Teaching Jewelry Making Classes in Harriman

Hello Everybody! 

I'm just logging on to make a quicky announcement:

Marci at The Pink Cloud Boutique (in Harriman) asked me to teach classes at her shop. 

Yes, I'm teaching classes in the fine art of jewelry making starting February 6th. That's a Friday. It's going to be a very basic wire wrap class to teach the most basic technique used in wire wrap jewelry to link beads together or hang them from things or whatever you want to do to connect something to something. I'll have everyone finish a bracelet by the end of class. 

The class is $15, runs from 7pm - 8:30pm, and there's a $25 materials fee which includes everything you need. Even the tools. Plus there'll be enough beads etc. to make a matching necklace when you get home. 

Oh, and I'm teaching a Peyote Stitch class on the 27th. That one will be earrings by the end of class and is $20 for the class plus $15 for materials - again, everything you need for the class plus enough to make another pair of earrings when you get home. It runs from 6:45-8:45, also on a Friday. 

And those are the classes I'm teaching in February. 

In March (still have to figure out the dates and times I'm available) I'm teaching a Brick Stitch class - earrings made in class - and a Pearl/Bead Knotting class - bracelet made in class. I'll put up the specifics of those as I have the dates and times finalized. 

Gonna try to teach two classes a month until I get too busy with home jewelry parties and craft shows to have time {any help on filling up my time that way is always appreciated;} Of course, I don't know when that might be. Maybe in the Summer, when I have to move out of my apartment in June, and then I plan on heading West in the middle of July; coming back in mid-August only to do another craft show - hopefully. I still have to get the apps in and get accepted... 

And then maybe again in November and December when I hope to be doing a show every weekend and will need to be making things non-stop in between... the plans are not always what happens as you all know, but keep checking back for details as the acceptance letters start rolling in;}

In the meantime, if you live in the Hudson Valley, and might be planning to be going down to the Woodbury Commons anyway... Pink Cloud is just a short drive down Route 17 from there so you might as well sign up for some classes! ;}

Don't forget to leave me a post if you want more info or have requests for classes!

Is Obama the Reincarnation of Honest Abe?

Following the same train route prior to the inauguration aside, it does seem that there are more than just a few similarities between President Obama and the 16th President. 

The "Honest Abe" aspect is very evident in the way that the new president has a tendency to answer questions without guile, and speak about things that others tend to hide. Of course the common trait of being tall and lanky doesn't really help to dispel comparison either. Then there's the matter of both being eloquent, convincing and popular orators. Lincoln certainly knew the constitution inside and out and Obama taught constitutional law. Which brings us to the point that they were both lawyers. Lincoln also represented Illinois in the House and Obama was an Illinois Senator. 

Now, I'm not sure if Obama has any patents pending or if Lincoln ever wrote a best selling novel or two but, aside from these two things, it would be hard not draw the parallels. 

Throw in the fact that Obama swore into office on Lincoln's bible and it's completely understandable to say: Hmmm...  Which is to say that it's a little easy to assume that Obama could be Lincoln reincarnate. If you believe in reincarnation that is. Which I do. Though, I'm not making a declaration; just throwing it out there;]

Ok. Enough metaphysical politic musing. I need to wrap this up quickly since the day is more than half over and I still have way too much to do. 

I'm applying for craft shows alllll over the place for the coming year and more than half of the applications are due in the next 4 weeks! So, I  have to get all the best pictures of a variety of my work (some of them are still waiting to be photographed while the other's still need editing) in all the corresponding correct formats and views, then put onto discs in all the right numbers and sizes - everyone seems to want something different. Then, I have to fill out the forms and get the money together for the application fees and show fees and get them all in the mail on time. Without double booking! 

Which is not that hard if you have nothing else going BUT, the store is finally done. Yes, the end of the year sales were only enough to pay the current month's bills and January is just as slow as it always is so there is no money for February. Absolutely none right now. 

So, March 31st will see the physical incarnation of pearldaddy over and out. Still going to sell off the remaining jewelry online, and take some of it around to the fleas when I do those. Plus, I'm going to do jewelry parties so the option of bringing pearl jewelry will come with that too. No more boutique and gallery after March though. So... I have to find people to buy all the furniture - since it's going on the street if no one buys it because I'm not moving it again! No room in my garage anyway. Plus, I have to redo the website, add more jewelry to the online store (gotta take all the pics and write the descriptions as well), clean things out and pack stuff up. 

Oh, and I'm going to be doing some jewelry making classes starting next month too. 

AND, we have to find another place to live by June as well. 

I'm feeling a little overwhelmed. But, not unhappy. 

So, even though I haven't gotten nearly enough done today and still have pics to fix and laundry to do, I did feel like I should get a blog on about everything that's going down; even a short one. Since all that stuff about Obama and Lincoln was roaming my head like a wild beast, and since it's inauguration day, you can thank that for today's writing impetus. 

I'll post again when I have new pics of work to show and some dates and places for upcoming craft shows (the first one might be in Albany at the beginning of April, and then there are a possible two at the end of April and beginning of May in Atlanta). Keep you posted. 

All the best and hope the New Year and New President bring nothing but better days - for EVERYONE!!! 

Indiemade Craft Market Report

Well done Ann and Terri! 

No one could believe it was the first ever... not the vendors, not the attendees. It was crowded and really well organized and great vendors were selected to be there. Of course, being only the third of my year's experiences for shows, I don't have quite as much experience as a vendor. But, all the more experienced that I spoke to concurred with me on that point. There were even a lot of great customers there I would love to see again! It was a great show, and everyone said so to the organizers as they were packing up and heading home too - I heard quite a few of them. 

