This morning I saw the light---or to be more precise I saw a sign.

With The CAM ETSY sale coming up on December 6th, I have been trying to make some bright holiday ornaments for my AngelsGourden table. Usually I just work in whatever direction the gourd takes me but this year I was trying to make the ornament “sets” that customers have asked for in previous years. You know—get that all important sale that covers the booth fee. When I got the 12th mini gourd in the “set” I was getting real tired at looking at the same shapes and colors and I realized that for the first time I was not enjoying my work. Making something had become boring! It was-- no. fun. Show sales this year have been few and far between and ESTY business has been worse. I fell asleep last night wondering if it was time to stop making things and take piano lessons instead. To say the least, I was bummed. This morning Monday got here all too soon and it was time to get back to my “real” job. The paper was slowly moving from the left side of my desk to the right and the file cabinet was filling up as usual. Then my boss suggested that since I am the “crafty one” in the office that I make a sign for the Toy Drive box that sits in our lobby every year. Nothing fancy-just a quick sign to let the pick-up crew know that they get the toys but need to leave our collection box behind. I grabbed my small collection of Sharpies and a couple highlighters and set to work. I enjoyed making that simple little sign. Not for money but for a good cause. Just a few block letters and a quick sketch of a holiday package. The “V” is a little crooked, but it will do the job-and it was not work…it was FUN! Like I said- “I saw the sign”. No more “sets”. No more worrying about the “sale”. I am just going to make things for fun and let fate do the rest.

Today I did something that a lot of artist/crafters would not do. I met with a customer and showed her how to make two of the pieces that I sold in my ETSY shop. I know… I can hear you saying “If you show her how to make it herself, you will not be able to sell her anymore of your items. Even worse, she can sell them herself and steal your customers. That is a good way to put yourself out of business.” As a business woman I can see your point, but as an artist and member of the artistic community I see this from a very different angle. Artists march to a different and somewhat eccentric drummer. We feel the need to create, to share our creations, and to share in the creative process. Ask a group of artists/crafters ( yes we tend to travel in packs!) and you will find that most of them are willing to share the details of their creations. They will share everything from the beginning of the creative process and where they find idea -to the details of how they achieve a certain look or where they buy a much need supply. Sharing is a large part of the creative process- as is teaching. You will find that a large number of arts and craft supply businesses also offer classes. Most classes are taught by employees that are artists themselves. So back to where I started telling you about what I did today. One of my customers wanted to know how I made the copper Viking Weave necklace and bracelet that she purchased from my AngelsGourden ETSY shop last week. We e-mailed back and forth a few times and arranged to meet this afternoon at “Wired Coffee” on Lindbergh Boulevard in Sunset Hills. We introduced ourselves, grabbed a iced coffee drink and sat down to talk copper. I got my weave supplies out of my tote bag (that goes everywhere with me) and as I started showing her the basic weave technique she started firing off questions like a four year old on a long car trip. We covered the Viking Weave, beads, clasps, where to get supplies, tools and metal smith techniques. Let me tell you it was great! The feeling I got not only from the creating process but from sharing my craft with someone who was smitten with the process and wanted to learn. We talked for an hour and a half and it seemed like five minutes. We exchanged phone numbers (in case she thought of another question) and I took her order. Yes- she wants me to make her a half dozen more items for Christmas gifts. (Not such a bad business decision after all.) I wonder if I should offer to teach a class. I know where I could book a room. The manager at Wired Coffee showed me around while I was there. They have a small meeting room (they don’t mind if you over flow into the main room), they have art exhibition space, and they have a great selection of coffees! Did you know that they also serve FOOD? They have a well rounded menu and the prices are reasonable. They have a facebook page where they list upcoming events-like speed dating in September! I left the manager with my business card so keep and eye on their facebook page - some day I may be listed as an upcoming artistic event .

Weekend Get Away

The weekend at Pere Marquette was wonderful! Pere Marquette State Park in Grafton is a short drive from St Louis but still far enough away to provide the feeling that I am “getting away from it all”. The grounds of the state park are well tended and the Lodge is a wonderful stone and timber piece of a bygone age. My hubby and I stayed in one of the cottages and it was lovely. A large living room with a good sized flat panel TV (my hubby’s idea of heaven) and a fold out couch for additional sleeping room. This joined a small bedroom and bath.

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and spent hours walking through the park. Dinner was the buffet in the Lodge Dinning room. Prim rib ---yummmmm.
Sunday Morning we also enjoyed the dining room at the Lodge –I had the oatmeal and my hubby had the breakfast buffet. Again the food was wonderful but there is always way too much of it!

The show did not go so well- we did not sell anything. I do not think that there were many sales inside the Lodge. The crowd was moving through the room but no one was buying. I hope the booths outside had better sales. I saw that Candy of Raven’s Cache had set up outside with her new white canopy and I hope she had a great day! We got some nice complements but no sales. My hubby had a great time-he loves to people watch!

I hope to have better luck next Saturday April 17th for Artropy at Sqwire’s Annex. I will be spending the day with a great group of St Louis artists! If you are in town this weekend,stop in to say Hi!

Things to do List

I have been trying to get some egg gourds ready for the Easter season. I have two sets in my etsy shop and one set of smaller egg gourds on the work bench ready to be dyed. The work is slow because of all of the tiny detail in each egg.
I am so excited! I got my first batch of advertising bookmarks last night. My loving husband made them for me and they look great! Now I just need to make a holder for them and see if I can set them out at the library. Pretty blue tassels and all. :)
I also need to look into getting a banner made before I do any shows. I would like to have my logo on it but that my put the price way too high. I want it to look sharp so I fit in with the rest of the SHOWME TEAM.
I may be out of business if I don't get some supplies. The gourds we bought last fall still have a long way to go before they are dry enough to use. I am running out of gourds and some mean person keeps outbidding me on EBay! I only have 5 full size, hard shell, gourds left and I still need to make at least one more basket before Easter.
Enough for today- I better get busy.