well...now what?

quite matronly...paper clay heads...

And from a blob of paper clay came three silly little ladies with quirky personalities. What fun it was to watch them emerge. I had no idea what to expect...and really no end result in mind. So the outcome was as much a surprise to me as it is to you!

So...I made them. Now what? I got so wrapped up in making the heads that I didn't really think ahead to what I would actually DO with them once they were done. I had a few ideas...but nothing set in stone.

I think I'll ponder it a while...

coming along...

I was finally able to add another layer of paint to these funny little paper clay girls on Saturday. I loved watching their personalities emerge. I had no idea when I grabbed that little blob of clay what the end result would be. I still don't, actually. It's a surprise even to me. The girls are painted. They have names. And stories. Now...they are just waiting, very patiently I might add, to be finished.

It's kind of cool to go into a project without a finished product in mind. This might be the key...for me anyway. I find that when I decide to do something I have an idea of what it should look like once I'm done.  And this very aspect is what has stopped me from trying creative things in the past. I know what I want to do. I see the end result. But I don't always know how to get there. So...I just don't bother. But I think since I had no idea about paper clay...and no idea even how to form it...my only expectation was to have fun with it. That's it. And I did.  I am.

DO.BRAVE.

...you just never know...

The Boutique.



the main display table in the living room

  The Holiday Boutique was on Saturday...and it was so much fun! And it was also a success! My aunt's house was completely transformed into a true boutique...it was great.
There were about a dozen of us who participated and there was a wide variety of items for sale...vintage finds like thimble shaped shot glasses, beautiful floral dessert plates, silver salt and pepper shakers, beautiful dish sets...and more. Very cool stuff...it was hard not to buy, buy, buy!

We also had handmade items...ornaments, hand knit wash cloths, adorable appliqued onesies, homemade dog treats, lots and lots of yummy baked goods, handmade wreaths, adorable sock monkeys, quilts...and more! 

We had a steady stream of visitors from start to finish. We mulled some delicious apple cider...we had Christmas music playing in the background...there was lots of laughter...and lots of SHOPPING!

baked goods beautifully displayed on the island

 

ornaments, glitzy wreaths (made by my aunt), glassware and
 rustic snowmen (made by yours truly...)



vintage-like glitter ornaments...one of my offerings.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Come-a-Calling...my mom made
these adorable little Christmas mice...and my
friend Sue took them home as a pair!



My Aunt Lisa made this sweet little mouse sitting
in a snowball...isn't he darling?

You might recognize this young lady...it's a
Mimi Angel complete with wings and a halo!



Appliqued onesies and fancy tutus...so stinkin' cute.
My cousin made these sweet little numbers and
they are adorable.


And would you believe...it was pouring down rain! It rained like crazy when I arrived in the morning...just in time to unload my wares. And then...it POURED in the evening, complete with thunder and lightning, just in time to load our cars and go home!! But that was OK...what's a little water?

Thank you to my Aunt Lisa for opening up her home for this endeavor. And I'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to my uncle D...poor guy was misplaced for about three days while his house was torn up and transformed into the Holiday Boutique extravaganza. But, being the amazingly good sport that he is...he made the best of it! (Thanks, D!)

The art fair.

Hi! I'm sorry it's taken so long to report about the art fair. What a whirlwind BUSY weekend! As a matter of fact...all of last week is a blur! But...everything worked out in the end and everything got done. Well, except for a load of whites so everyone had to scrounge around for socks Monday morning. But other than that...

We reported for our booth space at a little before 8am on Saturday morning with our cars jam packed with stuff. We set up the canopy, two tables for display and a card table as a "register" area. We used canvas drop cloths to cover the sides of the canopy as well as the display tables. It gave the booth a nice neutral and casual backdrop. As we were setting up and hanging pictures and standing easels, we realized that we probably could have had our own booths! We were pretty cozy in that little space!

