every-single-day

Yes!

I did it, I had the Open Studio.
This is the 'East Coast or Bust!' Open Studio. I want to get back east for some fun and family, but I need money to do it so I decided to have an open studio to fund it. I worked like mad and made some new purses, some "Melly Mini Nudes", and to get a few new pieces made.
It was a great success. I am amazed.

Here is my design wall with all my offerings before folks started coming in. When I put it up, I felt like I didn't have much to offer and felt small. But then people started coming.

David made cookies which were very tastey. Beside which he hand sewed some zipper tape, zigzagged some borders and was a real sport!

My good friend Elisa brought over homemade Almond Rocca, little did she know this is my favorite candy. I will have to get the recipe from her, because it is her grandfathers recipe and I wouldn't want it to get lost to posterity! :) Not only that but Elisa swept some dust bunnies and took photos for me.

Here are some happy customers (goofy tired me), Ruth Garrison (look at the second quilt down-she won The Award of Excellence), Brenda Smith, Sherry, Bea, and I am sorry to say I can't remember the last woman's name.

And here are some of my fabric offerings. I think it was an especially good idea to sell some inexpensive things. The economy is so bad right now!

This is what Monk thought of the whole idea. He did come into my studio, stretch and look around. But left soon after and, well, you see his tail.

Then phase two came through. Darcy Falk, Kate Watters and Diane, among others came to support and bought some smalls.

I finished the day with the East Coast trip paid for.

I act as though every success is a suprise to me. I suppose I need to stop this behavior and sit in the center of my creativity, knowing that I have earned each milestone and penny. But every success is still a suprise.

I felt insecure and excited when I made the leap and decided to use my art to obtain a monetary goal. I bought the airfare before having the money in hand, impetus I suppose. But of course people want my art. People love art, decorating thier homes and to have a piece of art from a friend or acquintance is a joy. I know that much! I will work on letting go of the insecurity and to stand in the center of my creativity. But I am still grateful and happy to have such support by both friends and the universe.

A scarf, a squirrell, a mission

One night a little more than two years ago, I went to the art opening of a good friend in New York City. It was down near Union Square, if my memory serves me right, in a walk up. A beautiful apartment. Food was catered, art in every space in between.

Little did I know the friend who was having the show had a sister, Moira. A beautiful woman whose eyes shone bright and engaged. We hit it off immediately, exchanged information and have been in regular contact ever since.

A few weeks back, Moira contacted me saying she was into knitting and wondered what my favorite colors were. Purple and red, together. A few weks after that, this scarf appeared at my door. It is a blast of color and texture and has positive bird karma, as it sometimes sheds and makes warm housing cush for my favorite feathered friends. Beside that, when I wear it, I get complimets each and everytime.

Thank you Moira.

Then, the Infamous Alice gave me this little ceramic squirrel pocket. I took it out of its gifty box and put it out it in front of me and knew the pocket was way too small for a plant. I didn't quite know how to bond with the odd little guy.

The next morning, I awoke and knew the little acorn the squirrell was holding needed to be capped off with a pin cushion. Alice also found the cute little black bird, doesn't he look wistful and seem to want his very own pin cushion?

The cute factor in my studio is being amped up my the boatload.

Then there is the matter of my current mission. And the reason for my blogging silence these last few weeks.

Money is super tight right now. As it is for all of us, this being a recession and all. But I need to travel back east for some fun, food and family, even if I don't have the money. So. I decided to have an open studio and to make small works of very affordable art, dye fabric, embroidery threads and the like. Everything will be priced just right for small, quick impulse purchases. This will be happening on Saturday and afterward I will put everything that doesn't find a home up for sale on the blog afterward.

So there you have it.