sit in the backyard and pit cherries or eat watermelon.  The gardens in the backyard that were riotous in summer....the firepit where Grandad would burn rubbish.... The house is still painted cream but now with a spring green trim.  I am glad the red is gone because that was Grandad's color. The gardens are long gone now but those peach and green fiberglass panels are still up on the side by the carport.  Mrs Trinklien's house looks like a shanty now.. the whole neighborhood is a sad run down place.  It's heart wrenching.   I didn't drive by our old house yesterday.. enough sadness for one day.

  On the way out of town,  I drove through DeBeque Canyon and spotted the huge rock formation that looks like a chipmunk climbing up the rock wall. I passed the big hump in the highway where there was a big rock slide years ago that took out the electrical lines and kept you and your crew working up there for days.   These are the things I hold in my heart, that will never change, thankfully.  Wonderful reminders that will always be there to touch my heart and make me think of you Dad.  I never can look at these mountains without thinking of you and wishing you were still here.  I guess in a lot of ways, you still are.

Mom is doing good.  She is so happy in her new apartment and life is peaceful for her.  She feels safe and

has many friends.  I am so happy for her.  I know you are looking out for her as well.  I wish I lived closer so I could be more helpful to her.  She said she lit a candle for you yesterday.  She misses you as much as is humanly possible.  There will be a great reunion for you both someday.  It will give me great joy to know you two will be reunited when the time comes. 

So Dad I hope you are enjoying paradise and your eternal rest.  I can imagine you exploring the universe between your naps.  Perhaps Dumas and Sadie are with you, napping and trekking along.  Maybe Grandad joins you on your adventures.  And someday, Mom too.

Love you Dad.  Miss you.

hugs and kisses

My greatest creations..

Stephanie and Chris

my amazing wonderful loving kids.

I am so blessed to have these two kids.

They have grown into two beautiful kind loving adults.

It's what every mother prays for.

We had the most amazing day yesterday.  Chris, who lives in Tahoe, surprised us yesterday with a visit.

Tasa, his sweet honey, was with him along with their two dogs: Nacho and Osa.  It was pure rapture for me.

To have my two kids here together... it's been a long time.. I am thinking at least 12 years.  Now that Stephanie, Robert and Emalie are moving back to Hawaii soon,  who knows when this will happen again.

I am sooooo grateful that Chris and Tasa made the effort to come see us.  Our lives are so busy, we all go

100 miles an hour and moments like these are precious and to be savored for the rest of our lives.

So this was truly an artfull day for me.  

I was totally blissed out.

Love is so precious.  

ta

New rule for buying paint at Lowes.

CHECK the screw on lids.

I buy these paint samples .. often grab them off the paint sale table for .50 cents each.  These

I bought at regular price of under $3 each. The girl that mixed my green swore she tightened the

lid to which I replied well, obviously not tight enough!  Nearly 1/2 was in the bag!

Thank goodness, this paint only flowed into the plastic bag on the way home and not all over my car seat.

That would of not been pretty.

I still had to take the little eye screws out of the 6 plastic bags, which was quite messy.

lovely.

A few people have asked me what are cradle boards.

They are wooden panels with depth.  Artists have been painting on these

for centuries.  I like the wood surface better than canvas because it allows me to

do a lot more things.. screwing, nailing, wood burning, carving, etc. 

and this is how I do the backs.  I always paint the backs.. just gives it a more

finished look, and I add my labels with my website, blog address, etc.

and my signature.  

have an artfull day!!!!!

ta

More journal art designs coming off my drawing board this morning.

I am in the "get it done" mode for the upcoming show in Salt Lake next Saturday March 9th.

It will be a 6 hour drive (more or less) but the weather looks good and I can head out early Friday morning

and thankfully going down in elevation means easy peasy until I get into the mtns in Utah which will be later morning so no problems.  My trusty Subaru Forester ( and I do LOVE that car) will be loaded to the hilt for my one day show.  I was so blessed to hook up with a FB art friend who has graciously invited me to stay at her house!!!  We have only met online and are both looking forward to meeting in person.  I love FB for the connections.  I joined FB with the intention of promoting my art and it works over and over again.  

