Thursday, December 1, 2011

Going to Davis

Well I have arisen from my sick bed, and I think I can make it to Davis this weekend. Of course this could change at any minute if I start to cough or fall back in bed!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Davis, then Clearance Sale

I am still in bed with a bad cold, but I am expecting to be fine in a few days for the Davis Holiday Sale. Then my Clearance Sale is coming up. I am just wondering if I should push back the date a week. These holidays are busy times, but I would really like to have a spectacular offering for this sale. Hard to imagine as I am laying flat on my back coughing my head off. Oh well. Be advised the date may change, now that it is still early enough to do so.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Anniversary Clearance Sale

If you would like to be invited to my December Clearance Sale in Menlo Park, please click on the newsletter link above and add your email address. This invitation will be
by email only!

I wish I could tell you more of what I will have on sale, but I still have two more shows, and really no idea of what will be sold there. I am going to do a sweep through my studio, so things will be at the sale that I havn't had at previous shows. Sign up for the newsletter, and I may be able to post a few pictures of what's on sale prior to the event.

Sacramento's Crocker Art Museum Holiday Craft Show

This Thanksgiving, after you've eaten all you possibly can, walk off those calories at the Crocker Art Museum Holiday Craft Fair! It starts the Friday after Thanksgiving and continues on Saturday and Sunday, November 25-27. For several years now it has been at the Scottish Rite Center on H Street, with lots of parking. There is a link to a map on the right of my blog page if that will help you get there.
This year I am focusing on giftable pieces under $100. I will bring all the work I have, so if you've seen something in my newsletter that is still available, it will be at the show, but I may not have it displayed. If you are looking for one of my signature pieces in certain colors, please email ASAP so I can make sure I have something for you to see.
My booth is #145, in the Main Auditorium right in front of the stage, which is really the back of the room as you enter from the front.
There is food here, too, just in case you get hungry after all the Thanksgiving feasting!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Every Industry Has It's Scoundrels

You may have heard artists talk about, in a disparaging way, "Buy & Sell". This refers to merchandise that is purchased, as is, from wholesale vendors for the purpose of resale. This is not a crime of course, but for craftspeople and artisans who make their own work, it feels criminal when these merchants pass off this work as their own so they may have access to the Art & Craft show buyers.
The Craft Show Lore goes that vendors have been seen unloading boxes clearly marked "made in China" at some craft shows. After attending the Tuscon Gem Show, it is amazing that any jewelry is handmade by the artist. There must be a zillion companies making jewelry for resale, and most of this is made in third world countries.
I have seen a customer sporting a new piece of jewelry that I know was not handmade ( in America, anyhow), and yet they just bought it from another "artist".
There are many shows where Buy & Sell vendors are desired and sought after. Great, high end importers can be found at these shows, and non-profit groups that support third world artisans. I like going to these shows from time to time myself to see a different kind of work.
I just wish those that buy for resale would stay honest, and stay out of the craft shows.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Menlo Park Sidwalk Art Show This Weekend - Oct. 14-16

This show is on the sidewalk of Menlo Park, not down the middle of the street. It is more casual than a big "tent" show, and there is more time to talk and hang out. The show starts on Friday, and ends on Sunday night at 5. This will be my last show on the Peninsula until next spring. Whew. Where did the summer go?
To usher in the fall, I have done a few colorful fall pieces you can see on my etsy site. I will be adding more as the month progresses. 14-16

Thursday, October 6, 2011

San Carlos Art & Wine Show This Weekend

OOPS. I am late once again. Back to back shows always throw me for a loop, as my mother used to say. So I am leaving tomorrow, and today will be a fast and furious make some jewelry day. I am hoping to concentrate on earrings, but it depends on the willingness of the "universe". If I screw up the first few pairs, I will move on to something else.
My booth number in San Carlos is #280. Hope you can stop by and see what the universe supported today!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Montclair Village Sidewalk Art Show This Weekend..Oct 1 & 2

There is no denying that it is fall. October is here!
Montclair Village Sidewalk art show is this weekend, Oct. 1 & 2 in Oakland. I am on the corner of Mountain Blvd. & La Salle.
I am still busy making stuff....must run!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Walnut Creek Sidewalk Show This Weekend...Sept. 24 & 25



The Walnut Creek Sidewalk show this weekend always feels like the beginning of fall to me. It is hard to believe that summer is over, and I didn't kayak, swim or tube anywhere.

