Belated Honeymoon -Finally!

This past holiday season, Andrew and I agreed to get the hell out of Dodge and finally take that oh-so-desperate honeymoon we've been hankering for.

Since we're Scobbits (Scottish Hobbits) we thought it only fitting to head to lowlands of Scotland and participate in their frivolity at New Years 2008. Now, we're seeking a counterpart for Christmas. Germany, maybe? After all, that the Christmas tree origination and they've got great Christmas Markets. We also understand the Londoners all go out for Christmas Dinner and it's one big party that evening and Boxing Day is full of sales.

Any more suggestions? Ohhhh, this is going to be fun!

ISO: Motion Detector Gadget

I'm looking for a device that will respond when my cat walks by. I know we can find a motion detector at our local home improvement, but I'm looking for the electronic device to which we can attach a feather and it shakes, inticing kitty to lunge.

We've got the Panic Mouse but it's eating thru batteries like milk shakes, causing Pip lose interest.

Any ideas?

Update

Andrew and I were at PetSmart and found PanicMouse 360 -it rocks. Unwittingly, we bought it because 'NayNay was jonesing for Pip's PanicMouse each time I turned it on inside the studio. Pulling the PanicMouse 360 out of the box, we discovered that the designers must have had a focus group: the on/off button was separated from the speed button and now include a timer -so kitty can increase him time in 15 minute increments.

I'm training 'NayNay like Pavlov's dog, hoping he'll learn each time he presses the timer, the PM360 will activate. At least this way, it doesn't eat the batteries like candy.

Raleigh ArtsRamble

Recently discovered, a group has convened and created an online art community for Raleigh named ArtsRamble.

For those of you seeking venues for your work, you can find a free listing for the calls here.
A number of them require end of January 2007 submissions -so go check the listings now!

Wax On, Wax Off

So, after several weeks of beastiness, Andrew and I finally got around to getting our pedicures tonight. Ahh, how wonderful it is to have one's footsies & calves rubbed!! While Andrew's pedicurist was serving double duty to another client, I got extra massaging. Oh, man, why we don't go everyweek is beyond me.

Oh, yeah, that's right -it's about expenses.

Meanwhile, when I was getting the extra rub-down, I asked about eyebrow waxing. I was just curious about the whole event since I remember as a young adult trying out the 'home kit' for legs. I applied 2 strips on my legs and after ripping off the first strip, I was terrified of ripping off the second. Needless to say, I'm chicken shit of pain and that 'home kit' got dumped straight into the trash.

Andrew continued to patiently wait with Business Week in hand and I agreed to having at least a clear coat applied to my toe nails. When my pedicurist was done, she encouraged me to continue the self-indulgence with waxing my eyebrows. I wimpered. A very pregnant woman sporting fire engine red polish on her toes and sitting athrone next to Andrew attempted to quash my fears. I quickly revealed to her my young adult experience as I acquiesced to my pedicurist persuasion. Both the pregnant woman and Andrew attempted to comfort me as I slipped into that ominous room into which women are frequently seen disappearing as we sit quietly soaking our feet.

The experience was, well, not as relaxing as I witnessed on Oprah last week. My pedicurist began with waxing the uni-part of the brow. Honestly, I have no unibrow but it's all part of the procedure as she continued applying and ripping the wax from below the brow and above the brow. I thought she was done until she pulled out the tweezers to coif the rest of the hair. Nice.

While my skin sports a puffy redness, I can see through to how my brows appear a little more glamourous and as Oprah said, an immediate face lift. The funny thing is that when I did a vanity check in the car, I noticed a resemblance to a dear in headlights. I'll wait until morning to give a true assessment.

Company Buy-Out

I got a letter yesterday and failed to open it -due to the unexpectedness of it all. Evidently, a company has been monitoring mine and has offered to buy it out from out of me.

Wow! Someone wants to buy my company from... me?! Wicked!

Well, I'm not selling, but it does make me feel good. Very good. Ostensibly, I must be doing something right.

