Or is it?

The other day I got a fairly standard marketing email from the New York Wine & Culinary Center, a lovely organization about 75 [...]]]> I’m used to selling my handwoven scarves at art & craft shows, and from my website. That’s how I sell what I make. That’s what I need to focus on.

Or is it?

The other day I got a fairly standard marketing email from the New York Wine & Culinary Center, a lovely organization about 75 miles from me. They told me about some cooking classes, a Valentine’s Day celebration, and a 1-day, indoor, winter festival to promote NYS wines, cheeses, and other yummies.

When I was reading the email, something in my subconscious brain told me to click on the link to their festival. Once I’d read more about it, I decided, “Hmmm…I know that this place is really serious about promoting buying local. Although they focus on foods and wines, maybe they’d like to offer some wonderful handwoven scarves as another option for their visitors.”

So, completely out of character for me, I called them up & asked. It took a few phone calls & an email, but the end result is very positive – they’re eager to have me there. AT NO COST TO ME!

I will have a very small space for display of my scarves, so I’ll need to plan carefully about what I bring with me — likely mostly winter weights (mohair, alpaca, & rayon chenille) with some lighter scarves perfect for indoor wear thrown in for good measure. If you’re anywhere in the area, do stop by the nICE Festival in Canandaigua on February 26. There’ll be samplings, music, demos, and more.

I’m psyched! I went outside my comfort zone and asked, and got invited to join them. Hopefully this will be a positive experience for all concerned, and I’ll have the confidence to try this strategy again.

Your turn: have you reached out with positive results that were a pleasant surprise?

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I sat down at my kitchen table with the paper applications, a pen, my checkbook, and my computer [...]]]>

When I said,”Maybe tomorrow…” at the end of my last post, I thought I was being sarcastic. But when I got up this morning, I said, “Hey, there’s no time like the present. Get those applications done!”

I sat down at my kitchen table with the paper applications, a pen, my checkbook, and my computer and got to work. It took 3 hours to get get 3 applications complete. Nothing is hard, it’s just time consuming. Every show wants their jury photos in a slightly different size, wants them labeled in a particular way, and wants them submitted in a specific format. There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s important to follow their directions if I want to be seriously considered. Even though I think it’s a real mistake to show the jury photos that are only 150 dpi, since that’s the max one show allowed, that’s what they got.

One of the shows wanted me to mail them a CD with the images, the other two required online submissions. Actually, I prefer the online submissions, since I don’t have to worry about a CD getting broken in transit, but high quality images are about 2megs each, and each application requires 4 or 5 images. As I’ve said, my rural version of high speed isn’t really all that high. However, it’s still about a million times better than my old dial up connection – I wouldn’t even have attempted sending multiple large images before August. So once again, sure glad I have that little dish on my porch roof.

I brought the 3 applications, with their required forms and checks, out to my mailbox at noon to be sure the mailman would pick them up today, and took a brisk walk with my little dog in the mid-day sunshine. (Boy, that wind was cold on my face!)

I’d already submitted one application a few weeks ago. I have one more on my table waiting for me, and two more shows that don’t yet have their apps available. Plus two small shows many months away; their apps won’t be out for months.

I’m happy with myself that I got so much done. I WILL finish that last available app before the day’s out!

Your turn: did you get your nose to the grindstone today?

my indoor booth setup

Handcrafted jewelry in [...]]]> I’m part of the Allegany Artisans, dozens of talented people who live and create here in Allegany County, NY. Every year we have a studio tour, when people open their homes and studios to visitors from far and wide. Here are a few shots of how this takes over my home.

Handcrafted jewelry in the dining room

gemstones for dinner?

handwoven scarves in the living room

handwovens take a seat, and a table

the kitchen's not exempt from displays

I’ve set up my Macomber loom so visitors can try their hand at weaving a mug rug while they’re here. I’ll be working on rayon chenille scarves on my counterbalance loom.

Gotta run – the show starts in minutes!

