Jen Stark

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Jen Stark

As I perused Jen Stark's website, I had the feeling I'd seen it before but I couldn't find where I'd featured it in my blog. Her work takes my breath away. Please take a look!

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I've started adding Sticky Notes to my Etsy shop. I also had a teeny tiny internal freakout because I haven't gotten any sales yet. I've read on the forum it's not unusual to be open a month before any sales materialize. And there are lots of tools on the site for me to use to promote my site and I haven't even started with those yet. My freakout was short-lived though. This is just one venue for my art, so I need to keep that in perspective.

I've updated my area at The Enchanted Rose Garden twice in the last week. The upstairs of the shop has been reorganized - it's so full of color, I'm glad I'm up there. I still have a thing about there being So Much Stuff, but that's just me. Only my Sticky Notes are there and as soon as my new display racks arrive, I'll be able to put even more there. I'll take a picture then but I have my acrylic display racks on black shelves so there's an explosion of color. It looks nice.

I had to laugh when I stopped by Saturday morning. I had been there Friday to refill the racks I have there now, two acrylic racks per shelf. I set them side by side, so they look like one big rack on each shelf. When I went back Saturday, Eileen (the owner) had adjusted each one just so, they were now at a slight angle to each other. It looks so much nicer and friendlier! But I had to laugh because of me and my lined-up-ness - just like my art - neat & orderly. She definitely has an eye for display - she's helped me before, that I just don't have. Also, I get bogged down in the details of the quantity & color, and forget about the big picture of the display. It takes a village.

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Garden Flower Pin

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Paper Jewelry - Garden Flower Pin, $3.50

After all the fiddling around I've done with this 3-piece sunflower die cut, combining it with different leaves, different backgrounds, trying to make it into the pin I knew it could be, this came together instantly yesterday morning. I was pretty happy with it until I made the lady bug - then I became really happy with it. That ladybug is made with a standard office hole punch, as in 1/4" in diameter. That thing kills me. I wonder what else I can make teeny tiny?

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Golden

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This is the other card for the order from work that I mentioned yesterday. I thought about adding something between the points but decided it was better plain. I also like this because of the relatively wide brown border around the white square. I usually make them much thinner than that. Kind of frames it nicely.

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Full of Crap

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With those colors and all that stitching, this looks kind of eastern Indian doesn't it?

This is for an order from a co-worker. This is the first time I've used my Martha Stewart scalloped heart punch for a border like this. I use my regular heart all the time and noticed it's getting a bit finicky the other day, prompting me to think I should have a back-up punch for that one. They didn't have one at Michael's the last time I was there but I remembered I have this Martha Stewart heart. With the little perfs in it, it looks like lace, doesn't it? I'll be using this one lots more.

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So. I'm delighted to report that I'm full of crap. After a ridiculously long snafu with the post office, I finally received my check from The Debacle, aka the craft show at Powers Market. Turns out it wasn't such a Debacle after all. I was honest-to-God worried if I was going to "make rent" - cover the amount of the entrance fee. My check was 4 times the entrance fee. I was so convinced that my earnings had been mixed up with someone else, I rifled through my returned price tags. Nope, all mine.

The reason I was so worried is that during the 4-day show, I restocked my area twice - and I use the word restock loosely. Not much restocking to be done. That's what my worry was based on. What didn't dawn on me until I saw my price tickets is that . . . other people were restocking my area for me throughout the show. Duh! The reason I didn't notice that my box of inventory under my table was being delved into was that, for the first time ever - I had a pretty decent inventory to pull from! Well, there's something I guess I'll have to get used to I guess. Hmmmm.

So I've adjusted my expectations for the individual shows this year, even though at the same time, I've set my sales goal for 67% over last year's sales. Pretty ambitious, yes? That means, like I've said before, I have to try new things. I'm working hard to have more product available to sell so I never run short. I've started with my Etsy shop. I'm applying to new shows. I'll open my studio by appointment so customers can come to my house to buy. I'm reading more about marketing. I feel really positive about all this.

