Update: 101 in 1001

While Megan was in town from south Florida over Memorial Day weekend we packed a lot of fun into just three days.
So much that I was even able to cross a couple more things off the list.

#87 Visit the Natural History Museum (not butterfly part)
#88 Visit the Harn Museum of Fine Art

Both of these were accomplished, as well as the last part of #92, trying 6 new restaurants around town (thanks Shooting Star for great sushi and ridiculous happy hour drink deals).


Since I last updated the list at the beginning of May I can also cross off the following (or in my case, turn them pink):
#45 Go 2 weeks in a row without buying groceries
#47 Make a compost bin for outside and small container for daily use inside
and
I crossed off month 5 of #60 Quit smoking cigarettes for 6 full months. Now that one I will be most proud to finally finish at the end of this month.


Next to tackle will be fixing up that damn bike (aka #62). We sold another mountain bike from the garage last week but Collin decided he wants to keep the two Schwinn road bikes and my vintage sears 10-speed. That makes 5 bikes for two people. Only one of whom rides them at all so far. I would sell them in a heartbeat but he's the bike dude and it's true when he says that it would be nice to have bikes for friends when they are in town. We'll also be able to cross off #38, getting renters insurance, soon when we move. Can I also say it's been way too long since I've started this project not to have completed #68 -dancing downtown? Maybe I can cross that off the list when I finish #62. Double Whammy.
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An Atomic Holiday

Just a couple weeks ago I sent off my application to be included in the 2010 Atomic Holiday Bazaar.
Not even a week later I had an acceptance letter waiting for me when I logged into my email account first thing in the morning. AWESOME. Gotta love a prompt and enthusiastic welcoming to the show!

In it's fifth year already, I am blown away that I didn't know about this gem of an indie craft fair until last year. Maybe it's because I wasn't involved in my own business back then, but really, what excuse did I have for not knowing about it when I was living in Sarasota? I drove by this building where it is annually held every day.

Oh, I love that coastal Florida art deco architechture.

I am really optimistic that this will be the best show of the year for me and that means lots and lots of work this summer building my inventory for the Fall and Holiday rush. I have shows scheduled for November and December with one I'm wavering on for October. I've been really happy about using only profits from my artwork to pay for my needed supplies, but I think I'm going to have to give myself a little more cash to get everything I'll need to have enough work for all these shows.
It also means that I don't get to take too long off from creating while we're packing up and moving in July and August. I'll also have to get my enameling area ready for working pretty quickly even if that means leaving other (more fun?) home decorating projects aside until I feel confident that I'm not avoiding the real work to be done in the studio.

My goal for the summer is to work more consistently. I can't exactly keep a schedule because I like to plan studio time around when Collin will be working in the evenings too. This lets us at least have a couple nights a week to relax, cook, and eat dinner together. I need those nights. So, on nights when he is out I like to enamel, or photograph, or edit photos, or post them online. Right now I've been doing a whole lot of nothing because I have a larger stock of inventory. I don't want to let that lull me into a sense of security though.
Ideally I would make time for myself to enamel, photograph, edit and post items online once a week each. Maybe I can keep myself accountable by fitting in a blog post about new pieces and progress on here?
For now these sound like nice goals. I'm just glad people are reasonable here and no one really schedules art festivals in the middle of the oppressive Florida summers - I would be too tempted to sell and I need to pace myself to keep from getting burned out. Read more...

sickness

That's where I've been.
Sick.

Allergies.
Oak pollen coating everything in fine dust - turning the city to a giant tennis ball.

Oh, and work. Can't stop working now just because you are sick! Not when there are new instruments to finish setting up to get them running!

Really though, I was sick last weekend. Thursday night I woke up twice to change my sweat-soaked shirt and my fever didn't back down until overnight Sunday. So I did actually get to spend my already-a-day-off Friday and then my made-it-a-day-off Monday on the couch. That's also where I wound up each night after waking, again, so incredibly hot that I couldn't even lay next to Collin. Or the cat.
My only symptoms were the ridiculous fever and the constant coughing that kept the both of us up all night.


I started feeling better, minus the bruised rib I caused from coughing nonstop, but working full (or longer) days the rest of this week has wiped me out.

Other things that have been keeping me tired:
Filling custom enameling orders Monday and Tuesday night. I love love love waking up to new orders, whether they're from friends or strangers. Okay, especially from strangers! It really makes my day.

Wednesday I went out with Kara and Anna for dinner at Bistro1245. Nommmm those portabello sandwiches. Ugh. I could eat there everyday. It had been way too long since we've gone down to mid town for food and I need to be willing to drive more than 5 minutes sometimes to savor my old favorites. In town for just a couple days, Kara is home to Florida from NYC for Easter weekend and I am so glad she stopped in Gainesville. I say it all the time that one of our biggest reasons for staying in town is that everyone loves to come visit you. No one moves away and hates this place, so to be the ones who host visitors instead of the ones who travel to their friends is perfect for us!

Thursday wasn't anything fun, but I had to come all the way back into work to read samples that arrived late Wednesday night. It was the longest most drama-filled day ever for our sampler and I'm thankful my backup analyst had a flexible night so that I didn't have to miss dinner with my girls. I rewarded myself for driving all the way out there by getting chick-fil-a on the way home (since both of the ones in town are so far from us). I freaking love their chicken. Forever. But it's hard to keep from eating like all of it on my drive home. Stop lights just make you want a fry.

Now I'm here, working on Friday and pretty set in my decision to leave early as usual on a Friday to hang out at home for the afternoon with the family. I might go by the grocery store to pick up the rest of the sale items for the week I want to buy. I might go by El Indio and pick up mexican food to satisfly the craving I have for it already this morning at 9:15. Damn. 2PM can't come fast enough.

