Roadshows, making stuff, collaborations and things

    The past few weeks have been challenging to say the least. I have been hustling beyond the norm,  but it's been fun and new so there's that.  
  I am so lucky that I surround myself with Artists and creatives. Every day is an inspirational moment and I learn something new. I have hand picked some amazing people to work with and get to know,  so the future seems really exciting even though I am a little sleepy.  ;)

  My Talented friend Andy Tanguay and I decided to do the Ann Arbor Antiques market together.  It was a show with a focus on Re-purposed and handmade along with Vintage.  Even though it was a smaller show in scope,  but we had a great time!   It was a TON of work, literally packing up the whole shop and moving it to the farm grounds for the weekend.  But it was worth it!  We had a great show,  and would do it again.

  I made all sorts of things,  and sold a bunch.   My friend Andy made these great signs in the traditional old school way of hand lettering and using one shot paints with brushes made out of squirrel hair.  he's amazing!    he also made this fantastic Hello sign that lights up!

    SO freaking cool!  and can I tell you,  that he can make you a sign in any font and whatever phrase you choose?  yes.  pretty dang awesome if you think about it.

   It was fun to do displays at the show,  I did a kind of wildwest themed/funky one here,  and a colorful one on top......
  once it was over and my shop all packed up,  I decided to move things around at the shop because I now was inspired to do different things and make different vignettes at the store.   One of the first things I decided to do was to move my studio to the back of the shop,  and open up the middle room back to being a show room.   So painting walls was the first step.

 

dealing with the mess and fall out was the second.   In between taking care of kids of course.

Thank goodness they are part of my creative team and enjoy working at the shop in a variety of mediums.  here they are enjoying carving stamps.  Fiona made some killer ones,  and Jackson was still tweaking his.  :) 

 of course,  my bird likes to be part of the action as well,  he likes to roost in my bead box.  what a silly creature.    it then dawned on me that perhaps he thought they were seeds!  so I had to put my stuff away.   yes,  he is still alive and didn't appear to eat anything.  do not worry. 

 In between all that,  I worked on mosaic pieces and was happy to get back into that, until i realized how freaking laborious it is!  but I do love it,  and yes,  I sold this one,  but will make more eventually..........zzzzz.

   so this is what the shop looked like all torn up and in a mess.........when I started to flip out and think about all the work ahead of me,  my friend showed me this hilarious E-card that put everything back into perspective for me.     ;)
  So I continue to trod along.....

    Setting up my new work spaces,  all warm and cozy....

Painting fairy doors to gear up for the season...... and working on new shop displays........for when I re-open the shop,  because yes,  I've been closed for a bit,  and will remained closed for the next week or so,  because I want it to be amazing when I re-open. :)

In addition to all of that craziness above I have been working very limited hours at a jewelry shop downtown to help my buddies The Hart brothers on Main street.  They are closing their downtown shop Seyfried Jewelers, in December.  Their shop has been an iconic store for decades, and a huge part of our downtown merchant landscape that is definitely being squeezed out by high rents.  I will have more to say about that at some point,  but for now,  I am sad.  I love those guys, and am happy to help them.

I also was part of a collaboration with one of my online friends Chrissie Grace.  I had been involved in a book project with her years ago,  and know what a hard working talented sweet person she is,  so it was not hard to choose to be part of it.    You can take a peek at our Art print project here that I participated in with some of my favorite and  very close friends

 

And speaking of close friends.....Please visit my friend Jenny Elkins Blog!

she is giving away------  yes GIVING away an ART DOLL!!!!

that is amazing!

she is super talented,  has a fantastic eye,  and is one of the hardest workers I know.  so head over there and take a look. 

you can thank me later.  :)

  on that note,  I am off to kick some booty somewhere cuz i'm on a ROLL......

more on that business soon....

but for now,  please know I am always so thankful that you took the time to  stop by.

XOXOXO