Funny, since the Powers Market show, I really started paying attention to the economy - in my own life (driving less is the obvious example) and in the news. Before it was always just "it is what it is" to me. Man, it sucks.

Back to work . . . . busy, busy.
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New Sticky Notes

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Let's try that new site peek again: Pine Tree Designs 2008. I got rid of the cool buttons since I clearly didn't know what I was doing.

This is my new pattern! I wanted to scan them better and get them posted to the shop but I'm running out of time this morning - gotta get to work. But I wanted to post them here because I'm so excited about them. The first one was the bottom one, then I decided to add the black outline on the next one, which I totally love. The next pieces I did, no matter what the color scheme, tend to look nekkid without the black contrasty bit. Or a contrasty bit of some color anyway. (It also reminds me of the cartoon words on the old Batman TV show, "Zap!" "Ker-Pow!")

I may try to shrink the design just slightly, to give me more room for the layering business and so that the color of the notepad cover can be seen more.

More new stuff to come. Life is good.

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New Site

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Another copper/turquoise variation for an order - I love the way this turned out.

I feel like I accomplished so much this weekend. I created a new pattern for the Sticky Notes. (I'll post that tomorrow.) I now have 23 items posted in my Etsy store. And I redid my Pine Tree Designs website. I wasn't really intending to do that just yet but one thing led to another. I haven't made it live yet but want a sneak peek? (The home button leads to the current live site - I'll obviously change that once I make this the real deal. I want to load a few more things into the shop before I do that - the notepads and paper pins.)

Pine Tree Designs - New Site

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12 Steps

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(click card to enlarge)

This card, from Bonnie, is absolutely me!

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Etsy Love

.I'm a full fledged Kool-Aid drinking member of the Etsy community. I knew people loved it but now that I'm into it, I see why. It's easy to post, there are tons of resources (workshops, articles, tutorials) and a very active forum. I only have 15 items posted in my shop so far but I'm addicted. I'm feeling the same high I felt when I first started learning html. Guess it feels good to use the learning part of my brain from time to time. Who knew??

I'm all about visualization these days and after The Debacle, known as the last craft show, I posted a sign in my studio that says, "When you are on the right path, the universe rises up to meet you."

In this dismal economic climate, I knew I had to do something different this year. Since I didn't need to spend tons of time making stuff for my next craft show, I knew this was the time for me to open my Etsy shop.

And just in case I hadn't figured that out on my own, the universe sent me this article on Etsy in yesterday's newspaper. I've reprinted it below in case that link goes away sometime.

I haven't sold anything yet. It's been less than a week and I'm not the least bit worried. I know this will work out. In addition to the Etsy button in the sidebar, you'll notice the Etsy Mini I posted last night in the sidebar. It shows new items as I post them. What could be easier?

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Old meets new at Etsy

You'll find all kinds of handmade items for sale on Web site

By Mary Beth Breckenridge
Beacon Journal

Published on Thursday, Mar 06, 2008

Sometimes a step back is really a step forward. That's how devotees look at Etsy, an online marketplace for handmade goods. Etsy (http://www.etsy.com) is where old-style commerce meets today's technology. It harks back to a time when people bought their goods directly from the artisans who made them — hats from a milliner, furniture from a carpenter, bread from a baker. But in this marketplace, buyer and seller can be separated by thousands of miles, and their transaction can happen with a few computer keystrokes.

Etsy is a medium for buying and selling paintings, jewelry, clothing, furniture, even tutorials for rituals designed to bring love or prosperity. Anything that's made by an individual is fair game — even computer code and home musical recordings, said Matthew Stinchcomb, Etsy's vice president of communications.

The site grew out of what Stinchcomb sees as a renewed appreciation for the creativity and integrity of things made by hand, especially at a time when the safety of some mass-produced imports is being called into question. ''It's about wanting to know where your products come from and how they're made,'' he said.