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Quit Yer Bitchin'

I'm guilty of it.
We all are.

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch.
As of late I've noticed almost nothing around me except all the complaining everyone seems to be doing.
Scrolling over my facebook wall reads like a bunch of babies with wet diapers. Sure everyone's in a huff about the recently passed health care bill (which p.s. I am excited about) but even aside from that so many are full of dissatisfaction. Relationships, personal health challenges, the weather, their kids, their mom, their dogs, their whole freaking life. I can't help but sometimes let it creep into my own mind and knock my good mood right on it's butt. And that right there, is something I'm trying harder now than ever not to let happen.

I had a draft post written last night and ready to go this morning but when I re-read it, I sounded just like everyone else...

So it's gone.
Deleted.

Instead I will ignore the stresses around me for just a minute and list some of the awesome that has made me smile in the past few days and is lined up to do the same in the near future.

1. I sold 4 necklaces and a pair of earrings this weekend through my facebook page and simply by having friends over for our St. Patrick's day party and the Ladies Clothes Swap.
2. My friends are lovely and we had fun trying on each others clothes, picking out new things and stuffing our faces with delicious girly noms.
3. The spring weather is glorious and I am getting inspired to take a long walk this afternoon just for photo taking of all the flowers and blooms.
4. After a busy busy weekend this next set of days off having nothing scheduled except enameling. Just what I want - naps and art.
5. ... and maybe a little gardening thrown in with the naps and the art.

Spring makes me happy and I wish it would last forever this year. Thanks to some complications with our landlord, let's just say I'm not really looking forward to Summer (and having her as our new neighbor). Until then, I want to try as hard as I can to push out the negativity and enjoy this season in peace until our lives get a lot more dramatic.


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Doggy Date

Just look at these sweet pups hanging out together on Early Girl's dog bed.



We watched over this little gray and white fellow over the past weekend while our friend (and hopefully future neighbor) was out of town. His name is Eli. He is awesome. This pair gets along really well with mostly lazy couch slumbering or bone eating on their daily to-do lists. Throw in some yard running and a few hours of roughhousing and you have happy dogs.

Now that the weather is gorgeous and the time has changed back to where I like it to be (dark mornings, longer evening light) we're going to be making our way to the dog park more often with our girl. Eli and his mom live just a few blocks away so these friends will get to play in a big group.
At least until they both get tired and decide to stop and do nothing except lay in the dirt.


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An Etsy St. Paddy's

"May your blessings outnumber the shamrocks that grow, and may trouble avoid you wherever you go."

In honor of my favorite holiday I set out to find the sweetest gifts inspired by St. Patrick's day. After gifting and selling all the clover jewelry I made this year I had none left to list in my own shop! I did manage to keep one for myself but if I hadn't made my own I would have loved to wear this perfect lucky charm.


clover necklace by saralagrace

Here are more of my favorite etsy finds for the day:


lucky clover hair pins from HarmonyLaneHandmade


"if you're lucky enough..." notecard from kategreiner


a lucky key chain (8 is also my lucky number!) from alfrescouniquegroup


"In the Clover No.4" watercolor painting by GollyBard






Slainte to you and yours this St. Patrick's day!
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Springtime Clothes Swap

This spring, before you hit the mall or the web for new warm-weather clothes, why not try having a clothes swap party!?

Last year a small group of girls and I got together at my house to unload all our never-worn items and rifle through each others loot. At the end of the day I kept two dresses, five shirts, a long cardigan and a cute sparkly shrug - all of which I have worn several times in the last year. Some of them have even become favorites that I wear weekly (or more than that thank you).

If you're interested in holding a clothes swap of your own, here are some tips I have after learning from last year.

1. Sort sort sort. Before friends arrive, sort your own items into groups. As the others start to file in, they can go through their own bags and add stuff to the designated area. This saves time and allows people enough space to sort through and really look at the clothes without getting overwhelmed by choices. I even set up a rack with some hangers for particularly pretty shirts and dresses almost as a showcase.

2. Let people try things on. I kicked out Collin and Gabe that day and plan on keeping it a girls-only party again this year. With that many ladies wanting to try on clothes, giving everyone private (or at least semi-private) space is very thoughtful. Lines can form if everyone starts using the bathroom as a dressing room so think of other places you can transform. Hang a sheet to divide off your dining room and use the bedroom for changing too. Every space helps; some of you may already be friends who have no problems trying on clothes with each other but others may be less familiar or have other reasons to want privacy.

3. No even-trades required. The whole point of a clothes swap (if you ask me) is to be generous towards your friends with clothes that you already intend to donate. If you're already going to give it away, there's no need to keep track of how much each person brings or with how much they walk away.

4. Provide snacks. Sure, it's not always your favorite thing to try on clothes after you've eaten but having something to nosh on while you're hanging out and swapping keeps up the blood sugar and the morale. A light drink and something simple are all you need. As the host you can elect to do some of this yourself or you can enlist your friends or suggest a potluck style. Maybe a friend who has no clothes to contribute wants to make muffins instead? Perfect!

5. Donate it all at the end like you said. I have my own personal thrift store to which I like to donate and as the host I volunteer to transport all the leftover clothes there myself after the party. If any of my guests have another organization they would prefer to help, they can certainly take home a big bag of clothes to do so. It's a little extra motivation for people to come out if they only have to transport all their crap once.


Have you ever hosted or attended a clothes swap before? What other tips and suggestions do you have for someone looking to do the same this spring?
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