My friend Chris could have had his own booth for sure. He has a TON of inventory that he's amassed over the past few years. Me? Umm...I could have. But it would have been a little sparse. I don't have a lot of inventory, especially larger pieces, as I am just getting started in this endeavor. However, I met a nice gal first thing in the morning...a fellow photographer named Jessica (who does amazing Polaroid transfers, by the way, and I forgot to BUY one!)...and she had her booth set up cute and she didn't have a TON of inventory. When I went down to visit her she said, "See? You could have your own booth." And she was right. I could have. Next time?

So once the booth was set up, a little before 10am, we were ready for business. And let me tell you, the place was hoppin'! There was a steady flow of people all.day.long. It was a beautiful day...sunny and warm with cool breezes. Perfect. (Except for the wind that picked up around 3 or so and had everyone running after business cards and holding on to their canopies for dear life!) So many friends and family came by to support us...I saw people I hadn't seen in years...and met some new people. All in all it was a good experience. I'll do it again...definitely.

Once all was said and done I came away with $100 profit that went directly into the Belgium Fund envelope. This doesn't include my initial investment of frames and mats. But it does include my booth fee and packaging materials.

Thank you for all of your encouragement and interest. I wish more of you could have been there...but it would have been a bit of a drive...so I understand. *wink* And I know you were there with me in spirit...which was almost as good!

Anyway...all in all it was good. But I have to say I would NOT have been able to do it without the help of several people. My mom first of all. Oh my goodness...she helped me with every aspect of getting my things ready. Frame selection..mat selection...photo selection...framing...all of the stuff that overwhelms me when I try to do it on my own. So...thank you, Mom!! You RULE!!

A thank you to my Dad who let me run by at the very last minute to borrow the card table and chairs. I literally called him from my cell phone to ask if I could borrow them and when he said yes I said, "Thanks! I'll be there in 30 seconds!" And I was. He loaded them in my car and off I went. Thanks Dad!

And a thank you to Aunt Lisa who loaned me drop cloths and cool display pieces. She left a variety of things on her dining table for me to choose from...I went by while she was at work and borrowed what I needed. So thank you Aunt Lisa!! The addition of your cool stuff helped make the booth look interesting! (And by the way...Ollie is a VERY good watch dog...ahem. I like his pointy teeth and deep guttural growl. As Jenna would say...NBD.)

Also a thank you to Chris and Pat, my friends who joined me in this endeavor. They are husband and wife and helped me immensely. Pat was our secretary...setting up our booth fees and information...making the calls and dropping off the money. Thank you, Pat! And Chris saved my life at the last minute when my glassine envelopes hadn't arrived. He happened to have two packs of the exact sizes I needed and let me buy them from him. Whew!! That was close!

Seriously...I could not have done this on my own. Wait, I take that back...I could have. But I'd have been sitting on the ground, Indian style, holding down a half assembled canopy and selling my photos out of the envelopes they arrived in from the developer!

Brainstorming.

I'm the type of person that loves to brainstorm. I always have been. I can sit and hash out ideas with someone else for hours until all of a sudden we have this huge thing...this huge idea...that we usually don't even know what to DO with! I have designed businesses...projects...restaurants. I've created so many things....all in my head!

And I will say, some of them have come to fruition. But many of them have not. And that's OK...that's what brainstorming is all about...the process. I love the process. It feeds my need for creativity...for something new...for a dream. And then when one of these crazy hair-brained ideas becomes something real? So amazing!!

Anyway...all of that being said, I need to brainstorm with you folks today. And since we're not able to meet at a groovy coffee house and sip lattes and scribble on napkins and hash out ideas...I'm going to make a Poll instead. (Wouldn't it totally be more fun the other way? Sometimes the world of blogging can be so lonely...)

So here's the skinny...I am considering developing my photographs into frameable 5x7's...possibly 8x10's...to sell in my Etsy shop. And I have some ideas...and some thoughts...but it's always better to talk it over with friends to see if I'm on a good track. This is where you come in! I need your creative...and honest...opinions. So if you would be so kind as to vote on my Poll I would greatly appreciate it.

