Between the Shows

This past week has been cyclical in terms of work and venues. Suddenly, I find myself with not 2 shows, but now invited to a 3rd mid-March.

Andrew and I returned home Friday evening and collapsed from exhibiting at the Chapel Hill Women's Benefit. We noshed on the 2nd half of his delish pizza he made for us the previous night and gorged ourselves on our chocolate delights we purchased at A Southern Season in Chapel Hill during our exhibit recess between lunch and cocktails.


Now, it's been a beautiful weekend and I plan to...

Stay inside and create new imagery;
Corral donations for select charities;
Finish collating tax stuff + send off to CPA;
Cut backing board for my prints;
Prepare Necklines & WinterIce for shipments

But instead, Andrew pulled me outdoors and we resumed our Sunday afternoon open house tour to see new McMansions and renovations in our area. At least I absorbed a bit of vitamin D.

Now, I'm striving to upload the rest of my WinterIce pendants & create a fun label for our foodie gift for our friends this evening, but it's 6:05 and Bacchus is now walking all over my keyboard to let me know that it's past his Splash Time. Heh! More on that later.

Redeemed

It's 7:36pm and I've just finished Andrew's fabulous chicken corn chowder and man, was it good.

Now, I'm exhausted. No wait, we're exhausted.

I'm glad today is over, truth be told. Today, at Boylan, has been a one of anticipated dread as my expected sales were completely hinged on last year's weather and this year's economy. Is that fair? Well, any projected outcome is based on trends, economy, and location, so yes, in my book, I think weighing those options in varying degree deserve face time and evaluation.

I have to admit, this year was a miserable year for me. In terms of sales -just miserable. I got confident (perhaps too confident) last year this time and thought that I could push just as much if not just a little bit more in sales, but I was wrong -oh so wrong.

This economy just sucks.

Today was better, much better, actually, better than the first 3 year combined, although, I'm not convinced. I'm not convinced I'll do any better the first or second quarter of next year, nor will I ever get "confident" again.

Today, I'll blame our good fortune on Andrew's charm.

Why? Heh! This is about the fact that he touts the aspect of leading a charmed life -his words, not mine and I'll tell you, he's right. I love it when he's right because good things happen when he is right. We get prime parking spots -every time- and whenever we need good luck to shine our way, and if I'm with him, good luck always turns our way. I can't explain it, nor can he, but he doesn't care... must be the good karma he's generated.

However, when I'm right, it's based on factors, experience, and one big freakin' hunch. Unfortunately, it's that hunch that always gets me into trouble with not only my accountant, but with my friends. Why? Because when I play my hunch, I'm right and no one likes the outcome, which by the way, is all based on reality... and my hunch.

Oh, and there's a mathematical equation that determines our outcome: charm beats reality -every time. Wait, let me do that with air quotes, "Every time."

Inserting Snack Break Here
Now it's 8:15 and Andrew is pouring us each port -mine ruby, his tawny- because I'm getting a sore throat from the long days preceding the show and today's event. Oh, and the mocha chocolate chip cookies from Wholefoods are walking my way, too. Yum!!
End Snack Break

Er, maybe I'll attribute our fortune on my skills as a artist/salesperson who is passionate about her work; I don't like leaving my fate in someone else's hands. I like to believe that I can cast my own fate. If I can't, I'll try hard as hell to persuade it to favor me as often as possible.

*Sigh* That rarely happens unless I've got Andrew in my back pocket.

Today was a pleasant day for us. We had intermitten sprinkles and did the rain dance each time it spittled on my work; even Amy said she wouldn't stay long because she brought the rain. Funny thing, I think she's right because when she left, the spittles stopped. Thanks for stopping by Amy -too bad you couldn't pause long enough to fondle our suede journal covers!!! I'll bring one to yoga Tuesday.

Meanwhile, we found ourselves busy with just a few intervals of low periods -long enough to catch our breath and confer w/one another.

When Andrew and I found ourselves back in our kitchen waiting for the boyz splash to warm before serving, we talked thru our usual post mortem to reveal what each of us learned from our new enthusiasts. Most of it was incredibly positive and fueled my much needed high I get from the one-on-ones I crave -the folding green didn't hurt either.

Things we learned:

• I learned that I must continue with what I started, I love it way too much to give up.
• If things get tough, market your product like nobody's watching
  
• Get back to the drawing board and design like nobody's watching
  
• Don't wait for recognition to come to you, go seek it out.
  
• Folks love my work, but love it more in color despite the trend of black and white.
• I may have the majority of animals in my collection, but someone will always ask for what I don't have.
• Go back to the drawing board and include it in the queue.
  
• Be sure to have multiple price points and eliminate the nickel and dime products; they're more work than they're worth and you'll never make the money that you aspire. My lowest price point was $15 today and frankly, I did exceedingly well.
• Don't bring a chair to your exhibits, unless it's strictly for your guests. Many artists use it as a crutch and as a result, they lose sales because they're afraid of engaging their customer -or tripping over their own tongues. I'm tongue tied all the time due to lack of coffee or other excuse, but I manage to get the story across and the customer excited.
  
• After each gig like today, sleep for 48 hours straight. Don't promise anyone anything, don't stop to collect $200, just go straight to bed.
  

I'm off. Sleep tight.

