Salt Fork River Art Festival Day 1

The first day of the show was absolutely gorgeous!  Except for a few small gusts of wind it was perfect.

We had sun shining on the tent first thing in the morning - light was everywhere and it was wonderful.  We don't get anymore sunshine until around 4:00pm when the sun moves around the trees that surround us.

Mom and I love the sunlight shining on the bowls because you can really see all the different colors we use when enameling.  We did have three accidents that I have to fix today.  We had a gust of wind come through and knock over the Guardian, the Harlequin Mask and the Tree of Life plates.  Thank goodness I can just thrown them in the kiln and it is all fixed.

Here is the necklace side of the table.  Mom's enameled copper circle and Viking Knit Bib necklace sold yesterday.  It will be a Christmas gift for a niece.  We also have a special order to make earrings to match the necklace - so that made our day.  We also had a lot of people look at the Peacock necklace and love it.

Mom and I didn't bring the screen for this show, so we thought we would put the pendants and earrings on one of the boards we made several years ago.  I think it looks great but it makes you realize how low you are on the inventory.  Mom and I have one more show next weekend and then we need to get into production mode before our last show the 9-11th of November.

People shopping and listening to music.

There were bands playing throughout the day and this was one of them.  The music was awesome as usual!

There was a huge field behind our area filled with more artists.

I will try and get better photographs of all the artists set up - there was just so much to take in yesterday.

People shopping in our booth.  Mom and I walk around a lot during the day, so I was taking photographs and she was taking photographs.

Pictures of the grape vines and the trees changing colors.  I really need to learn how to take out the electrical lines :)

Both mom and I were having fun taking pictures of the grapes that were still on the vine.  I think these grapes were a test variety and should be picked soon.

More grapes - but I love how the sun is coming through one of the grapes and making it look translucent.

You can see the bugs were eating the leaves.  But I love the colors and how the sun comes through the leaf.

Can you see a theme here ;)  More grape leaves.

Up near the front entrance to the winery were these gorgeous flowers.  Mom took these images.  I just love the white and purple of the flower.

Behind our booth is a hummingbird feeder and the hummingbirds were out flying around in the evening.  I was having a hard time taking a good photo of these little buggers.  We even had one fly into our tent but I wasn't fast enough to get the camera out to take a photograph.

This one was nice enough to sit still long enough for me to take a picture.  I am hoping they come flying around before we leave today because I would like a chance to get better pictures.

So, that was saga for the first day of our show.  Today is suppose to be even nicer and I just can't wait to get over to the winery and walk around again.  Have I said it enough yet - this is our mostest awesomest show ever :)

Salt Fork River Art Festival

Today is our favorite art festival - the Salt Fork River Art Festival.  Our friends, Joe and Dawn, put it on at their winery.  If you are ever in the Fairmont, IL area I highly recommend stopping in to visit and taste their wines!  They always have something fun going on and the events are listed on their website.  They also have a Facebook page that updates about events and the goings ons at the winery.

If you happen to be in the area stop on in and say hi and try some wine and slushies - you won't be disappointed!

In Loving Memory of my Psycho Kitty Chai

Chai soon after I got her

Last night I had to say good-bye to my baby girl Chai.  I have to say that is one of the hardest things I have done in my life.

Chai laying on mom's legs - her favorite place to rest

The last week Chai has been acting funny but I just figured it was the pill I gave her last week.  Last night she finally let me sit down and pet her and she was nothing but skin and bones.  Plus she was breathing pretty hard.  I called mom and she said take her to the emergency vet or you will be worrying about her all night.

Chai did love drinking water from the sink and she still fit in the sink bowl as
an adult

The vet took her in the back to give her oxygen and then came back and told me that she felt masses in her lungs and stomach.  They took x-rays and said it was cancer and it had spread.  I told them I didn't want her to suffer and it was time to let her go.  The vet was really nice to let me hold her for as long as I wanted and then I held her as she left.  Like I said that was the hardest thing I have ever done but I was not letting my baby girl go without her knowning I was there for her.

Chai and her Evil Stare - I really wish I had a better shot of her
eyes - they were gorgeous

Chai Chai was my middle furry baby.  I got her in 2004 after I finished the last of the paperwork for my house.  I had gone to Petsmart on Sunday and told myself I would get a new furry baby.  On Monday when I returned from Indy I headed straight for Petsmart. 

I was looking at this one cage with three kitties inside, Chai and two of her siblings.  I was looking at one of the siblings because they were up against the cage wanting to be petted, not Chai.  She was sitting in the back of the cage just looking at me waiting patiently for me to pick her; I have never regretted it, except when Chai picked on Tiesha - they were like oil and water.

My baby girl sure loved cat nip.  She would just roll around in it and be in kitty heaven.  That was usually when she was her most loving.  You got to pet Chai on her terms and not yours and don't even think about picking her up and holding her - oh heck no!

But boy, when she was lovey, she was lovey.  She had a particular spot she would sleep on me at night.  I would have to be on my side and she would lay out on my legs.

Chai loved her boxes.  I can tell you who rules the house and it isn't me.  I kept boxes for her to climb on and lay in.  She really loved this one box that their water fountain came in.  I took the cardboard off one side and laid the box on its side.  That was Chai's box and no one elses - only she was allowed to lay in there or she would get you.

I am seriously going to miss my Psycho Kitty! Thank you for letting me go down memory lane.    Here is to my pretty girl and may you be playing with Nayda, Max and Samantha again some place where you aren't in any pain. Miss and love you!!! I think I am going to go ball now so I hope you all have a good night!

Rainbow Bridge

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.

