Bruce Rules!

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USA Today had an excellent article on my friend, Bruce Springsteen.

I haven't told you my latest Bruce story. I read last November that he and the band would be playing in Buffalo (an hour away) on March 7. I was torn - this is my #1 concert to see, always, but I wasn't into driving to Buffalo and back or spending the night. So I decided to see what day of the week March 7 falls on - that would be my deciding factor. Crap, it's a Friday - guess we could go. Next day it's announced he and the band are playing here in Rochester the night before - perfect! All of a sudden I was excited and wanted to see both shows!

Ruh-roh. The tickets went on sale the Saturday morning of my biggest craft show of the year, at the Rochester Museum & Science Center. These concerts sell out in 12 minutes, literally. So I enlisted Steve but admittedly, I was worried. He's a man. He gets a little self-involved. He only thinks he knows how important this is to me.

The last time Bruce played here (can't remember what year but it was ON my birthday - how special is that??) I ended up getting tickets by calling the TicketMaster office in Syracuse (an hour away) and got through because the phone was less busy, of course. So I emailed Steve instructions, urls and phone numbers so he'd have it in writing. I left my credit card on his laptop. I made him set the alarm on his phone to remind him in time to get set up at Command Central.

The craft show was just getting started when he text messaged me on my phone that he scored tickets. Of course I wanted to know where our seats were, which he texted me back. I think our seats are a little further away than last time but more on the curve of the arena so we'll have a clearer shot of the stage. And there are big screens to watch anyway. And no, that's not the same as watching on TV - it's totally different! :-)

I just realized that's probably a long boring story to anyone who isn't me.

Yet I continue . . .

I used to have memorized the number of Springsteen shows I've attended but somehow between the last show and this one, I've forgotten that number - I think this year makes 10. (I know, that's not a very high number for concert fans but it's high for me.) At one point in my life, I could even name the venues, in order. I do remember the first show was at RIT, a local college - in 1975. I was dragged there by friends even though I didn't want to go because I was mad at my boyfriend. It wasn't very crowded and we sat on the side so we could see the stage and backstage a little bit. It was very cool. Life-changing - no, really! I just about wore out my Born to Run album after that. It's still my most favorite album of all time, I'd have to say.

When his last CD, Magic, came out, I listened to it non-stop for months, I'm so happy with it. Then I put it away but I pulled it out last week - show prep, you know.

"I got to use muscles that I hadn't used in a long time," he says. "It's been fun going back to more lush arrangements and not being afraid to craft a bigger sound, to get back to writing choruses and hooks."

The article in USA Today that I linked to above says he's working on another album with the band and a solo acoustic album. He says he likes to work on several projects at once. He also talks about his kids, which I've always been curious about. But even wondering about them, felt to me like I was invading his privacy. I know, I'm weird. I celebrate my weirdness, to quote Mom.
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Green Hills of Vermont

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This is the stitched portion of a piece I'll embellish & frame some day. I kind of made my own variegation with 3 green threads. This one combines 2 patterns by Erica Fortgens.

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25th Annual Signs of Spring Craft Show
March 13-16
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10-6
Sunday: 10-4
Powers Farm Market
161 Marsh Road, Pittsford, NY 14534

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Ladybugs

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100 ladybugs, awaiting assembly.

The body is 1-3/4" diameter.

I used to make the antennas with wire which looked nice but was way too labor intensive, and not in a good way. So this in my new ladybug. These antenna are made with a swirly daisy sort of punch. You can see in the top picture, upper right, where I punched them out of black paper. Each punch produces 7 antenna, which I cut apart and glue on the ladybug separately. (That sort of labor intensity doesn't bother me!) At one time I stuck the dots on with foam tape so they were raised but not only was that a super pain, they didn't stick as well. You can see my tiny glue bottle sitting in it's shot glass above, awaiting orders to have at it.

25th Annual Signs of Spring Craft Show
March 13-16
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 10-6
Sunday: 10-4
Powers Farm Market
161 Marsh Road, Pittsford, NY 14534

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Jimmy Kimmel

I was waiting for a response! Here's who I saw: Brad Pitt, Robin Williams, Don Cheadle, Cameron Diaz, Harrison Ford, Josh Groban, Huey Lewis, Macy Gray and Joan Jett. I had to look it up to find out who the others are: Ashlee Simpson, Christina Applegate, Joel Madden, Rebecca Romijn, Dominic Monaghan and Lance Bass.

The original is here if you missed it.

Deep Hands

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This is one of the Works in Progress I mentioned yesterday. It's a custom order that I showed you the other day. Besides really liking the black edging on the yellow triangles, I tried another new thing with black. Stacking shapes is one of my favorite techniques - adds depth & interest. For the large hands I stacked 4 black hands topped with a pale yellow hand. I love how they really stand out now.