The unique nature of handmade is a draw, too, Stinchcomb said. Many buyers aren't inspired by the thought of purchasing a shirt they can find in any Gap store in the world, he said. They want something no one else has.

And then there was the eBay backlash. As artisans and shoppers discovered that eBay's breadth could be overwhelming, the need arose for a more focused site, he said.

For Akron potter Jennifer Nesbitt, Etsy provided a way to turn her passion into a job that gives her the flexibility to be at home with her 9-year-old son, Dylan.

Nesbitt has been making pottery since 2001, but until she joined Etsy about two years ago, she was limited to selling at craft shows. She has sold more than 450 pieces via her Etsy shop, JMN Pottery, and said Etsy accounts for about 80 percent of her business.

She said she appreciates the way Etsy supports its vendors with workshops and other resources and likes the connections it fosters with her buyers and with other sellers. Nesbitt belongs to two sellers' groups, the Cleveland Etsy Team and the Etsy Mud Team, a group of potters.

''It's a community, really,'' she said of the site.

Unlike Nesbitt, Akron's Devona Brazier is more of an Etsy dabbler. She saw it as a way to sell the Asian-style baby carriers called meitais that she sews, but when she got bored with those, she started making other products.

A longtime sewer who once wanted to be a fashion designer, Brazier specializes in children's clothing and often transforms thrift-store buys. ''It's like an outlet for my creativity,'' she said.

She sold 18 items last year through her Etsy shop, LuvLugs & More, but she's fine with a slow pace. She wouldn't be able to keep up if she got a lot of orders at once, she said.

Besides, Etsy is just a means to support her hobby, she said. She enjoys making clothes, but daughters Olivia, 3, and Elise, almost 18 months, can wear only so many of her creations.

Etsy was the brainchild of Rob Kalin, a painter, carpenter, and photographer who designed and created the site in 2005 with Chris Maguire and Haim Scoppik. Stinchcomb likes to think of even Etsy as handmade; the creators did everything from writing computer codes to splicing cables, he said.

The origin of the site's name ''is an enigma,'' Stinchcomb said. ''Only Rob knows for sure.''

The site started slowly, but word apparently is getting around. Etsy took two years to sell its first million items but just three months to sell the second million, Stinchcomb said. It now has about 700,000 members, and the number is growing by about 3,000 a day.

Etsy operates somewhat like eBay, except its sellers offer their goods at fixed prices rather than putting them up for auction. Vendors set up virtual stores where they can post photos and information about their items, and they deal directly with buyers on sales and shipments.

Etsy's cut is a 20-cent charge to list an item for four months and a 3.5 percent commission on each sale.

Although about 900,000 items are for sale on the site, search options let buyers narrow their searches to local vendors, product categories and even colors. There are also fun ways to sample what's on the site, such as ''Showcase,'' a place for sellers to display their best work, and ''Pounce,'' which lets shoppers visit either shops that haven't yet made a sale or shops with the most recent activity.

Stinchcomb said Etsy's mission is helping people make a living by making creative things. So it not only provides the means for sales, but it also educates its vendors on such issues as health insurance.

But he said the site sees a responsibility toward its buyers, too.

''We want to encourage people to be conscientious consumers,'' he said.

New Card

.I found something else to love about this pattern - there's a perfect amount of space between points for little doodads. (Sue - what about this for your boss? No hearts - flowers okay? I can put stars there, if you prefer or circles or diamonds or nothing.)

I think I posted this one the other day without the outlines. Now it's hard for me to not outline these things - I love that definition.

When I buy this polyester thread in any color, I always buy 3 shades. This is 3 shades of green - making my own perfectly symmetrical variegation, if that's not a contradiction in terms. I don't think it is. I think one can have symmetrical variegation as well as helter skelter variegation.

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Contrast & Compare

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Yesterday - just the inner points outlined in copper thread.

Today - each element fully outlined in copper. Much better.

Yesterday - inner points outlined with a double strand of variegated turquoise thread.

