Wednesday, October 31, 2012

OMG

Two shows on one weekend. What was I thinking?

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Montclair Village This Weekend

I'll be back in Montclair this weekend for the semi-annual Sidewalk Art Show. I have been doing this show for years, and I love the neighborhood. I have had the coldest art show EVER there, and also the hottest of all time. How odd! So I check the weather pretty carefully before we leave for Oakland. I am on the corner of Mountain Blvd. and La Salle. There is a bank right in front of me, and I think it is Wells Fargo? Hope you can make it!

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

The New Walnut Creek Art Show

This will be my 11th or 12th year at the Walnut Creek Fall Sidewalk Art Show, but this year it is not ON the sidewalk. We have been booted to Main Street, downtown Walnut Creek, which will be closed to traffic. I loved my old spot in front of the Silk Road Restaurant, and I have fond memories of them serving me a cocktail at the end of the day. And those are old memories, since I haven't had a cocktail for many years now. But I am off the subject. This year's show will be down the middle of N. Main Street, and my booth will be near the Silk Road Restaurant, at the intersection of N. Main and Bonanza. My booth number is 206, and I think it may be a corner booth. So I hope all you Fun Girls can make it to the show, and I hope you can find me too.

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Truckee Labor Day Art & Craft Show

I'll be in Truckee this Labor Day Weekend on Saturday and Sunday doing the first Labor Day Arts & Craft show there. I expect it to be buzzing with tourists, and people going to the mountains for the last of summer fun. The show is on the end of town by the Truckee Hotel, and the side street there is blocked off for the show. I can't believe summer is over. WHEW.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

How I Learn

The learning process is amazing to me. What do we know, how do we know it, and when does it become actual knowledge, as opposed to ideas we are only aware of? I am sure there are more important philosophical applications to this, but I happened upon this discovery when I changed my hairstyle and my earring style had to change too. I have been selling earrings now for 11 years, but until my own hair changed did I really GET IT that women need a range of earring styles and lengths for many many reasons, and the main reason is not just personal taste. So until I experienced this for myself, the idea I was aware of wasn't really knowledge. Get it? Maybe this is why we really can't learn from other people's mistakes. Sigh. Anyhow, I have been working on some new earrings lately. I made the long long pair you see in the photo a while back, and found that I really enjoyed wearing them. I had some technical issues to work out (sodering with rubber) and now I have a few pairs to sell. I morphed the long pair into several shorter designs
as well.

Friday, August 3, 2012

Truckee Last Weekend....Truckee NEXT Weekend

What is today? That is the question! This is the third Friday night since May 18th that I am home. What a run of shows! And I will be back up in Truckee next weekend, August 11 & 12, and hopefully I will have the same location in front of the Truckee Hotel.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Fun Girls Slideshow

I have known for a while now that the person wearing the piece of jewelry really brings it to life, and these photos really prove that. Most of these photos came from my Iphone at shows. For this week's newsletter, I selected a few photos from past shows featuring FUN Girls in their Fun Girl pieces. This was so much fun to do, I hope to do it more.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Running Out The Door

Wow. I am literally running out the door with polishing grime all over my hands, and I forgot to update my blog! And this is only show #2 of 7 in a row. I am going to the gym and I think I am tough, so I can surely do 7 in a row! So off to Oakland. Montclair Village is such a great little neighborhood. Hope you can make it. I'll be on the corner of La Salle and Mountain Blvd. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Sacramento Art Fiesta This Weekend

I think I posted about this already, but I am so happy I want to say it again...we are INSIDE this year at the Sacramento Art Fiesta! The old William Glen Store will have artists inside this year, and there will be air-conditioning!!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Sacramento Art Fiesta Show Special

As I write this post, I am packing up for San Ramon. But next weekend in Sacramento will be here quickly. The big news about the Sacramento Show this year is that I will be inside the old William Glen Store, with Air conditioning! At least, it is hard for me to believe that they won't turn it on anyhow. Last year was a fiasco with the rain, thunderstorms and tornado warnings, so the save haven of a building is looking wonderful. I have a great Show Special for Sacramento email newsletter customers. If you aren't getting my newsletter, sign up above to receive the "show special". I love doing this at Sacramento. All the other shows require a commission that I must pay, from 10-20%. This show does not require that, so I am able to pass on that saving and make it fun too. How great is that? Hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Thursday, May 24, 2012