There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.

Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.

The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.

The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….

Author unknown ….

Lorelei's Giveaway - Check it Out

Lorelei is having a wonderful giveaway on her blog: Lorelei's Blog: Necklaceology by: Candie Cooper.  Go check it out and leave a comment for a chance to win.

Good luck!

Hurricane Delphi - Again

Yesterday was our show Celebrate the Arts in Delphi, Indiana.  This is the third year for the show and this year they moved the show from May to September because the last two years the show in May the weather has been awful.  The first year of the show there were hurricane type winds, you can read about it here and last year it started out raining but the sun did come out, and you can read about it here.

The first year of the show we had a brand new tent, busted.  This year we had brand new sides that we got right before this show, ripped.  Mom is out in the garage sewing the the rips now - thank goodness she knows how to sew.

This is from the back of the tent.  We were told to have the opening towards the street and the other vendors would have their openings toward us.  You can see how well that happened.

Bowl, plates, pendants and earring side of tent.

Setup didn't go so well that morning.  This year they had us on the courthouse lawn instead of in the street.  When we were in the street we could unload right at our spot and start setting up.  Well, they told us we couldn't park on the street, closest to where we were setting up.  No, I had to park way on the other side of the courthouse and lug all of our stuff to our spot - can't let mom carry heavy stuff.  So, I carried the tent, screen, tables, and four 50 pound weights to our spot.  As we were lugging our stuff to our spot we saw cars parking on the street they told us we couldn't unload at, and vendors getting out an unloading.  Needless to say mom and I were SOOOOOO not happy!!!!

Necklace side of the tent.

I did tell mom at least I worked off what I ate for breakfast.  Let me tell you those weights weigh a ton - not just 50 pounds - a ton!!!!!!

This is what the sky looked like after we set up.  We were going from sunny skies to nasty looking skies.

Here is the sunny weather.  It would have been a gorgeous day if the wind had not started to pick up.

Mom said she has always aspired to be a dead weight for a tent pole :)

This is mom holding down the side of the tent.  Even with the weights on each of the tent legs it was still a little scary.  We also had the tent sides flying inside the tent.  I am standing in back of the necklace table trying to keep the sides from hitting the stands.  There were a couple of times where the wind was so strong it was pushing me over - also there was a tree across the street from our set up that was bent over in half from the wind.  Not fun at all when everything is glass.

Around 1:30 we decided to call it quits.  When you start hearing other people's tables being knocked off and breaking glass you know it is time to say - We are Done.

The day wasn't a total lost at least.  This is what I had waiting for me to read last night - Lori Anderson's book Bead Soup.  Oh my gosh was it an awesome read and so much eye candy!!!  It so made up for the windy day.

Mom is now going through the inventory to see what, if anything, needs to be fixed.  We know of one necklace that needs a pendant put in the kiln but we need to see if anything else needs to be repaired before next weekends two day show.  Lots to do, so I will be off.  Have a great Sunday and awesome week!

Recap of Weekend Show - Art on the Wabash

I thought I would start off with a great picture of mom in our booth.  We had a gorgeous day for our show this year - no rain, wind or mud.  Mom even got a little sun burned - a perfect day.  Back where mom is standing is where we take payments and wrap up customer purchases.  We usually sit back there and work on Viking Knit because that seems to interest the customers a lot.  This year I think I stood almost the whole show talking with people.

Each year our booth evolves and I love taking pictures to see what each show was like and what we did differently.

In front of the booth we have this screen that we put all of our pendants and earrings on.  This year we add the wire across the top for the earrings (much easier to display now).  I am trying to convince mom to paint the black metal white to go with the rest of the booth.  I am also trying to think of a different material for the inside portion of the screen.  I would like it to match our colors in the booth but still have material durable enough to hang all the pendants on.  That might be a Pinterest search :)

This is the side we place all the bowls, plates and wall hangings on with some of the necklaces between bowls.

Here is the necklace side of the booth.  Like I said mom and I try and change it up each show to try something different.  I also have found some ideas on Pinterest I want to try for next year but I first have to show mom and see what she thinks.

I had to show the bamboo cuff because it sold.  Next to the bamboo cuff is the house cuff.

Also, "Hear, Speak, See No Evil" sold about an hour into the show.  The customers who bought the plate said it was going to be a wedding gift.  The couple is having a costume wedding and they also collect skeletons so both mom and I thought that was awesome!!!

Now I had to show you what my car looks like right now - mom and I are leaving it packed for the next month because we have shows every weekend.

This is the driver seat with the shelves and the screen next to me with everything else packed to the gills.  It is a good thing mom knows how to pack.

 Better image of the front seat of the car.  Yes, mom does have room to sit in the passenger side, but not much.  It is a good thing she is short :)

So, that was the Art on the Wabash show.  This Saturday is the Carroll County Arts Festival in Delphi, Indiana.  This year they moved the show from May to September.  The first two years of the show the weather wasn't being cooperative (hurricane force winds for one).  So, we are looking forward to seeing how the show goes this year.  I will have another re-cap next week.

The Flower and the Bee

It is another I Heart Macro Sunday.  I went ahead and prepped this blog last night because mom and I have a show today - Art on the Wabash in West Lafayette, IN.  The line up of cars starts at 7:15am and the let us drive to our site at 7:30.  We have about two and half hours to set up before the public starts to walk around at 10am.  The show ends at 4pm and it takes mom and I about an hour to tear everything down and pack up the car.  So, we should be home by 5:30pm tomorrow night.

I thought I would share some images I took back in August of a bee and a flower.  Enjoy!

Have a great Sunday everyone!