Today - each element fully outlined with a double strand of variegated turquoise thread. Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

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More Variations

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This is the one that was in progress yesterday. I decided the metallic copper thread, while shiny, didn't show up enough so I outlined it with a double strand of variegated turquoise thread. Now that I see it scanned. I think I'll outline the outside of the copper elements too.

This one is just the opposite, variegated turquoise thread outlined on the inside with copper, which shows up much better in person than in this scanned version. (Sue, I'm thinking of using this one for your boss's card. I'll be in touch.)

Determined as I was to use my beloved copper metallic thread, I went back to one of my favorite combinations, green and copper.

This is a subtly variegated thread, kind of muted orange, blue & gold I guess is how I would describe it. I outlined the center spikes in a soft gold metallic thread. It adds just the right amount of sheen in person.

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Remember my dilemma from yesterday about carrying my too-big plastic case of stitchery in my new flowery bag? I temporarily solved that problem by using the good old standby Gladware container. I had to switch scissors so they would fit too. I have scissors and tape at work of course, but I always keep full supplies in my case so I'm prepared to work if I ever get caught somewhere. Like at a traffic light, for instance. I'm kidding! Once in a while Steve and I carpool and I always have to wait for him so that's the main reason. Thank God I remembered my iPod because I always listen to crafty podcasts while stitching at my desk on my lunch hour. I slip the paper pieces into a sturdy folder I keep in my bag. I think ideally I'd like to find a smaller version of the flat case I had been using, but for now, this solution works. Better yet, didn't cost me a dime.

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I've been working on my Etsy shop. I'm going to totally revamp my Pine Tree Designs website and use Etsy as my shop but I'll announce all that when it's totally done. If you want to check my progress, hit the Etsy button in the sidebar or click here. I'm so totally jazzed about it, it's all I think about.

I'm totally bored with that old saw about when life gives you lemons, turn it into lemonade but that's exactly the sentiment I'm feeling these days. I wanted to turn the so far less-than-stellar craft show sales of 2008 into new exciting stuff. First I'm designing my own patterns, which I've always wanted to do and now I'm opening my Etsy shop, another thing I've always wanted to do.

I wonder what's next?

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Stefani Design #1

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This is 3 shades of green thread. I love this a lot.

This is one of my favorite blue/green variegated threads.

This is the first one I stitched from my first original pattern.

This is obviously the one I'm working on now - that' copper metallic thread. I can't wait to make some of these into cards or framed pieces. When I started making this design, I was just trying to get something, anything, made. What I love about this is that the center is so open to some real fancy pants embellishments - more stitching even.

Remember my cool new bag I posted about yesterday? I didn't discover this until I was ready to walk out the door to go to work. It's too small to hold the #1 thing I take to work every day. My plastic case full of stitching materials to work with during lunch! So I'm going to find a smaller case and carry just the thing I'm working on. I probably have one around here or heaven forbid I have to scope out the plastic box section at Michael's. Dang, I hate when that happens.

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Flowers Galore

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This is one of the several good things that came out of The Debacle as I like to call this past weekend's craft show - this bag I bought for myself. I always carry a very small purse but I carry a bigger bag to work too. Not really a brief case but usually a soft-sided black bag for carrying my camera, paperwork and misc junk that doesn't fit in my tiny purse. I decided weeks ago that my black bag is way too conservative and boring for a colorful chick like me so I've been sort of passively looking for a new one. I like to support crafters so I wanted a handmade one. This one, is totally me - colors, flowers, contrast, handmade, lots of pockets inside. So today will be it's maiden voyage to work.

I won't know my total from The Debacle for a week or two when Sharon sends me my check. I spent about 2 hours yesterday feeling sorry for myself, then crossed that off the to-do list and moved on. I'm always very motivated when it comes to Pine Tree Designs so I'm using this Debacle to add to that. As I often do after a show, I cleaned my studio yesterday - even vacuumed. Anyone who's been in here knows I'm usually ankle deep in paper bits.