A Fine 50's Whine

Yes, I am going to whine again. I was born in the 50's. That is a volume of information right there about me. I have a love/hate relationship with technology. I love what I can do with it, and hate being my own tech support.I love being able to reach out, yet hate the constant pressure to tweet,twit,post,link, and blog. The big one that I have been avoiding is that my reach should include, of all things, asking people to "friend" me. This is, of course, all very old news. We have been asked to friend a zillion things by now. But I have to ask as well, and it just irritates me. Being born in the 50's, I just feel it is impolite to ask such a thing. However I have attended yet ANOTHER class on internet intelligence, and again I have been told I must do this. I spent a half a day in that class, and I just don't want to think I wasted my time. So here goes. Please friend me on Facebook.

Monday, May 21, 2012

San Ramon Wind Festival this Weekend

I am working for this weekend's show in San Ramon. I have never been at this show with my jewelry before, so we will see how it goes. Since I don't do Danville shows much anymore, I was hoping this show would get me back to that neighborhood. I am sorry to say I don't even know the name of the park it is at. It must be time to read my paperwork!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The Saratoga Rotary Art Show is this Sunday, May 6th on the West Valley College campus. This is a great one day show that has been going on for many years, and it looks like the weather will be beautiful this year. My husband will also be at this show with his watercolors. I wish I had more to say about this, but he is loading the van and I need to go help!

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

My New Mac

I just bought a used Mac from Ebay, and I was holding my breath. When I returned home from the Walnut Creek show, there it was. I was afraid to open it. When I picked it out on Ebay, I sort of covered my eyes and clicked "buy". I was unable to make myself do any of the research one SHOULD do for this kind of purchase, so I knew I was really shooting in the dark. I liked the picture, as a matter of fact, the color in the photo made the computer look extremely pink, and that figured into my decision somewhat. That, and the fact that my PC laptop is on it's way out, and I would be left in the lurch. So I opened the outer box, and there was the original Mac box. That was comforting. I set it up ( so easy) and finally found the ON button. That was the hardest. Imagine my relief when it started, and worked!! This morning I made a quick slideshow of a few of my Chunky Monkeys. I am amazed at the features on this computer, and I look forward to learning everything it can do.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Walnut Creek this Weekend

I will be downtown Walnut Creek this coming weekend, Saturday and Sunday. They used to have this show on Friday too, but now it is just the two days. I am in front of the Silk Road Restaurant near the intersection of Bonanza. There is a link to a map of the location to the right. It looks like the weather will be good, so bring your sunblock and come to one of the new shopping meccas of Northern California! I hope I get a chance to see the new Neiman Marcus while I am there.

Overheard at Menlo Park

Well here is the funniest thing I have heard in a long long time.... The show in Menlo Park last weekend was filled with beautiful things, much of it jewelry. One of my fellow jewelers was putting one of her showcase pieces around the neck of a customer. She told the customer that the beautiful, original piece, which featured a large handcrafted component mid-chest, was so beautiful that it would invite much fondling. The customer cooly replied," Could you make it longer?"

Monday, April 23, 2012

18 Cups of Coffee

I swear I am on cup 19 now, and I still can't get going. Three, 10 hour days on the sidewalks of Menlo Park really took it out of me. The heat may have had something to do with it as well. Friday was HOT. Is it summer already? But there was no wind and no rain. I am looking foward to Walnut Creek this coming weekend. So far, the Weather Guess is sunshine there as well. Last year I think there was rain....

