GRIEF WRITING WORKSHOP

Another announcement. Boy, I’m full of ’em today….

I’ll be leading a writing workshop during the month of February at Home Health Care and Community Services here in Keene NH. This is part of their bereavement support program. We’ll be meeting Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., Feb. 2 through Feb. 23.

We’ll explore ways to explore our thoughts, feelings and memories through writing and poetry. The structure is flexible, and no prior writing experience is necessary.

This workshop is appropriate for anyone who is struggling with grief–loss of a loved one; divorce; loss of a pet or companion; a life-changing event.

You can see more about this workshop, and others, at the HCS website: HCS Grief Support Groups, Winter 2011. Or call them at 1-800-541-4145.

As always, if you know someone in the area who would like to participate, please pass this on to them.

I’ve found writing to be a powerful way to uncover deep insight and understanding during difficult times in my life. I’m looking forward to sharing this healing process with others.

1000 MARKETS going, going, gone!

In a few days, I’ll be transitioning my shop at Amazon’s 1000 Markets to another online site. Something called “Bonanza” is taking the Market over, and 1000 Markets will be gone.

I’m not wild about this, as Bonanza looks like a Johnny-come-lately version of Etsy squashed together with Ebay.

For my customers and collectors, the transition should be seamless.

Unfortunately, things like the blog posts I wrote there will not transfer.

I hate losing anything I’ve written……

So I’m going to repost those articles here on my “regular” blog. If you’ve already read them, I apologize for repeating myself.

If you haven’t read them, enjoy!

TRUNK SHOW IN PETERBOROUGH, NH TODAY!

I’ll be at the Sharon Arts Center in downtown Peterborough today, for my very first trunk show.

All my stuff is packed in….suitcases! I don’t have any real trunks, but I have a wonderful collection of small vintage suitcases. I don’t know why I like them so much. Maybe I want to be able to leave in a hurry.

I think I’m done packing and I think I’ll be there around 11 to set up. For Mother’s Day, I’ll be demonstrating simple wire-working techniques–balling up sterling silver wire to make head pins, wrapping pearls and semi-precious stones, etc. to make simple necklaces for Mom (and nicely priced at under $25 too!)

I’ll also have samples of my artifacts and tons of my animal jewelry. Artfully arranged in….trunks! Er…small suitcases. And examples of books and magazines my work has appeared in.

No, I am not bringing Bunster. Something tells me she would wreak havoc in Peterborough…..

Artist-of-the-Month at SAC

NEW COLUMN AT Fine Art Views!

Wonderful news! In addition to my column at THE CRAFTS REPORT magazine (scroll down to my regular column, “Craft Matters”), I have a new writing gig!

I’ve just accepted a position as a regular contributing writer for the Fine Art Views Newsletter, a newsletter with almost 11,000 readers.

It’s a free daily newsletter packed full of tips for making, marketing, exhibiting, teaching and selling your art.

They’ve reprinted several of my articles in the past, such as this one on LEAVING YOUR TRIBE. Now I’ll be contributing on a regular basis–every other Thursday to start, perhaps more often if I get organized. (Don’t get your hopes up, but then, anything can happen….)

I’ll be sure to post a link to their newsletter when they run my stuff. Be sure to add lots of comments about how wonderful I am how helpful you find my articles. If I have to resort to bribery, I will.

Oops, you didn’t hear me say that!!

ORCHARD SCHOOL FAIR–I’M THERE!

I leave in a moment to set up my booth for The Orchard School Crafts Fair 2009.

It’s a sweet little crafts fair, held this year at the picturesque Walpole Town Hall, which is also just seconds away from the to-die-for Burdick Chocolate Cafe.

I’ll be selling a wonderful selection of jewelry, for women, teens & men, and maybe a small sculpture or two for that certain great guy you need a special present for.

There will be great food, great music, a silent auction with wonderful items to bid on, good crafts and good company.

Tonight, December 11, is Preview Night. The Fair opens tomorrow, Saturday December 12, at 9:30 a.m. and goes until 4:30 p.m.

Hope to see you there!

We Interrupt Our Program….OPEN STUDIO!!