I worked on a couple of orders for Bonnie & Sue. And I stitched the 3 pieces I'd punched of my own design, the one I showed posted here yesterday. I'll post the results tomorrow - I'm exceedingly happy with them.

I intended to work on opening my Etsy shop but never got to it. Next thing I knew, it was time to go to The Debacle to take down my booth. I have to admit, when we got there, I did slip into a bit of, well, embarrassment I think it was. I told Steve I felt like every person in that room knew I didn't sell much. Obviously, that's not true. But that's not a feeling I'm used to.

The thing is, I truly understand people not wanting to spend money. And I'm actually proud of them for paying attention to their financial state. That's what I'm doing. So I'm not "mad" at anyone for not buying my stuff.

Simon called me a few weeks ago, "Mom, what's a recession?" I explained as best I could. I told him last time we had a major recession was when I was about his age. At that time, I thought that's just how things were when one was an adult. I didn't know the economy could be better.

The next show is at Casa Larga, May 1. I'll definitely set the proper expectation.

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My First

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The economy sucks. There I said it.

This weekend's show isn't going as well as I'd hoped. I blame it on 3 factors.

1. The economy sucks and is predicted to get worse. I don't sell necessities. And I don't blame people for not wanting to spend money.

2. This show is always held the weekend before Easter which makes it incredibly early this year. Sometimes it falls a month from now. In ain't spring in upstate NY yet. (The organizer holds the show at an empty farm market that always opens the Monday before Easter, is why.)

3. Some of Sharon's shows allow buy/resell product and this is one of them. I worked the register yesterday morning and saw more cheap plastic made in China crap flow through than handcrafted originals. I don't know if that's literally true but enough to make me feel that way. In my head I've tried to downplay the significance of participating in shows that allow buy/resell product. I think my efforts would yield greater rewards elsewhere. I have ideas.

And as I've said, I don't want to add buy/resell items to my repertoire. Most artists that do, add items that go along with what they make. I know one artist, I can hardly tell what she buys from what she paints, the style matches so closely. Then again, I want to make things so unique that I couldn't buy like-items anywhere anyway.

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Then I went see Bad Dates at Geva Theatre with my friends Lynn & Linda. The play is a one woman show, a comedy mostly. I was kind of looking forward to it but I found it a little disappointing, to be honest. I'm usually all for talky-talk and no action in movies and plays but this thing could have used a plot. It was a monologue, well done, good actress. I don't know. It was good, it wasn't great but I can't put my finger on why. We always go out to dinner afterwards, never been to the same restaurant twice, always independent restaurants, never a chain - Lynn is very anti-chains. We were discussing the fact that while the plays sometimes disappoint, the meals are always good.

The good news in sales being down this year, is that it's spurring me to think up new stuff. New venues, new opportunities, new products. One of the things I've been wanting to do for a couple of years is design my own patterns. I've always felt I didn't have time but the spirit moved me last night. I still plan on using my Electric Quilt software but for this first time I felt compelled to use good old fashioned paper folding, a compass and a ruler.

I started stitching it, just to see. It's not radically different from other Erica Fortgens patterns I've been using but I think it's a great starting point. As I was working on this I was thinking, by very definition, after this first one, the rest will be progressively easier and more fun. The first of anything feels a little weird.
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Variations on a Theme

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Here are a bunch of stitched pieces that will be made into cards. I love this design by Erica Fortgens. Once I started playing around with variations, one thing led to another. I love that. As always, they look better in person but if you read my description and squint, you'll get the idea!

This one is half light blue and half medium blue, outlined with dark blue.

This is stitched in my favorite blue/green variegated thread, outlined in silver metallic thread.

I just did this one last night. I stitched in a variegated thread of warm tones that was so-so until I outlined it in copper metallic thread. Now I love it.

As you know, I'm totally stuck on pink, black and turquoise these days so this combination was a natural for me.