Then an even bigger show in April - a 3 day show in Denver.  That one will be amazing and I was so

fortunate to get in. And side attraction..I can stay with my mom who is happy to have me.. thanks mom! Having the big spring shows is wonderful because I usually am not doing shows in the spring.   So I am thrilled to have these on the calendar.  

My goal for this year is to create more flow with production and get my name out more.  I was so busy 

working last year, that I did little in the way of promoting.  I have several new ideas for products and at these spring shows I can test their sellability -- if that is even a word!

The studio is being used at it's max with extra tables holding WIP that I am working on daily. And I am happy to conquer the to do list everyday with a smile and and song in my heart.  

ta for now

Journal art that I pull into photoshop and

create a new design.

I love the assurance of this saying

because we all have our struggles and concerns.

Worry can be such a monster in our lives.

I think it's good remind ourselves to

breathe and trust. 

ta

journal art...about spring.

a little premature I know...

but this morning when I went outside, I felt spring..  sunshine,

birds singing.. oh yeah.. it's in the air. 

So of course, I am planning shows. 

Two on my radar for Spring.

One in Salt Lake City March 9

and now

Denver April 5-7

Colorado Arts & Gourmet Food

These fell into my lap from the sky and I am 

counting my lucky stars for them.  

Snow in the forecast for the next two days and 

spring will have to be persistent.

But that's how we run spring and me.

Persistent and determined.

It will happen.

Just watch and see!

ta

I am CRANKIN' out these tiles.  It's exciting to do these.. I have to revamp my designs that are all 8.5 x 11 that I use on my kitchen towels, aprons, etc.  These tiles are 6 x 6 so I have had to jump on my computer to re-size these to fit.  Which is just plain fun in photoshop.  I want to sell these locally at shops and fairs to

see if they will be successful enough to invest in some new equipment to produce these much easier and faster.  But this "cottage industry process" is doing great with production here in my little studio!

I also have a stockpile of cradle boards to do more on.  Originally bought them from Blicks, but found a much better deal from Cheap Joe's Art Stuff.  These take more time because I have to paint them.. so they will be selling for more.  

And I got to spend some quality time with my little chickapea Emalie this weekend.

She loves to hang out with me here in the studio..  while I am working she's playing dragon games on my kindle.  And smiling her sweet toothless grin.  I  so love this kid to the moon and back.  

okay MONDAY

I am jumping into my busy day!

ta

My husband is a car nut.   His cars is to him, as my art is to me.  The beauty of this, is we let each other be what we want to be.  Cars in the driveway, I lose count sometimes.  Some actually are driveable, others

are "projects".  Come into my studio, and I have plenty of my own "projects" parked around my studio.

So we are a good match.. we get it.

So when I saw this picture, I thought THERE WE ARE!!!!  We could incorporate a little of his car parts into

yard art.. and serve as a mailbox receptacle to boot.  The best of both worlds!!!!

I have been working fast and furiously with my books.  Bookkeeping isn't something I love doing.

I avoid it and now I am paying the price!  Catching up..  my brain is now properly fried.  Tedious.  I so appreciate anyone who does this for a living.  Because it rattles my brain after too many hours.  

So closing down the studio for the day, spruce up the house a bit, get dinner in the works and ease into the evening.  Tomorrow is MONDAY and I have a heavy duty week ahead.  Getting ready for a show in early March and doing a lot of new products in addition to the kitchen towels.  

But must show this cool picture to Dan.  Plus it has rock work to boot.  Another passion of his.

How can he possibly resist!?

ta now..

VALENTINE ANNIVERSARY ART

 HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ART

I finished this gift of art for my daughter and her husband.  Today is their 8th wedding anniversary. and it's Valentine's Day.  Romantic, yes?

I used a piece of scrap wood from the local cabinet shop.  I prefer working on wood, and love when I can

pick up free wood and save it from being discarded.  This piece measures appox 12 x 8 and is an inch thick.

I painted the background with a navy paint ( a 50 cent  8 ounce sample interior acrylic paint at Lowe's from their paint sale table) and started painting the back ground with some white.. in a nice painterly fashion.