Those large hands weren't part of the original that Rita based her order on but being deaf, the hands are an important element to her. She specified the small hands on the triangles. So I started playing around with the larger hands around the outside border, just to see. None of that part is glued down yet so yesterday I emailed her about 4 or 5 photos of various borders. I hope I didn't overwhelm her with choices. I just want to be sure she gets something she loves.

One of the things I think she'll like is this heart in hand. I'll be using this in other things, for sure.

I'm took today off to catch up on stuff. Next up: cut out a bunch of sunflower centers for gift tags and pins. Then ladybugs for gift tags & pins. I actually did some, gulp, housework yesterday so today is all paper, all the time. I love, love, love days like this!

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More Colorful Thread

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Everything I'm working on is a Work in Progress so I'll give you one of my favorite iStockPhoto.com photos instead. Doesn't this scream Stefani?? Thread, colorful, all lined up perfectly! I think I'm feeling a little hyperventilatish.

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Retraction & iStockPhoto

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I joined iStockPhoto.com a couple of months ago. Membership is free, then you buy credits which allow you to download royalty-free photographs. I could spend days there! Today I searched "thread", one of my most favoritest subjects. I had to stop myself from looking at all 5478 resulting photos! And that's just photos, not video, illustrations and Flash. Not all are relevant to sewing thread but there are some darn colorful photos there.

(Paper, admittedly a very broad category, netted 51,887 photos.)

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Anyone who read the comments on my Bruce Jenner entry yesterday already knows what I'm about to say. I cannot find any other source than the Wikipedia entry to substantiate that his plastic surgery was due to a fire. One would think that info would be A) memorable from when it happened and B) a whole easier to find on the Internet.

A couple of friends at work were joking that Bruce himself inserted that paragraph in Wikipedia to explain away his plastic surgery gone bad.

I still feel bad about making fun of someone's looks. But not bad enough to take down the entry evidently. And as I posted in the comments section yesterday, in my research, I ran across another site that's not nice, When Men Look Like Old Lesbians II. Naturally, I had to search out the original Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians.

No, I'm not proud of myself.

I have nothing against plastic surgery at all. And I can't imagine what I would do if I had it and it turned out awful. Do these people think they look awful or better? (I'm only talking about vanity surgery not reconstructive surgery.) What's their recourse? Have more to correct it? That's what they do on Nip/Tuck all the time. (What a freak show that series is!)




Tomorrow, we return you to your regularly scheduled nicey-nice blog.

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Bruce Jenner & Seafoam Circles

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First, I want to apologize for making fun of Bruce Jenner in this entry. "Anonymous" alerted me to this fact, confirmed by Wikipedia:

In 2005 Jenner was sleeping in his New Hampshire cottage when he awoke engulfed in flames. After escaping with his dog, Jenner suffered third degree burns on 85% of his body. After three months in the hospital he recovered and received several reconstructive surgeries and was released April 12, 2005 from Valley Regional Hospital.

(Note to self: clean scanner!)

This will be embellished and framed, hopefully this weekend. This is a pattern from one of Erica Fortgens' books. Somehow I started doing the outer border a little differently over the years, but this is how she designed it and I like it a bit better - go figure! I know I've said my work is more contrasty this year but this remains one of my favorite threads and definitely a favorite monochromatic thread/paper combination.

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Sand Art

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My friend Sherry emailed this to me so I looked for it on You Tube so I could embed it here. I see the artist, Ilana Yahav, has other videos so I'll have to check those out too.

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Keepsake Quilting

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Wouldn't some variation of this quilt look spectacular in paper?

One of my many drawers in my studio is neatly labeled, "Inspiration". That's where stuff like this goes except I'm leaving this one stuck on my wall so I can ponder it. I've had it in my head for years to make paper quilts so I've been collecting geometric shape punches over time. Sure I could cut these pieces with scissors but even the width of a cutting blade can make the difference between perfect and not.

Yesterday I talked about making paper dragonflies and butterflies for the custom framed piece I'm working on. Still wasn't feeling it so I broke down and bought some buttons on eBay. Why didn't I think of that days ago? Love eBay.

You might remember I was a little disappointed in traffic and my sales at the Webster show on February 9th? A few days later, I decided yes, I would do the show again if accepted. I've got nothing to lose and only good things to gain.

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Hands Down

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This is the center piece for a custom order. It will be similar to the 12" x 12" framed Hummingbird piece I made for Mom. My customer is deaf and loves the little hands. She also wanted some yellow in it. That part is working out nicely.