Another one is planned for June and of course a repeat of the December show as well next year. I've already expressed interest in being at both. I'll let you know. 

Yes, a good show also means I sold a bit of jewelry - and gave out even more cards. The music was pretty good too, but the first of two was an acoustic lilith fair style cover band - yes, two chicks and their guitars - that eventually drove a few of us batty. Really, that was the only disappointment of the day though. 

Phil even helped out a lot. I'm really glad he was with me. 

And now for the pics:

Phil was sitting right infront of that vintage santa poster and, of course, now has a close up of the poster on his phone. Some of his friends to now as well;} 

Thanks to everyone who was there. It was great to meet everyone and I hope I get the chance to run into you all again in the Summer, if not before! 

Getting Ready for Indiemade

Well, I'm powering through new designs and getting even more ideas right and left - most of which will have to wait until later, but that's how it often is. 

I just posted a whole slew of jewelry shots - all stuff I've made in the last couple weeks in preparation for the Indienade Craft Market on Sunday - on the Flickr... there's a slide show thing in the middle right of this page (next to the pic of the Citrine earring) if you want to click on it and check them out. Plus, here's a couple for you now: 

 

This is a brooch I made a couple of days ago with an AzuriteMalachite cabachon all hand wrapped in Sterling Silver. The pin base is steel for a stronger base though. I wrapped the Silver around it. Mostly this is Silver, and stone... and of course, as always, it's the only one. 

There are two of these, being earrings and all, but I only took a picture of one. It was really hard to get the color right. This is a 1940's Vintage Czechoslovakian Crackle Glass bead (that's the main theme for this show) with Citrine. The light on this eventually came out really nice and the Citrine just glowed. They're on 14K Gold Fill wire and hooks and the other earring swirls in the other direction. Don't snort... not all of them are mirrored like that...

Ok. I have to start scrounging for food to make dinner with and get back to the making. 

If you're in the Allentown, PA area on Sunday - grab your wallet and come on in! If you get there early enough, you'll get a swag bag - which will have one of my rings in it; and first dibs on all the new stuff. Bring lots of cash though. Not sure if I'll be able to connect to wifi and get the credit card thing goin. Not sure if anyone will. There's a lot of talent scheduled for this and unlike most of craft shows, there's a bar AND food to go with the live music and crafty sellers. 

Wish me luck and maybe I'll see someone I know... anybody? Hint, hint;}

Quicky Stormville Fleamarket Pics

Ok. 

You wanted pics of Stormville, I have a lot to do. 

Yes there are things I want to write about, but I'm saving on the electric by not turning on the heat just yet so my hands are a little cold and stiff and I have to make some jewelry to get ready for the Indie show on December 7th so I thought I'd just pop up some pics of the booth at Stormville - no jewelry wearing that day I'll tell you... it was windy and cold and a lot of displays did not get put out because everything was blowing; the tent next to us came up and sailed away with the vendor at one point! That was exciting. 

Anyway, this is all that Phil took of the set up we had. There are tons of pics of other stuff he took and I think some of them got on his iStock page; but this is all he took of our tent: 

I'm off to make, so type atcha more after the Craft Market. 

The Skinny on the Stormville Flea Market

Well, we went to Stormville yesterday. 

Headed out with an hour to get there; just enough time to get there before the opening time of 8 am. Making good time, almost half an hour to get there and almost there when we got stuck in traffic two exits off the I-84 behind a small pickup - with a trailer - that had caught fire. The pickup, not the trailer. Took almost half an hour to get past that. 

Which meant, that when we finally got close to Stormville, it was exactly opening to public time so it took another half hour of stop and start traffic to just get in! Damn! Streams of cars from all directions! frustrating and kind of crazy! [Around 2pm I heard a woman in front of our tent talking on her phone saying she'd just got there, that it took her and hour to get in, half an hour in line to get food and another half an hour in line to use the bathroom...]

So, by the time we got to our space, driving through hundreds of people to get there - not one casualty, thank you - it was already 9 am; an hour into the event! By the time we got set up, it was 10 am... two hours late. Not a great start to the day but it was a lovely, bright sunny - if not a bit cold and a little windy - day. So, considering that, and what every regular vendor I heard talking about was saying (no one is buying this year), it was still a good day. 

Mostly because right as I was finishing the initial set up, Esther came by with Bill (yay!) and bought the Copper Carob necklace I made last year. It looked fabulous on her, I must say. That took care of my entrance fee and the other costs of getting there so that got my late day off to a good start. 

There were so many people there and a lot of just looking, but a lot of business cards were taken and there were a few small sales plus a lot of wonderful comments made; And at the end of the day, as the sun was setting, a woman who had looked earnestly earlier in the day came back - the only one of many who said they would who did - and bought 5 pieces in the brand new Old Czech Candy Collection. That made the day really worth it! Thanks Chris! 

Phil hasn't uploaded the pics he took of yesterday at Stormville yet, but here's one from the fleamarket we went to at Woodstock's Mower's Market in September:

That fleamarket was not really worth our time... but we had a little fun at least... and good pizza afterward. 

Last night we stopped by Beacon on the way home (to drop off a couple things and close up the shop - thanks for looking after pearldaddy, Mia!) and ate at The Piggy Bank. That was ok. If we weren't so hungry, we probably wouldn't have enjoyed it as much... maybe. Well, the sweet potato fries were really good. Actually, I'm going to have my left overs right now for lunch. 

Then I have chores to do so that's all of the reportage for now. I'll write more as I'm getting ready for the Indiemade Craft Market (December 7th). Til then...