I wasn't thrilled with this one as I stitched it, half pink, half black, outlined in black, but it's definitely growing on me. I like contrasty these days.

This is stitched in one of my favorite variegated threads, pink/orange/blue. I liked it, but then just before I scanned it I decided to outline it in black and now I love it even more.

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I set up my area at the craft show Wednesday night. It's funny, I either worry I don't have enough product or if I have enough, I worry that my table looks crowded. I think it also looks crowded because I've become accustomed to having 2 tables in my booth and for this show I have just one. Check this out - for this show, I actually have spare product stored under the table to restock from! Go me. The show runs Thursday through Sunday so I think I'll run over there on my lunch hour today. It's not far from work. I'm working Saturday morning so I can restock then too. I'm not big on leaving work during my lunch hour - I'd rather stitch so I guess I'll play it by ear.

I didn't have a chance to walk around Wednesday night. This is a show where one can sell buy/resell product. I have stuff left over from when I was renting space at a store in Fairport that I keep thinking I should try to sell at a show like this. But I keep coming back to the fact that I really want my reputation to be as an artist, not a reseller. Last year I did have a spinner of cards by Allison Thibos of Blue Turtle Studio because I didn't feel I had enough of my own product. Her cards are beautiful and handmade, just not by me, so I felt they fit in okay. And we don't really have individual specific booth areas at this show so the spinner of her cards didn't look odd next to my spinner of stitched cards.

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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Piglet

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I know I was getting back on track with paper art but I can't resist posting these pictures that Sue sent me. Hard to believe that little pink dude will (presumably) grow up into a big ol' hog.

Her note says this mama started fostering this little guy when his eyes were still closed. He is the cleanest pig ever because she licks him all the time.

Gentle Waves

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Gentle Waves, 5-1/2" Square Card
Handstitched with variegated thread on cardstock, embellished with Swarovski crystals.

It's going to be a busy week. Today I go right from work to Powers to set up for the craft show that starts tomorrow, runs through Sunday. I'll be working there Saturday morning, then off to meet Lynn & Linda for Geva Theatre (a comedy this time!) and dinner. Then Sunday afternoon I'll take down my booth at the show.

I stopped my routine massages a couple of months ago but I emailed Mary last night to see if she has an available appointment Thursday or Friday. I have a minor lower back thing going on that I know she can fix.

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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Spring Egg

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I made 12 of these for an order for Helen - 12 identical spring eggs on 12 different color cards. It took me forever and a day to come up with this design. I really wanted to fill an egg with rows of decorative stitching, like a Crazy Quilt, if you will. I even downloaded some free graph paper from here and came up with my own design but it just wasn't right. My stitching looks best when it's tiny and close together so even if I'd come up with the right design, it would have been labor intensive. Punching holes in the foam paper eggs was a dream but the holes only showed on the side I punched from unless I held the egg up while punching, being sure the needle tool when all the way through.

I worked on these most of Sunday and quite frankly, got pretty sick of them. I took one into work to show Jen yesterday and she really liked it. I finished them up last night (shipping your order today Helen!) and now that I have some distance from the project and see it scanned here, I kind of like it too. Helen wanted something Eastery/Springish and I think this does it.

I think the rows of decorative stitching is still a great idea - now I'm picturing a Christmas ornament shape. Maybe some stitched with metallic thread.

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Oh yeah. It's my birthday today. I've always loved birthdays, mine and other people's. Everyone gets their own special holiday, blah, blah, blah. Must be a 50s thing but I just don't care anymore. I did receive some spectacular birthday brownies yesterday. The wife of a friend at work made brownies with a layer of Symphony candy bars in the middle. To. Die. For.

Thanks for the card, Stephanie!

Our CEO still takes each employee out to lunch for their birthday. Yesterday he gave me the choice of going yesterday or going today when there will probably be some ESOP Committee members joining us. I picked today because, as a former member of that committee, it will be nice to visit with some of those members that I know and get to know the newer members I don't know as well.