The trip to New York last week felt like a real vacation, but perhaps not the traditional summer vacation. We were gone for almost a week, and enjoyed walking around Manhatten.

Here's a picture of Maeghan and Spencer in the subway on the way to her art opening at the Jack Hanley Gallery. I was pretty thrilled she liked my new industrial necklace with her girly little strapless red dress. She looked GREAT for her opening. And of course, her show was totally great too.

So hope you can make the show this weekend!

Monday, September 19, 2011

I Love My Job I Hate My Job

Credit card processing can be a nightmare.They charge a fortune, and I never know how much any one charge will cost me.
I changed companies this year to Total Merchant Services. They gave me the cute little machine that spits out a receipt with my business name, total, etc. on it, just like a major retailer. Boy have I paid for these cute little receipts.
Now it seems that they are not very competent either. I have spent hours on the phone after learning I had two chargebacks ( customers who disputed their credit card charge because they didn't remember who I was) that the company never informed me of. Why? Because they didn't give their processor my correct address. So not only did they jerk almost $800 out of my account, they have wasted hours of my time, and of course made me go completely insane.
Thankfully, I have been able to contact both of these customers. One apologized for not recognizing my business name, but it really wasn't her fault. I have yet to talk to the other customer.
So Total Merchant Services screwed up. I wonder if they will have the gall to charge me double interest? Stay tuned. Or read about it somewhere on the Internet. My new hobby will be letting the world know of their incompetence.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Follow by email?

By clicking the box above, you will recieve email notices of my blog updates. Pretty handy!! If you don't want to subscribe to my newsletter, you can use this feature to be notified of my shows. But if I decide to blog and rant about who-knows-what, you'll be notified of that too!!

Kings Mountain Art Fair this Labor Day Weekend

I can't believe it is September already. I would like to write about my summer vacation, but since all I really did was organize my laundry room, I am a little short on enthusiasm.
I am very enthusiastic about the upcoming Kings Mountain Art Show in Woodside this weekend. It is in the redwoods at the top of Skyline Drive in Woodside, off of Highway 92 as you are heading over to Half Moon Bay from the bay area. Turn left at the top of the hill!!! I will post a map to the location.
This show is a fundraiser for the volunteer fire house there, and it is one of the highest quality shows I do in California. All the community pulls together for most of the year to produce this show and it entirely done by volunteers. There will be food, and drink too, all done by volunteers to support the firehouse. And , they have the most beautiful firehouse you have ever seen!
Come early for breakfast...it is great!!!



Thursday, August 11, 2011

Truckee this Weekend

Off to Tahoe for a weekend show in downtown Truckee. On the way, we will stop at Ikeda's ( not Ikea, you easterners) just north of Auburn to buy a whole fresh pie for our Truckee hosts, and some fruit for the show. I am beginning to see the value of routines, and this routine is comforting. They also have fresh tofu in a bin of water. This is the only place east of the California coast that I have seen this, but it is hard to take plain tofu to a show so I will bypass this delicacy.
Then I have two weekends off in a row!! Holy Moly. What a glorious thng.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Connosseurs' Marketplace this Weekend

I tell you, it is just crazy. I can never remember my log in and password for my blog. What is that all about? So it takes me about 5 minutes to actually log in, and by then I have forgotten what I wanted to write about. Oh My Goodness.
Of course, I remember I wanted to write about Connosseurs' Marketplace, the show coming up this weekend in Menlo Park. It is a really good show, down the center of Santa Cruz Ave. in Menlo Park. My husband's booth of paintings is next to mine. It looks like the weather will be mild this weekend, so I just have to get to the studio to finish some work, and we are off!!

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Los Altos Art and Wine Show

This weekend is the Los Altos Art & Wine Show, downtown Los Altos. My booth in on N. Main Street, close to First St. on the south side of the street. My booth number is 442.
I would write more incredibly interesting stuff here, but I must go make stuff!!!