In addition to my usual amount of weaving and working at my paycheck job, I’ve moved 10 cord of firewood in the last two weeks. This involves opening a basement window, moving a [...]]]> How does 19 days go by without a post from me?! I guess I’ve been busier than I realized.

In addition to my usual amount of weaving and working at my paycheck job, I’ve moved 10 cord of firewood in the last two weeks. This involves opening a basement window, moving a homemade chute into place, tossing down a whole bunch of firewood, and then going down into the basement and stacking it to make room for more. Repeat daily, morning and evening. I developed a pattern that worked for me — toss down wood in the evening, then in the morning, before work, stack up what I tossed down last night. The only days I missed were when it had rained and the wood was wet; it’s no good having wet wood in your basement – it leads to all sorts of bad things. So now I have my winter’s wood — 11 cord — stacked in the basement. Within the next few weeks 22 cord will be cut & split in my yard and need to be stacked out there. The job is never really done with firewood.

Despite my firewood work, I’ve still been weaving. I decided I’d try some much more casual table linens than the placemats I’d woven previously. This is two sets of four placemats, woven from 10/2 pearl cotton in white, periwinkle, gray, and chestnut brown. On the left is obviously a tabby weave, on the right, a diamond twill. Neither the placemats nor my handwoven runner and napkins generated much interest at the 100 American Craftmen Show at the Kenan Center, so I probably won’t be making more soon.

Buy hey, you never know. Maybe people will be all over them next weekend at the Roycroft Summer Festival, or maybe that’s what’ll turn me on, and I’ll weave placemats & kitchen towels anyway. After all, I need to make what I like, or why bother?

Your turn — what are you doing this Father’s Day? I’m enjoying my memories of the sweetness of both my father and my husband, two men who enriched my life and made me who I am today.

So I went to the old [...]]]> In addition to selling my handmade weaving and jewelry on my website, I also sell at regional juried arts and crafts shows. I thought it would be easier for potential show customers to immediately understand that some of the weaving was baby blankets if they were displayed with a baby.

So I went to the old toy chest upstairs and dragged out the Raggedy Ann & Andy I’d made my children decades ago. (As an aside, if you only have Raggedy Ann at your house, can you be sure it’s really her & not Andy in drag?) As you might imagine, they were both quite dirty. I brought them to the Queen of Hand Laundry, Margaret. Although she made much progress, the dolls weren’t presentable for my sales table.

So Bunny came out next. My mother made Bunny for my daughter many years ago, but since Amanda was already 11 when Bunny arrived at our house, she didn’t get dragged around much, or accidently stomped on with muddy shoes, or any of the other things that make a stuffed animal look well loved. But still, Bunny’d been in the closet for many years, and needed time and attention if she was to meet and greet the public.

Margaret got first crack, but decided that she wasn’t willing to take any chances with Bunny, and returned her after just a vacuuming.
That’s when Bunny went for her spa day.

Bunny's Pilates Sunshine Stretch

First she had an exfoliating scrub, followed by a facial peel. (Read: wash her face gently with an almost dry, lightly soaped washcloth, then rub it with a slice of lemon.) Her ears got more attention, getting a full aural massage, followed by their own chemical peel. (Read: scrub them with soap & water to eliminate some stains, followed by the lemon rub.) Now Bunny was ready for a big strctch in the sunshine over the newest thing since Pilates balls – the white draped back bender.

 Of course, Bunny had a mani-pedi, full body massage, and relaxed in the lounge with some herbal tea in a big, fluffy robe while she waited for her clothes to get their own royal treatment.

While in the lounge, Bunny was surprised to see Raggedy Ann on her way to the yoga class. They got to chatting, and decided to compare tats. Bunny wasn’t happy that Ann’s was much clearer than hers, but there was nothing she could do about it. Ann was running late, so off she went right after this photo.

Bunny’s now ready to be the mistress of sales, drawing in shoppers and getting them to feel how soft and cuddly the baby blankets are. I’m not sure how much she enjoyed her moment in the sun, but I’m certain Bunny’s enjoying this 15 minutes of fame. If you see us at any of the shows I’m doing this season, stop by and say hello to both Bunny and me.