However. I only have large dragonfly buttons and can't find these little ones, online or in stores. So I bought a dragonfly punch and fiddled with making paper dragonflies last night. They are a tad too big and to adjust everything else for them to fit, well, I just wasn't feeling it. So now I'm considering tiny butterflies with beads on their wings. Still working that out. And I'll probably spend some more time online today looking for the buttons because now that I see them again, they are just perfect. Hmmmm.

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Morning Glories Gift Tags

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Gift Tags or Small Notecards, 2-3/4" x 2-3/4" in a vellum envelope.

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More Craftiness

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More reasons to love Flickr.

This quilling by Sutakano is symmetrical perfection - makes a lovely mandala. Great use of color.

As always I check a new Flickr friend's contacts.

I give you Debbie's Soapylove creations. Aren't these fantastic? She has an Etsy Shop and blog too.

Such fun.

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Paper Cutting

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Please check out the incredible work of Margreet from Holland. I found her on Flickr through a comment she left on my paper quilt yesterday. I looked at all 197 of her photos. This piece is (probably) my favorite. It's about 8-1/2" x 11". Margreet also has a blog filled with quilting, tulips and more, plus a blog filled with photos of The Netherlands and other places. She also just told me about her other Flickr site. She does some amazing needlework as well as papercutting. She's a busy woman!

The other thing I love about Flickr is how one artist leads to another, which is how I found MollyJey's work. I love how seemingly simple this is (it's not) - and the addition of 1 color. Molly's pieces are all about nature - just outstanding! (She has an Etsy Shop too if you're interested in a purchase.)

I love paper and I find cutting out my little pieces very soothing and relaxing. But I can't imagine doing this. Sure is fascinating.
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Morning Glories

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5" x 5" Quilt Card

I'm this close to being extremely happy with this card. The stitching isn't perfect but the next one will be. I thought I was going to use some fancy stitching in the lattice strips but finally decided the card is pretty busy as is, so some simple stitching works best.

This card is a sympathy card for our whole building to sign. I tried to find the entry where I talked about some fundraising we did last year to help with medical expenses for the daughter of one of our Buffalo employees. The little girl died Monday morning. The entire company signed a real quilt as one of the gifts we gave her so I thought this quilt card would be appropriate. So sad.

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Blogger was giving me fits yesterday - unable to upload photos or publish an entry. I tried on and off all day and again last night. I had this problem one other time and the problem was my template had mysteriously become goofy so that was the first thing I tried last night - replacing the template. No dice. I ended up on the Blogger message boards and found someone with the same problem. The response was asking for his/her url and they'd take a look at it. So I posted my url too. This morning it works! Meanwhile I'd signed up for the digest version of the message boards section I was in and this morning I found a whole 'nother question about the same problem I had - with a ton of "me toos!" So apparently something was amiss with Blogger and it was fixed. Good thing. I was becoming as obsessive compulsive as some of those young message board people sounded.

This blog is something in my life I definitely take for granted. When it doesn't work, I get a little squirrelly. No offense to squirrels.

Be nice if they fixed Spell Check too. It didn't work for the longest time, then mysteriously began working again a few months ago. Crapped out again a few weeks ago. Good thing I've got a back-up spell checker - Mom. :-)

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Back to the Drawing Board

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This is a border in one of my Erika Fortgens books. I thought it was going to be perfect but it's too damn tiny. Even for me - and that takes some doing. The lines don't even look like stitching, the stitches are so close together. It's next to impossible to make those daisies with a single strand of thread on paper - the thread doesn't lie nicely like it does on fabric.

But! It gave me some great ideas so I'm going to work it out with something I doodle myself.

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Lone Star Quilt

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5" x 5" Card

I have an even better one coming - with stitching!

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Quilt Gift Tag

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2-3/4" x 2-3/4" How adorable is this? With a little vellum envelope! Next I do some kind of stitching instead of the rubber stamped border.

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Craft Show Review

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The craft show was disappointing, I'm sorry to report. My sales were down 30% from this show in 2007. I had expectations of exceeding last year's sales, based on location alone. Yesterday's show was on the main drag in Webster, a busy town. The weather wasn't awful - it was a winter day in Rochester, NY. But it didn't snow I don't think and it wasn't windy as hell like last year. So I thought we were in good shape.

The only thing I can guess is maybe there wasn't enough advertising. I mentioned that on my end-of-show-survey so I'm sure Ida, the organizer - and loyal reader here - will address that with us vendors in a follow-up email or something. I know it's difficult at best to ever provide enough advertising, particularly for a non-profit fundraiser. I understand there are a number of free advertising sources around town but they only have so much room and clearly can't mention every event submitted to them.