Monday, June 20, 2011

Montclair Village This Weekend

This Friday starts the Montclair Village Summer Art Show. I have been doing this show for years, and I always look forward to it. One year, it was so hot that even the hotels in the area had to reduce their power use. One year it was so cold, I had to borrow a coat from the employee coat rack in nearby store. And I learned a few weeks ago to NEVER trust the weather report, so it will be interesting to see what finally ends up in the suitcase.
The artists are on the sidewalks of this Oakland neighborhood, so the traffic isn't diverted. Parking is always an issue here. I am on the corner of La Salle and Mountain Blvd,. and up La Salle from me is a parking garage. I havn't noticed if there are signs to the parking garage, but I would have to imagine there are.
There is a small Israeli deli that closes on Friday at 3pm for Sabbath, and they don't open until Sunday afternoon. I usually end up getting there only once during the show, since I forget this little detail, but this year I am Awake and Aware, ready for the great felafels, hummus and salads.
Hope you can make it. There is a link to a map of my location to your left.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Rain Rain Go Away

Another show day lost to the weather. This last lost day, Sunday in Sacramento, in all fairness, was really lost to cowardice on my part. Saturday at Sacramento was the worst weather I have ever shown in. It was raining at 5:45am when I looked at the window of my hotel, and it didn't stop, excepr for about 2 minutes around 5:30-pm. The wind was blowing, and two high school volunteers helped me with the weights on my booth so it didn't blow away. I must admit I was confused and disoriented most of the day. However, there were an amazing amount of Fun Girls who showed up in the pouring rain to get their Fun Girl Fix, and I am totally honored by this. Rain Bedamned.
I was wet, my booth was wet, and my mirror was wet. I stole paper toweling out of Trader Joe's bathroom to dry the mirror. I couldn't hang the mirror as usual on the edge of the canopy, so I laid it flat on the table and held it when needed. But the toweling got soaked too, so I had Wet Mirror. Then, one Brilliant Fun Girl suggested that I keep the mirror face down on the table to keep it dry.
DUH.
I never was long on common sense. Hey, I already told you I was confused and disoriented!!
So when thunderstorms were predicted for Sunday, I packed up my wet self and wet things and left.
Sunday was dry as a bone, and I was gone.
DUH.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Rings



Here's a ring I sold in Saratoga. The centerpiece is a unique color of pink and gold glass on this ring. It was pretty cool. I am pretty bummed I havn't made anymore since this one. I really should have had some for June, but maybe by Oakland. It is hard to set aside a big block of time, and relax enough to focus on my silver work. I have mainly been doing glass for so long, that the silver is really a task master, and I feel too pressured to deal with the learning curve right now. Maybe later in June.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

Los Altos Rotary Fine Art Show



Los Altos is this weekend, and they are predicting thunderstorms on Sunday. This could all change of course, so let's hold a postive thought. For some reason, this show always has the most unpredictable weather. It has been one of the hottest, one of the coldest, and one of the wettest I have done. I guess if we get one good day I will be happy.



My husband does this show as well, so he will be next to me with his paintings.



We are in the first half of the show, near the Sherman Street end (south end of Lincoln Park) along the freeway side. My booth number is 126. I used to be at the other end of the show, but I moved into the center. So if you are confused there is good reason. I hate to move my spot, but it helps for my husband and I to be next to each other for packing and unpacking the van. Of course this way I can also keep an eye on him, and he will watch my booth for me...for about a minute!



Sacramento Art Fiesta

I'll be in Sacramento the first weekend of June, Saturday and Sunday June 4 & 5 for the annual Kiwanis Art Fiesta. This show is at the Town and Country Shopping Center at Fulton and Marconi. There is a Trader Joes there, a Noah's Bagel, a Jamba Juice and a whole lot more that I can't remember.
The booths are scattered all around the center on the sidewalks, and it can be a bit of a maze. I am in booth 585, in "Canopy Row", which is the only row of white tents behind the Mexican Restaurant there. I can't of course remember the name of the restaurant, and I hope it is still there. If you stood in front of the grocery store there you can see the booths. They are sort of hidden behind one of the buildings.
I will have a "Show Special" here as well, courtesy of the Kiwanis. They, unlike many show promoters, do not charge a commission on sales made from the show, so I always extend some kind of special to my customers because of this. It is early Sunday morning on Memorial Day weekend right now, so my brain hasn't come up with a special just yet. However, it will be available only to my newsletter recipients, so if you aren't getting my newsletter right now, click on the link above here and sign yourself up!!

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Two Shows this Weekend



It is a little crazy around here. I have never done two shows at the same time. I have divided the driveway in half. One show is one half of the driveway, with the appropriate vehicle, and the other show is on the other side with it's vehicle. A little crazy. I just hope when I get to the first show, I have all the right stuff!!!