Steve has a meeting at work today, get this: 11:30 am to 10:00 pm. That's not a typo. That's insane! I'm calling it his "lockdown". It's a project meeting of sorts with lots of people. They will all have their laptops so ideally they can work on other things when the meeting isn't specific to them. Sheesh. They are to bring their own lunch but dinner will be provided.

So we celebrated my birthday Saturday night. We went to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. I ordered some chicken pasta thing, big surprise. I ate half that night, 1/4 the next night and I'll finish it off tonight. Their menu says they provide "generous portions". No shit. We got our dessert to go. That took me 2 days to eat. I had an Oreo Mudslide Chocolate Cheesecake thing and Steve ordered Apple Strudel Cheesecake. Heavenly.

52 big ones, people. I say that for the express purpose of making my parents feel old. (Hi Mom! Hi Dad! Thanks for having me.)

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On the Front Porch

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I received a call Saturday morning from Suzanne Farley, proprietor of Artizann's, a beautiful gallery-like store in Naples, NY. She been buying my Sticky Notes wholesale for about 6 months. She invited me to participate in the store's program, Artists in Action - On the Front Porch. When I visited the store for the first time last fall, it was the last Sunday of the program I believe, but it looked pretty successful. In fact, I know it's successful because she said they did it for 10 or 12 weekend days last year and this year, she's increasing it to 17. She says the store gets a lot of good publicity for it through various tourist organizations with which she's associated.

She gave me a choice of dates and I picked June 15, a Sunday. She asked me to send her a photo of me and one of my work and a few lines she can put in the brochure. So I did that right away.

It gives me a chance for another postcard mailing too. Naples is a beautiful little town in the heart of wine country that is a nice day trip for a lots of tourists and locals alike. (It's about 45 minutes south of Fairport.) I've already started my checklist of what I'll want to take with me.

I can't wait! This is a fantastic opportunity and I think it will be lots of fun, I think. I just love her store.

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Bruce

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For the week leading up to and especially the day of the concert, internally, I felt this close to being one of the screaming girls in the Ed Sullivan audience seeing The Beatles. For Show Prep I've been listening to the band's latest CD, Magic, non-stop for the last couple of weeks. One day, when Girls in their Summer Clothes came on, I felt my eyes misting up ever so slightly. I felt ridiculous until I realized how lucky I am to love a band so much and to get to see them perform. So I don't feel so silly anymore, just happy and grateful.

The band's last time here was on my 37th birthday. Back then I knew exactly how many times I'd seen them in concert. Now I can't remember anymore - not even close. I'd attribute it to this annoying Middle Aged Brain thing, but I also think it's just not important to me any more. I enjoy the hell out of every concert, being in the moment. And I love having an opportunity to tell Bruce thank you. I always sincerely say thank you during the concert, for all the joy he and the band have brought me for 33 years. Pretty cool to be able to say that.

March 6 / Rochester, NY / Blue Cross Arena
Notes: Last time the E Street Band played here, five years ago this month, they tour-debuted "Fire." This time, it was "come sit by my fire," as an impromptu "Rosalita" came out in Rochester, purely by request. In the encore, after a young girl held up a "Rosalita, Please" sign for much of the show, Bruce finally said "Gimme that sign," slowly revealed it to a losing-their-shit crowd, and launched into a rough-and-tumble version of the Wild & Innocent classic with the sign propped against the mic stand the entire time. And that that was just the icing on the cake of an intensely high energy show, a perfect synergy of performer, audience, setlist, and setting.

"Is this a new building or an old building?" Bruce asked the crowd. "Old building!" "Yeah, I thought so... old buildings are still the best buildings." And he rocked it by packing the main set solid: "Night" to open; "Jackson Cage" added between "Lonesome Day" and "Gypsy Biker"; two barnburners -- "Because the Night" and an audibled "Loose Ends" -- sandwiched between "Reason" and "She's the One." It's worth starting a new sentence for another of tonight's Moments, "Racing in the Street." And a crowd truly deserving of the "Rosie" boon completed the energy feedback loop. Still no red headed woman -- Patti remains absent from this leg so far -- but damn if they're not getting the dirty job done.