After it dried, I took some dictionary paper and sketched the tree and then applied it on to the surface

using Mod Podge.  After that dried I used a graphite pencil (my favorite is Kimberly 525 9xxb) to sketch in more of the details of the tree bark.  This pencil by Kimberly is nice and soft and will draw on a lot of different surfaces.. I use it often.  Next I painted the 8 red hearts ( from another sample paint pot I had)  and then decided the texture of the pattern stamp would add a nice romantic look.  

Then I dug out my trusty old wood burning tool and where I had sketched the hearts and initials, I burned

into the wood.. to give it an authentic carved wood look.  I added a smaller heart under their heart with

their daughter's initial.  It now makes it a family tree.. and I smiled.  I was happy with the finished project.

To put a "hanger" on the back, this is what I do.  I simply take the hanger wire, coil the end then 

with my electric stapler, I staple a few times to attach the wire and then the same on the other end.

It creates a nice hanger.. fairly inexpensive. And I always put a sticker on the bottom with my 

name, website, etc. info.  I paint the backs of my wood pieces.. or cradle board pieces because

it gives a nice finished look.

I am planning on writing a note on the back with a white paint pen.. a personal message for them.

A nice project and I think they will be pleased!

ta for now..

This has been fun working on wooden wall prints for Lunar Designs.  I am experimenting on trying new

products for wholesale.  Here's a few of my pieces.

These are ceramic tiles .. trivets.. that I am working on techniques for.

I am setting my booth tomorrow in El Jebel at the Winter's Farmer's Market

at Eagle Crest Nursery and will be selling these for the first time!  I 

am really pleased the way they are turning out!

A beautiful sunrise this morning!

I took this standing at our front door.  The colors are pale

in the photo compared to the real thing.  But

so gorgeous to start out my busy day.

I was still in my robe sipping coffee and watching the

sky just go vivid.  Snow storm on the way.  

"Red sky in the morning, sailor take warning...."

ta for now

BUSY day ahead of me!

My ART at a really sweet wonderful fun shop here in Glenwood Springs!

 YEAH Confetti Designs!

so.  whoa. 

 It's been awhile... I have been sooooo busy with ART, LIFE, FAMILY, WORK..  I have not

had much time for this poor neglected blog.

But

I am back.

I am trying to get more balance in my life.

Important things will always get done, one way or another.

But the essential for my soul "stuff", I have been sorely neglecting.

Doing my morning ART has been scarce.  And that is not a good thing for me.

I started doing more art last week and I swear I could FEEL my world coming back into balance.

Colors began to brighten, vistas came into focus, LIFE just got better, birds started singing,

coffee tasted better, my husband fell in love with me all over again, you know, that kind of thing.

To catch up.. I did a LOT of holiday art fairs this past fall/winter till Christmas.  It kept me running

7 days a week.  I managed to stay healthy and pull it off, but I have to admit I was ready for a break.

But I am now rested and restored and jumping back into more show schedules. Can't keep me away for long!   Just signed up for a show in Salt Lake City March 9th called the Vintage Winters Market.  That will be a trek to get there (about 5 1/2 hours) but I was so fortunate to be invited to stay with an online  artist friend (FB) who has graciously invited me to stay with her.  wow.. lucky me.  I love hooking up with other artists on FB... we got to be friends virtually and now to have the opportunity to meet her in real.. it's just icing on the cake!

And I have been playing with new product development.. testing the waters to add to my array of products.

Doing coaster and printed pictures and playing with techniques.  Nice that I have places I can test

them before considering them in my wholesale lineup.  

Have also been toying with the idea of teaching some workshops on doing art fairs.  It's a learning curve and I feel very confident in how far I have come by doing so many.  Booth design is so crucial and I have often 

noticed artists trying to sell their wares when their booths are just sad looking!!!!  Kind of like you tend to focus so much on the trees, you aren't seeing the forest.  Understandable, but a part of marketing your 

art is the presentation.  It's that HOOK factor that you have to really work on.  I have been doing our local Farmer's Market here in town now for 3 years.. a weekly market and that's where I really learned a LOT!  I just kept improving on my displays and it helps with your sales!  And that's what we are trying to do, right?

So Life is wonderfully busy and exciting.  My new world for 2013 is 

BREATHE.

Do it all, but take time to take those big cleansing breaths and just be in the NOW.

And I will make a point to get back into blogging more.  

ta for now..