And how about this...if you DO vote in the Poll, leave me a comment. Leaving me a comment will enter you into a drawing to receive something pretty in the mail. Probably something in the form of a...oh...I don't know...maybe a photograph?

So I guess I should go create the Poll, huh? Why do I always do things backwards? Wait...don't answer that. Just give me a minute and the Poll will be up.

It is definitely Monday!

Christmas from Albuquerque.

My mother in law, Emily, lives in ABQ. Just before Christmas we received a big box full of packages...and my packages just happened to be on top and see-through so I couldn't help but...um...peek.

What? It wasn't my fault.

Anyway...as soon as I opened this big box the first thing I saw was this...and I gasped. I knew what they were...and I knew she made them...and I knew they were for me. And I was thrilled.

I thought to myself, "Now how did she know I've been wanting crocheted dishcloths?! How did she KNOW?!"

Look at the sweet color combinations. Aren't they adorable? I love them. Seriously. To the point of tucking them in my hutch to just look at for a while. I don't want to use them quite yet...I don't want to get them dirty. I know, I know...it's what they're for. But they're too adorable! I'll use them. I will. I just want to look at them for a while longer...that's all.

These were in the same package...

...gorgeous, thick, heavy and beautiful hot pads. Hand-crocheted. In various sizes thankyouverymuch. Love them! And I love the colors...again. Gorgeous. And perfect for my neutral sensibilities.

Then...as I continue pulling packages out of the box, I come across these little beauties.

A collection of vintage tin cups. Oh my goodness. Can you believe how adorable these are?

Years ago we went to visit Emily. And one day she and I went by a yard sale. (Something we both enjoy.) I found a little tin pitcher and picked it up for a dollar or something. So years later she remembered that I had an eye for that type of thing...and so she knew that these little cups would be a perfect gift for me. And she was right...

I don't even know what to say about these two little cups.

How do you put words to the cuteness of these?! Seriously! Look at that little flower motif. Look at it! Is it not one of the cutest things you've ever seen? They, too, are in the hutch. Looking cute as ever. Every time I look at them I smile. They have that effect on me. And you too, I bet, if you were here.

Now this next one made me do a double-take. Is it? What? Could it be?

It sure is. I'll be darned if it isn't Holly Hobbie. Remember her? I do. I had a Holly Hobbie lunch box in the 3rd grade. Holly Hobbie was it when I was little. That and Betsy Clark. Who remembers Betsy Clark? Loved her stuff, too. Baby Anne...I miss you, wherever you are.

But then I grew older...and Hello Kitty came along. Her and Bonne Bell lip smackers. Remember the gigantic tubes of it? Mmmm...strawberry was the best. And Bubble Gum. Oh! And how about Love's Baby Soft? I wore it. And felt mature. And then when they came out with lemon scent...are you kidding me? I was really mature then.

I wonder whatever happened to my lunchbox. Maybe it got sold at a yard sale. Or probably just thrown away. Reusing and recycling wasn't big in the 70's.

Ahem...where was I? Oh...Christmas gifts. Handmade. Crochet. That's right. Sorry...I had a little blast from the past. I love it when items do that to me. It's fun. And reminds me of the good ol' days. And the bookmobile. And riding my bike pretending that I was Dale, our bus driver. Dale was a man. But that's OK. He was really, really nice. And I was only 7 or 8. What did I know?

Speaking of pretending my bike was something other than a bike. How about when my friend Deanna and I played Charlie's Angels and I was Farrah Fawcett and my bike was her blue Cobra? Hmmm.... how about that? True confessions! Hey. I was 8 or 9. What can I say?

Anyway...Christmas was good. And I love all of the gifts Emily sent me. We don't see each other very often for various reasons...or talk often enough....but when we do, it's like no time has passed. And she reads my blog...it helps her stay caught up on all our crazy shenanigans...like chicken keeping!

Hi Emily! Thank you! I love it all...and I love you.