Yes, you’re invited, and you, and you, and you!

Just in case you’re my mom (which you aren’t, because my parents have never been online. NEVER.) DO NOT call me and ask me if I’m lying dead in a ditch somewhere. A call which always came at 7 a.m. on Saturday mornings when I was in college, following a period where I had been incommunicado too long, and which always baffled me, because this was way, way before cell phones and so if I actually ANSWERED the phone, how could I be dead in a ditch somewhere??

I digress…. Because I HAVE been incommunicado. I have a good reason:

I’m getting ready for another open studio this weekend. And you’re invited!

In some ways, I’m on top of this one. The studio didn’t get too, too messy since my last one, there was a lot of publicity because it’s part of the NH Open Doors Tour, and I’m not driving myself crazy about preparations. For example, I’m not going to vacuum again unless the dog barfs. (Keeping my fingers crossed here….)

But in other ways, I’m behind–as always. I didn’t do any personal promotion–no postcards mailed out to my customers. (I’m kicking myself here.) I decided to redo all my signage. Even though there’s not a year’s mess in here, there’s still a mess.

And I’m adding my usual personal anxiety to the mix. I once had a party where only one person showed up. It was traumatic. She was a very nice person, and we did do damage to a bottle of tequila (which promptly did damage to me, which is why I never drink tequila anymore, but that’s a story for another day.) But I still enter each entertainment venture with a sinking feeling that says, “And what if nobody comes this time, either??”

So help me not support my therapist single-handedly. Come to my Open Studio this Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7 & 8, from 10-5, or pass the word on to someone you think would enjoy it. Tell them what you want for Christmas (if I happen to make something you’d want for Christmas) and tell them it’s only available here. This weekend.

And we will be BFF. Especially if you are the only person who comes.

P.S. Full disclosure: To be fair, at the time of that party, I was living in a 10’x10′ room in a rooming house. I think everyone was afraid we were going to stay there.

P.P.S. And I kinda forgot to tell everybody til the last minute. Which is why I probably deserve to have slow open studios, since history is repeating itself here…..

LAST SHOW OF THE SEASON

I’m running around in my usual pre-show frenzy, trying to reinvent the wheel, make up tons of new jewelry, and trying to fit a 10’x10 booth into a 11’x5′ spot.

Yes, it’s The Orchard School’s Annual Craft Fair. This wonderful little fair is now held at the beautiful Christmas Tree Inn in Marlow, NH .

I’m in it, I’m not ready, but the curtain goes up at 6 p.m. Friday night, December 5 for the fair preview. It opens for real at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, December 6.

I’ll have my signature artifact jewelry on hand, gifts for guys (yes! Cufflinks!!), plus pretty vintage button jewelry and some lovely pieces made from antique mother-of-pearl buttons.

I have to run to tae kwon do and pretend I can jump into the air throwing a kick. If I get a chance, I’ll upload some pics of the MOP jewelry later. Here is a lousy pic of some really cool earrings, made from antique mother-of-pearl buttons. They have a soft, almost metallic gleam to them, in shades of cream, silver and brown–lovely! (If I do say so myself…)

These little shows are a challenge for me, because it’s hard for me to do anything half-way. The ceilings in the room are too short for my propanels, I had to beg to get access to electricity (so I have to use 35 watt bulbs in my lights, and bring only a third of them) and I never remember to allow myself a way to get out of my booth. Oh well, who needs to eat?

But I like doing one or two of these smaller shows from time to time, because they force me to get small, to focus and to simplify my set-up. (Although I think I missed the point of this, this year….)

Wish me luck, stop by if you’re in the area, and maybe I can get some pics of my little half-booth if I remember to take my camera.

Do You Want to Get This by Email?

I just put up a link to FeedBlitz, where you can click “Subscribe Me!” and sign up to get my blog articles by e-mail. It’s at the end of the “About Me” text to the right.

It took me three days to figure out how to do this–I will never be writing a how-to book on computer skills!–but you asked for it, and I did it.

Er….someone please tell me if it works?

Oh, and tell all your friends (if you like my blog)!