Old Art Joke

The devil pays a visit to an art dealer. He states, "I have a proposition for you. I will introduce you to the world's greatest unknown artist. You can represent him and become rich beyond your wildest dreams."

The dealer asks, "What do I have to do?"

The devil says, "Just give me your immortal soul."

The dealer says, "Wait a minute, there must be a catch somewhere."

FBI Art Theft Program

Did you know that art and cultural property crime is a looming criminal enterprise? This includes theft, fraud, looting, and trafficking across state and international lines -- has estimated losses running as high as $6 billion annually!

To help solve and deter criminals, the FBI has a dedicated Art Crime Team of 12 special agents to recover precious pieces. To review the theft notices and recoveries to submiting a tip online, one go straight to their site:

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/arttheft/arttheft.htm

Protecting Yourself
Additionally, to protect yourself and your artwork, completely destroy anything you don't want resold. Just as you would shread credit card statements, shred flat files (prints, photos, illustrations) that won't ruin your mechanism's blades, and crush or burn anything else 3-D. Also wait until trash day to take it out to the curb or take it personally to the dump.

It has been reported by friends that neighbors have watched and confiscated artist's trash only to re-sell at the local flea market. Don't let this happen to you. If you value your brand and believe that an item isn't good enough for you to sell, don't allow others to do it for you.

Test Your Art-Selling IQ

Get insight on how to sell your art -better! Take the 20 question quiz and discover how and where to improve your skills. This is specially helpful for introverts.

Test Your Art Selling Skills

Welcome to 2007

Happy New Year!

If I'm alone on a holiday -or any day- I'll take advantage of doing a little research online.

Today, I came across artists resource provided by ArtistTrust and much of what they offer will help any artist no matter what region.

http://www.artisttrust.org/sites/
trust.civicactions.net/files/AA06Current.pdf

For those of us in the East, we'll have to find our own resources for hurricane preparedness.So get familiar with Craft Emergency Relief Fund.

Monday Misery

After any big show, I donate the next few days to serious R&R.

Much to my chagrin, Andrew had PT scheduled for 9am the following day -that just happened to be Monday. I begged him to change it days in advance (he tried, but to no avail) and I had to drive him to the health center on campus.

No matter how comfortable the chair was in the waiting room, it wasn't as comfortable as laying horizontal in my own bed. For the next 2 hours, I contorted my body with our jackets wrapped up beneath my head -among coughing children and chatty colleagues- hiding from the burning sun behind a large plant and my body growing more weak and painful as the common cold set up camp in my limbs.

With one ear open, I heard Andrew finally reappear into the waiting room only to discover a few of his colleagues wanting to chat up a storm. I felt badly that I wasn't cordial to his plight or to his need to reacquaint himself with his professional network. I needed to get home because I was failing fast -and I had to drive.

I feel like crap. I have holiday orders to fill. I need an intern.

Mother Nature Isn't Loyal

After weeks of preparing for Boylan's show, I didn't have much confidence in this year's event. The day began sunny and bright that quickly turned to cloudy, dull, and eventually rain. I had promised my enthusiasts no rain alas, being a weatherman is the only job where one can be 100% wrong all of the time and still keep his job.

Weeks ago, I had lined up 2 high school students to help me set-up, provide sales support and tear down since my comrade Andrew, would not be able to help me in any fashion. He had a spinal-fusion mid-November and its his job to heal properly; it's my job to lament that I wouldn't have my partner in crime, to stand with me and be my cashier and evenutally twist a grim day into a ribald event. Boy, did I miss that.

Sarah and William both arrived in a timely fashion and I still wasn't ready for them to assist. Going to bed at 1am and rising at 7am, I was eager to get my pieces and parts together for them to help assemble. Regardless of how much they were able to help out, they got paid, but they were reluctant in receiving monetary reward for watching me work up to the 11th hour. I reminded William, who is currently working on a huge project for school, that while he works up to the end for his projects, real-life is very similar, so don't get comfortable in believing that the real world will be much different.