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

What A Bear

West Portal turned out to be a BEAR of a show. It was totally amazing that we didn't get rained on. All the weather guesses showed rain on Friday...for sure. I arrived Friday morning expecting to spend the day at the DeYoung Museum, but there was sunshine! So we set up. Cold, as always for this neighborhood and windy. Several artists has their displays blow over, and my friend's dented a car parked behind her. On Saturday I had a whole table blow over, and my glass display shattered into the street and it was an incredible mess. I was pretty shaken, even though nobody, or no thing was hurt. I had a wonderful customer there at the time who took charge and cleaned up all the glass. I do have the most wonderful customers! Thanks so much Sharon. The jewelry on that table didn't have any of my glass beads in it, so this was a true blessing. I did lose some pieces, and some will have to be taken apart to remove the scratched pearls or shattered beads. I may mark them down at the next show if they don't look too bad. I am going down now to have a look. Next weekend at Menlo Park it looks sunny and beautiful. Hold your hat just in case.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

San Francisco This Weekend

I'll be in the West Portal Ave. neighborhood of San Francisco this coming weekend. The show starts on Friday, but that day may get rained out, in which case we will show back up Saturday morning and try again. My booth is right in front of Starbucks on the corner of Vicente and West Portal. What a great spot!! I break the bank this weekend, indulging in all the Starbucks treats I want. This, however, does NOT include sugar. They have a great new little snack that has cold  Hericot Verts that is fabulous (Green beans to most of us).
I have signed up for Pinterest, and I find it pretty interesting. Another great way to waste time on the internet!! I am not sure if you "friend" me there or not, but I am looking forward to putting my favorite jewelers on there from around the globe. It will be a slow process but I would love to show you the creators that I think are tops in the entire world!!
I may go hunt one up on the internet right now and post a picture...on Pinterest!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Gayle Rooney Again

Holy Cow I totally missed that they UPDATED this blogging format. Now I have to learn to do it all over again. I understand that people get paid to do this, and they think they are doing a great thing I suppose. I just have a hard time realizing that people go to work everyday, and their job is to think about how to change BLOGGER... all day.
Then I get to RELEARN it all again, and I don't get paid for that.
OMG.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Gayle Rooney

Don't we miss Andy Rooney, the commentator who bitched and moaned his way through life in the last 5 minutes of 60 Minutes?
I always liked him, and agreed with him a lot. I wish he were alive, and I wish he had a small business and I wish he had to deal with all this social networking nightmare reality. It started pretty slowly a number of years ago. I remember when "we" ( meaning everyone with something to gain or lose by the emergence of the great Internet) were told to begin an email address database. Well, OK. Finally got that, got that it had to be done, and for the most part, it is great. Then a website. More time. More money. More maintenance.
I paid $500 for a class to develop my art-based business, and after that investment, I pretty much had to do one thing they told me to do, so I began this blog. I didn't want to do it, but I enjoy it much more than I thought I would. I am sure if I was a dedicated blogger, it would be great. I really just don't think I have that much interesting information for you.
Then, every year or so, along comes a new online tool that  "we" are told to jump on board, develop, grow, network.Think now....Facebook. Now...Twitter. Now....Linkedin. And now...Pinterest. OMG.
Oh, and let's not forget the many UPDATES to these tools, so that once they are learned, they need to be RELEARNED.
So this brings me to the new look of Facebook, and I am already worn out bitching. How did Andy Rooney do this for so many years??






Saturday, March 17, 2012

Belmont Next Weekend

Next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, I will be in Belmont at the Carlemont Shopping Center doing a little show that has been going on for YEARS. I think my husband first did this show in the 90's....OMG.
What's great about this show is the neighborhood. Belmont is a really great town. There is no "downtown", at least as far as I have been able to find, but there are little clusters of restaurants and stores here and there. There is a fabulous Italian restaurant across the street from the shopping center. (Of course I can't remember the name) and tucked into the shopping center itself is a great little nursery!
But the greatest feature is the covered walkways. It can rain all weekend, and we will all be dry. Cold probably, but dry. I am at the end of the center closest to Ralston. The center itself is at the corner of Ralston and Alameda de las Pulgas.
Hope you can make it!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

San Francisco

It's San Francisco this weekend for the Contemporary Crafts Market. For free tickets ( a $16 value) please see their website...http://www.craftsource.org

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Oh Woe is Me

I am too burnt to blog. I am just trying to get this computer back to "normal" ( or is it the new normal) after a virus that shut it down completely. It has been wiped clean, and all my data has been replaced, but I have no software and no printer. It's gonna be fun.
After I recover from this I will tell you about my upcoming show in San Francisco. Hopefully, this will happen tomorrow!!!

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.