Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Thanks

This week I have lots to be thankful for.


My father is feeling better after heart surgery last week, and the rest of my family is healthy.

My parents, after many years of not-quite saying the right thing, said the exact right thing to me when I got in the the show. "Heck yeah!"

I have a job- even if it makes me nuts sometimes, it is still a steady job in the arts, and that is more than lots of people I know can say.

I have amazing friends who send me boxes stuffed with plastic bags and dark chocolate :)

I have my health, or at least I can still see and touch my toes, so I guess I'm doing better than about 1/2 of all Americans.

I have the start to a bitchin' craft stash for the Bust Craftacular in 19 days

I have great roommates who will take me to the grocery store when it's cold out and I'm tired. They also don't complain too loudly when I leave sushi ornaments and silk screens drying all over our apartment, or the dining room becomes a plastic recycling factory. They are also willing to let me tag along on their roadtrips, bake bread and generally are some really nice people....even if they don't really like my cat.

I am Thankful Barack Obama is the President Elect, and my reproductive rights have been protected for at least 4 more years.

I am thankful my kitty is feeling better after another ugly health problem. She is not healthy, but the final word from the vet is that she is getting old, and her health problems are a result of her age and not something acute.

I am thankful that my kitty will eat pumpkin off a spoon, and is cute and snuggly even if she is kinda farty from the pumpkin.

I am Thankful my craftshop is almost up to code, even if the workmen have been working in my shop during tech week which makes me wear my shoulders as earrings, and has stopped all work on a show that opens in a week. But I am thankful for the work being done, and the cheerful guys doing it.

I am thankful that I have such dear friends that will travel to see me in a craft show, help me prepare, offer to help set-up, run my credit card machine, and let me stay in their apartments. I am also thankful they will offer me their support and love, even when I am feeling crazy and 'frickin the frack out'.

For all these things, and many more I am thankful.


How about you?

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Holidaze!

It's been a while since I posted, so I'm sorry to those of you who are cyber stalking me. For the rest of you who didn't hear already--
I GOT IN!

Yup. I got into the Bust Craftacular. It's been my nerdy-feminist-indie-crafter-dream to participate in this show, and I hadn't applied in the past because I thought I would never have enough product, enough time, and enough whatever to get in. So I applied. I told myself I would just apply and if I got in, fine. If not, fine too. I'd chalk it up to something I should work towards in my future....except I got in. No wait list, no maybe next year, not even a "your the last one we let in". Just in.

AAACK! HOLY MOLEY! I NEED TO MAKE MORE STUFF!
So I've started kicking into crafty overdrive. Luckily I had already conscripted some ladies at work to help me prep, and they are stitching plastic wallets like mad women! *note* I'm keeping my etsy stuff separate from my show stuff as to not break the rules on etsy regarding non handmade-by-me-items* I call them my craft posse, they call themselves the Stack Craft Mafia.....either way they are stitching, I'm cutting and fusing, and we are all busy and happy.

On top of kicking up my stock for the NYC show I've also been stocking up because I'm being carried in a local store now. It's called the Pyramid Arts Collective. It's the community store of a printmaking and paper arts studio. They carry all sorts of work, and the store is mostly run by volunteers who are also showing pieces in the store.

As well as the Bust show, Etsy, and the local store I'm also participating in the Side Project Artisan Market in Chicago. I can't go out this year, but I am sending things, doing the web stuff and did the graphics for the advertisements.
It's been a busy couple of weeks, and there is still a metric butt-load of work to be done, so until I come up for air again here are a couple of links and photos!
The Side Project Postcards- We had them sent out to a printer, and although I've not seen them- according to the people in Chicago who recieved them they turned out great!















The Side Project Artisan Market Website
The Bust Holiday Craftacular- the 2007 website, the 2008 is under construction Oh, and yeah. That's Amy Sedaris......she was a vendor last year.

Last but not least...
A Quiz!















Are these pictures of...
A. A very busy, very crafty night with paperclay?
B. Attack of the sushi clones?
C. An modernist representation of a good night at a sushi bar?
D. All of the above?






































































































































Wednesday, November 5, 2008

All I can say is...

Thanks.

THanks.

THAnks.

THANks.

THANKs.

THANKS.


It is all the people who stood in long lines, dug into the depths of their patience and humanity that could allow us to elect Barack Obama the President of the United States. Things here in DC are happier than I have ever seen them. The street parties carried on into the morning, and even the police spoke kindly of the "riotous riots".


Amid all this joy I feel I would be remiss if I didn't mention the defeat to many who are near and dear to my heart. Proposition 8 was passed, thus defeating the rights of same-sex couples to marry in California. Similar propositions were also passed in Florida (America's wang- hey, I grew up there) and Arizona (the glorious state that offered us John McCain of no reproductive rights fame)
I wish we could have won equal rights for ALL our citizens, maybe someday "all men are created equal" will be true. Until then- let's embrace this victory, and work towards the next even bigger challenge- the day when rights are equally equal for all Americans.

Much love to all of you.



Oh, and since this is supposed to be a craft blog----- I'm working on some cool stuff. I'll post more once I get some sleep and can focus on my regularly scheduled programming of crafts, knitting, and my cat.

Monday, November 3, 2008