Sarah, my interim intern, did a great job of keeping my irrevence in check. While she's only still in high school, she's got her father's demeanor. She'll tuck her chin in response to any potential offensive remark and cock her head and secure her stance when someone attempts to rip personal craftsmanship in public.

Overall, the enthusiasts, new and familiar, were fun to talk with and learn about, but there will always be someone who judges with a fine tooth comb, a person we don't want as our customer. On the flip side, I've had customers stand at my booth defending my work! That definitely brightens up a sour day.

Unfortunately, my ROI for the day was just as exciting as the day itself. I love the show, but Mother Nature isn't loyal to any farmer or any artist. Better luck next year.

To Guild or Not to Guild

The second reason for heading over to the Carolina Craftsmen Guild show today was also to talk with the artists (always on the last day for those who want to follow my lead) to get a better understanding of how they felt about the weekend's show; one of many determining factors to join the guild.

It seemed that many were disappointed and all were desperate to find out why. Some thought it was because the show was situated in the middle of the flea ground (good point) and surrounded by hobbiests who produce much crap (another good point). It could also be a culmination of slow economy and those who feel they can buy similiar stuff at Target and be just as happy -minus any interesting story they might like to share. Who doesn't like to tell a good story?

Perhaps what I'm reading about micro-boutiques taking over this land is the mark of a new trend. Jeanne had sent me an article a month ago about the Alaskans renovating a train car with art and driving from one small town to the next for exposure and sales. What if a consortium of boutiques approached AmTrak with a similar partnership? Think of the unique business plan to help Indie Designers and a failing business like Amtrak to foster more jobs? Perhaps designers accompany the train from station to station or hire folks to man and cashier their rented space as their full-time jobs?

I know that folks walking past department store doors during their lunches and heading to micro-boutiques give the indie designers an opportunity to share their vision and keep the large dept stores continously striving to keep a unique position.

For now, I'm still waffling at joining a Guild or two, but will continue to support those indie designers and artisans as much as I can afford.

Uncorked! A New Exhibit!

I have finally installed a new series at EVOO Restaurant titled: Uncorked! It's a wine series coupled with spirited quotes that just might suit you. It will soon be installed online at Bijouxlled, my annex for ECStewart Collections.

Tell me what you think!

Carolina Craftsman Guild + Boylan Heights Art Walk

Today, I broke free from the holiday festivities -actually, the inlaws went home. Decided it would be refreshing to hit a quality show of exhibiting professional artisans -Carolina Designer Craftsmen- here in Raleigh. I wanted to see more textile artists but it seemed as though they've disappeared, leaving traces of silk designers and few others.

Among the artists I did visit and find noteworthy were my friends Marina Bosetti of Bosetti Art Tile and Carol Owen, the published artist of personal shrines and altered books. You know I just had to pick up her book and have her sign it! Additionally, I remember Dory of FuturisticallyArchaic, the exceptional silver artist who has designed a neat pulley system pendant and picked up some terrific earrings.

Now, I've got to return to my own studio and continue in R&D for new products. Perhaps you'll see a few at the Boylan Heights Art Walk at which I'm exhibiting next weekend!

Fear of Hospital Dramas

Dalton Ross on EW.com talks about his intense fear of hospital dramas, regardless of top ratings and I agree. Like Ross, I'll go into convulsions if I hear "Code Blue" or "50 cc's" of anything and I'll just paralyze in place.

This morning, at O'Freaking early, I had to accompany my husband into the hospital for a spinal-fusion. He does a really good job of remaining calm thru any situation - my emotions swing just a bit -from yelling at the old man who just hit our neighbor's dog to cracking jokes at the nurse who is inserting an IV into Andrew's hand.

I don't much like sitting here in the public waiting room. It's loud and I just want to sleep thru his surgery, however, the staff have other plans. I spied a waiting room for those in ICU and I almost sneaked in to grab a cat nap but I was afraid I'd miss Andrew's wake up call.

Alas, I'll blog and keep myself amused thru this slow news day -I must report any global news to the man as soon as he wakes -like he'll remember. :) Yeah, I get to tell him about the air guitar at least 5 times and make it sound interesting each time -complete with spasmatic convulsions.