"Rochester number one!" Bruce hollered at the end of the night -- and he's right, this is a contender for best show of the tour so far. "Don't let them tear this building down!"
-Photographs by A.M. Saddler

Setlist:
Night
Radio Nowhere
Lonesome Day
Jackson Cage
Gypsy Biker
Magic
Reason to Believe
Because the Night
Loose Ends
She's the One
Livin' in the Future
The Promised Land
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Racing in the Street
Devil's Arcade
The Rising
Last to Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands
* * *
Girls in Their Summer Clothes
Rosalita
Born to Run
American Land

I liked this review better than the one Jeff Spevak wrote for our newspaper. And with pictures! The author is right, we all lost our shit when he slowly turned that sign around that said, "Rosalita Please". I believe it qualifies as my favorite moment of the night.

Bruce always talks a fair bit. He told us he was given the key to the city by the mayor. I don't know if it's true or just part of his story. But he went on to say, he was happy about it because when he has his celebrity meltdown, he'll have some place to go. "And you guys have to let me in, I got the key, I got the key!"

His wife Patti wasn't at the concert 5 years ago either. He told us she sends her love. "With 3 teenagers, somebody's got to stay home. Last I heard, 3 cars had been stolen, but whatever, she'll work all that out, she'll work it out."

And the part where he asks if the arena is a new building or an old building? The next morning the Newsmakers section of the newspaper had a bit about this item, so his question made even more sense:

Bruce Springsteen will perform a benefit concert at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ on Wednesday, May 7th.

Proceeds from “An Evening with Bruce Springsteen” will benefit the historic Count Basie Theatre and help offset the cost of the renovation and restoration of the theatre that will begin this summer. A portion of the concert proceeds will also support other programs and operations at the Theatre, such as the Cool School. Patti Scialfa serves on the Board of the Basie Foundation and as Honorary Chair of the Capital Campaign.


A couple of months ago I'd planned to take off the day after the concert but then changed my mind, trying to hoard my vacation days for when I need them more in the fall/holiday show season. Then Steve took it off, so it was a very short leap for me to change my mind back to taking it off. I'm glad I did because the concert started a full hour late and the traffic to leave was a bear so we got home about 90 minutes later than I would have expected.

We went out to breakfast, I took a short nap and spent most of the day as a true Stefani Day, not even a Pine Tree Designs day. I realized later that my nap was due to dehydration. I drank water with my dinner but we didn't drink anything at the concert so as to not have to go to the restrooms. We were both very thirsty by the time the concert was over - and sitting in the parking garage for ever and a day didn't help. So we found a Wendy's that was still open and drove through to get beverages. I didn't feel dehydrated when I woke up the next morning but remembered later that I literally chugged my milk in one swoop at breakfast, in addition to draining my water glass. After reading the paper, I got that feeling where I absolutely could not keep my eyes open. More water and nap and I felt rejuvenated.

The rest of the weekend is nothing but Pine Tree Designs work for next week's show.
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Easter Egg

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This is an Easter card that I'm giving Rita when she picks up her framed piece. I always try to throw a little something extra in each order. This is also the prototype for something I've had in mind for a while. I'm very happy with the middle part and I want to add some stitching too.

I'm a whiz with scissors but cutting circular shapes is the most difficult thing to do perfectly. I've been looking for a big enough punch or die, with no luck. I went to Michael's the other day and decided I wasn't leaving until I found something suitable. (Oh no! Please, sir, don't make me live at Michael's! Whatever shall I do??) Unfortunately or fortunately, however you choose to look at it, I found these die cut foam shapes as soon as I hit the Easter section. They are a skosh too big to fit on a 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card so I'll have to make the card a bit bigger. That works out okay because I have envelopes the next size up to use.

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Food as Art

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