I don't know what the answer is. Last week I sent out close to 200 postcards announcing my 3 spring shows. I pimped the show a lot on this blog. I left postcards in the mailroom at work and posted one on the wall outside my office - my own personal billboard, as I like to call it.

I also mentioned in my survey, I thought there were too many repeat vendors - too many jewelry artists, for sure. There were several photographers I think. There were several other greeting card vendors but my cards are very different (and more expensive). I don't worry about it too much because greeting cards are not my bread & butter.

I'll have to see if this show is held again next year, if there are any changes before deciding if I want to do it again. When I filled out the survey, I said yes, I'd attend next year. But after totaling my sales, I'm less inclined.

However, maybe it's just a tough time of year. It's quite possibly the first craft show in the area of the new year. And it's winter, not spring - so maybe winter shows are just tough. It's only a one day commitment with a low entrance fee. I did make money, don't get me wrong. My sales were somewhat under my definition of success of 7 times the entrance fee. I think my disappointment stems from sales being 30% less than last year. Not exactly trending in the right direction, as they say.

The good news:

I have a really decent inventory heading into the next show, March 13-16 at Powers Farm Market. That was a good show for me last year. I'll still stay in full throttle to continuously build my inventory throughout the year anyway.

I met some new vendors - always good contacts and good times. One is a woman I went to high school with. She doesn't remember me but that doesn't bother me at all. It was 34 years ago and she only went to our high school for 2 years. But she was friendly and funny. She's just starting to do shows so I'm going to email her some contacts for other shows. She makes jewelry, which seems to be a pretty saturated market but that's up to the organizers and her to worry about, not me.

I was invited to participate in a couple of other shows - school fundraisers mostly so I'll wait to be contacted with details and make a decision then. One is in December when there's already a gazillion shows.

A photographer wanted to barter two of his photos for a framed piece of mine that his sister wanted. I gave one photo to Steve and the other is for a future Christmas present for a family member. ;-)

Mom & Gretchen stopped by, primarily so Gretchen & I could pick out birthday presents. (I'll post it another time - we both liked the same thing!)

Pam stopped by - always good to see her. We're meeting for breakfast next Saturday.

I sold one of those blue & burgundy paper quilts - that's 2 in a few weeks. So I'm definitely onto something there.

I taught Ida's son how to make the origami heart with the flower center. He was an excellent student, already into origami so he was easy to teach. "Mom! Mom! That lady showed me how to make the heart."

I offer a free drawing for a card, notepad and pin as a means to gather names for my mailing list. I'm happy that a sweet little girl won. She kept coming back to my booth. Her mom bought stuff from me too - they were both very nice.

The PTSA offered great food at the concession stand. I usually take my lunch but ran out of time. I was afraid they'd offer pizza and hot dogs but they had about 7 crockpots going with different soups. I had a delicious vegetable tortellini. They also had a bake sale, run by little girls when I was there. They were cute as all get out. Good cookies too.

Steve and I went out to Beale Street for dinner afterwards. I had pulled pork, fries and some of the best macaroni salad I've ever had. It was all outstanding food.

Today Steve & I started the day off with a sit in the hot tub. Just what the doctor ordered!

I'm off to Charlie's Frog Pond shortly, to meet Lynn & Linda for lunch. Then we are going to the 2:00 show at Geva - Cabaret. It's one of the few musicals we see there and it's been getting rave reviews. Fun shall be had by all.

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Pile O' Hearts

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A pile of origami heart note covers, awaiting their Sticky Notes. I got way more of these assembled than I thought I would. I'll probably have to finish them up tonight.

Now it's time to stack everything in the staging area so Steve can load his vehicle tonight. He does a great job, being my roadie. He was offered a chance to go see the Buffalo Sabres hockey game tonight with his friend Paul but took a raincheck so he could help me. I told him he really didn't have to but I was glad when he did. Besides the fact that the lifting and carrying get done in half the time, I love the teamwork feeling I get every time. Even though this is my deal, I think he digs that feeling too.

The set up for tomorrow's craft show is tonight, after 6:00. I love when we have the ability to set up the night before so we can come in fresh as a daisy in the morning, ready to go.

You know what I realized this morning? I live for these craft shows. Besides my family and friends, my life's joy is Pine Tree Designs and these shows are the culmination of all my work. I'm so glad I decided to start doing them in 2006. There was a time, earlier in my evolution as an artist when I couldn't envision myself doing this. I couldn't imagine having enough inventory mainly. That is my number one stresser, do I have enough inventory - but I love every bit of the rest of it. Schmoozing with my customers, the sense of community I get from fellow artists and vendors. Pine Tree Designs has become self-sustaining, no more loans-from-Stefani to get it going. Next? To become so profitable that this is my full-time gig.