Mid-September Activities

Lately, I've been feeling as though life is having fun throwing me a few curve balls and last week I've been lamenting about how I didn't feel like I had much on which to comment. Fortunately, my Aspirations Show is going strong and I'm very happy that it's been well received, specially by my enthusiasts -thanks Christine and Jenny! I'd like to spin a few products off the series... Got any ideas? I'd love to hear them.

Currently, I'm having a quiet sale on my sterling silver jewelry. I'm not sure how long it's going to last, but would love to have you consider it as early holiday gifts.

Meanwhile, I had a mfg call on me late this week loving some of my wine series and also want a few other pieces not yet designed for licensing. Yea! I'm not going to say much because I always seem to jinx myself. Argh. Anyhow, Andrew and I are also busy in the workshop creating new product prototypes to determine their *worthiness.* Can't say much now, but the surprises will be revealed soon.

Now that the weather is cooling off (how 'bout those storms last night thru the SE?) I've been enjoying new recipes that my Culinary Alchemist has been developing, like the garlic toast with real garlic (found at Costco) and honey. Who knew?

Aspirations: Symbolic Inspiration

Aspirations - It's installed!! Even though I was under the weather, Andrew was a sweetheart to help me ready the pieces and install them.

I've got one of a kind framed pieces as well as classic framed and unframed prints.

Go to show Aspirations

This Week's Activities

I'm still beat from taking a week off to create gifts for my neices & MIL!! My MIL is blogging on the family blog wondering where the heck everyone is after our huge party last weekend -she's such a party girl -I can't keep up! Wish I could take some time out to explain my bon-bon couch routine but she'll just have to pop on over 'ere to read up! :)

Meanwhile, I'm in the midst of installing my Aspirations show at EVOO and there is so much involved.

• Andrew made awesome floating frames for only 12 pieces and because it's so much work, I decided it wouldn't be a common feature among our framing efforts.
  
• I launched an email campaign yesterday (that's a 2 day effort) to my Mewsmembers as an exclusive exhibit before the public show on Friday. Wow -immediately sold 2 pieces!
• Realized I need to replace the graphic on ecstewart.com
• I need to update calligraphypets.com homepage to reflect current events.
• I need to finish designing my restaurant poster, postcards & tabletop tent cards for EVOO and get them printed.

I just finished my poster that's going to be inserted in the little plexi-frame and it reminds me of the ads you find in UTNE. For zen meditation, please visit x.com, for yoga instruction, visit x.com, if you want to hear a duck quack -sorry, I digress.

I'm just about finished with my postcards and intend to have them printed at Premium Postcard, so I'll let you know how they turn out.

Ugh. Back to work.




Update: I've been doing quite a bit of Web research on printing-on-demand (POD) and finding it difficult. Some of the challenges I'm running into are the fact that this show is small and Raleigh isn't an art mecca. Folks don't travel in bands from one opening to another and therefore, not many cards are needed -say about 100 and I keep about 50 in my personal stash for promotions. Another is that because I don't require a large number, many of the POD services are requiring a person to purchase at least 500. I have that kind of following, but it's my client list and Premium Postcard offers the service of print & mail that I need for said list. So, my needs are the inverse of what the services dictate.

What I haven't told you is that I usually go to my preferred local printer, Theo-Davis, for my print jobs and decided that it would be best for my biz to continue to shop around. I've looked at some of his old quotes and he may just be the best resource yet.

Lastly, I'd like these card by Saturday. Ugh. Is that too much to ask?

I'm tired of all this shopping 'round -I'm having another glass of wine. Oh, and it's time for dindin.

Ugh! Frustrations!

While Andrew and I were running errands tonight, we had to stop by Home Depot tonight to pick up wood to build frames for my upcoming show. Because HD carried the wood that he really likes, Andrew -despite my dubious angst- insisted that we stop and pick up a sheet of it and get it cut. After 20 minutes of waiting and several calls to have someone help us at the mammoth electric saw and no response, we walked out... well, not quietly.

I'm sure you know how frustrating it is to get help; more so when a bunch of unresponsive, frosty employees stand around ringing their hands with seemingly nothing to do. Well, I won't be returning for a loooong while. Lowe's has always been my preferred lumberyard and they always will be. Be wary of those masking arrogance with helpfulness.

While returning home and fuming in the car (both of us quietly seething) I announced that instead of writing the title: Home Depot Sucks!, I decided I would do something a little more constructive. The Zagats were a couple who began writing restaurant reviews in NYC several decades ago, so I decided I would do the same for the locals, but in areas where we know a great deal -namely areas where we do the bulk of our shopping. Stay tuned for a links list!

There are several stores and services that we frequent and we make appoint of it to get to know them and form a relationship. Yes, it's tougher to do at a mega-warehouse, although, those said businesses keep a tap on the 'net and all things said, so they'll find this post soon enough.

Meanwhile, I'll let you know that among all the Home Depots in Raleigh, the one on Strickland (conveniently across the street from Goodberry's) is one of the most responsive ones. The HD in Cary (Crossroads Village) is one of the worst!

A Lowe's in any location beats them (HD) hands down.

LINE Up - VAE Group Exhibit

Jeanne alerted me a few months ago to VAE's Call-to-Artists Exhibit on "Line." I brought in two pieces: Stretcher & Scratcher to be juried into next month's show.

Wish me luck! I'll know more about the final results early next week.


UPDATE: They both were selected for the show!
First Friday Reception: Friday, February 2, 6-9pm. They'll also be on display for the month of February.