The first show is Walnut Creek, which is Friday and Saturday, and then on Sunday I will be in Saratoga at the Rotary show.

There are links to maps to the right here. Hope you can make one of these shows!



Sunday, April 24, 2011

It Could Have Been Frozen Yogurt and One More Pound

Last night after dinner, I knew I needed to do a kilnload of glass. It had been a rough weekend so far. Friday there was a big vet bill, and an even bigger car repair bill, followed by a HUGE silver order. Good news is that the cat's OK and the car still works, but it took about 24 hours of whining and depression to recoup. So last night, I really wanted to go to the new Frozen Yogurt store and pig out, but an idea about a diet I should be on stopped me. I ate a few dark chocolate chips and went to the studio.
AND did I get rewarded!!! Every piece of glass in the kiln turned out GREAT! This doesn't happen all the time. I did two new shapes, and they are great. I am more into surface exploration with the glass, and not as interested in the sculptural aspect, so these two new shapes that take the color well are a big break through for me. Of course they will make great pendants. I should take a picture to post, but also to document a 100% on a kilnload!!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Menlo Park this Weekend

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday is the Menlo Park Sidwalk Art Show. I will post a link here to the right to a map of my location. I am always in front of the Wells Fargo on the corner of ?? I can't remember the name and Santa Cruz Ave. La Boulanger is on the other side of the street, if that helps. Sorry! Mapquest doesn't tell me what the street is either.

Juried Art Shows

As I talk to people at the shows, I realize there is a lot of confusion about how the shows operate. All of the shows I am in are juried shows, which means there is a promoter who chooses who is going to participate in their shows. Usually this is done by submitting photographs 4-6 months before the show. If you are selected, you are invited to participate and you pay a fee. Most shows have a jury fee, and the Sausalito Art Fair charges $50 just to apply. Needless to say, I will never apply to their show. Some shows charge a flat fee, and some shows charge a smaller flat fee, with a commission on sales (usually 10%) from the show. Usually, the artist self-reports these sales. At a few shows, such as the Saratoga Rotary, all the money from the sales are collected by them, and they take out their commission and send the artist the balance. I like this because I don't have any paperwork to do. I just get to cash a check!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

West Portal

I am leaving tomorrow afternoon for the San Francisco show that starts on Friday. The weather at this show can be brutal. It is most often cold and windy, but if there is any rain it is nasty. This weekend, it looks like it may rain a little on Friday, but hopefully not enough to call the show for the day. If it is really bad in the morning when we are supposed to set up, the promoter may cancel the show for the day, and all the artists will return on Saturday and try again. Saturday and Sunday look good, but a little cold. But I have noticed that San Franciscans will go out in the coldest weather with just a little wrap. One year, we had left home for the show, and there was about 5 feet of snow on the ground. But in the middle of the day in San Francisco, I was almost in tears because of the cold. And just then, a beautifully dressed red head walks by in her pumps and little silky throw, and I was completely impressed. Time to woman-up!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

2011 Rings


Well here is the first ring I have sold this year. I did do rings several years ago, and I may do some of that style again, but I am really having fun playing with the silver. What a time to play with silver. The cost of silver has tripled in the past year or so. But, I feel like doing it, so what else can I do?? This is a large ring, as you can tell, with a glass cabacon. I entertained the thought of keeping it, since it is so unusual, but of course that thought went away. A long time customer bought this, and it fit her perfectly, so I guess I really made it for her!!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Belmont This Weekend

I just posted my update to my husband's blog. Oh my. What a way to start the year!
I'll be in Belmont this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Carlemont Shopping Center. This is a small show, but the quality of the artists is very good. We are all so happy to have a show to do in March!! We are under the eaves of the Shopping Center walkways, so the March wind and rain won't stop the show. Maybe March winds over 45mph may stop the show, but most likely we will be there. I've been doing this show for 9 years, and I am looking forward to the Mexican restaurant there, name unknown.
If you aren't receiving my newsletter, click on the link at the top and add yourself. You will receive a newsletter before every show, and I always put new work in each newsletter. So if you want to see some new work, add yourself and in a day or so I will send the newsletter out to you.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Contemporary Crafts Market

I'll be showing my work in San Francisco this weekend at Fort Mason at the Contemporary Crafts Market.
The show is Saturday and Sunday from 10-5. For free tickets, go to their website and print them out. I will add a link to the right to the website.