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/
0,6115,1556246_7_0_,00.html

Canstruction

I've seen this artistic endeavor close to home at Exploris -but it's still neat.

To raise hunger awareness, giant sculptures made from full cans of food are built at an annual event held in New York and other cities.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/11/D8LB2C7G0.html

T-Shirt Turns Air Guitar Into Music

How cool is this?

A high-tech T-shirt has motion sensors built into its elbows that pick up the wearer's arm motions and relay them wirelessly to a computer which interprets them as guitar rifts, said Richard Helmer, an engineer who leads the research team from the government's Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization.

Can you imagine having a slew of folks standing around performing air guitar -they'd need a conductor -neat options there. Personally, I'm waiting for air finger painting.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/13/D8LC6K080.html

Options for Gurty's Law

I'm on the road to creating Gurty's Law. I need to familiarize myself with gathering names for petition to get a light, a stop sign, or a maybe a meager little speed bump.

My options are take the license I photocopied from the old man and:

Coupled with Gurty's photo, write a note on flyers indicating this is what he had done and to make sure that everyone is aware how angry we are as a neighborhood and distribute them to every house in both neighborhoods

or

Enlarge a photo of Gurty and print it on a banner. Stake it in the place where she got killed (at the intersection) and have keys words printed such as:

"This Pet Was Killed Last Night Due to Reckless Driving... Slow Down"

or

A Simple Banner that reads:

"Slow Your Ass Down You Rotten, Careless Bastards"

or

"You Must Have Been a Republican to be so Heartless to Kill a Pet"

or

"Heartless Republican Bastards Turn Back, My Gun is Pointed at Your Head"

or

"Stupid Old Man: Relinquish Your Driver's License and please don't have a Heart attach and die because of these circumstances you brought about yourself and heads will turn to me since I'm not afraid of confrontation."

or

"Slow Your Punk Ass Down... We Value People, Pets, and Children, Too."

City Council, Here I Come.

Farewell Gurty

Tonight, for the first time in 20 years, I exhumed my trumpet from it's comfortable chocolate crushed velvet case... to play taps.

I'm devestated by tonights events. Gurty, a neighbor's dog, was carelessly hit by a speeding old man whose license needs to be revoked. Regardless of his self-proclaimed fact that he grew up as the only kid with 25 hunting dogs will never bring Gurty back to her family. A horrible event I witnessed (in my mind's eye) several hundred times just waiting for the real event (actually witnessed) to happen while attempting to unload Andrew's Element of office toys. And now I'm drinking.

My head hurts. It's better than my stomach that's been in knots for several hours after watching her 80lb golden retriever body hit the pavement infront of the children and parents. That 86 year old SOB never stopped nor did he hit his brakes -I ran after him as fast as my damn heeless shoes would let me.

I'm sickened by the thought of that family next door with swollen eyes from crying so hard who must live with the regret of never putting her on a leash -but hey! Why should we when we don't live on a highway? Seriously! It's only 25 thru here and the bastards from the adjacent neighborhood feel it's well within their right to race to the other end of Childers.

I told that old coot that I was waiting from someone from Blenheim to hit a pet -or a child. And it had to be him. He swore he was only driving 25 mph but from a distance I heard Andrew yell, "BULLSHIT! What if that were a kid!!"

For me, kids and pets are on the same equivalency chart. Headhunters in New Guinea rate pigs higher than kids -but that's their social mentality, not mine.

I'd like to have that old man's license revoked for good.

Cops were called and children were babysat while the parents lamented their horrific decision over the life of their family member. I cradled my gut until the parents came home and the cops finally showed. I know the family doesn't want me to make an example out of Gurty but I do want to make an example out of the old man who killed their dog.

Right now, I'll be content with disentombing the brass on a very poignant occasion.

Gurty, this is for you.

Thought for the Day

"Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right."

- Isaac Asimov

I've done my part today to help bring equality back into the White House. Have you?