I hope, if you're local, you'll stop by and say hi. And check out all the amazing vendors that will be there.

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Old Friends

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Cards for a recent order.


Purple Lace

Lone Star

Mohave

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Deep Water

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Deep Water, 5" x 5"

It is sooo much easier to make cards for my new niece than for my nephews. Boy cards are definitely not my strength.



St. Valentine's Day Craft Show this Saturday!

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Hearts

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These are Sticky Notes for this Saturday's craft show. If I post the words Origami Hearts, my stats go way up. Watch this: Origami Hearts. Origami Hearts. Origami Hearts. :-) I've had people request the directions and it's always been my intention to post step by step instructions. Someday, I promise. When I have time.

This pin is about 1-3/4" in diameter. I busted my butt making tons of these for this Valentine's Day show last year. I priced them at $2.00, sort of a loss leader to draw people in. I only sold a couple I think. I liked the simplicity of them. Then when I really got into making pins this year, I decided they were too plain. I think this scalloped border makes them look more finished so I took them apart yesterday and reassembled like this. I wish I had time to put some of this stuff on the website but I don't even have time to fiddle with making sure I scan things straight.

I was very productive yesterday though, I'm happy to report. I feel like I have (just) enough Sticky Notes ready to look like I have decent inventory. Ideally, I'd have 3 times this amount on an ongoing basis. Soon.

I had to email Steve upon my return from Dunkin Donuts yesterday morning that I really like to live life on the edge. I went to Dunkin Donuts drive-thru in my slippers. He called me a real risk-taker. Yo.

I absolutely love the movie Brokeback Mountain - it's perfect.

I still need to reprice the cards and framed art I took out of The Enchanted Rose Garden. My prices at shows now include tax, which has made life so much easier. (Thanks Dad.) I've gone consignment at the Rose Garden, and decided to only sell my Sticky Notes there, at least for now. I just couldn't swing working 1 day a month there. So now the store keeps a portion of my sales but no rent and no shift work. I think it's the way for me to go these days.

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Sunflowers

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I saved specific Pine Tree Designs work yesterday to coincide with watching the Super Bowl. That in itself is weird, that I was looking forward to the Super Bowl since I typically don't even watch. But I watched some of the play-off games with Steve over the last few weeks. By watch I mean I get to spend time with Steve by being in the same room working on my stitching. But apparently I picked up more than I thought because I was, as I said, looking forward to the Super Bowl.

I finished gluing the notepad into the dozens of Sticky Notes covers I put together the last couple of days. Now it's on to sunflowers. I made tons of these a year or two ago. When I got into the stitching thing, I intended to let the sunflowers and ladybugs go, but people really seem to like them. So I decided to keep them in my repertoire. My intention had become to only sell stuff with stitching on it, but you know, the customer is always right.

I took today off to work on a final big push before Saturday's show in Webster. I'm about to head out to Dunkin' Donuts for a smoothie and bagel sandwich. I'll work on stuff while I watch Brokeback Mountain. It was next in my Netflix queue, having nothing to do with Heath Ledger's recent death. It will probably be even more sad now though. (I saw it in the theater with my friend Pam. We loved it.)

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Ring of Fire

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Ring of Fire
(That orange paper is a kind of sparkly - part of Bazzill's "bling" line.)

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This video by Sarah Silverman makes me laugh out loud. Then the song gets stuck in my head. Wouldn't that be funny if I forgot where I was and started humming it at the grocery store or at work? Those who are familiar with it would turn and smile knowingly. Warning: it's risque.

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More Sticky Notes

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St. Valentine's Day Fine Arts & Craft Show

Schroeder High School
Saturday, February 9, 10-4
875 Ridge Road
Webster, NY 145480

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Montana

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Told you I stink at naming things. This is Montana. Mountains, big (?) sky, get it? Oy.

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Here's something you haven't heard me say since last summer. We've had an auditor with us all week. Haven't mentioned it once, have I? It was the first of the new flooring company's quarterly audits. Painless, tedious, over.

I'm taking Monday off - show prep. Btw, that link at the bottom for this upcoming February 9th show? Check it out - there are going to be lots of great artists there. Yesterday was the first time I looked at the rest of the artists - very nice! I'm excited.

And busy.

Just how I like it.

St. Valentine's Day Fine Arts & Craft Show

Schroeder High School
Saturday, February 9, 10-4
875 Ridge Road
Webster, NY 145480

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