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Slow Pace Again

I have been sick since I returned from my trip back east. Not a good thing. Everyone around me this year has had epic colds, and I hope that this one of mine is just a short story.
I will be behind now for the San Francisco show next weekend. Holy Moly. I can't believe I am going to start the season behind.
I do have a lot of new things for this season. Let's just hope I can get some of them finished!

Monday, February 21, 2011

Going to Baltimore

I am leaving tomorrow to visit the American Craft Council show in Baltimore. There are 700 exhibiting artists from all over the country. The first three days are wholesale, and the last three days are retail. I can't remember when I have seen a wholesale CRAFT show. It will be interesting to see the difference between how the artists display for one or the other, and perhaps there will not be much change between the two types of sales. I will hope to see some inspiring booth designs. However, at this type of indoor show, I am sure that some of these artists will spend days building their booth. This "high design, high time" kind of booth can't be done at an outdoor show, at least not by me!
I am hoping to streamline my booth this year, but I say that every year. It is right up there with: " I will be more organized this year," and " I will be more relaxed this year," and I will remember to charge for shipping this year"...oops, I do have to charge for shipping this year!!!!
I hope I remember.

Monday, January 31, 2011

Going to Tucson


Here are two more rings I have made. You can't see the front of the ring in my hand...it is a pearl...but I wanted you to see the textured metal on the back of the ring. I really like it!! The ring on the stand is my glass bead cabochon set in silver.
I leave this week for my annual pilgrimage to the Tucson Gem Show. I have written about this before, but just in case, I will tell you again about how great a trip it is. I am buying stones, pearls and other "consumable" parts of my jewelry that I don't make myself.

There are a billion vendors at Tucson from all parts of the world. Half of China comes. Lots of people from India. It is very exciting. I shop for 8 hours a day, looking for the unusual, the extremely beautiful, and the great buy. This is why some of my work is so well priced....I am such a good shopper!!!

I learned a lesson in the 90's when I made my second trip to Tucson. I saw a strand of beautiful big round jasper beads; so big that they certainly weren't fashionable at the time, but the stone quality was absolutely amazing. They were a good price too, but I wasn't in the market for them . A few hours later, I saw the exact same strands in a different vendor's booth, for over three times the cost of the first!! They were so beautiful that the second vendor knew he could get a lot more money for them . I think I went back and bought them from the first vendor at that point!

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bad Blogger







I have not been blogging lately. I am existing at a slower pace than life during the show season ( which is most of life for me) and this slow pace feels lazy although I am still working. I have forgotten about things that I do constantly during most of the year, like production, and I am "getting" to do things I don't do most of the year, like polishing up my rusty silversmithing skills. I procrastinate doing the silver work, but once I get started, and accept the dreaded learning curve ( you know that curve, where you make a lot of crappy stuff until you get over the hump!) I really enjoy the work. So I am posting some pictures of the rings and things I have been doing. The photo to the right is a ring in progress that I was thinking about turning into a pendant on these pearls. It isn't done yet, but I think it will turn out to be a ring.
The "hump" ring, figuratively and literally, is the copper and silver ring. What a monstrosity!! But I am showing you all right now, but don't expect to see this ring, or it's relatives at a show this year. The photo of it will show up at the right of this post.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Working

I am making it to the studio everyday. I have spent hours putting things in their place, sweeping and cleaning. I am a few weeks behind in my production schedule. Christmas too more time than I thought it would, but then again, that was probably more fault with the schedule than with the holiday.
None the less, I am working, and I started the silver fabrication I have been talking about for 6 months. I knew I would procrastinate on this. There is a big learning curve with silver work, and it isn't pretty. At the cost of silver these days, it is not pretty and not cheap! So I fumbled around for a few days, burned up some silver and some time. I solved my problems, and I am happy to say that yesterday I make 2 1/2 rings!! They are pretty simple, but at least I am going on them and warming up the old skill sets.
Right now I am waiting on a kilnload to cool down, so I think I'll go out and see whats happening. I will post some pictures of rings when I get a nice grouping.

About Me

My photo
Calaveras County, California, United States
I love the stones and pearls, and the magic that happens when I combine them, and then again combined with the glass I make. You can find me at an Art show somewhere in Northern California most weekends during the spring and summer. Email me at FUNGIRLSJEWELRY@Gmail.com if you like.